Farewell, Woody

[Slim]

Received this sad news in my inbox an hour ago:



It’s with a mixture of wistfulness, immense respect and innumerable fond memories that Sea Power now sadly accept the retirement of Matthew ‘Woody’ Wood from the band.

Sea Power’s Hamilton and Jan met Woody at Kirkbie Kendal School in South Lakeland, where Woody was in the same year as Hamilton. After playing in school bands alongside Hamilton, Woody was one of the Cumbrian founding members of the original four-piece British Sea Power, alongside token Yorkshireman Noble. Woody is now making official his departure from the Sea Power drum kit. But, as ever with Woody, there is zero drama or lack of grace. He now simply wants to spend untrammelled time with his wife Victoria and their three children. Woody will also continue to play drums and work on recordings with Victoria’s band, Celestial North.

“The main thing,” says Woody, “is I just wanted to be here in Kendal with our family. The last 20-plus years have been brilliant with Sea Power – so many memorable places visited and so many people we’ve met. I’d like to say thanks to everyone who has come to see our band.”

Through all Woody’s gigs with Sea Power and all the recording sessions he was such a key part of, his locomotory and thrillingly precise drum style has been the Sea Power bedrock. Woody’s drumming style hugely reflects his personality. On tour and in the studio, Woody has been the calm at the centre of various gonzo squalls and storms – utterly reliable, imperturbable, but with a wry and understated sense of humour. If he was often the unflappable Sea Power straight man he sometimes played this in an off-beat style, with an occasional penchant for folding his tall frame to fit inside very small dressing-room fridges. Through all Sea Power activity, Woody has always been patient, calm, gently amused – a truly rare combination of kindness, courtesy and talent. He is, of course, going to be much missed, both by Sea Power and the band’s equally rare audience.

Sea Power concert-goers will have noticed how recent shows have seen the drums played by the great and multi-talented Thomas White, an old pal of Sea Power who has played with ensembles including The Electric Soft Parade, Brakes, Sparks,The Waeve and many others. Tom is now set to play drums at forthcoming Sea Power shows.

Au revoir, then, Woody. Your playing and presence were so key to Sea Power’s discography that, without you, it’s impossible to imagine those records being what they are.


.. there is a Woody Thankbox here: https://www.thankbox.com/app/thankbox/m9KPCjAn

[Skinku]

Bugger

[andya04]

Oh dear

[Rickety Rackety]

This is really rotten news but understandable given his geographical distance from the core of the band and their seeming lack of activity - a man has to eat and feed his family! The beginning of the end or merely the end of the beginning? Thanks for your service, Wood.

[Wendelin of Trier]

Thanks for all the great memories Woody x

[Skinku]

Him and Boris rule, Williams that is.