WATCH: GU10 rides sea shanty wave
LOCAL sea shanty and folk music group GU10 is keeping busy during lockdown as sea shanty popularity has taken off again thanks to TikTok.
TikTok is a video social media site which soared sea shanties to popularity recently with Scottish postman Nathan Evans’ performance of the New Zealand whaling shanty The Wellerman.
After going viral, it scored him a record deal with Polydor.
GU10 was formed in 2005 by Pete Falla, a shanty group of 10 men, to sing at a handful of gigs as part of the Year of the Sea celebrations, marking 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar.
Sixteen years later the group is still going very strong with 12 members, including half of the original line-up. ‘We perform an average of 20 gigs per year and have sung over 100 different songs with a nautical theme,’ member Josh Gabriel said.
Although they have recorded three albums (All at Sea in 2005, Washed Ashore in 2011 and Deckade in 2015) and appeared at festivals in Paimpol and St Suliac in France (2007 and 2015/6) and Falmouth and Swanage in England (2010 and 2019), some of their favourite gigs have been much closer to home; Castle Nights and the Sark Folk Festival in particular.
Sea Shanties are short, repetitive songs that sailors sang on ships to get them through their working days. Many of the tunes date back to the 18th century.
‘With sea shanties becoming popular once again, we intend on recording more videos during the lockdown, to keep ourselves and any fans entertained,’ Mr Gabriel said.
GU10 are relatively new to social media but can be found on Facebook @GU10shanties and Twitter @GU10band.
