Withered Hand

Dan Willson (born 23 July 1974), also known by his stage name Withered Hand, is an Edinburgh-based indie rock musician. He lived in Bishops Stortford during the 1990s and played guitar for local band Tin Foil Circus.

His first studio album, '' Good News'', was released in 2009 in Scotland, and re-released in 2011 on Absolutely Kosher Records in the United States. His second album, entitled '' New Gods'', was released in March 2014 through Fortuna Pop Records in the UK and Slumberland Records in the USA. He performed at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in 2011 and 2014, as part of the Scottish Showcase.

Early life

Willson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness in Scotland as well as in Bishop's Stortford in England. As a kid, he was not permitted to attend school assemblies, birthday parties or Christmas celebrations. Willson was worried throughout his childhood that his voice was too high so he didn't begin singing until his late twenties, and he originally wanted to be a visual artist. He has been based in Edinburgh since 1996.

Musical career

Willson began his solo musical career at age 30, after one of his close friends died and his wife bought him a guitar for his 30th birthday. Willson studied at Art College in London, and moved to Edinburgh with his then-girlfriend, to whom he is now married, in 1996. Shortly thereafter, Willson tried his hand at being a visual artist, but eventually abandoned his work in the field. He attributes this in part to his "lack of success in expressing myself visually." He was guitarist in Edinburgh band Barrichello, which he joined in 1999. This band broke up amicably in 2002. His second band was known as Squits, and later became a short-lived art rock group named Peanut. He was also a member of the short lived anti-folk group The Love Gestures alongside Cammy Watt of Enfant Bastard and Neil Pennycook of Meursault.

Willson has said that his upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness "gave isfledgling artistic temperament a lot to think about", and that since he was taught that the world would end very soon, he began to "read everything as a sign". The first song he ever wrote as Withered Hand was "Cornflake". He has cited Teenage Fanclub and Eugenius as two of the bands he listened to most often growing up, and as the reason why he was so glad that the Eugenius frontman Eugene Kelly appeared on ''New Gods''. Willson, in fact, named his son after Kelly.

Willson provided backing vocals on Hamish Hawk's 2021 album ''Heavy Elevator'', and appears in the video for the single "The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion, 1973".

Withered Hand was an active member of the Fence Collective and its offshoot the Alter Ego Trading Company, making appearances at their Fife based events The World Tour of Crail and Bunfight at the OK Karail. He has toured with the likes of James Yorkston, Frightened Rabbit (as well as Scott Hutchison), Rozi Plain, King Creosote and Samantha Crain.

Willson's most recent band consists of, in addition to him, Malcolm Benzie of Edinburgh band eagleowl (guitar & mandolin), Fraser Hughes (bass) and Alun Thomas of The Leg (drums). They are also occasionally joined by Pam Berry of 90s US band Black Tambourine and various former members of the Second Hand Marching Band. Previous members include Hannah Shepherd (cello) and Neil Pennycook of Meursault (banjo).

In February 2023 Willson released "Waking Up", a single and music video from his first new album in nine years, ''How to Love'', to be released in April on Reveal Records.

Reception

Marc Riley has named Withered Hand as one of his favourite artists, and has had him perform sessions on his show, BBC Radio 6 Music. Robert Christgau has also written favorable reviews of both his albums, naming ''Good News'' the 14th best album of 2011 and ''New Gods'' the 3rd best album of 2014.

Discography

Albums

*'' Good News'' (2009)
*'' New Gods'' (2014)
*''How To Love'' (2023)

EPs

*''Religious Songs'' (2008)
*''You're Not Alone (2009)
*''Heart Heart'' (2012)
*''Inbetweens'' (2012)
*''Among Horses I'' (2017)
*''Ten Years'' (2019, reworkings of tracks from ''Good News'' for its tenth anniversary)

Live

*''Could Ya Do The Woo Woos?'' (2020, recording of a 2017 Newcastle gig)

Singles

*"King of Hollywood" (2013, split single with "Next to Nothing Blues" by Charles Latham)
*"Horseshoe" (2014, gold vinyl limited to 500)

References

External links

Bandcamp page

{{DEFAULTSORT:Withered Hand
Living people
1974 births
Scottish indie rock groups
People from Bishop's Stortford
Absolutely Kosher Records artists
Musical groups from Edinburgh
Musical groups established in 2009
British indie folk groups