Birth name Ian Easton Years active 2008-present Instruments Singing, Guitar | Occupation(s) singer, songwriter Labels Noah's Ark Records | |
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Born January 19, 1983 (age 34)
Hampshire, England ( 1983-01-19 ) Genres Folk music, Americana, Psychedelic folk | ||
The Widowmaker is the alias for Ian Easton, a folk music artist from Hampshire, England. Easton has played at the Glastonbury Festival, Camp Bestival and Blissfields, playing before acts such as Seth Lakeman, The Levellers, Ed Sheeran, First Aid Kit and Laura Marling. Easton is known for his blues, groove, folk-revival sound.
Contents
- Formation and Soundtrack to Reality
- Black Monday music video
- Festival performances
- 2012 and The Wink and The Gun
- Albums
- Singles
- References
Easton’s music has been described by Becki Burrows of web blog 'Oh Deary Me' as 'folk music with a dark, almost occult feel, without the evil that is normally associated with such things.' The Widowmaker is influenced by bands and artists such as Pentangle, Fairport convention, Fleet Foxes, Bright Eyes, The Avett Brothers, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Laura Marling, Mumford and Sons, City and Colour, Led Zeppelin and Joni Mitchell.
Formation and Soundtrack to Reality
Ian Easton formed The Widowmaker as a solo act in 2008. Teamed with friend and record producer Dan Parkinson The Widowmaker began working on his debut album Soundtrack to Reality. During this time Easton began performing along the south coast, and in 2010 booked shows at Southampton Solent University's SMILE event, Camp Bestival and Glastonbury Festival. Also in 2010, The Widowmaker signed to Indie-Folk label Noah's Ark Records
Black Monday music video
In the early summer of 2010, The Widowmaker shot the video to the debut single from Soundtrack to Reality, Black Monday. The shoot incorporates a Mexican Day of the Dead feel, with Easton being accosted in a dark wooded area. Dan Parkinson was one of the many accosting Ian, and is shown dressed in a skeleton outfit during the video. The video resembles that of Biffy Clyro's single God and Satan, but was actually shot before it.
Festival performances
In 2010, The Widowmaker performed a set on the Glade Stage at Glastonbury Festival. In the summer of 2011, he played slots at Pulse Festival, Blissfields Festival and Camp Bestival’s Big Top stage to over two thousand people, before Ed Sheeran and Laura Marling. During the festival season The Widowmaker received airplay on BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 6 Music.
2012 and The Wink and The Gun
The Widowmaker completed the follow up to his debut album Soundtrack to Reality, titled The Wink and The Gun which was released mid-2012.
Easton also played slots at Bestival, Purbeck Folk Festival and Pulse Festival in the summer of 2012.
The Widowmaker was cited as one to watch out for in 2012' on Tom Robinson's BBC Radio 6 Music Radio show.