The Shrinks are a loose band of Bristol-based musicians who like to make, share and play music together whenever they can manage to snatch a few hours between all those things that get in the way of music – like tax returns and laundry. They are performing for us at the Hotwells Festival on Saturday Oct 15 6-7.30pm (for more detail check out our Events page). We thought this is a great opportunity to tell our followers a bit more about this band. So we asked them a couple of questions.
How would you describe your music?
The Shrinks are inspired by all music but especially Americana (it used to be called New Country), we think our sound as ‘where the mighty Mississippi meets the muddy Avon’, or Avonicana, if you like – it’s mostly home made and about English things (rather that ’trucks stopping on Highway 61 for gas’), so, not so much Country and Western – more Cotham and Westbury.
What’s The Shrinks‘s story? What’s the band name about?
The Shrinks began about 21 years ago at a kid’s school music function – one of us played a John Prine number with our offspring and another parent recognised a kindred spirit (not many people know about the legendary John Prine) and suggested we might get together – we’ve been playing on the Never Ending North Bristol Tour ever since.
We’ve been going so long now, I can’t remember why we’re called The Shrinks, but it’s probably more to do with Roald Dahl’s ‘the incredible shrinks’ from his book The Twits, rather than something deep and meaningful from Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytical Theory. Sorry.
Your craziest performance?
Year’s ago, before it was modernised, we had a regular gig in The Eldon House in Lower Clifton Hill. Because of the size and layout of the pub, we had to play in one room, whilst the audience stayed in the other two, so we regularly played to a pool table, a dartboard and some sad, forgotten, faded Christmas decorations. I can’t remember ever seeing anybody, but I have it on good authority that we sounded best in the gent’s toilet (a phenomena that is actually more common than people realise). Showbiz, it’s all glamour…
To find out more about this band, check out their website!