Five years ago Mumford & Sons was probably the biggest name in banjo music. They appeared on stage with Bob Dylan. They had a bunch of catchy songs that were all over the radio. They won a couple of Grammys. The head guy was in a really good Coen Brothers movie. And people were excited because they played acoustic instruments, particularly the banjo.
Then, they decided to get moody. They took a hiatus after their worldwide tour in 2013, and two years later they released an album that ditched their signature sound. They went ... electric.
Maybe they thought they could emulate Dylan's career path. It seemed to me like a manufactured publicity stunt.
During the band's hiatus, banjo player Winston Marshall gave an interview where he said Mumford & Sons were done for good. And then, he dropped some serious shade on the banjo.
When asked if Mumford & Sons had "killed" the banjo, Marshall told Vulture, "I think 'killed' is an understatement. We murdered it. We let it, yeah — fuck the banjo. I fucking hate the banjo."
Maybe they thought they could emulate Dylan's career path. It seemed to me like a manufactured publicity stunt.
During the band's hiatus, banjo player Winston Marshall gave an interview where he said Mumford & Sons were done for good. And then, he dropped some serious shade on the banjo.
When asked if Mumford & Sons had "killed" the banjo, Marshall told Vulture, "I think 'killed' is an understatement. We murdered it. We let it, yeah — fuck the banjo. I fucking hate the banjo."
People took it as a joke at the time. But maybe they should have taken his words more seriously. The band just released another album in the same vein as their previous one. You know, electric instruments, keyboards, synthesizers and everything else you hear in most popular music today. It seems Marshall has permanently traded in his banjo for an electric guitar.
Naturally, Deering just released a signature model banjo in honor of Marshall.
Dubbed "the ultimate touring banjo," the instrument features a wooden tone ring and an integrated pickup for amplified playing. The banjo is listed as "sold out" on Deering's website, so obviously the marketing ploy worked. I guess Marshall will be busting this out during the part of their live sets where they play their older songs.
Perhaps the lesson in all this is, if you want your own signature model banjo, just say mean stuff about the good, old five-string.
[Photo credit: Gavin Batty]
Dubbed "the ultimate touring banjo," the instrument features a wooden tone ring and an integrated pickup for amplified playing. The banjo is listed as "sold out" on Deering's website, so obviously the marketing ploy worked. I guess Marshall will be busting this out during the part of their live sets where they play their older songs.
Perhaps the lesson in all this is, if you want your own signature model banjo, just say mean stuff about the good, old five-string.
[Photo credit: Gavin Batty]
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