Fables

FABLES, a five-piece band from Lipa, start 2009 in prime position as the line-up to follow former top students The Wombats to national recognition.

They’ve just snatched one of the UK’s top songwriting awards – the same prize taken by The Wombats in 2005.

But whatever the journey ahead, it will be different.

While The Wombats’ indie music/skinny jeans approach produced hits like Moving To New York, Fables – perhaps as the name suggests – plan to be more bookish, aiming at a 25-plus age group, already aligned to singers like Laura Marlin.

The result is unashamedly folksy, but with distinctive indigenous Mersey cross-rhythms and harmonies. There are also outside influences from the likes of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake.

Founder and songwriter Michael Halls, from Huyton, explains: “Because the bottom has fallen out of much of the recording industry, the big future opportunities lie with live performances.

“Lipa makes you very business-aware. What’s happening now is almost a copy of the 50s and 60s, when side bands started taking over the main genre.

“With recession and recording piracy, a new wave of music is the hope.

“We want to create quality over quantity because selling things in bulk just isn’t viable any more.”

Eighties music icon Nik Kershaw, a member of the competition judging panel chaired by Joan Armatrading, says: “There are so many different directions that Fables’ music could go. The two songs we heard were impressive, both musically and lyrically.”

For Michael, his singer girlfriend Eleanor Redhead; bassist Gareth Bullock, keyboard player Louis Quarelle and drummer Ollie Hardaker, the showcase was their first full gig together, having previously worked in duo and trio combos.

The songs came from a set of seven Michael wrote for a Lipa project last summer.

One, entitled Twenty Years From Now, is a tribute to his dad, who worked as a builder in London from 1987 to 2007, only returning home at weekends.

“We are all very close as a family, but he had to do it. And this is me saying I can’t believe how hard it was, and you did all that for us.

“The hook is him telling me how hard things could still be 20 years from now.”

Fables will now put the £5,000 prize-money towards recording and touring.

“I’d like to be earning a living from music this time next year,” says ex-Knowsley high pupil Michael, who’s been playing guitar (and mandolin) since he was eight.

“The name of the band is based on literature, stories and tales. Even the album is going to be packaged as a book.

“Most people aim for record deals, but what we want most is to be a great performing band.”

Helping Fables do just that will be promoter Will Steadman, also education director of the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund.

All band members graduate from Lipa this summer. For Michael, it’s been the making of a dream come true that’s included masterclasses with Paul McCartney and Dionne Warwick, and regular tuition from guitar greats Steve Berry and Mike Walker.

Although gaining A-levels in physics, biology, computing and English literature at Carmel College, St Helens, Michael is in no doubt about his future: “I always planned to pursue music.

“This award is a fantastic springboard for the entire band.”

But last word to Lipa boss Mark Featherstone-Witty: “We’re delighted. Now it’s time for Fables to be embraced by all those who recognise quality.” - Liverpool Echo