About

The Woodlice

The Woodlice play ace folk pop.

The band started off as troubadours and then evolved into a skirmishing trio lying somewhere between Violent Femmes and leftfield folk with Jet McDonald on lead vocals and guitar. Simon Van der Linden on Bass and Mark Gonsalves on drums. Now with added guitar sauce from Undergrowth’s Martin Callingham on the latest single ‘Keep the Light On Baby’ out Valentine’s Day 14th February 2021.

Jet and the band have toured nationally and had airtime on BBC 6 Music.

Check out the new single and video ‘Keep the Light on Baby’ Sunday 14th Feb 2021. Featuring the double glazed dancing of Jet McDonald and his neighbours, ‘Keep the Light On Baby’ is a sizzling disco lullaby.

Anyone who can spot Jet’s hip wiggle in the video will also get a free cup of tea in the post. More news soon.

From 14th February you will also be able to pre-order the new Woodlice album of the same name. Check out https://thewoodlice.bandcamp.com/ nearer the time.

Jet McDonald lead vocalist and songwriter with The Woodlice emerged from the Cleaner Collective of folkish Bristol musicians that included Kate Stables (This is the Kit, Rough Trade), Rozi Plain (Memphis Industries) and Rachael Dadd (Memphis Industries). Jet and the band have toured nationally including The Home Game and End of the Road festival and had airtime on BBC 6 Music Gideon Coe and Tom Robinson. They are now part of Bristol “Undergrowth” collective alongside “Snails” (Jarvis Cocker and Pastels favourites), Andy Skellam (This is the Kit support) and Martin Callingham (BBC 6Music)

The Woodlice loungin

The band hail from Bristol UK and the current line up is Jet on Guitar and Vocals, Si on Bass and Vocals and Mark Gonsalves on Drums and Percussion and sometimes Martin Callingham on guitar and Dan Weltman (Snails) on violin.

The Woodlice album “Certain Gifts” came out Wed 4th June 2014.

Previously known as Jetfly the band produced two albums “Flockabilly” and “Punk Folk Disco” (buy)

“There’s some staggeringly lovely songwriting in here…” Four Stars Venue Magazine Feb 2010

A mini LP “One Last Song Before It’s Time To Go” was launched April 24th 2010 in the Miners Arms St Werburghs Bristol.

The band started off as troubadours and then evolved into a punkier pop outfit lying somewhere between Violent Femmes and leftfield folk. It benefited at different times from Virpi Kettu virtuoso Finnish violinist (contributor to Flockabillly) and Hannah Porter part of the Porter Super Folk family and all round instrumentalist (contributor to the album “Punk Folk Disco”) and Joe Medler, percussionist, celidh leader, swing dancer and much else besides (he’s the ginger one in the photos.)

Here’s a photo of the guys in their Fresh Faced “Jetfly” phase (note sexy bracelets from Rajanis)