Back to index of Nerve 11 - Winter 2007

The Random Family

In this issue’s music profile we focus on The Random Family: not only are they making brilliant music, but they’ve also built up a whole alternative acoustic scene around them.

By Hana Leaper and Alex Hindley

Our meeting took place in the garden of a mutual friend. Candles, wine and a selection of acoustic instruments set the scene. Will and Joe appointed themselves official inquisitees, and our conversation went as follows:

Can you first introduce the band and tell us what you all do.
Will: Ok, The Random Family currently consists of Joe Keelan, who sings, tells bad jokes and plays guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, and harmonica – if you count the harmonica?!; Will Hughes, that’s me – I do all of the above too; Paul Riley is on electric bass and vocals; Kathy Halter sings, plays wooden flute, glockenspiel, melodica, clarinet, and various percussion – including the banana; and we’re occasionally joined by Stephen Grace (Gracie) on trumpet.

Give us a potted history of The Random Family then...
Joe: I met Kathy when we used to play together in The Janitors...
Will: Paul and I met at University and formed a promotions company called Cheap Thrills Music (who do acoustic nights at The Pilgrim). We’d booked The Janitors to play a couple of times, and then poached Joe and Kathy when they split!
Joe: The band really took root from that, as a comedy social club...
Will: It took six months of boozey, foody practices round at Joe’s before we recorded our demo in February with Jeff Jepson. At which point we began gigging...
Joe: We played all the usual places and did some fairly decent stuff, but we didn’t want to get stuck in that rut...

So, you starting setting up your own gigs/nights at St. Bride’s Church, and with it, kick started a grassroots revolution. What’s it all about and how did it happen?
Joe: We just wanted to guarantee a nice gig, with bands we like, whilst providing a platform for ourselves. It’s more relaxed than anything going on in town, you can bring your own booze and there’s no curfew so there’s a spontaneous element. We take a bit of time making it look nice and it’s a brilliant place to play!
Will: It’s a great place for bands like us to play, and for the people who like listening to quiet-ish, intricate music you need to pay a bit of attention to.
Joe: There tend to be a lot of musicians in the audience, which definitely makes us push ourselves, as you can probably tell from our obsessive instrument-collecting!

And, indeed, to jump back in time slightly to the October gig, having spent the day setting up a sound system elaborate enough to cope with myriad instruments, catering for the bands (they made fish stew, incidentally, but more on that later), and lighting the place up with candles, The Random Family delivered a class performance; all winsome melodies and beautifully crafted harmonies. The other acts (Nina Jones, Sparkwood & 21, Slow Motion Stranger and The Prelude), gathered specifically to complement the ambience of the setting with their variations on delicate electro-acoustic folk, were also sublime. And the bring-your-own-booze policy, relaxed atmosphere, candlelight, crystal clear acoustics and perfectly selected bands just seemed to permeate the place, and people, with an extraordinary sense of ease and beauty.

And not one C***ling advert in sight. What’s next for The Random Family?
Joe: A new 5 track E.P. is in progress.
Will: We try to record quickly and simply and to replicate pretty much our live sound, so hopefully it won’t take too long!

Finally, what and who have The Random Family been influenced by?
Joe and Will together: Classic folk, classic country, Gram Parsons, Neil Young, The Last Waltzers, Johnny Cash, Van Morrison, red wine and good food – especially fish stew.

For more details on The Random Family, The St Bride’s gigs and their special fish stew, their music page can easily be found on a well known social networking site, or contact: joe_keelan@hotmail.com