Folk Face
Encyclopedia
Folk Face are a comedy band formed in 2005 by BBC Radio 1
DJs Dave Vitty and Dominic Byrne
. Mainly appearing on The Chris Moyles Show
, they have also appeared in person at the Glastonbury Festival
and at several Radio 1 events. They mainly do cover version
s in a tongue-in-cheek folk music
style.
They appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in 2005, but disbanded soon after, only re-forming for a one-off on 20 June 2007 for The Chris Moyles Show to give away tickets for the Glastonbury Festival 2007.
Byrne plays guitar for the band, however Vitty has played different instruments, these being the bongos
in 2005 and the nose flute
in 2007.
They auditioned for Dave Grohl
on 6 July 2007, while Grohl was in London for Live Earth
, in the hope of securing a warm up slot at one of the Foo Fighters
future gigs. Grohl was reminded of this and asked to consider it while on air on Radio 1 on the 22 November 2007, however no confirmation of an offer for supporting the band, this time for the Radio 1 Foo Fighters Gig at Wembley
on 7 June 2008, was made. Folk Face also played live on 15 February 2008, at Leeds Castle
in Kent, when Radio 1 announced that their One Big Weekend would be coming from Maidstone, also playing the actual event on 10 May 2008. Folk Face were mistaken for band Scouting for Girls
who also played live at the launch, in the BBC
's in-house magazine Aerial.
Folk Face auditioned for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber
, for a chance to represent the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest
. Folk Face failed to impress Lloyd Webber, who commented that the lyrics could have upset Russia
among other countries.
More recently, Folk Face played a song at the 2009 Big Weekend in Swindon, as part of the breakfast show team's set of song parodies. They continue to be an occasional element of the radio show.
They also toured the UK for the first time through August and September 2010.
On 11 April 2011, they announced on The Chris Moyles Show that Folk Face would play Glastonbury Festival 2011.
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJs Dave Vitty and Dominic Byrne
Dominic Byrne
Dominic Anthony Byrne is a newsreader for BBC Radio 1 and a presenter on the BBC News Channel.-Biography:Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Byrne attended St Ivo School before attending Bournemouth University for two weeks. However, he dropped out to work at a local radio station...
. Mainly appearing on The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show is the current BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK, and has been since Chris Moyles became the station's breakfast show presenter on 5 January 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the show was broadcast 6:55–10:00 am each weekday, but since 15 October 2007 it has started from...
, they have also appeared in person at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
and at several Radio 1 events. They mainly do cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s in a tongue-in-cheek folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
style.
They appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in 2005, but disbanded soon after, only re-forming for a one-off on 20 June 2007 for The Chris Moyles Show to give away tickets for the Glastonbury Festival 2007.
Byrne plays guitar for the band, however Vitty has played different instruments, these being the bongos
Bongo drum
Bongo or bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra and the smaller the macho...
in 2005 and the nose flute
Nose flute
The nose flute is a popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China, and India.- Hawaii :In the North Pacific, in the Hawaiian islands the nose flute was a common courting instrument...
in 2007.
They auditioned for Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
on 6 July 2007, while Grohl was in London for Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
, in the hope of securing a warm up slot at one of the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
future gigs. Grohl was reminded of this and asked to consider it while on air on Radio 1 on the 22 November 2007, however no confirmation of an offer for supporting the band, this time for the Radio 1 Foo Fighters Gig at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
on 7 June 2008, was made. Folk Face also played live on 15 February 2008, at Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle, southeast of Maidstone, Kent, England, dates back to 1119, though a Saxon fort stood on the same site from the 9th century. The castle is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of the village of Leeds....
in Kent, when Radio 1 announced that their One Big Weekend would be coming from Maidstone, also playing the actual event on 10 May 2008. Folk Face were mistaken for band Scouting for Girls
Scouting for Girls
Scouting for Girls are a Brit and Ivor Novello nominated band from London, formed in 2005 by Roy Stride, Greg Churchouse and Peter Ellard. Stride and Ellard met in the Cub Scouts and Churchouse met Stride on their first day at school. They have sold over 1.2 million albums and over 1.5 million...
who also played live at the launch, in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's in-house magazine Aerial.
Folk Face auditioned for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
, for a chance to represent the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. Folk Face failed to impress Lloyd Webber, who commented that the lyrics could have upset Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
among other countries.
More recently, Folk Face played a song at the 2009 Big Weekend in Swindon, as part of the breakfast show team's set of song parodies. They continue to be an occasional element of the radio show.
They also toured the UK for the first time through August and September 2010.
On 11 April 2011, they announced on The Chris Moyles Show that Folk Face would play Glastonbury Festival 2011.