- The Childballads
The Childballads are a contemporary
Rock and Roll band. The band name derived from theChild Ballads , a collection of 305 ballads from Scotland and England put together by Francis James Child in the late 19th century.Fronted by singer, lyricist, poet, and harmonica player Stewart Lupton (formerly lead singer of
Jonathan Fire*Eater ), the Childballads also include Tunde Oyewole on bass guitar, Paul Arfield (also ofBeaut ) on rhythm guitar, Luke Wyatt on sideways guitar and John Melville on drums. They have been joined by Betsy Wright on keyboards, viola, and vocals, Hugh MacIntosh on drums and Judah Bauer (also ofJohn Spencer Blues Explosion ) on lead guitar.After the breakup of Jonathan Fire*Eater, Lupton studied poetry at
George Washington University -- concentrating mainly on theHigh Middle Ages andModernism -- reconnecting with his early passion for literature.The Childballads' sound is reminiscent of
Royal Trux , a band that Lupton himself cites as an influence, and their musical performances are interspersed with recitations of poetry. For example, in a solo gig at the Luna Lounge, Lupton read from John Ashbery. Traces of Ashbery can be found in Lupton's poetry and lyrics, as can be elements of Eliot and Dante. Similarly, in New York City's Lower East Side’s "Cake Shop" on April 25, 2007, Lupton read from, and sang about, Lord Byron. Lupton performs in the style and tradition of Patti Smith and Bob Dylan, mixing scholarly knowledge with original music.Also: Besides having toured Paris and London in the past, The Childballads have toured as opening acts for
Cat Power .The Childballads may perform at
South By Southwest in the spring of 2008 but nothing has been confirmed as of January 2008. As of January, 2008, Lupton is busy working on a book of poetry.Discography
EP Cheekbone Hollows,
Gypsy Eyes Records External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/childballad band myspace]
* [http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/music/byt-sessions-stewart-lupton Stewart Lupton live dc sessions brightest young things]References
*http://www.thestoolpigeon.com/interviews/childballade.html
*http://greggchadwick.blogspot.com/2005/11/childballads-new-music.html
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