Seize The Day are an acoustic band whose songs draw on many popular traditions but have a radical new content, reflecting the political and personal struggles of our times.
Seize The Day were born out of Britain's Road Protest Movement in 1996, when Theo and Shannon began singing together at the site of the Newbury Bypass. As Theo and Shannon we appeared at Ponterdawe and other folk-festivals, supported by Avril Evans on djembe and selling our cassette album 'Child Of The Universe'.
The following year we were joined by Paul Gill, and 'Seize The Day' became involved in British resistance to GM crops, through music and direct action.
Later in 97 we worked with Tina Bridgman, Richard Osborne and Rich Whistance to develop the sound which took us to Cambridge Folk Festival, The Big Green Gathering, benefit gigs and protest events around the country, with our first CD 'It's Your Life, It's Our World'.
In 1998 we appeared on the main stage at Glastonbury Festival, recruiting festival-goers to the Trident Ploughshares direct action campaign, which we actively supported. Our songs were featured on the BBC's Radio 4 and World Service, and we appeared with Billy Bragg and Tom Robinson at the Raise Your Banners Festival in Sheffield. This year also featured occasional appearances from vocalist Ali Ingham and drummer Mike Hannis.
1999 saw the beginning of the end for GM crops in Britain – an event marked by Seize The Day's release of 'Food 'n' health 'n' hope – the Monsanto Story' via a spoof Monsanto website. The band developed our corporate persona as the 'Monsanto Corporate Affairs Team' to perform the song, which we took to the WTO protest in Seattle. Our appearances there in the Key Arena with Spearhead and Michael Moore, and at rallies on the streets of Seattle, led to an invitation from the National Farmers Union of America to return in the spring.
In 2000, Rich Osborne and Tina left to form the band 'Hearth'. With an expanded line-up of Matt Tweed on Bass, Jo Hamilton on flute, and David Williams on strings, Seize The Day toured the US, playing for campaigners, mass-protests, colleges, and community halls, and taking the GM debate to Monsanto's home town of St Louis.
Later that year, the band were reinforced by the addition of Tarisha and Samoda. The death of friend and guest-vocalist Tegwyn's 6 year-old daughter Elkie in a car collision had a strong impact on our music, reflected in the tone of 2nd album 'All Hands That Are Ready' released in 2001.
While we were joining protestors at the Excel Arms Fair in London on Rich’s birthday, 11th September, the twin towers in the US were demolished and 'The War Against Terror' was born. That christmas, Theo and Shannon went to support the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine, supporting the victims of terror in the occupied territory with non-violent civil resistance against the Israeli Army. Theo's insights from this time are in the recently released track 'Prisoner of Palestine'. A few months later the band travelled in India to perform in farming communities across the country, highlighting the dangers of GM crops, and supporting movements for sustainable agriculture.
On our return, Seize The Day became active in the movement against war, and our song 'United States' saw us nominated for the BBC radio 3 world music awards in 2003. Having won an online poll, the band were disqualified by the BBC, who feared an anti-war statement at the awards ceremony. We hit back with our infamous naked protest at the prestigious event, and mention of the band was effectively banned form the Folk Roots magazine. The full story was told in our hilarious Radio 3 song on the 'Alive' album, which also introduced bassist Nick Marshall, Saxophonist Faith Rhodes and Fiddler Elizabeth Grey.
During this period Shannon and Theo decided to have a baby, and as a result became more home-centered for a few years. We also thought more about the long-term future of the planet which our daughter Rosa will inherit, and decided that the band would no longer fly to play in other countries because of the CO2 emissions that flying produces.
In 2006 we did our first protest in solidarity with the unlawfully detained prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, performing 'The Shackle Shuffle' with comedian Mark Thomas outside Hiatts shackle factory in Birmingham. We used our gigs that summer to recruit people for a Seize The Day Blockade of the Faslane nuclear missile base in Scotland, as part of the Faslane 365 campaign. 19 year-old Dan Hayward replaced Nick on the bass, and the band were privileged to work with Aitch Bainbridge, (ex Selecta and The Specials), who managed to teach us something about reggae.
Shortly after our appearance at the London Climate Change protest march in November, where Jim Cook replaced Faith as our saxophonist, we completed our 4th and current album 'The Tide Is Turning'. In 2007 Dan went to music college, and new bassist Kat Brown made her debut at The Levellers Day and Wheaton Aston festivals.
See all the musicians who have played with Seize The Day
Read about the campaigns mentioned on this page
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