The media are lying to you. They’re telling you that the era of the protest song is over. They’re telling you that folk music is what Mumford & Sons do; cuddly, commodified, unchallenging and sanctioned by the Prime Minister, no less.
They are wrong.
Steve White & The Protest Family are East London’s favourite folk punk political sing-along band. We may not be safe enough for the major labels, but we’ve definitely got something to say, and we’re going to say it, with wit, a certain brash charm, guitars, banjos, mandolins and, dare we say it,
moments of four-part harmony. Ours is a revolution that’ll have you tapping your foot and smiling from ear-to-ear. Thinking too, if we have our way.
Led by Steve, whose unplugged sessions have become something of a feature of the Tolpuddle Festival in recent years, the band features Funky Lol Ross on mandolin and electric guitar, and veteran of the East London music scene, Doug E Harper on bass. Meanwhile banjo duties fall to award-winning player and co-ordinator of the renowned Walthamstow Folk Club, Russ Chandler. Folk who’ve heard us make comparisons with Billy Bragg, Ian Dury and even The Clash.
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