Troy and Dick first met in deepest Sussex during the Autumn of 1989 and initially formed part of a skinhead band known as THE TOOT 'n' SKA MEN. The group developed its own unique style of British Ska and was comprised of Troy on vocals and composition, Dick on bass guitar, Dave Fisk on keyboards, John Secker on lead/rhythm guitar and little Chris Harding on drums. Sadly, however, this early musical incarnation only lasted about six months although the band did play at such illustrious venues as The Dublin Castle (London) and Sussex University (Brighton). THE TOOT 'n' SKA MEN's unusual concoction of MADNESS and BOOKER T. cover versions were combined with a few comical songs of their own based on young love ("The Girl At The Rally"), musical infatuation ("Love Me, Love My Ska") and downright sexual innuendo ("Caught In The Act"). But the bubble finally burst when the group's highly talented keyboardist - the great "Frisky Fingers" himself (known for appearing on stage wrapped in Egyptian bandages) - was poached by a better known Ska outfit from North London. Consequently, THE TOOT 'n' SKA MEN were forced to disband and most of the members went their own separate ways.
But despite this setback the lads remained close friends, often fantasising over a few pints about what could have been. Around 1992 Troy and Dick became very interested in English Folk, especially the kind of music being performed by popular Dorset band THE YETTIES. Initially, they looked upon their whole interest in this genre to be a huge joke and something they dare not reveal to those in their wider circle. But as Dick is always keen to point out: "One day the laughter stopped. We were well and truly hooked." Thus, instead of dipping both in and out of this seemingly utopian world whenever it suited them, the intrepid duo eventually discovered that what began as a growing love of English folksong had soon become a full-time obssession. From that point on they endeavoured not only to collect as many YETTIES recordings as possible and learn them word-for-word during their frequent business trips to Germany, but also to branch out and explore related (and perhaps not-so-related) material by the likes of PLANXTY, THE WURZELS, JOHNNY CASH, THE DUBLINERS, BILL MONROE & THE BLUEGRASS BOYS, STEELEYE SPAN, THE STANLEY BROTHERS, JIMMY SHAND, THE ALBION BAND and THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN. Since then, they have branched out even further and between them have in one way or another been influenced by more recent recordings such as those laid down by THE SPECTRAL LIGHT & MOONSHINE FIREFLY SNAKEOIL JAMBOREE ("Scarecrow Stuffing"), BOB BUCKINGHAM ("... and Friends"), The Pogues and - in Troy's case, at least - even several underground Gothic-Folk acts like CURRENT 93, SOL INVICTUS and R.N. Taylor's CHANGES.
From early childhood Dick had been taught how to read and play music. Indeed, beginning with the violin he gradually went on to add a variety of different instruments to his musical arsenal. In the Autumn of 1998 things went a step further when Dick rediscovered his old fiddle-playing abilities after many years and treated Troy to a private performance round at his old flat in the heart of Sydenham, South London. This spurred Troy into action and no sooner had he listened to Dick's rendition of several English and Irish tunes that in November 1998 he went out and bought his first guitar. Admittedly, it was only a cheap student model which he had picked up at Hobgoblin for a mere �49, but it was a start and as the days and weeks went by the boys strenuously began to form a neat little duo by practising a variety of traditional Dorset folksongs and a collection of Thomas Hardy fiddle tunes gratefully borrowed from their friend Bonny Sartin of THE YETTIES. Indeed, certain MERRYMOON covers such as "The Sun From The East", "Fiddler's Green", "The Sheepstealer", "A Sailor Cut Down In His Prime" and "Home Dearest Home" were culled from the first two YETTIES' songbooks. Since then, of course, they have also turned their attention to several Bluegrass numbers including "The Girl Behind The Bar" by THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN and more traditional favourites like "Cripple Creek", "Soldier's Joy", "Red-Haired Boy" and "Jesse James". They also perform a sprinkling of Irish Folk tunes such as "The Leaving of Liverpool", "The Cobbler", "William Bloat", "Isn't It Grand Boys" (originally an English music hall ditty before Irish legends THE CLANCY BROTHERS & TOMMY MAKEM got hold of it!) and the immensely stirring "Boulavogue". Among their own handful of compositions is "Pie & Mash", a song which - given the fact that Troy was born and bred in Crystal Palace and Dick spent the first few months of his life in Tooting - is in keeping with their South London roots. Others include "Red Dawn Rising" (a gloomy little ditty in which a committed rebel has to face the hangman's noose) and their cowboy satire "Out of Bounds".
On the chilly evening of November 19th, 1999, the lads teamed up with Darren, another old friend of theirs from Snodland in Kent who was brought in to play bass guitar. Despite being relatively new to the Folk and Bluegrass scene, Darren's capable bass-playing soon added a whole new dimension to MERRYMOON and he decided to become a permanent member of the group. That evening MERRYMOON recorded 14 tracks on Darren's home recording equipment both as a general experiment in sound technique and as a means of producing a demo tape in order to secure live appearences and perhaps a chance of recording something more qualitative in the studio.
So there you have it. Needless to say we are always eager to perform whenever and wherever we are made welcome and therefore invite you to contact MERRYMOON either by e-mail or in writing at Dark Holler UK, The Coach House, Maypole Road, Langford, Essex CM9 4TA, England.
