UTMA FOLK SHOW

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Mal Robins

Mal Robins

Manchester, UK-based Mal’s first foray into the world of folk music and public performance, after being almost entirely devoted to the Beatles, was the result of a chance encounter with two guys over 50 years ago. Already semi-established, they asked Mal to join and became a trio.
'The Marksmen Folk Group' played a lot of gigs around Manchester in the late sixties/early seventies, and on occasion they ran the Monday night singer's session at Manchester's MSG folk club. They went on to make some recordings for the BBC, where they had their own weekly show. During this period Mal added mandolin, banjo, and penny whistle to his instrumental skills and found he could actually sing a bit.
He moved on to form a second trio, 'Cromwell', and in 1974 they appeared on a TV talent show, much like ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, but as folk was not mainstream music they fell by the wayside. It didn’t stop them expanding to a five-piece, adding bass and fiddle, and they enjoyed some success.
He then joined a new five-piece with fiddle, flute, concertina, and bodhran players and his passion for Celtic music began, adding his rapidly improving guitar and mandolin work to the line-up.
Sadly other commitments put an end to his performing career and his gear gathers dust in a dark cupboard. But his interest in traditional music continues, despite a short spell of making rock music in his home studio.

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Gramie Dee

Gramie Dee

Gramster, (aka Gramie Dee), is the Canada-based branch of the show and is a veteran of the metal scene with many notches to his belt. A musician for more than 30 years, he started out playing guitar in the UK in the early 80's with his band Wolfbane. A few years later, the guys became Blood Money; the first thrash/speed metal band to be signed to infamous NWoBHM label Ebony. Two albums were released during 1986/87 "Red Raw and Bleeding" and "Battlescarred" but the band split late 1987, leaving Gramie in a state of depressive none metal for a few years.
16 years later Gramie reunited with Blood Money drummer Brett Avok (ex Desolation Angels) to form Morgueazm, a horror metal band that combined varying elements of metal, fusing it with a touch of techno and a lot of dark humour.
Nowadays Gramie is still very much involved with the metal scene and presents the 'Autopsy Report Metal Radio Show' on the web via several radio stations and Podcasts.
But not many people know that Gramie's second love of music is traditional and Celtic folk. Although he is the proud owner of a mandolin, a violin, a bouzouki and a banjo (minus strings), his fiddle playing leaves much to be desired and Smoke On The Water does not sound good on the mandolin despite all the rumours. So Gramie leaves the folk musicianship to the folk maestros and sticks firmly to his BC Rich Warlock guitar where he is securely comfortable shredding and striking guitar hero poses surrounded by dry ice.
He still loves folk music though and can be found listening to it when he isn't banging his head to the likes of Slayer or Ozzy Osbourne. We won't mention his Morris dancing phase during the late eighties though.