pUKEs gain funding to run ukulele workshops!

Now this is some great news from my friends in the UK Punk uke outfit - The pUKEs!

The pUKEs - credit Diana More

They have been awarded Arts Council England funding to deliver a series of punk rock uke workshops for beginners at festivals and community events this summer.

They have based their workshops on the theme "Here’s 3 Chords...now form a band", and aim to get complete beginners strumming along to a classic punk song in less than an hour.

Festivals confirmed so far include Brighton’s Paddle Round the Pier, Rebellion in Blackpool, Deer Shed in Yorkshire and the aptly named 3 Chords in Cornwall.

The band are producing a cut’n’paste style fanzine to hand out at workshops which will include chord charts, song sheets and playing tips. What a great idea!

Clara Wiseman from the pUKEs said: ”Playing punk rock on the ukulele is a lot of fun and we’re stupidly excited about this project. It’s a relatively simple instrument to learn, so we’re going to have people of all ages strumming along to punk classics in no time. We believe in the DIY punk ethos that making music is for anyone who wants to have a go ­ and that’s what this project is all about.”

The 21­strong group (yes, you read it, 21!!), who are mainly women, play quirky covers of well known and more obscure punk songs. Around half the band were ‘non musicians’ before they learned the uke two years ago, the others have been in bands such as UK Subs, Extreme Noise Terror and Lost Cherrees.Their massive stage presence and raucous live show has landed them support slots with many of the bands who inspired them, including Sham 69, Bad Manners, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Menace and Subhumans. Their debut EP is set for release on Damaged Goods records in May.

You can keep up to date with them and find out more about their projects by visiting their website at

http://www.thepukes.co.uk

Well done people! Now let's have a listen!