Steve Knightley to appear on Michael Wood’s television series “The Great British Story”.

Friday, June 01, 2012

Folk singer Steve Knightley is to appear in Michael Wood's history of the British Isles "The Great British Story", broadcast on Friday evenings at 9.00 pm. Details of Knightley's involvement att.

We have received the following press release from Knightley’s publicist Jane Brace;

SHOW OF HANDS FRONTMAN KNIGHTLEY TO APPEAR ON MAJOR NEW BBC 2 TV SERIES
~ One-time history teacher Knightley contributes to The Great British Story ~

Show of Hands’ inspired frontman and BBC award-winning songwriter Steve Knightley is to appear in a major new BBC 2 TV series starting next week.

Knightley, who won the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Original Song title for his topical Arrogance Ignorance and Greed and who recently sold out the Royal Albert Hall for the fourth time with multi-instrumental bandmate Phil Beer, will be seen and heard in the new eight-part landmark series entitled The Great British Story.

Presented by historian Michael Wood the series starts on Friday, May 25 at 9pm and will chart Britain’s chequered past from the perspective of ordinary people and local communities ?from Viking invasions and the Norman Conquests through to the Industrial Revolution and two World Wars.

Wood will travel the length and breadth of the UK witnessing a rich diversity of dialects and languages from Cornish to Scots Gaelic and getting to the heart of numerous communities ? from the tin miners of Penwith to chain-makers of the Black Country and sailors of Derry. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00s7j12

Made for the BBC by independent production company Maya Vision, it will include footage of Show of Hands playing Knightley’s anthemic song of Cornish miners Cousin Jack, as performed on May 15 at the Daphne du Maurier Festival in Fowey, Cornwall.

The Cousin Jack performance is due to feature in episode 7 of the 8 x 60 minute series, but before that Knightley will be heard performing three other songs illustrating the history of these islands.

One of acoustic roots music’s leading wordsmiths and performers, Knightley studied history and politics at Coventry University and subsequently taught history and music.

His first contribution to The Great British Story will in episode 3 when he sings a song about an Anglo-Saxon thane called Breme (meaning ?renowned?). Breme, who hailed from Suffolk, was killed in the Battle of Hastings.

This is followed in episode 4 by Steve’s rendition of a song about the Peasants’ Revolt, with lyrics from an original 14th century text. Finally in episode 6, Steve ? well known for his pull-no-punches songs ? will sing The Diggers’ Song ? a 17th century protest song about land rights inspired by the Diggers and Levellers movement and composed by one of the movement’s leaders, Gerrard Winstanley.

Director Rebecca Dobbs says: ?We wanted Steve to contribute to our series as he has such a broad understanding of the British people’s history and wanted him to use songs of the period to help tell the story. Plus he’s got a wonderful voice that would enhance any programme.?

Multi award-winning Knightley, whose strident songs Country Life and Roots were also nominated for Best Original Song at previous BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards is known for his ?songs with a message?. Country Life focused on the desecration of English rural life whilst the berating Roots was prompted by former culture minister Kim Howells’ infamous comment when debating music licensing laws ?For a simple urban boy like me the idea of listening to three Somerset folk singers sounds like hell!?

The song that clinched the Exeter-based musician the Best Original Song title was Arrogance Ignorance and Greed, a heartfelt tirade against bankers and bonuses, MPs and expenses, and the topical title track of Show of Hands’ last studio album.
See Show of Hands performing it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-n8ITk6UWM

Last year Knightley was one of a number of folk icons including Peggy Seeger and Billy Bragg who performed protest songs outside St Paul’s in support of the Occupy London movement while Show of Hands also played Hyde Park as part of the March for the Alternative Rally.

A BBC Learning campaign will support The Great British Story, including showcase events throughout the UK. More on the series here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r12j3

http://www.showofhands.co.uk www.facebook.com/steveknightley

QUOTES;

?One of England’s greatest singer songwriters? ? Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2
?Knightley dares to tackle subjects other songwriters leave well alone ? his best songs are bleak, witty and finely observed? ?The Guardian

?A folk legend? ? BBC Music

?Touching emotional literacy? ? Daily Telegraph

?One of the UK’s most important writers and performers, Steve Knightley is giving England back its tradition with a razor-sharp contemporary edge.”- Frank Hennessy, BBC Wales