The Wild Service

Profile

Song-writing brothers, George and Danny Goring met up with multi-instrumentalist Dan Stewart in the village of Warbleton, East Sussex, England in 2007 after a two year sojourn in West Africa. They became The Wild Service. The three discovered they shared a common background of music making rooted in the folk tradition.

George and Danny grew up listening to traditional and contemporary folksong: the Copper Family, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and regularly provided the rhythm section for Folk Convention, a dance band led by their mother, Rosemary. They later developed their own writing influenced by 60s pop, new wave, reggae, post-punk, dance and world music. Dan was exposed to traditional British and American music from an early age. He still plays regularly with Dave Arthur in Rattle on the Stovepipe and at dances with Swallowtail.

The Wild Service can perform as a duo, trio or quartet depending on the occasion. George and Danny have many years experience playing as a duo backing up their distinct vocal harmonising with acoustic and electric guitar, bass and percussion. As a trio, they are joined by Dan who also adds mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, Appalachian dulcimer, Celtic harp and tin whistles to the mix. And, finally, as a quartet, the band is complemented by Ray Betts, a highly experienced and innovative drummer/percussionist who has played with a large variety of bands during his career.

The versatility of the band is in their ability to perform acoustic, electro-acoustic and full electric sets suitable to the venue in question from the back room of a pub to arts centres and outdoor events.