Ant Henson (born Anthony Mark Henson on 14 February 1989 in
Poole
Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...
,
Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
, England) is an English singer-songwriter, who released his first single, "I Love You And I Miss You" in 2010.
Undercurrent and BournemouthAID
In February 2005, Henson started
pop-punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
band Undercurrent with school friend Adam Scholey. The group disbanded in 2008 after three years of gigging, shortly before Henson left the UK to travel around Western Europe and North America.
Following his travels, Henson moved to
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, Berkshire to commence a course in
robotics
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...
at the
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...
. There he met and studied under the experimental scientist and
cyberneticist
A cyberneticist or a cybernetician is a person who practices cybernetics.
Heinz von Foerster once told Stuart Umpleby that Norbert Wiener preferred the term "cybernetician" rather than "cyberneticist", perhaps because Wiener was a mathematician ...
,
Kevin Warwick
Kevin Warwick (born 9 February 1954) is an English engineer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Coventry University. He is known for his studies on direct interfaces between computer systems and the human nervous system, and has also done ...
.
In his first year of study at Reading, Henson also participated as a 'hidden human' in the 2008
Loebner Prize The Loebner Prize was an annual competition in artificial intelligence that awards prizes to the computer programs considered by the judges to be the most human-like. The prize is reported as defunct since 2020. The format of the competition was tha ...
and
Turing Test
The Turing test, originally called the imitation game by Alan Turing in 1950, is a test of a machine's ability to artificial intelligence, exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. Turing propos ...
, which was held at his school.
Henson and Scholey were reunited in March 2009 when Scholey invited Henson to sing on the BournemouthAID project CD in which local artists
collaboratively
Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...
recorded a cover of
Slade
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The ''British Hit Singles ...
's "
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1972 as the lead single from their third studio album ''Slayed?''. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. ...
".
Solo career
After BournemouthAID, Henson went on to record his debut single "I Love You And I Miss You" and released it in March 2010 on Scholey's
independent label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
"Plastic Parrot".
To promote the single release, Henson toured the UK in summer 2010
and had originally planned to tour in the US for the summer of 2011,
but instead he toured in Western Europe for the duration of August.
In addition to his prolific approach to live performances overseas, Henson continues to gig in the south of England and it was announced at the 2011 Bournemouth Unplugged Final that Henson had been awarded the ITG Songwriter's Award for original content and high-quality songcraft.
As of 2012, Henson has shared bills with artists from a diverse list of genres including alt-country singer
Michael Weston King,
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
quartet
The Blanks
The Blanks are an American a cappella group. They were recurring guests on the TV series ''Scrubs'' under various names such as Ted's Band and The Worthless Peons. They have released two albums: '' Riding the Wave'' and ''Worth The Weight.''
M ...
(as seen on American hit comedy-drama TV series,
Scrubs
Scrub(s) may refer to:
* Scrub, low shrub and grass characteristic of scrubland
* Scrubs (clothing), worn by medical staff
* ''Scrubs'' (TV series), an American television program
* Scrubs (occupation), also called "scrub tech," "scrub nurse," o ...
), and at least two number one charting artists including;
Scrumpy and Western
200px, Fred Wedlock
Scrumpy and Western refers humorously to music from England's West Country that fuses comical folk-style songs, often full of double entendre, with affectionate parodies of more mainstream musical genres, all delivered in ...
band
The Wurzels
The Wurzels are an English Scrumpy and Western band from Somerset, England, best known for their number one hit " The Combine Harvester" and number three hit "I Am a Cider Drinker" in 1976. They are known for using British West Country phrases ...
,
and BRIT Award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall (born 23 June 1975) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. She first gained attention with a 2004 live solo performance of her song " Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on '' Later... with Jools Holland''.
Th ...
.
He is also reported to have (on separate occasions)
jammed live on stage with Steve Ryan from British
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
group
Trucks
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
, and
Huw Lloyd-Langton
Richard Hugh "Huw" Lloyd-Langton (6 February 1951 – 6 December 2012) was an English musician, best known as the guitarist for the rock band HawkwindStrong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Rock Discography'', Canongate, , p. 466 at various times. ...
from English
space rock
Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
band
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...
, among others.
In April 2013, Ant Henson was featured on the
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
flagship entertainment show,
The Voice UK
''The Voice UK'' is a British singing competition television series. Created by John de Mol, it premiered on BBC One during the spring television cycle on 24 March 2012. Based on the original ''The Voice of Holland'', and part of ''The Voice ...
. For his blind audition he sang
All These Things That I've Done by
The Killers
The Killers are an American rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingd ...
but did not make it through to the 'battle rounds' of the competition.
Other projects
In June 2010, the play "Sandman's Fee" was performed for two nights at
The Lighthouse, Poole for which Henson co-wrote some of the music with the primary script writer, Gavin Dutot.
Henson is also involved in other musical endeavours, including playing electric guitar and providing both song-writing talents and joint lead vocals for
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...
jam band, Ever The Animal.
In 2012, Adam Scholey released an album of his own tracks under the moniker "Sounds Like Adam", featuring several studio collaborations with Henson on both lead and rhythm guitar.
Henson and Scholey have also been known to collaborate live since the break-up of Undercurrent, with Henson often playing acoustic guitar and singing harmonies to Scholey's lead vocal and keyboard work. In these performances, they have been known to reprise Undercurrent songs as well as performing tracks from each of their solo catalogues.
Acting
Henson also has an active acting career, having played the role of Jesus in a 2009 production of
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
's ''
Jesus Christ Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...
'' in
Reading, Berkshire
Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...
,
and as Schlomo Metzenbaum in a 2010 production of ''
Fame – The Musical''. In 2010, again in Reading, Henson played
Prince Hamlet
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
in a Reading University Drama Society production of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
''.
Following his trend towards open air Shakespeare, Henson again starred with RUDS as Peter Quince in a production of ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' in 2011, and also appeared as Lord Longaville in a 2012 production of ''
Love's Labours Lost
''Love's Labour's Lost'' is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Elizabeth I of England, Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and ...
'' and as Orsino in ''
Twelfth Night
''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...
'' in 2022, both with
Brownsea Open Air Theatre
Brownsea Open Air Theatre (commonly abbreviated BOAT) is an open-air Shakespearean theatre company based in Poole, Dorset that have performed large theatrical productions since 1964. Annually, performing a play from the extensive works of Wil ...
and both to positive reviews.
In October 2012, Henson starred as Tom Wingfield in a
Bournemouth Little Theatre club production of
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
' autobiographically inspired ''
The Glass Menagerie
''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...
''. One review described Henson's performance as "Strong and Intelligent".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henson, Ant
1989 births
Living people
English folk singers
English folk guitarists
English male singer-songwriters
English singer-songwriters
English rock guitarists
English pop guitarists
English male guitarists
English male stage actors
People educated at Poole Grammar School
The Voice UK contestants
21st-century English singers
21st-century British guitarists
21st-century British male singers