47 f Shee’s Got It

The Shee celebrated their 10th anniversary by commissioning compositions for their latest album. Tim Chipping finds out how that worked.

T

he Shee have been together for over ten years. That’s longer than the average marriage. To celebrate they’ve released a new album called Continuum.

But it’s an album unlike any others, utilis- ing the song and tune-composing gifts of Kathryn Tickell, Karine Polwart, Andy Cut- ting, Chris Wood, Brian Finnegan and Mar- tin Simpson. Yes, them. But before we get to that, how did they get here from there?

“We were all part of the Newcastle Uni- versity Folk degree,” explains The Shee’s fid- dler and co-founder Shona Mooney, “so it was very easy to get together to rehearse. But we didn’t really have any idea that it would last this long.”

“I definitely thought we’d still be doing this,” argues Lillias Kinsman-Blake, flautist

and fellow Shee initiator. “When you’re in your early 20s you’re full of optimism.”

“I was just astounded to be asked in the first place,” is singer and viola player Olivia Ross’s humble recollection. “I certainly didn’t put myself into their standard of playing.”

“I was in the pub and Shona asked me if I was up for playing with her and some other folk. I was just saying yes to everything then!” laughs harpist Rachel Newton, whose atti- tude to band joining hasn’t much changed.

Vocalist and mandolinist Laura-Beth

Salter didn’t give longevity a great deal of thought. “I hope that if someone had asked me then I’d have said I hoped we’d last but the conversations weren’t about a long- term plan.” “We do know it’s rare for bands to be around this long,” admits Amy Thatcher (accordeon and feet). “It was obvi-

ous we were all friends and we loved the music. It never really seemed like a possibili- ty that we would split.”

Even the best of friends can find band life a strain, especially when once similar lives take different paths. What kept The Shee together?

“I think because we really saw the value in what we were doing,” says Rachel. “The Shee is the sum of its parts and we decided to stick with it, which hasn’t been easy.”

“Logistically it would have been the sensible move to call it a day,” reckons Laura-Beth, “but musically it’s one of my most satisfying outlets. It doesn’t make sense in business terms to put this much investment into something we can’t do full time. But musically it’s only ever been a pos- itive investment.”

Photo: Louise Bichan