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‘They’re still under there, they never got out’: the Futureheads’ Barry Hyde commemorates his mining heritage
The musician was commissioned to create an album inspired by the north-east’s mining history – and then discovered his ancestors died in a local disaster
When Futureheads singer Barry Hyde was commissioned by Sunderland city council to create an album inspired by the north-east’s mining heritage, he was astonished to discover an unexpected personal connection to the project. Photograph: Gary Calton/The GuardianHyde plays virtually all the instruments on the album and the eclectic mix of uplifting anthems, folky pop and gentle orchestrations captures the full spectrum of the mining experience, from tragedy to togetherness. For the haunting The Endless Ropes, he was inspired by Gavin Bryars’ remarkable track Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet (which features a loop of a homeless man singing) to put musical backing to ex-miner Jim Moreland’s chilling narrative about how a co-worker lost a limb in a mining accident.
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