SOTD No. 238 comes from a great and award winning singer-songwriter originally from Putney now Brighton based called Naomi Bedford. All of us at Laurel Canyon Towers are big fans of this lady. The track today is called We are not the people taken from Naomi acclaimed new album A History of Insolence - Songs of Freedom, Dissent and Strife. The song also stars Justin Currie (from Del Amitri) who wrote the song. youtu.be/n3DZQekMcws Born into a family immersed in music, Naomi learnt to sing murderous ballads from the age of 5. Her father, Richard Bedford, edited some of the landmark pop videos of the late 70’s & 80’s including ‘Come On Eileen’, ‘Undercover of the Night’, ‘Smooth Operator’, ‘The Great Rock n’Roll Swindle’ & ‘Poison Arrow’… At night the family’s small Putney flat would reverberate to the sights & sounds of the new; cult movies showing in the living room, Julien Temple & Don Letts holding forth in the kitchen; The Clash, Dolly Parton & Hip Hop blasting from the bedrooms….To fund her illicit gig going & nights at the Mud Club, a teenage Naomi would often baby sit for her downstairs neighbour…a young guitarist called Andy Summers. His famous boiler suit now hangs next to her Cath Kidston dresses… In the 90’s Naomi continued to form bands, follow bands & party. She also joined the Party, becoming increasingly politicised by the Thatcher/Major Tory administration. A period of activism in Militant was soon followed by a major role in the Anti Poll Tax Movement where she co-ordinated Artist Liaison for the great Hyde Park demonstrations… In 2000 Orbital heard her singing at a Brighton party & co-opted her to sing & co-write their Top 20 hit ‘Funny Break’. With that record she appeared on Jools Holland’s show alongside REM and across the national media but once again she soon changed paths; first to explore India & then to raise a family… In 2007, re-enthused by the folk & country songs she had first loved as a child, Naomi re-entered the musical sphere with a Mick Glossop produced album ‘Dark They Were And Golden Eyed’. The beginnings of her unique fusion of English & Americana roots were evident, capturing the enthusiastic attention of Bonnie Prince Billy with her cover of his song ‘Riding’… Spring 2011 saw the release of Naomi Bedford’s 2nd album, ‘Tales from the Weeping Willow’, a collection of dark songs, laments & murder ballads. Combining duets & original song contributions from Paul Heaton & Justin Currie; musical contributions from such disparate talents as the wonderful nu-folk star Alisdair Roberts, blues guitar master Kris Dollimore & producer Gerry Diver, the album reworks key folk & country styles to showcase the full range of Naomi’s haunting vocals. August 2014 saw the release of A History of Insolence. If you dont have it already, please treat yourself, its very good :) We have also included a review by Paul Woodgate from Folk Radio UK in the comments. naomibedford.co.uk/
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:47:43 +0000
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