Reef will be playing The Factory, Barnstaple on Saturday 7th March as part of their 2015 UK tour

We can confirm the rumours bouncing around the North Devon area that Reef will be playing The Factory on Saturday 7th March as part of their 2015 UK tour with new guitarist Jesse Wood.  Even though all 4 members of REEF had West Country connections, it wasn't until each individual separately moved to London in 1993 that the band was born. Gary Stringer, Jack Bessant, Kenwyn House and Dominic Greensmith ended up living together on the outskirts of west London and using Gary's bedroom as their rehearsal room soon started touting for gigs. Within 6 months the band had attracted interest from many major record labels and soon recorded some demo's, which although financed by Sony offshoot S2, were released on 7 inch single using an independent mark during 1994. This single containing the songs 'good feeling' B/W 'choose to live' was picked up on by Paul Weller who offered the band a support slot on his 'wild wood' tour. REEF signed with Sony S2 later that year and were flown out to New York to record a TV advert for the then new technology of the Sony mini disc. 1995 saw REEF tour with Soundgarden and by invitation with The Rolling Stones as the band built up a reputation as electric live performers. 'good feeling' was released again, (this time through S2) and scored as the bands first of their 9 top 40 singles, preceding their gold selling debut album 'Replenish' which peaked at *9 in the UK charts.

In 1996 the band were able to show off their football skills as they entered and won the 2nd SOCCER SIX CUP, seeing off competition from Blur and Oasis, before beating Apollo 440 (the previous years winners) in the final. Work also started on the follow up to 'Replenish' in the form of the 1997 release 'Glow'. Produced by George Drakoulias, 'Glow' was recorded both at London's Abbey Road studios and Sound City in Los Angeles. On the week of it's release 'Glow' went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts and spawned the bands biggest hit 'place your hands' along with 3 other top 40 singles. The album also provided a platform for the band to tour all over the world as well as here at home, with REEF headlining the other stage at Glastonbury festival alongside appearances at Glasgow's T in the park and both V festivals. 

In early 1999 Reef released their third album 'Rides'. Recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles (The Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds' and Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' were also recorded here) and working again with 'Glow' producer George Drakoulias, the band set about making a more expansive sounding record, swapping instruments on some songs and adding new sounds on others (David Campbell the father of the American artist Beck, for example added the string arrangements for this work). The album reached *3 in the uk and contained the top 20 single 'I've got something to say'. 

The autumn of the year 2000 saw REEF release their fourth studio album 'Getaway' under the stewardship of a new producer, Al Clay (Pixies/Stereophonics). Although critically well received, this album didn't have the same commercial success as earlier REEF records but still made *15 in the album charts and included the upbeat hit 'set the record straight'. After successfully working 'Getaway' around the world for over a year REEF stepped off the touring circuit and disappeared to the West Country to concentrate on writing songs for a new record. Progress was leisurely, as REEF enforced their own pace on proceedings at arms length from the record label in London. 

During the last months of 2002 and reunited with George Drakoulias in Ocean way studios, REEF recorded 5 of these songs to tape. Released in early 2003 alongside the previous 9 top 40 hits and a cover of the apt Kenny Roger's song 'just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in) these recordings made up the final REEF album 'Together'. Each member of the band has pursued their own musical path in various guises since 2003, (STRINGERBESSANT/ BLACK SWAN EFFECT/ GOLDRAY/THEM IS ME amongst others) but after over 6 years without playing as REEF, 2010 saw the band reunite for a run of sell out shows throughout the UK as well as slots at Glastonbury and the isle of Wight festivals.

In June 2012 REEF released an all-encompassing box set of the band's recorded work through Metropolis Music. In recent years the band have continued to play summer festivals and also added another successful UK tour at the end of 2013 along with recording what would be a last 2 songs with guitarist Kenwyn House at Distillery recording studios in Wiltshire. Approached by film director Heidi Greensmith to write new material for the forthcoming Vortex Pictures release "Winter", the band wrote the rock song 'Barking at trees' for the film and have backed it with the 2nd new song entitled "you got it". Both songs will be released on 7'' vinyl and cd single during November 2014. Deciding to concentrate solely on his band "GOLDRAY' Kenwyn House played his last show with REEF at Donington Park on April 20th 2014. Auditions were held in London and Somerset that same month and in May 2014 it was announced that Jesse Wood (the Ronnie Wood band/Faces/Red Racer) was to be the new guitarist for REEF. The band played their first show together on May 31st 2014 at Wychwood festival in Gloucestershire and have started work writing a new studio album.

Jack Bessant Dominic Greensmith Gary Stringer Jesse Wood 

REEF announce UK club tour for March 2015. 

www.reefband.com www.facebook.com/reefmusic twitter.com/reefband
Tickets: £16.50 + booking fee www.thefactoryvenue.co.uk 

Age recommendation: All ages - under 16s to be accompanied by an adult. Doors: Saturday 7th March 2015 - 8pm 

Contemporary Art in the Countryside ARTIST ROOMS On Tour Richard Long at the Burton Art Gallery and Museum

The Burton Art Gallery and Museum is proud to present a public exhibition of works by the celebrated land artist Richard Long, as part of ARTIST ROOMS On Tour. In a career that now spans nearly 50 years, Richard Long, has tested the boundaries of art by creating a substantial and varied collection of work in which he has taken nature as his subject but also as the source of his materials. Credited with being closely associated with the emergence of a new art form, Land Art, Long won the Turner Prize in 1989 and is one of Britain’s most significant artists, living and working in his beloved West Country. Richard Long’s work is deep rooted in his affinity with nature, developed often during walks around the British countryside. Walking repetitively in a line, making a circle of pebbles, arranging sticks in their hundreds, using mud as paint and piling up stones are just some of the many ways in which Richard Long has interacted with the landscape. He was amongst a new generation of British artists who wanted to extend the possibilities of sculpture beyond the confines of traditional artists materials and he began to use natural materials such as clay, pine needles, driftwood, slate, mud and stones in his work. Long is renowned for documenting the experience of his walks with photographs, maps, wall drawings and printed statements, revealing patterns and observations with beauty, creativity and inspiration. As a student in 1967, Long completed ‘A Line Made By Walking’ – a photograph of a field edged by a wood showing a narrow strip of grass, flattened by the action of him repeatedly walking it. Richard Long has stated “I have the most profound feelings when I am walking, or touching natural materials in natural places.” Paradoxically he states that his work is a portrait of himself in the world, his personal journey through it and the materials he finds along the way. 

‘A Line Made by Walking’ is alongside other pieces in the exhibition which have a relationship to the South West; ‘Cornish Slate Ellipse’, 2009, and ‘Three Moors’ are included within this exhibition. The works on display at the Burton Art Gallery and Museum are taken from ARTIST ROOMS, an inspirational collection of modern and contemporary art acquired for the nation by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland through the generosity of Anthony d'Offay with additional support from funders, including the Art Fund. The ARTIST ROOMS tour programme, now in its sixth year, is showing at 18 museums and galleries across the UK in 2014. The tour is made possible thanks to the support of Arts Council England and the Art Fund.
Warren Collum, Exhibitions and Collections Officer at the Burton Art Gallery and Museum said, “Right from the beginning of being involved with the ARTIST ROOMS programme, one of the artists I had in mind for The Burton was Richard Long. Many of the works in this exhibition have a direct connection to the South West environment. In particular, the works ‘Cut Slate Ellipse’ and ‘Three Moors’ will resonate strongly with our audiences encouraging them to connect with the materials that make up our environment, but in a totally different context – the gallery space.” Miranda Clarke, Visual Arts Manager at The Burton said, “We are delighted to be an associate partner as part of ARTIST ROOMS. This is a significant moment in the Burton’s 60+ year history, bringing the Richard Long exhibition to The Burton supports the original remit as set out by Hubert Coop and Thomas Burton, the founders of The Burton, in 1951. Recently on a visit to Tate Modern, travelling up the main escalators I glimpsed the 12foot high map of the UK, which shows where all the ARTIST ROOMS venues are this year. It was incredible to see ‘The Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford’ pinpointed. It made me proud of Bideford and of The Burton.” Richard Long’s work is a celebration of wild places that often lie hidden, just off the beaten track. He is an artist who has had a lifetime of joyful exploration and simple pleasures, exploring the relation of man and nature, expressing, in new ways, the beauty and fragility of this relationship.

A breakfast preview on Friday 3rd October was  hosted by the The High Sheriff of Devon, The Hon. John Rous. A second preview on Saturday 4th October was opened by the Visual Arts Manager at the Burton, Miranda Clarke with speeches from the Learning and Digital Manager, ARTIST ROOMS at Tate and National Galleries of Scotland, Christopher Ganley and Richard Long himself. Friends & supporters of the Burton, along with local business people, teachers & artists, press and bloggers attended both events.
 Photos copyright Lucy Goaman (All rights reserved)

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Contemporary Art in the Countryside ARTIST ROOMS On Tour Richard Long 

4th October 2014 – 10th January 2015

THE BURTON ART GALLERY & MUSEUM, 

Kingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2QQ 
(e) burtonartgallery@torridge.gov.uk (t) 01237 471455
 (w) www.burtonartgallery.co.uk 

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm. Sunday 11am - 4pm.

The Burton Art Gallery also hosts regular art activities for children and teenagers, allowing them the opportunity to discover their creative side and get artistically active themselves. 
Visit www.burtonartgallery.co.uk for further details.  

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To find out more information about ARTIST ROOMS On Tour please visit www.artfund.org/artistrooms. 

 To see the full ARTIST ROOMS collection please visit www.tate.org.uk/artistrooms and www.nationalgalleries.org/artistrooms

New training scheme to help combat skills shortage

A new training programme 'Wildlife Skills' has been awarded £829,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), allowing four Wildlife Trusts in the South West to train 46 aspiring conservationists over the next three years. The scheme is designed to address the skills shortages within the South West conservation sector, and has already appointed 16 trainees based at Devon Wildlife Trust, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust. Each will focus on one of three areas; practical conservation, survey & monitoring or volunteer and community engagement. As well as gaining formal qualifications, the trainees will receive complimentary training in transferable skills to enhance their future employability and consolidate their learning by working with Wildlife Trust staff. 'Wildlife Skills' Coordinator, Dr Rachel Janes, said: "This new scheme will give those interested in wildlife a real insight into working in conservation, from learning about communications in the media, to gaining their chainsaw qualifications. After they have completed their year-long placement, trainees will have the skills and confidence to take their careers forward in the work place. The wildlife trusts involved are delighted to be part of this programme, and are grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which has helped make it happen." Luke Workman, Wildlife Skills volunteer & engagement trainee based at Devon Wildlife Trust said : "A special moment for me was introducing a rockpool crab to a child for the first time, it was great to see the fear of holding the creature be replaced with a fascination and excitement for wildlife. I realised that some of the animals I take for granted, other people have never encountered before. What a privilege it is to be the first person to help this little girl meet a crab for the first time!" Beth Aucott, Wildlife Skills practical conservation trainee based at Somerset Wildlife Trust said: "The most exciting thing for me so far, apart from seeing my first wild otter, has been working with the people who are so passionate about looking after wildlife. I have already learnt so much; I've improved my identification skills, honed and learnt new practical skills, such as brushcutting, and learnt about grants, working with graziers and management plans." 

The scheme aims to diversify the future of conservation by providing opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly young people and those in transitional phases of their lives and careers. New placements will be available in summer 2015. For more information about the training scheme please visit www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife_skills