our ethos
ecology
"As creative people, we find it impossible to ignore the beauty and power of nature - the original creative force. This means that we take time and expense to make sure our CDs and activities have as little adverse impact on the Earth's life-supporting systems as possible. It doesn't cost much in time or money, and musicians are not somehow above or exempt from taking responsibility for our own existence on this unique planet. If we can afford to enjoy ourselves, then we can afford to protect our natural heritage. We all love to party - but that doesn't mean it has to cost the Earth." - andy hunt
To reduce our impact on the climate, we are offsetting the carbon emissions from the manufacture of our new CD Manchester City Blue with Climate Care.
Climate Care is an organisation that reduces greenhouse gas emissions on behalf of companies and individuals by running projects across the world. As well as cutting greenhouse gases, the projects help to improve people’s standards of living and protect wildlife habitats. To find out more about Climate Care and its projects, see www.climatecare.org.
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Efficient stoves in HondurasClimate Care is working in Honduras to make fuel efficient cooking stoves available in some of the poorest communities. This supports conservation by reducing the wood needed for cooking. It also benefits the householders by removing smoke from the kitchen and dramatically cutting the health risk from wood smoke. Each stove reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 1.5 tonnes per year, compared to an open wood fire. The project is expected to save 7,000 tonnes of CO2. |
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Renewable power for schools in IndiaClimate Care is funding a project to introduce school stoves that run off a new renewable fuel source, replacing stoves that use fossil fuel LPG. Crop waste is being used to make biomass briquettes for the stoves, providing an extra income to farmers. For the schools this is good news because the new renewable fuel is cheaper. The stove has also proved popular with pupils, who prefer the taste of the food! This project is expected to save 11,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. |
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Restoring Rainforests in UgandaClimate Care is funding part of a forest restoration programme in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. The project aims to re-create a rainforest canopy by planting and managing 30 species of local trees. The area is an important wildlife habitat – with one of the highest number of primate species in the world - and the project provides employment for local communities. Each hectare of rainforest that is restored is expected to absorb 400 tonnes of CO2. |
artistic integrity
"As a working musician I was privileged enough to come into contact with many different genres of music; Old French love songs sung acapella, folk rhythms and melodies from eastern and western Europe,and some awesome jazz and rock bands whom most people have never heard of, because they are not mainstream.
The problem with the large record labels is that they are business oriented first - whatever makes top dollar, and I can understand that because I live in the real world. There are bills and fees to pay, and everyone wants paying for their time, as handsomely as possible (I always did when working for someone).
This is why I'm very pleased that there are record companies like Kid Menthal. They provide an outlet for genuinely talented people to get their music out there. I just wish that there were more opportunities to get the music heard nationally, because a lot of music lovers who are forced to listen to the same old formulae pumped out by the mainstream media would really appreciate the chance. " tom buggie
"What we try and do is capture the spirit and essence of the band in our recordings. I have grown disillusioned with the traditional mindset of record production which produces technically perfect yet sterile sounding tracks.
To me much of the music we hear produced these days may as well have been written and performed by a computer. All of us in the band feel the same way. In many ways we are unique; we have the talent and resources to achieve near technical perfection, however when we record we usually do our parts in one or two takes only, leaving in the minor flaws and variations here and there. These combine to produce music which sounds real and has a feeling of spontaneity. I feel that many artists today are missing the point." ray godwin
blue clock - alistair taylor
gsoh
For those who wonder what the Montgolfier Awards are, well you may recall the name of the French ballooning pioneers. It all sounds like a lot of hot air to me!
Be it ribaldry, banter, wit, intelligent sarcasm, slapstick highbrow or plain lavatorial - humour has always been at the heart of The Dandelion Clocks. It what bonds us together and threatens to split us up.“One of the essential criteria for membership of the Dandelion Clocks is the ability to laugh, both at the other members foibles and at oneself, preferably before the others do it for you. Rehearsals and get togethers are always thoroughly enjoyable, purely because of the personalities present, and the incessant p***s taking that goes on. At this point I'd like to introduce the other members of the band's little idiosyncrasies and I'm sure you, the reader, will come to understand why I hold them in such high regard.
Al Taylor is a great ambassador for the southern jessies, a gentle giant with an understated sense of humour. Genuinely musical, he blows some great riffs. Then he picks up the Sax and makes similar sounds on that. His methane output is awesome. We roughly calculated that if the band was to pay to make Al climate neutral, we'd owe about £400 million a year.
Andy Hunt is the ecological conscience of the band. Every institution should have a member like him, apart from the fact that he regularly requires operations on some unmentionable part of his nether regions. A multi-talented musician who is equally at home playing Heavy Rock solos or Arran pullover Folk, he is happiest when lighting up his carbon neutral heating system at home. Because he can then tell his partner Gaynor that he's got wood.
Gidge is that rare animal - a drummer who can actually keep time. Very talented at the old skin bashing, especially in fore fore. A very pleasant unassuming guy, who has settled in to the role of playing counterpoint to Al's emissions. We had to adjust the calculations for being carbon neutral when Gidge got going - £650 million per year.
Jo Giblin is simply a staggeringly talented singer, even more so when she's been at the WKD's. She has a voice that can silence a noisy crowd with it's sheer power and expression. Especially when the expression is "SHUDDUP, isn't it". She's Welsh, you know. Everyone holds Jo in very high regard. We have to. She's told us to.Ray Godwin is never happier than when performing in front of a crowd. Unfortunately his last public performance got him arrested, fined, and sent for counselling. He realises he should have stuck to singing, because he's pretty good at it.” tom buggie
“Tom is a creature of habit. He has to join Al for his regulation break, whether he needs one or not. He’s not averse to dropping his bass mid session to nip out to enjoy a fag (for our American visitors, a fag is British slang for a cigarette). I swear if we were playing Live Aid during teatime, he would insist on knocking off for fifteen minutes at the appointed time - and tell Bob Geldof to "fe*k off" unless he "wanted to taste his roundhouse" if he got in his way!” ray godwin