collage by Volker Neumann

Welcome to Oysterband's official website...



....where we're sorry to have to tell you that our September 2021 UK tour has had to be postponed into Spring 2022.  See new details on the right.

After we had done all the rehearsals and one show, it was clear that inflammation to tissue near John's vocal cords had not healed sufficiently.  Medical advice is that it won't be permanently damaging, but it means that for a while we wouldn't be able to perform at the level we want and you expect and deserve.

It's a hard blow after so long without performing, but unavoidable.

Looking on the bright side......we'll be hugely excited to take our new songs, new album and new lineup (welcome aboard, Sean!) on the road next year. We can't wait to meet you all for live music again.

____________________________________________________________________



Something new for '22  -
(for people who've been *saving* money during lockdown...)




______________________________________________________________________

Every year from 1986, fRoots magazine asked a large international panel of experts – over 300 in recent times – to nominate the Album Of The Year. After they announced the results of the 30th annual fRoots Critics Poll for Albums Of The Year in December, the magazine invited the public to vote online for their one favourite album out of all the winners and runners up in every year’s Critics Poll since it began in 1986, 120 albums in all. And after a massive entry for the Best Of The Best, the placings were: 1. BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit) 1997 2. PAUL SIMON Graceland (Warners) 1986 3. BELLOWHEAD Hedonism (Navigator) 2010 4. JUNE TABOR & OYSTERBAND Ragged Kingdom (Topic) 2011 5. OYSTERBAND Holy Bandits (Cooking Vinyl) 1993 6. EMILY PORTMAN Hatchling (Furrow) 2012 7. ELIZA CARTHY Anglicana (Topic) 2002 8. THE HOME SERVICE Alright Jack (Making Waves) 1986 9. AURELIO Landini (Real World) 2014 10. JIM MORAY Low Culture (NIAG) 2008 Massive thanks to everyone who voted for us… only one act with two entries in the top ten!

************************************************************************************************

New in the online shop  -  the return of the Oysterband Badge.  We found one on an ancient leather jacket (sigh...) and remembered we used to really like them many years ago.  Finally we've had some manufactured again, in hand-enamelled nickel  -  they look slightly different now, but the quality is better.  And the little running man is still running.

_____________________________________________________________________


We're very pleased to say the LYRICS section of this website is now up and running at last.  Our thanks to Giolla Decair and Caz White, who did most of the work.  At 150+ songs it was no small task.  Now we can resolve those dressing-room arguments about "How did that one go??".....though possibly not the ones about which key it was in.

_____________________________________________________________________