3 Daft Monkeys headlined our very first Blue Moon Festival and have played regularly since, we are super happy to welcome Tim and Athene again.
ATHENE ROBERTS: violin, vocals, accordion
Athene Roberts is a performer and composer with her own colourful and energetic style of playing. Her musical compositions draw influences from many styles of music, and have been used on BBC documentaries, independent films and theatre shows. She has frequently been invited onstage by the Levellers to perform the ‘fiddle-off’ with Jon Sevink, as a solo performer with Mark Chadwick, and has been the leader of the Urban Gypsy Orchestra for the People’s String Foundation. Athene has played violin on many studio albums, most notably recording on a single for Hawkwind. She can also be seen in the Hollywood blockbuster movie “Tulip Fever”.
“…I discovered a completely new approach to music around the colourful campfires of the road protest camps at Fairmile, where I was inspired by the Eastern European and the yiddish Klezmer tunes I learnt there. On joining the quirky and innovative cult underground festival band Doo The Moog for a short while, the strange and colourful world of touring, festivals and improvisation drew me in…I then became part of the original line-up of the festival “diddly-dub” collective “Headmix” with whom I toured around Holland, Germany and Czech Republic. It was in Holland that I met Tim Ashton, and soon joined his psychedelic punk band Moondragon and their folky alter-ego Lordryk. When the band disbanded, Tim and I decided to follow a nomadic lifestyle, travelling around Europe in an old purple Dodge van as street entertainers…and on return to Cornwall, formed 3 Daft Monkeys.”
TIM ASHTON: vocals, 12-string guitar, penny whistle
Lyricist and songwriter Tim Ashton is the charismatic frontman in 3DM. His compositions have been used in many films and documentaries, and he has recorded lead vocals on tracks by The Changing Room, and whistle for Zetan Spore. Tim has also guested ‘live’ onstage with the Levellers and the People’s String Foundation.
“I cut my teeth in punk and psychobilly bands in Bradford when I was a young teenager, playing pubs and clubs…On moving to Cornwall as a late teen I soon felt the allure of the open road…ending up busking on the streets of Amsterdam…Returning to Cornwall I formed cult psychedelic rock band Moondragon with two of my brothers and 3DM drummer Richie Mulryne. It was whilst on tour with them in Holland that I met 3DM violin and vocalist Athene.
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