Mumford & Sons have declared that they’re not actually aristocrats dressing up as members of the rural labouring class for japes and larks – and that the accusation annoys them. What what. Speaking to Q magazine, the band’s Winston Marshal Mumford said "There is a reverse snobbishness in England towards that sort of stuff. And I think that’s one of the reasons we really enjoy America, ‘cos we’re classless." You said it, mate.
Marshal Mumford, who plays the banjo, went on to say that the massively successful group who recently headlined Glastonbury actually felt rather put upon, and numbered themselves among the oppressed of the land: "Class is a big issue here. And some people get picked on more than others.
I think we probably do. I mean, it doesn’t help that we wear waistcoats and tweed the whole time." He should read this.
Ben Lovett Mumford added to the general bleating: "I think it’s unfair to hammer anyone for anything. People should celebrate or ignore, that would be nice. On top of that, I just don’t consider myself a posh person." Ben Lovett Mumford attended Wimbledon’s King’s College School, fees between £5,025 and £6,300 per term. Perhaps he got a scholarship.
Bassist Ted ‘Dwane’ Mumford, who has a gigantic fake Amish beard, added "We’re not the first band who went to public school." (Of course, many great artists went to private school – Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson, for instance – that’s not the issue. We’re not subscribing to the tired music journalist ideal that ‘good honest lads from an estate’ make ‘authentic’ music, any of that crap. It’s Mumfords’ complaining that they’re somehow unfairly treated and put upon that gets our goat.)
Mumford & Sons were also keen to stress that they were an apolitical group, and didn’t even mind that David Cameron might like to drive round to George Osbourne’s for a Bullingdon biscuit game re-enactment with Boris and George while listening to their music: "We don’t really care [he’s] a fan," said Marcus Mumford. "We never get pissed off when anyone says they like our music."
"There’s probably worse people who like our music," said General Melchet lookalike Winston Marshall Mumford, "Well I dunno. What’s more annoying is to be associated with any political party, particularly if you don’t like those political parties. As a band, I don’t think we’ve ever talked about politics. I wouldn’t say I’d know what any of these three would vote in an election."
