Henry's Funeral Shoe

Henry's Funeral Shoe emerged as a South Wales power duo whose bluesy hard rock fuses attitude, a reverence for rock lineage, and punk-driven economy. Guitarist and vocalist Aled Clifford and his younger brother Brennig Clifford on drums comprise the lineup. Aled first absorbed music through his father's LP collection, gravitating toward the Beatles, the Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and blues figures from Robert Johnson through Peter Green. He later studied guitar under Ned Edwards, whose credits include Van Morrison, and began performing solo acoustic sets steeped in blues. Dissatisfied with prior band situations, Aled resumed solo activity until Brennig, motivated by Keith Moon's explosive drumming, proposed they jam. The siblings discovered that Aled's intense blues-rock approach meshed effectively with Brennig's urgent percussion. In 2008 they adopted the name Henry's Funeral Shoe, drawn from one of Aled's unpublished short stories, and after testing several bassists decided to remain a duo. Alive Natural Sound Records, the U.S. label known for contemporary punk-blues acts, signed them, issuing the debut album Everything's for Sale in 2009. Following widespread European and U.K. touring, the pair delivered their second LP, Donkey Jacket, in 2011. The record includes keyboard contributions from Justin Beynon of Broken Vinyl Club, bass from Pete Hurley formerly of Welsh hard rockers Lone Star, and harmonica by Aled's former instructor Ned Edwards.