Julian Gaskell

Julian Gaskell
Julian Gaskell performing with the band Loafer at Liverpool's Cavern Club in the early 2000s. Photograph © Emma Farrer and used with her permission.
Background information
Origin Manchester, UK
Genres Alternative, Folk, Skiffle, Klezmer, Punk, Surf, Indie, Blues, Jazz
Years active 2000–present
Associated acts Loafer
Icons of Poundland
Julian Gaskell and his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Website juliangaskell.co.uk

Julian Gaskell is a multi-instrumentalist, band leader, composer and singer-songwriter currently who spent several years writing, recording and performing in Manchester but who is now based in Cornwall, UK. He has performed and recorded solo, as well as being a founder member of a number of bands, including Loafer, Icons of Poundland and Julian Gaskell and his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.

History

Loafer and Icons of Poundland

Gaskell studied Popular Music at the University of Salford [1] and for a time played in the band Indigo Jones, leaving shortly after the release of their first single.[2] In the early 2000s he performed and recorded extensively with two Manchester-based punk bands, Loafer and Icons of Poundland, alongside Ben Emissah on drums, Kester Jones on keyboards and guitar, and Alex Timewell who played bass. Loafer released much of their material independently via their own label Lipstick Head Records, including the album Care In The Community which they toured around the country.[3] Gaskell was a regular at Manchester venue Big Hands and Icons performed a residency there in 2003.[4] Both acts featured prominent guitar work, as well as instrumental assistance (particularly on Hammond Organ and second guitar) from Kester Jones who has continued to contribute to Gaskell’s recordings until the present day. During this period, he also worked as a producer for Tom Hingley and the Lovers and I Am Kloot.[5]

Solo and with the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

After relocating to Cornwall, Gaskell recorded and released the 17-track set, Technology Will Make Us Better, through Top Of The Hill recordings in 2005. The record received favourable reviews among a number of publications such as Manchester Music and 247 Magazine.

In 2006 Thomas Sharpe (also of Zapoppin') began playing bass for Gaskell as one of his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists along with Kester Jones. The band (named after the novel by Robert Tressell) would later come to include Dan Pye on Guitar and Rory Pugh on drums as well as a number of other guest players. The band self-released two studio albums and a number of EPs and digital downloads between 2006 and 2009 receiving radio airplay from the BBC’s Steve Lamacq,[6] as well as positive reviews from fRoots and 247 Magazine.[7]

Theatre accompaniment and further solo work

Post-Philanthropists, Gaskell has written and performed globally for Bash Street Theatre Company and Rogue Theatre. Gaskell joined Bash Street Theatre in 2009 when he composed and performed a silent movie piano soundtrack for the work 'The Lion Tamer', the recording of which was later released independently by Gaskell. Following his work on The Lion Tamer he toured with the company in 2010 playing accordion in productions.[8] In April 2011, Salford's Lowry Theatre hosted The Rogue Theatre for a run of their cabaret work 'The Dancer and the Devil' which featured music composed by and performed throughout by Gaskell.[9] In January 2012 he self-released (with distribution assistance from Metronome) a new solo album: Kind Words From Home.

Critical Reception

Gaskell’s songwriting has been described as "very smart, very droll" by critic Everett True,[10] while musically his recordings have often been noted for the combinations of genres and influences on display with fRoots editor, Ian Anderson writing of the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists: "What’s there not to like about this great little quintet? Scurrying out of Falmouth in Cornwall, their bustling, belting, lopsided accordion-led sound branches somewhere off the same musical family tree that gave us top Belgian faves Jaune Toujours and the long-lost La Cucina, with the rural literary flair of Blyth Power, XTC and Dancing Did chucked in the mix."[7]

Other Work

Gaskell has lectured in music for HND, BTEC and A-Level Music Technology courses at Truro and Penwith College and currently teaches music modules at dBs Music in Cornwall.[1]

Selected Discography

Studio Albums

EPs

External links

References

  1. 1 2 "LinkedIn: Julian Gaskell". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Skinny Dog Records: Band Bios - Indigo Jones". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Manchester Evening News: No Loafing for Loafer". 17 February 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Ashley, Jon (1 June 2003). "Manchester Music : News Story from the Archive - Poundland Announces Longer Opening Hours". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Discography at Discogs: Julian Gaskell". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  7. 1 2 Anderson, Ian. "March 2012 – the bright young folk review". http://juliangaskell.wordpress.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012. External link in |work= (help)
  8. ↑ "Bash Street Theatre: About Us - Julian Gaskell". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Lowry: Event Detail - The Dancer and the Devil". Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  10. ↑ True, Everett. "Spotlight – 21: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". Collapse Board. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
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