The Fallen Apples quite literally fell together. A group of five West Country musicians that have all been around the musical block several times and, seemingly by fate, ended up with the same local!! At the core of the band is Roy Glover- an amiable and lovable rogue, a performer that, whether sat at the piano, or strumming away at the guitar, sings his songs with "Tomwaitsian" passion and salt of the earth humour. Chugging away underneath the band is rhythm section Darren Smith (upright bass) and Peter Lane (drums). These two hoodlums have worked and played together since they were kids. It's hard to hear where one ends and the other begins. Individually they are good- together they are the best!! On top of all this dance the two soloists, Dave Gibson (harmonica) and Paul Shippey (mandolin). For a band to have one soloist of this calibre is lucky, to have two - well, that's just showing off!! Dave Gibson is quite simply world class. His dirty sound and sassy phrasing makes beer taste better and women better looking. Whilst Paul Shippey's romantic melodic plucking evokes a whole world of musical influence from Irish Reel, Yiddish dance and Cajun ho-down. These two set each other up perfectly and the musical duelling injects an exciting intensity. The Fallen Apples draw from a large roster of great songs from 'Good ol' tradional folk songs, country classics, high flying hillbilly reels, low down bluesy ballads, jigs, knees-ups and swinging boogie woogie. They manage to mix fun, musicianship and show into an intoxicating brew making a good time guaranteed. P.S . Drink plenty of water before you go to bed !

THE FALLEN APPLES
Yeovil Steam Festival

Six bands played at this years sixth Yeovil Steam Festival, and as ever all tastes were well and truly catered for. A terrific line up which set the seal on this now increasingly popular two day event.......... one band blew us clean off our feet.... The Fallen Apples headlined the Saturday evening slot and delivered such a mesmerising, manic performance as to leave me gasping for air...... their sparky mix of Cajun and Irish jigs, laced with grinding blues and jump jive boogie, was pumped out with such enthusiasm and obvious joy that I foundmyself completely hooked.
A five piece outfit complete with a gorilla sized vicar pounding a double bass , an astonishing mandolin player and quite simply the best and harmonica player I have ever heard...........Fantastic .

Daniel Kear.

The Fallen Apples. The Ship Inn, Newquay.

I didn’t expect this from a bunch of builders from Somerset. Especially as they appeared to turn up in their work boots and drink more cider than the entire audience combined. I had heard that this lot were an act to be seen but my natural aversion to the now blurred genre which is folk music had dissuaded me from catching their previous appearance at The Ship last summer. Humble pie has never tasted so good. From the instant they struck up the frenetic first notes of what can only be described as a 'bluegrass blitzkrieg' , my prissy doubts were not only allayed they were ripped out, shredded and stomped on .... If this is folk, well, get me my pipe, woolly jumper and call me Tarquin,for I am a Folky.... However I was gratified that the set effortlessly moved on to cover some blues, Irish tunes even an absurdly brilliant Jewish Polka.
All the while this malevolently attractive collection of scruffy suited misfits staggered and bumped their way through, with an endearing appetite for sublime mayhem- think Yehoudy Menhuin meets King Kong. Although they all have complete mastery of their chosen instruments... they maintained a playful and unpretentious attitude all night ( where else would you see a solo played on a tin tea pot ?) ....ending with sing along encores of "Ghost Riders" and The Jungle Book's’ " I wanna be like you". So I admit. I was wrong to doubt. 'Rough-arsed' builders and rough cider equals genius...... Sometimes!

F.F.Wren