Artist description Hurtin' songs about love gone awry.

Music Style Pop - Acoustic

Musical Influences Beatles, Replacements, Peter Case

Artist History Alun Piggins is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter who remains virtually unknown outside of his basement. He has spent the last few years playing a lot of gigs to almost nobody, as well as engineering the odd recording session. Before ’96, Alun was in thrash-folk band The Morganfields. They put out 3 records, toured a fuck of a lot, and failed miserably to excite anyone. After embarking on an ill-advised cross-Canada winter tour, they disbanded. Now, however, like a wild animal gnawing its own leg off in a vain attempt to deny the trap of fate, he is back. The CD is called Balladesque and is his first solo record. Alun played most of the instruments and recorded it almost entirely in the aptly-named Moldy Floor Studios (his basement). It’s folkier than The Morganfields and actually includes Alun’s keyboard debut (Acetone organ on Out in the Woods). Some facts: • Plays regularly as a solo acoustic performer across Ontario • Former singer/songwriter/guitarist of The Morganfields• 10 years touring Canada & U.S.A. in different bands including The Morganfields and traditional folk band Celtic Blue• Has hideous C-shaped scar around his left ear• Movie soundtrack work including The Eternal Husband, released August 1999 by Domino Films• Appeared as lead guitarist of Death Lurks in Paramount Feature The Kids in the Hall, Brain Candy, April 1996• Engineered sessions at Chemical Sound for such clients as Ian Blurton, Bionic, Steve Stanley, Erin Smith etc.• Worked as an assistant engineer for Sloan (Navy Blues), Hayden, Blue Rodeo, Cowboy Junkies, God Speed You Black Emperor etc..

Group Members Alun Piggins

Instruments acoustic guitar, harmonica, dobro, banjo, mandolin, hammond organ, electric guitar, drums and percussion, piano, cello

Albums Balladesque (Jan 2000 on Moldy Floor Records). Please visit www.alunpiggins.com for lyrics, complete discography and videos.

Press Reviews A couple reviews of Balladesque (released Jan 2000):Exclaim Magazine (Toronto): Alun Piggins, Balladesque:Bouncing back from the disintegration of the once-great Ontario rock’n’rollmachine The Morganfields, Piggins has landed on his feet with an acoustic guitar and a fine collection of new songs. He has a knack for powerful andintense songs that could pass as anthems in the hands of someone less subtle. Once of his earlier faults was that he tended to write melodies out ofhis vocal range, so the biggest surprise here is how beautiful his falsettosounds on his increasingly pop melodies. Balladesque is a gripping returnto form. — Michael BarclayThe Toronto Sun:Alun Piggins, Balladesque:Showing that the key to a good album can be as simple as a healthy set oflungs and a smart way with words, localite Alun Piggins manages to createa home-recording that is at once trashy and elegant, folky and complex. Former leader of early ’90s prospects The Morganfields, Piggins changes gears between spare, weary strummers, full-blown rockers and jangly singa-longs. At the centre, however, is a voice that remains consistently clear andhopeful. Even when tipping his cap to The Stones circa Let it Bleed, the singerkeeps a firm grip. A terrific frontman without a group — though singer OhSusanna, Rheostatics drummer Don Kerr and Blue Rodeo keyboadist James Gray drop by to help. — Kieran Grant

Location Toronto, Ontario - Canada

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