Biography

Forget Men Behaving Badly, Waking The Witch truly are Women Acting Independently.

“…a female Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young”

The Leeds–based foursome release ’Hands and Bridges’ - their eagerly awaited follow-up to their acclaimed debut, ‘Like Everybody’ - in May. Not only is the album once more released via their own label, this time there are no other musicians featured – with every note written, sung, and played by the four girls on this self-written and self-produced release.

Says Patsy Matheson: "When we first started to write and arrange together we knew we had something special. We've all done solo projects before but as a foursome we feel we have more energy, more drive, more creativity – and we certainly have more fun! Waking the Witch is like being part of an extended family, it just feels right."

Conceived in January 2003, PATSY MATHESON, JOOLS PARKER, BECKY MILLS and RACHEL GOODWIN soon made their mark on the northern scene, where their ability to captivate audiences rapidly gained them a devoted following. News of the strength of their live performance spread rapidly, and soon they were appearing at countless venues throughout the U.K.

The launch of their ground breaking debut CD ‘Like Everybody’ in October 2003 produced a wave of excitement throughout the UK acoustic music circuit and by the Spring of 2004, they had completed a national tour as guests of the recently formed super group, Casbah Club (featuring BRUCE FOXTON of THE JAM and members of the Scottish rock group, BIG COUNTRY). During the Summer, they made appearances at many UK festivals, including Trowbridge, Nantwich and Beverley. Their appearance at Glastonbury Festival was so impressive that it resulted in them being invited to perform at the after show party, as part of a band including GLENN TILBROOK of SQUEEZE.

Waking The Witch will also be performing selected opening slots throughout the Spring with British legends ANIMALS & FRIENDS – see gig list below. An interesting combination of bands.

Waking The Witch are all acclaimed solo artists in their own right, with musical pedigrees to match. Patsy, Rachel and Jools have at one time or another appeared with the likes of CHRISTY MOORE, JOHN MARTYN, MARY COUGHLAN, SAM BROWN and the SAW DOCTORS. But it is as a foursome that they have really made their mark. All four are respected guitar players, all write songs and all have voices to die for. Together, their voices build from haunting, delicate beauty to an explosion of soaring harmonies. Their lyrics bloom from a place of uncompromising honesty and naked emotion. Their melodies are rooted in blues and R&B, rock and folk, and the result is a sound that blends and transcends these genres into something unique and personal.

Their stunning debut album 'Like Everybody' took people by surprise with it’s uniqueness and energy - from the hauntingly reverent Poet of Harlem with its almost operatic climax, to the assured title track, - and similarly, the new release, ‘Hands & Bridges’ shimmers and soars, radiating womanly zest and attitude, but unlike the first, it features just the voices of four girls and their four accompanying guitars, so the overall sound is more ‘rootsy’, definitely more ‘acoustic’ and a stunning recreation of what the band does live.

Waking The Witch are positive proof that there is plenty of exciting, vibrant new talent. The music industry is not dead, after all.

“Waking The Witch write extremely original material with a depth unheard of in popular culture since the likes of Joni Mitchell et al. Not only this, there ability to arrange their vocals is akin to bands like Queen, The Beatles and Crosby Stills & Nash. It is for this reason they can be seen time and time again, without becoming tiresome. I would suggest people support this band, as they blow everybody else out of the water." – (BBC Leeds website)

"Not folk, not pop, not rock, they defy categorization; file them under feisty, funny and approachable2 - Charlie Gillett, BBC Radio London

Women Acting Independently; Waking The Witch

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For more information on Waking The Witch visit www.wakingthewitch.co.uk

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