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The Steepholmers are a new men's sea shanty group that formed in Weston-super-Mare in early summer 2018, with a little help from a certain popular video game with a nautical theme (seriously). We meet every Wednesday at The New Inn in the village of Kewstoke, just outside Weston (7pm until 9pm if you would like to join us) and perform a range of popular sea shanties while always remaining keen on learning new ones to enhance our repertoire. Some of us like dressing up a bit - think tricorn hats and the 'Poldark' look you won't be too far off - and we are now just starting to perform in public. So, if you would like to join in, you will be most welcome. Or, if you would like us to perform somewhere, that would be great. Please contact us to discuss when and where and further arrangements.
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Thanks and best wishes, The Steepholmers
The Steepholmers
Weston-super-Mare's new sea shanty group
The Steepholmers
Sea Shanty Group
Weston-super-Mare
The Steepholmers are a sea shanty group that formed in Weston-super-Mare in early summer 2018, with a little help from a certain popular video game with a nautical theme (seriously). We meet every Wednesday for rehearsal 7pm until 9pm (please call Robin on 07790 156 486 if you would like to join us) and perform a range of popular sea shanties while always remaining keen on learning new ones to enhance our repertoire. Some of us like dressing up a bit - think tricorn hats and the 'Poldark' look you won't be too far off - and we are now performing in public for community groups and at our regular monthly 'Shanty Night'. We also performed two sets at Mevagissey Shanty Festival in Cornwall in October and received top marks for both. If you would like to join in, you will be most welcome. Or, if you would like us to perform somewhere, that would be great. Please contact us to discuss when and where and further arrangements.
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Thanks and best wishes, The Steepholmers
About The Steepholmers
Current
line up
Nigel Glanville-Gittins
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As the group musical director and arranger, Nigel is by far the most important person in the group. Without him, we wouldn't have got anywhere, except perhaps for producing a somewhat unorganised dirge. Nigel has been singing in choirs and pub bands since he was 8 years old. He recorded for Radio 3 at the age of 11 and sings as one of the basses in Bristol Rock Choir - with which he has sung with Russel Watson, G4, Kiki Dee. He is also a classically trained pianist and oboe player.
Dave Townsend
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Dave is another Steepholmers stalwart. Musically skilled, Dave can arrange music for us and provides musical direction in the absence of Nigel. Outside of The Steepholmers, Dave is active in local and national politics, especially in the campaign for the rights of disabled people; he was recently elected as Vice Chair of Disability Labour.
Robin Whitlock
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It was Robin who founded the group originally, after hearing shanties sung by characters in an Xbox 360 game called "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag" and deciding he'd rather like to sing shanties for real. After discovering there wasn't a shanty group in Weston, he decided he'd form one instead, and thus The Steepholmers was born. Robin works from home as a freelance journalist, with all sorts of interests, including military and naval history.
David Stott
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Following a career in education - and having a background in folk music, choral singing and amateur operatics and drama, David is a keen bowler and Team Manager of Visually Impaired Bowls England. Having not had much of a musical element to his life in recent years, David eagerly grasped the opportunity to join The Steepholmers and has written an original shanty for the group entitled, appropriately, Steep Holm!
Richard Lawson
Richard Lawson is a retired GP and so is often comically and affectionally referred to as 'ship's doctor'. Outside of The Steepholmers, he is a keen musician generally and folk music enthusiast and is also an environmentalist and conservationist, a member of the Green Party who formerly held quite prominent positions in the party, including running for election on various occasions and serving as the party's Principal Speaker in 1992.
Thurstan JB
Thurstan is another passionate member of the group and is an experienced singer, having sung previously with the Great Western Chorus of Bristol.
Anne Bunn
Anne is currently the only female member of The Steepholmers, although she hopes that will change very soon.
"I've sung in choirs over the years, but love the sea shanty tradition" Anne says, "so am delighted to now be able to perform with enthusiasm with this fine bunch of shanty folk".
Seeking new members
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If you like singing and have an interest in folk music and shanties in particular, we are looking for new members. Practice evenings are every Wednesday evening at Fork n Ale, 18 Walliscote Road, Weston-super-Mare, 7-9pm. Just turn up or give Robin a call on 07790 156 486 (email: robinwhitlock1966@gmail.com).
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