Buds & Spawn

22/01/2025

"We’re connected. We’re connected to everything. They’ve proved it. So I love the idea that, if you fall in love with somebody, and there’s great chemistry, then are you changing one another?"

Sharron Fortnam of Kugelschreiber talks to Aitch Nicol about quantum entanglement, ABBA's 'catch-all' harmonies and her bass driven creative process.

Join us at The Dorothy Pax in Sheffield on Saturday for Buds & Spawn presents Kugelschreiber + Adrian Bell (DJ set)

Sharron Fortnam - singer, bassist and songwriter - has been involved in so much of the music that we have loved over the last 30 years: Lake of Puppies, Shrubbies, North Sea Radio Orchestra, Cardiacs and Led Bib to name but a few. But in 2024 she launched her very first 'solo' project - Kugelschreib

18/01/2025

Just a week to go until we welcome the gorgeous Sharron Fortnam and her band Kugelschreiber to The Dorothy Pax 😍

I've been a fan of Sharron's ever since I first saw her perform with William D Drake as Lake of Puppies back in 1995/6, and have loved everything she has been involved with since then: Shrubbies, North Sea Radio Orchestra, CARDIACS, Lost Crowns, Led Bib, it's a formidable list.

Do you have a favourite Sharron Fortnam moment? Do share! Here's one of mine, with the glorious North Sea Radio Orchestra.

Daylight Music 238 12/11/16North Sea Radio Orchestra www.nsro.co.ukVideo by http://www.foliagefilms.com/Additional camera by Dave BarnardLive Sound - Pete Mi...

16/01/2025

‘Go ahead and publish with the boy’s blessing’ ❤

Adrian Bell (known to many as Belch) talks to Laura about how his 2011 CARDIACS memoir 'Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove' came about, as well as radio puns, how to use football tournaments to discover new music and pyromaniac pals with a penchant for clothing alterations...

You can catch Adrian playing some tunes at our upcoming show on Saturday 25th January at the The Dorothy Pax in Sheffield. More info here: Buds & Spawn presents Kugelschreiber + Adrian Bell (DJ set)

Adrian Bell (known to many as 'Belch') is the Cardiacs fan's Cardiacs fan. His memoir 'Aylesbury, Bolton, Wolverhampton, Hove: A Little Man and 101 Cardiacs Gigs' was published in 2011 and since then he's gone on to host The Progressive Alternative radio show, sharing his love for progressive rock (

14/01/2025

We're chuffed to have added Adrian Bell (host of The Progressive Alternative radio show and author of the brilliant 'Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove: A Little Man and 101 Cardiacs Gigs' memoir) to the line up for our next event at The Dorothy Pax on Saturday 25th January 25.

He'll be selecting some tunes before and after our live performance from Kugelschreiber to make you stroke your chin, move your feet or furrow your brow (maybe all three at the same time if you're lucky!)

The Progressive Alternative broadcasts live every Tuesday from 10pm UK time on Brooklands Radio - you can tune in online from anywhere in the world (https://www.brooklandsradio.co.uk) so you can get a taster of what to expect by tuning in this evening or you can listen back to old episodes via Mixcloud (https://www.mixcloud.com/belch1889/) any time you like!

09/01/2025

Want a bit of Random Jon Poole action on your recordings? He's ready to take your call!

07/01/2025

Such a sad loss to Sheffield and to the psychedelic scene more widely. Andy was a regular at Buds & Spawn and Festival 23 events and we will miss his company and, oh god yes, that laugh 💞

https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/9bcXytGykB

Cosmic Andy Fricker was a true legend of the music scene - playing bass, dancing, and not forgetting that laugh!
He played an important role on the free festival scene, and the local music scene in Sheffield for over 40 years.
His loss close to the Winter Solstice of 2024 was a huge blow to so many people. We, his close friends, his family, and the remaining members of Spiral Navigators would like to honour his passing and do him proud.
Andy's sudden passing has left us reeling. He had been through so much sadness and trauma in the last decade, it is understandable that he made no arrangements in case of his demise.
As well as arrangements for a funeral, we have to clear his flat as soon as possible to try to save everything from the council, which also comes with costs.
If there are funds leftover we would love to commemorate Andy with a memorial gig of some description.
Our festival tribe will never be the same again.

https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/9bcXytGykB

12/12/2024

Oooooohh LOOK! Tonight 7:30pm from the comfort of your own home!!

Tonight a maiden voyage of our Live in session thingy.
We tested last night and it ‘works’
Tonight - 7:30ish on The Tubes

https://youtube.com/

11/12/2024

Thanks to everyone that braved the weather on Friday for Stephen Evens and Marina Organ at The Dorothy Pax - we had a BRILLIANT night!

Aitch got some great shots of the proceedings 😁❤

Photos (c) Aitch Nicol

06/12/2024

Toniiiiight!!

Join us at The Dorothy Pax from 8pm for live music from charismatic songwriter and storyteller Mr Stephen Evens, and a DJ set from the brilliant Marina Organ of the Other Rock Show and The Organ

FREE ENTRY! But we'd love it if you showed your appreciation by putting your hand in your pocket at the end (cash and card accepted!)

SET TIMES:
8 - 8:45pm - Marina Organ (DJ)
8:45 - 9:45pm - Stephen Evens (live)
9:45pm - 10:30pm - Marina Organ (DJ)
10:30pm - close - Laura Fives (DJ)

04/12/2024

"once I’d twigged that my school music teacher had lied to me when I asked if there was more that 4/4 and waltz time, I realised that there was this huge variety of rhythm we were NOT USING, or using absurdly little. Like artists only every using the colours blue or orange, ever."

Marina Organ of the Other Rock Show and The Organ talks to our Aitch about time signatures, dancing to Cardiacs and the 'wonk orthodoxy' ahead of her DJ set for us at this Friday 6th December at The Dorothy Pax in Sheffield (free entry, 8pm start)

It's hard to overstate how important Marina Organ and her partner and collaborator Sean Worrall have been to building the thriving scene of interconnected and mutually supportive brilliant musicians that we might now refer to 'Cardiacs Family'. Just imagining the people that might not have met, the

03/12/2024

Last time Stephen Evens came to Sheffield (Nov 2019), all the water in the world fell out of the sky so only a very lucky handful of people got to see his brilliant show. Fortunately, our Aitch got some quite excellent pictures so you can imagine all the fun you missed. He made us laugh, he made us cry, he filled our hearts with joy.

THIS time, we made sure we've booked him in a venue that you can get to by boat, so there'll be no excuses if the rain comes back.

Join us this Friday 6th December at the gorgeous canalside venue The Dorothy Pax (top beers and best vibes in Sheffield) from 8pm. It's a free entry gig, but we'd love you to put your hand in your pocket at the end to show your appreciation if you enjoy yourself.

02/12/2024

Did you know that Mr William D Drake is performing live for Riley & Coe on BBC Radio 6 Music tonight!! Tune in from 9pm 🎹❤🥳

Marc Riley plays the music he loves from every era and genre.

01/12/2024

Marina Organ is a walking encyclopaedia of wonky music, weird time signatures and all things adventurous in music. She hosts the weekly Other Rock Show on Resonance FM every Sunday night from 9 - 10pm and, along with partner Sean Worrall, set up the completely essential Organ fanzine (now living online at organthing.com / The Organ) which determined most of my teenage listening in the early 90s.

So we're super ecstatic that she will be bringing her excellent tune selection and her brilliant and knowledgeable self to our next event on Friday 6th December at The Dorothy Pax - Buds & Spawn presents Stephen EvEns + Marina Organ (DJ set)

Get a taster of her choices by tuning in to Resonance FM at 104.4FM or online at https://www.resonancefm.com at 9pm tonight - great for an end-of-the-week pep before bed!

On the air!

29/11/2024

Stephen Evens at his best! I defy you not to be walking around exclaiming 'A Bee!' at random moments (sorry kids 😅)

Come shout 'A Bee!' at him in person this time next week at The Dorothy Pax (Friday 6th December from 8pm) It's FREE ENTRY, but if you like it you can chuck a few quid in the bucket for his troubles.

Full details here: Buds & Spawn presents Stephen EvEns + Marina Organ (DJ set)

Stephen EvEns releases A Bee, out April 12, and is from the forthcoming album Here Come The Lights, March 29 2024 Records Featuring, and with t...