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an evil svengali to charges that they can’t ‘state of England’ thing because every sin- ences with their charm, humour and quali-
actually sing. Most people I’ve interviewed gle town we went to was exactly the same, ty. The way I remember it, non-specialist
recently have complained bitterly about completely crippled by its 1960s ring road. radio stations and magazines championed
messageboard terrorists and The Unthanks So there’d be this little place that couldn’t the album, while the folk world largely
know in their hearts they shouldn’t fret grow any more because of the ring road cold-shouldered it, though Adrian disputes
about the demented rants of a handful of and instead of sorting it out the council this. “Anybody who mattered to us in the
obsessives – especially when they’ve been would end up selling a load of land to North East, people whose music we
going out each night getting standing retailers. Then the guitarist got into real respect, like The Wilsons and Voice Squad
ovations from full houses – but the ale and started coming with me and that in Ireland and Nic Jones, who came to see
remarks still hurt. was the end of the book.” us in York, they liked us. The small minori-
“Maybe I do sing out of tune some- He attributes his interest in tradition-
ty of dissenting voices were predictable
times,” says Rachel with a twinkle in her al song to a prepubescent love of Genesis.
and we never felt ostracised by the folk
eye, “but we’ve never claimed to be great The band not the Bible. “For Rachel and
world at all. There was a core of people
singers. I mean, I love Kate Rusby’s voice Becky, growing up was all about story- who understood what we were doing. The
but I can’t sing like that – I just sing like I telling and in a way it was the same for us. way Rachel and Becky were singing was
do. I don’t get up on stage so that every- Genesis’s Supper’s Ready from Foxtrot is true to their roots so we weren’t dented
one goes ‘Oooh what a lovely voice you’ve all about the storytelling. Peter Gabriel’s by any criticism at the time. People who
got’, I get up on stage because I love these words were like nursery rhymes and as gave it proper consideration liked it rather
stories and I want to sing them to people. kids we were hooked on these fables and than those who just saw pretty girls with
Communicating a story is what it’s always characters. In middle school one boring young voices and assumed it was namby-
been about for me. I was quite affected Easter they put on Jesus Christ Superstar pamby. Anyone who scratched under-
early on by people like The Keelers and The and I thought it was amazing. Within a neath the surface always got it and the
Wilsons, who are fabulous male singers week I knew every word. I’d not been to a criticisms came from those who hadn’t
who sing very loudly and early on I suppose musical before or since but the story- paid it much attention.”
I was trying to sing like my dad. I wasn’t telling was very much the thing that
trying to be a lovely singer, I was trying to shone through. Now if I get the choice to
be like these big burly shanty singers.” go out and listen to some folk music I’d
rather go and listen to some old boys and
T
he man answering the ‘sven-
gali’ charges is Adrian McNally,
girls in a room above a pub singing unac-
T
he sudden departure of Jackie
Oates as The Winterset were
set to record second album The
Bairns clouded the issue and
it’s a topic they’re still not keen
opinionated band manager,
companied. Same as Rachel and Becky.
to discuss for fear that anything they say
producer, arranger, driver,
That’s how I like my folk music. But if it is
may be misinterpreted and stir up friction
pianist and Rachel’s husband. I
going to be accompanied then it has to be
where they insist none exists. “We’ve
interview him separately to Rachel, but his
there for the story. If it’s not then it’s in
kind of made a decision not to talk about
sentiments are the same. “We’ve had so
the way and it shouldn’t be there.”
the ins and outs of Jackie and Belinda
much nonsense thrown at us, so many Recognising that Rachel Unthank was
[O’Hooley] leaving because we’ve been so
ignorant rumours,” he says, “but because blessed with a natural talent but didn’t
misrepresented. Being in a band is a bit
we’ve largely tried to adopt a position of have a clue about business, Adrian decided
like being in a family, it has its ups and
silent dignity rather than getting
her career needed a guiding hand. “Being downs and it’s very complicated.”
involved, we continue to be ranted at.
brought up with the music and wanting to
Into the band in Jackie’s place came
Because we don’t respond, people think
be a folk singer, it had been so much her
Niopha Keegan, the splendidly chummy
we’re thick-skinned and not bothered
destiny she was completely paralysed by
Hertfordshire-Irish fiddle player and a fine
about it, but nothing could be further
fear about making her first move and her
singer in her own right, whose role has
from the truth. We’re very determined
head was so far in the sand she was never
recently further expanded into a growing
and passionate people but we’re not
gonna get to a point where she thought
involvement with the arrangements. Her
thick-skinned at all. It doesn’t upset us if
practically and logistically, ‘Right, so what
brother, the highly-rated flautist Niall Kee-
people don’t like our music, that’s fine,
am I gonna do about this?’. So I had to
gan, has been trying to coax her to Ireland
but the nonsense that’s been written
drag her kicking and screaming through
to record a solo album – and one day she
about us on messageboards is awful and
the first couple of years. Even writing
might just do that – but suggestions that
has threatened on numerous occasions
something like ‘Rachel Unthank is good’
she might feel like an outsider within The
our desire to continue at all.”
on a press release sounded too self-
Unthanks are met with snorts of derision.
Adrian McNally was managing Last assured for her and getting her to collabo-
Night’s Fun when he first set eyes on rate with other musicians was painful. It
“I’m considered an honorary Unthank
Rachel Unthank at Whitby Folk Festival. “It was really awful and tested us as much as
by the whole family and the girls are so
was love at first sight,” he says, all misty- two people as it did artistically. They were
loving and giving I consider them my best
eyed. “Well, it was for me… it wasn’t for tough times but once Rachel and Becky
friends. We get on brilliantly and they’ve
her.” They kept bumping into one another saw what was there for them and that the
helped me through a lot of personal issues
at different festivals and eventually people in front of them really were inter-
and problems that only my mother has
became romantically attached at Warwick ested in what they were playing, they
helped me with in the past so I owe a lot
Festival around 2002. It was still a long couldn’t get enough of it.”
to them. I’ve grown personally, profession-
time, however, before they embarked on a
ally and musically and I wouldn’t have
He insists that even in those difficult
professional relationship (“Jeezus, couples
done that if I hadn’t met them.”
early days he saw their potential and for-
have enough to argue about without wor-
mulated a plan to help them realise it.
Jackie Oates seemed a bit frustrated
rying about business arrangements”).
“There’s so much you have to teach a per-
by her role in the band, Niopha… “There
Originally from a pit village near former but Rachel and Becky had all the
you go, that’s where we differ. I’m loving
Barnsley, he grew up with a piano in the stuff you can’t teach. There was so much
what I’m doing with the guys, ok? Jackie is
house and played in numerous bands of naivety and vulnerability and rawness to
obviously a very driven young lady who
different musical hues on the pub/ work- them initially – what you can’t teach is the
wants to do her own music and hopefully I
ing men’s club circuit, though the only commitment to the music they wanted to
will some time, but I’m enjoying what I’m
one that paid any serious bills was a Rob- sing, the relationship they have with that
doing so much at the moment it’s just not
bie Williams tribute band. A fund of anec- music and the way they put it across to an
that time for me. It’s a confidence thing. If
dotes swiftly accompany this revelation. audience. That’s the bit you can’t teach
someone put me in a room and said pick
“We were doing these big tours, playing and I attribute it entirely to their parents
some songs and write some arrangements
five nights a week, ladies’ nights to 2,000 and their upbringing in folk circles, the
I’d be petrified, but being in a band has
women in big hotels and it was weird – way they’ve seen people perform around
been a progression for me and I’m a far
we were treated like the real thing. None them with commitment and without vani-
more confident player now.”
of us were into Robbie at all, but I’ve ty. People who don’t get up on stage for So you’re not planning on leaving any
probably never had so much fun as a musi- themselves but to share an experience, a time soon? “Nooooooooooo. No way! I’m
cian in my life.” human experience. And I wanted to work really enjoying it. The big band experience
“We were set up by five every night
with them.” has been amazing and we’ve got a new
and we didn’t go on stage until about 10, Recruited to play on the debut album
album coming up and I’m really looking
so wherever we were I’d get my Good Beer Cruel Sister, Jackie Oates and Belinda
forward to that.”
Guide out and hit the best pubs. I was O’Hooley stayed with Rachel and Becky to The departure of Bonnie Tyler-loving
writing a book about it all. It was meant to complete the Rachel Unthank & The Win- pianist, former Annie Lennox Stars In
be a tour diary but it ended up more as a terset line-up, quickly winning over audi- Their Eyes winner and Yorkshire’s queen
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