The Bad Shepherds
| Company type | Music ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Adrian Edmondson |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Headquarters | England |
Key people | Adrian Edmondson, Troy Donockley |
| Products | Folk punk music albums |
The Bad Shepherds was a folk punk ensemble from England, established by comedian Adrian Edmondson in 2008. They reimagined punk and new wave tracks from the years 1978 to 1985, employing traditional folk instruments. The principal members included Edmondson (vocals, mandolin, mandola) alongside multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley (playing uilleann pipes, cittern, whistle, and providing vocals).
History
Edmondson began learning chords on the mandolin after acquiring the instrument, which led him to adapt punk tunes into folk arrangements. Within just two days of working together, he and Donockley had arranged eight songs. The lineup was soon completed by Andy Dinan, a fiddle player who had won the All-Ireland Fiddle Championship. Their musical approach involved blending punk and new wave classics with traditional reels and jigs.
Following tours across the UK in 2008, their debut album Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!—a phrase meaning One, Two, Three, Four! in an old Cumbrian dialect—was released in May 2009. Their sophomore album, By Hook or By Crook (2010), included contributions from Tim Harries, formerly of Steeleye Span, on double bass. In 2011, they were the headline act at the first-ever Looe Music Festival.
After taking a break, the group reunited in early 2013 to launch Mud, Blood and Beer, followed by a UK tour consisting of 24 dates and a six-date tour in Australia. This album featured a mix of punk/new wave covers alongside original compositions.
On 31 October 2016, Edmondson announced via Facebook that the band had officially disbanded.
Awards
At the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, The Bad Shepherds received a nomination for Best Live Act.
They secured the Spiral Earth Award for best live act in 2012, an accolade that honors outstanding achievement primarily within the folk music community.
Final line-up
- Adrian Edmondson – vocals, mandolin, mandola
- Troy Donockley – uilleann pipes, cittern, whistles, vocals
Former
- Terl Bryant – percussion
- Andy Dinan – fiddle
- Carol Dawson – fiddle
- Eimear Bradley – fiddle
- Keith Angel – percussion
- Mark Woolley – percussion
- Maartin Allcock – bass
- Brad Lang – bass
- Tim Harries – bass
Discography
| Year | Album details | Track listing |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!
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| 2010 | By Hook or By Crook
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| 2013 | Mud, Blood and Beer
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