Broom Bezzums - Biography

They met in a pub in late 2005 while living as exiles in Germany. Andrew had just finished a degree in Folk music at Newcastle University and Mark was counting Bob the Builder watches in a toy warehouse somewhere near nowhere…
Mark talked Andrew in to doing a gig with him in a distillery. Being strapped for cash and fond of a drink, Andrew begrudgingly agreed.

However, onstage the two quickly noticed that they had an instant rapport and that their music easily gelled. The first demo was recorded one Saturday afternoon before the football started. This chaotic production somehow caught the attention of Germany’s largest folk festival in Rudolstadt, prompting a gig the following summer. Broom Bezzums pulled large crowds on street corners and caused mayhem and disruption all weekend, leading to further bookings at events all over Germany.

Throughout 2006 the pair gigged in southern Germany and built up a following of drunks, tearaways, vagabonds, consultant doctors and university lecturers. The audiences were taken in by their outlandish stories, quick-witted retorts, loveable roguishness and edgy, spontaneous musicianship.

In late 2006 the duo were invited to perform in Cork, Ireland, and were suddenly inspired to rehearse. In this time the material was honed and freshened up, ready to be presented as something that would also stand up in its own right.
The Irish gigs were a success and led to a string of double-dates in Germany with Cork band The Critters.

Since then, Broom Bezzums have toured extensively in Germany, Britain, Switzerland and Slovenia, including recent appearances at Scotland’s largest winter music festival, Celtic Connections.

Broom Bezzums have recorded two CDs for Steeplejack Records. Arise you sons of freedom… (2007) and Under the Rug (2008). Arise you sons of freedom… was a Roots Music ‘Top 10 CD of 2007’. They are currently working on their 3rd CD, also for Steeplejack. This is being recorded by Juergen Treyz, who besides being a top engineer is known for his work as guitarist with Cara, 2Duos and Deitsch. There will be guest appearences from Katie Doherty, Andy May and Ian Stephenson.

About the boys:

Andrew: Born in Berwick upon Tweed in 1979. Always impressed by his dad’s tin whistle playing and his mum’s clog-dancing, he was drawn to learn to play traditional music. He busked his way round Europe in 1999-2001 before enrolling on the Folk and Traditional music degree at Newcastle Uni, studying fiddle, guitar and singing. At this time he played with Katie Doherty and Roger Purves in Roll a Penny.

Mark: Started his musical career as a drummer in several midlands-based punk, indie and psychedelic rock outfits including Drop and international chart-toppers Babylon Zoo (cleverly leaving before they topped the charts). On moving to Ireland he became a stalwart guitarist on the Cork session scene and developed a repertoire of trad flute tunes and striking songs before hitting the road once more, this time as a busker.