3. The WilsonsHorumarye
I’m getting the hardcore folk records out of the way first! This is another family group of five brothers and a sister from Billingham who were a big part of my childhood. I’ve seen them live many times. Their harmonies are properly spine-tingling, and it’s so intuitive, the way they sing together. They sing lots of the songs of Graeme Miles, who lived and worked in Teeside, a man who worked in different industries to write songs informed by people’s experiences. Another song of his called ‘Sea Coal’, about people collecting coal washed up on the shore and then selling it cheaply, is one we do. God, they’re such evocative songs. I’ve also sung some of his songs recently with Paul Smith from Maximo Park, who’s from Billingham too – we’ve basically made an album together. That’s to come! He’s a real folk-lover. They’re everywhere, you know.

