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GRAEME MEEK

Voice
Hopf J.P. Professional Acoustic Guitar
Epiphone Cortez Acoustic Guitar
Epiphone Thunderbird IV Bass
Wilson Rapier Bass
Fylde Bouzouki

Graeme is a member of the E.F.D.S.S.

BARRY GOODMAN

Voice
Saltarelle Connemara Melodeon
Castagnari Tommy Melodeon
Hohner Melodeon
Lachenal English Concertina

Barry is a member of the E.F.D.S.S., Folk Arts England and FolkWISE

See also www.lifeandtimes.info, www.lifeandtimes.org.uk, www.timeofyourlife.info,
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/graeme_meek,
www.myspace.com/broadsidesrevisited, www.myspace.com/englishceilidh

Life & Times was formed in 1983, originally together with flautist Greg Lindsay, who left in 1989. Although Graeme has been the main songwriter for the duo, Barry has also contributed songs and tunes. Graeme has occasionally taken on commissions to write songs. In 1986 he wrote a few songs to assist in a bid to open a museum in a Bedfordshire town. One of those songs 'A Working Boatie Man' appears on their CD 'Charivari' (recorded in April 2001). In 2003 he wrote a song for the opening of a restored bridge in a Bedfordshire village and 'The Bridge Down The Meadow' together with Barry's tune 'Over The Bridge' have proved to be very popular well beyond the village for which they were written. Graeme celebrated his 25th year of writing Bedfordshire songs in 2006. Life and Times celebrate their 24th year working together in 2007.

Life & Times' music has been featured on national radio and local radio stations around Britain and beyond. Their radio documentary of Shropshire Iron was broadcast - appropriately - in Shropshire as well as in many other regions and one of their songs 'Brickmaking' from their LP 'Strawplait & Bonelace' (Fellside Recordings) was used by BBC Schools programme 'Singing Together' in the 1990s. Live radio performances have included several with Simon Groom of BBC Radio Bedfordshire (now 3 Counties Radio) and with Great Western Radio. Their traditional idiom music clearly has wide appeal beyond the immediate folk world with plays on Radio 2's Album Time and Round Midnight (remember those?) as well as on a programme hosted by Adrian Love whom Life & Times met whilst performing as entertainers in the Victorian streets of The Ironbridge Gorge Museum in the 1980s. In April 2006, Graeme & Barry became contacts for BBC Radio 2's 'Sold on Song' songwriting scheme.

Life & Times feature in the 'Guinness Who's Who in Folk' and in 'The Official Music Maker Folk Music of the British Isles' catalogue. Our song 'Brickmaking' has been included in a Berkshire Education history package and music from 'Shropshire Iron' has been used for a promotional video by a Shropshire Theatre Company.

Life & Times music has been performed by JOHN KIRKPATRICK (ex-Steeleye Span) and CAROLYN ROBSON (former EFDSS Education Officer). Carolyn has also recorded one of our songs on her CD 'DAWN CHORUS'. Our music also features on Ashley Hutchings' CD 'GRANDSON OF MORRIS ON' and has been used by CHANNEL 4 TV's 'The Canterville Ghost'. It appears in a short film entitled 'THE BEDFORDSHIRE CLANGER' and accompanies living traditions by THE OUTSIDE CAPERING CREW, REDBORNSTOKE MORRIS and THE BRAFRONT GUIZERS.

In 2006 Life & Times branched out in a new direction, taking our traditional idiom music into schools to teach youngsters about our history, traditions and heritage. Our friends The Tollhouse Company ceased touring their shows at the end of 2005 so our new venture is intended to fill that gap with a similar style of performance (though with our own particular stamp) complete with visual presentation and drama. If you've previously enjoyed the performances of The Tollhouse Company or if you'd like the KS1, KS2 or KS3 (up to Year 8) children in your local school to try acting a Mummers' Play or have a go at Morris or Molly dancing, look at our sister site on www.lifeandtimes.org.uk for more information. We currently have two shows: Hats Off To History - available at any time - and a winter shows available from November 1st to the end of December and from January to the end of February annually.

RECORDINGS

Charivari Wixamtree WIX 051
Shropshire Iron Fellside FE071
Strawplait & Bonelace Fellside FE043
A Select Few (dance music)

Some other recordings that include our music:
Grandson of Morris On (Ashley Hutchings et al.)
Dawn Chorus (Carolyn Robson) Reiver Records RVCD03
Keep Dancing EFDSS Recordings EDCD07 (dance music)

INFLUENCES:

English traditional music
Broadside ballads
The book: 'A Ballad History Of England'
The Music Hall
Nic Jones
John Kirkpatrick
Vin Garbutt
Jez Lowe
The Watersons
Martin Carthy
Tony Rose
Graeme Miles

Life & Times form two fifths of the dance band TIME OF YOUR LIFE (see www.virb.com/timeofyourlife)

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Stats

plays today - 0

all-time plays - 91

profile views - 1109

Band Members - see all 2

• Barry Goodman - Voice, Saltarelle Connemara Melodeon, Castagnari Tommy Melodeon, Hohner Melodeon, Lachenal English Concertina

• Graeme Meek - Voice, Hopf Acoustic Guitar, Epiphone Acoustic Guitar, Epiphone Thunderbird IV Bass, Wilson Rapier Bass' Fylde Bouzouki

Discography - see all 1

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  Charivari