The Destroyers (band) explained

Background:group_or_band
The Destroyers
Origin:Birmingham, England
Genre:Folk punk, Gypsy punk
Years Active:–present
Label:Destruction Records, Transition Records

The Destroyers are a 15-strong music collective from Birmingham, England, that plays gypsy and balkan inspired "turbo-folk". The band has released 3 long play albums and regularly plays live gigs and music festivals.

History

The group was founded by Louis Robinson in 2006 in the area of Speedwell Road, Birmingham, and features a line-up that typically includes members, comprising brass, string, wind, percussion and gong sections.[1] A number of the band members had studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire.[2] From 2006 to 2012 the poet and musician Paul Murphy, who was known for his signature fez and being the founder of the Songwriter's Cafe in Birmingham, was the lead singer of the group. In 2016 Murphy, aged 66 years, died from cancer.[3]

The band have been called "“doom-pah” folk-punk legends", and their sound compared to that of Bellowhead, Gogol Bordello, and Loose Tubes.[4] The Destroyers are known for their live performances, playing gigs per year, and have played at a number of festivals including Glastonbury, Womad, Wychwood Festival, and the Cambridge Folk Festival. They were featured on BBC West Midlands in 2010.[5] [1] [6] [7] [8] In 2022 they performed at the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[9]

The Destroyers' first single, "Out of Babel", was written by Murphy and released in 2009. It was called a "riotous celebration of multicultural Birmingham", and one of the songs "least likely to be adopted as an anthem by the BNP".[10] Their similarly named first album, Out of Babel, was released the same year and according to the music website The Line of Best Fit it "positively enlightened the British press with its originality and energy", though in their own review Daniel Offen stated that while the Destroyers are "insane and we love them", the novelty did tend to "wear off".[11] [12]

Their second album, Hole In The Universe was released in 2012 to positive critical reception. Journalist Sid Smith stated that, while an "album probably isn’t the best medium through which to experience their brand of wryly manufactured mayhem", that Paul Murphy's "gravel-voiced insights are both humorous and thought-provoking".[13] [14] [15] The Destroyers' third album, The Massive Gong, has been reported as "critically acclaimed".[9]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Notes and References

  1. Web site: King . Ed . INTERVIEW: The Destroyers – Leighton Hargreaves . Birmingham Review . 19 May 2024 . 2016 . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208182744/http://birminghamreview.net/tag/interview/ . live .
  2. News: Laws . Roz . The Destroyers . 19 May 2024 . . 7 May 2016 . Most of The Destroyers band studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and have since built up a large following for their infectious, genre-busting music they call MegaFolk. . 26 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211026130413/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/seven-reasons-celebrate-city-sounds-11299057 . live .
  3. News: Young . Graham . Tributes paid to The Destroyers' star Paul Murphy . 19 May 2024 . . 2 February 2016 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125341/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/tributes-paid-destroyers-star-paul-10825682 . live .
  4. News: Bounds . Jon . 'More than UB40 and heavy metal': Birmingham's alternative arts and entertainment . 19 May 2024 . . 29 July 2022 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125341/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/jul/29/birmingham-alternative-arts-and-entertainment . live .
  5. Web site: BBC WM Introducing - live acts in session 2010 . . 19 May 2024 . 2010 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125345/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/birmingham/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8457000/8457005.stm . live .
  6. News: Paul Murphy lived with Lemmy . 19 May 2024 . . 3 February 2010 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125349/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/birmingham/low/people_and_places/music/newsid_8493000/8493941.stm . live .
  7. Web site: Owl . Lucas . Wychwood Festival 2006 . Freq Magazine . 19 May 2024 . 12 June 2006 . 11 June 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611210654/http://freq.org.uk/reviews/wychwood-festival-2006/ . live .
  8. Web site: Creaser . James . Cambridge Folk Festival 2012 review . eFestivals . 19 May 2024 . 2 August 2012 . 2 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130402022842/http://efestivals.co.uk/festivals/cambridgefolk/2012/review-overview.shtml . live .
  9. News: The Destroyers . 19 May 2024 . The Herald Series . Newsquest Media . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125344/https://www.heraldseries.co.uk/local-events/search/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/1031757890n-the-destroyers . live .
  10. News: Grimley . Terry . Paul Murphy joins The Destroyers . 19 May 2024 . Business Live . 12 June 2009 . 20 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210620131253/https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/paul-murphy-joins-the-destroyers-3944411 . live .
  11. Web site: The Destroyers to play Wilton's music hall on 11th September . . 19 May 2024 . 8 September 2010 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519125343/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/the-destroyers-to-play-wiltons-music-hall-on-11th-september-35764 . live .
  12. Web site: Offen . Daniel . The Destroyers – Out Of Babel . . 19 May 2024 . 16 September 2009 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519190021/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/the-destroyers-out-of-babel-19694 . live .
  13. Web site: Smith . Sid . The Destroyers: Hole In The Universe . loudersound.com . 19 May 2024 . 23 May 2012 . 24 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924233447/https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-destroyers-hole-in-the-universe . live .
  14. Web site: Wilde . Joe . The Destroyers - Hole In The Universe Album Review . contactmusic.com . 19 May 2024 . 4 April 2012 . 11 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191211170431/http://www.contactmusic.com/the-destroyers/music/the-destroyers-hole-in-the-universe . live .
  15. News: Kennedy . John . The Destroyers Hit Town – Get Ready For The Balkan Blitz . 19 May 2024 . The Edinburgh Reporter . 6 April 2012 . 19 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519214716/https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2012/04/the-destroyers-hit-town-get-ready-for-the-balkan-blitz/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Destroyers (band)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.