Oysterband

At first purely a dance band (The Oyster Ceilidh Band), Oysterband soon started experimenting with radical arrangements of traditional songs and with home recording, determined that traditional music should not be just a branch of the heritage industry.

Musicians came and went, the name shortened, and 1986 they released their first album Step Outside. During the late 80s Oysterband toured across the globe, including Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and North America.

They have played alongside the likes of Michelle Shocked and Billy Bragg, toured for the British Council in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Morocco. These travels had a powerful impact on their attitudes to both the world and to song writing.