"a bitter sweet country cocktail... on the rocks "
The Mountain Firework Company are an acoustic 5 piece based in Brighton, England. They came together over heartache and wine to create what has been described as "gorgeous folk/alt country pop, with equal parts darkness and cheeky humour " and "alternative bluegrass with a dark treacle folk centre "
Simultaneously mournful and upbeat, The Mountain Firework Company’s driving and melodic sound comes from an all acoustic string band line up of guitars, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, double bass and drums. Taking the traditional bluegrass line-up in new directions, they incorporate country, folk, bluegrass and general Americana within their sound. Whilst they are knowledgeable and respectful of those genre’s conventions, they refuse to be bound by them. They play all their own material, creating a unique sound that is both fresh and familiar. A sound, that in it’s own small way is a continuation of the “folk “process, where the music that left these islands long ago to eventually become what we loosely term “Americana” has returned and still continues to evolve.
Their laconic front man, Irishman Gareth McGahan, spearheads the band. His song writing, his gruff accented singing, and his finger style guitar and banjo playing are at the core of it’s sound. His song writing is by turns sad, dark, and witty. It stands with one foot firmly in the folk, country and blues traditions. He writes his songs for bruised hearts and minds, songs which some say sound both contemporary and traditional. When these songs are performed with vocal harmonies supplied by the remaining band members, every one of whom are exceptional players, the band bristles with energy and vitality.
It was the Sidewinder pub in Brighton that set the stage for The Mountain Firework Company. Gareth was the manager and he was intent on using the space upstairs to put a band together. As a landmark Pub in Brighton with a reputation for its music, it quickly attracted likeminded souls. The pieces fell together and soon the band was up and running.
At first they were an electric band, playing a mix of afro-funk and jazzy drum and bass, but this incarnation was short lived. Undeterred, Gareth went back to his roots as a folk blues fingerpicker. He gained a newfound confidence in his song writing and the band re emerged as the acoustic roots combo that is now The Mountain Firework Company. After a number of well-received local gigs they recorded their first album, the appropriately titled A ROUGH GUIDE TO FEELING ROUGH. Recorded above the pub, the album was released on line and introduced the band to a much wider audience, winning them many new fans.
Soon after that they were joined by renowned fiddle player Mike Simmonds (Alice Russell, Quantic ),and they released their critically acclaimed second album SAMURAI. By now they had earned themselves a reputation as one of the very best acoustic live acts in the Brighton area and gathered themselves a large and devoted fan base. They went on to perform sold out shows four years running for the Brighton fringe festival and have since played all over the UK. They have been delighting fans old and new in respected acoustic venues such as the Green Note and Cecil Sharpe house in London and at many festivals large and small, including Glastonbury.
For the next couple of years the band continued to develop creatively and grow in confidence, and by late 2011 it was high time to go back into the studio and record a third album. For this they enlisted the help of seasoned producer Dan Swift and booked themselves 5 days at the highly regarded Ironworks studios. The result is THE LONESOME LOSING BLUES. Just released in 2012 it marks the beginning of the next chapter in the story of a band who have great things ahead of them.
