Naked Angel
NAKED ANGEL-
A 4 piece folk- Rock outfit.
Kat- vox keys flute
wil- djembe/dumbek/finger cymbals
Brian jenking- 6 string fretless bass
Jim Dawson- guitar/ electric guitar/mandolin/harmonica
Albums- Live at the Mean Fiddler 1999
the Vth Angel (available online on product page) 2000
Vultures (available online on product page) 20002
Live at Chill on the Hill (cd by e-mail and post) 2003
the story continues- 1998-2004
Wil wanted more musicians and approached Jim Dawson (met at Barnet Folk Club- a brilliant singer songwriter guitarist) and he in turn brought Brian Jenking (5 string fretless bass) Thus Naked Angel was born, and a very fruitful time it was. Obviously it before the internet became really widely used so we had no idea what would pop up when you typed ‘Naked Angel’ in the search engine!! Thealbums began with ‘Live at the mean Fiddler’,1999, followed by the studio album’ The Vth Angel, (2000 )gigs at the Oerol festival, Glastonbury, The Big Green Gathering, all the folk and acoustic clubs that were now a 2nd home to Kat. Also Gaunts House, Earth Spirit, One world, Small World, Camden green fair, Maidstone Green Fair, Jazz cafe, Jazz Cafe Berlin, Mean Fiddler, Mean Fiddler Acoustic Room, and I think you get the picture. Naked Angel were busy. They recorded their 2nd Album ‘Vultures’2002, after entering and getting to the finals of Guitarist magazine Battle of the bands. The finals were at Wembley Conference Centre, and on the back cover of Vultures is a photo of that gig. It was a fantastic experience but a cruel eye-opener to the real world of the music business. The band who won had already been knocked out by Naked Angel in the 4th round, yet re-appeared in the finals, with a record company official in tow. CHILL ON THE HILL Back to business, ;after ‘Vultures ‘was Live at Chill on the Hill, recorded at Chill on the Hill, the monthly gig that Naked Angel hosted in a community Centre in Crouch Hill, London. It had become so difficult to get gigs as the licencing laws made it too expensive for landlords to have bands unless they were guaranteed money makers- ie cover bands. So they had to invent their own event to get regular gigs. And it worked- a gig in a Community Centre (that they tried for many years to save)every month, with another 2 acts , all original, from all over the country. They paid expenses, and the rest was used to pay for the licence for each event. The events were highly successful and led to one day events , small festivals of the same name, then Chill stages at other bigger events.Naked Angel were very busy indeed. LEAVIVG LONDON But all good things had to come to an end, and due to the Crouch HILL Community Centre closing down ( thanks to Islington Council) Kat and Wil decided it was time to move on. They had more friends in the South east than any where else (Bohemia muse, the Blue Wah Wah, herbal love, Helium Love Sok to name a few of the bands) so they headed South to hastings. This meant the end for Naked Angel,as Brian moved to the West Country, and it became impossible to organise rehearsals and gigs with everyone so far flung.
There is one remaining album left to mix, so who knows whether that will ever appear!!
See Red Diesel page for next installment...........