Shackleton’s Endurance

Shackleton’s Endurance, the follow-up album to ‘Dr.Syn & The Scarecrow’ is now completed, and is to be released this Spring 2016, to coincide with the centenary of Shackleton reaching civilisation after being trapped on floating pack ice in the Antarctic. Sir Ernest Shackleton embarked on his Great Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition on the eve of The First World War.

What began as the intended first crossing of the Antarctic continent became instead the most amazing rescue story – the Apollo 13 of its day. The first performance of one of the album’s songs, ‘The Last Great Adventure’ took place at the 2014 Vigo Inn Folk n’ Ale Festival. The song features the banjo (no banjo jokes please!), referencing Shackleton’s meteorologist banjo player Leonard Hussey. When the crew were forced to leave personal belongings behind, Hussey was encouraged to bring his banjo to improve morale. (Like I say no banjo jokes please!).