Bob Hillary & The Massive Mellow

This is a band based around the Songs of Bob Hillary, formerly Singer & frontman for THE RUFFNESS (renowned World Roots/trip-hop Band),& the Sax playing of Carl Davies, the swirling keyboards of Jack Nissan and the dubby Grooves of Paul Winter-hart & reggae bassist Ed Wade-martins.

Bob was raised on an out of the way Farm near Stonehenge in Wiltshire. He grew up in the deep English countryside surrounded by nature & sheep, cows, & horses, He was sent to a similarly out of the way school where he learnt how to climb very tall tress and make bases. He struggled with maths.
He thoroughly absorbed his folks record collection, taking in the likes of like Paul Simon, BB King, the Rolling Stones, JJ Cale, Taj Mahal' and old black jazz & soul records. This went in deeply, as Bob started to write songs on the house piano & acoustic guitar from a young age, often coming back from long walks with a song or a melody.

After school, Bob decided to broaden horizons so upt & headed for the grand continent of Africa. It was here that he started to really learn the art of playing music. He gradually became a bit of a wandering troubadore, working on Organic farms as he went, and travelling to India, Jamaica, Ecuador, Europe, the whole of Africa & Spain, taking in the musical influence from each place. He eventually landed in Scotland, where he settled for the last 8 years.. It was here that he met a group of like-minded souls and started The Ruffness.
The Ruffness, a blend of reggae, dub & trip-hop, existed for 6 exciting years (2001-7), in which the band built their own studio, recorded 3 mini-Albums and toured the country in Bob's battered but trusty Bedford camper van. (for pics visit www.ruffness.com)
They gained a strong international following, and headlined many World & Roots music festivals, But the band sadly came to an end upon being signed to US Label SoundEthic.

 

 

 

2 difficult years later, following relationship & financial breakdown, as well as having been diagnosed with M.E, Bob made a full recovery through alternative treatment (Hatha Yoga, Chi-Gung, & Meditation, and Bob Hillary & the Massive Mellow was born.

Seemingly just at the right time Bob met one Robin Wynn-Evans, eccentric owner of 'T-POT Studios', a recording studio based on a remote farm in the Scottish highlands, and work was started on NATURE'S PACE, Bob's debut solo Album.
Robin and Bob connected strongly, both were in the middle of breakups, and the farm was a perfect place to channel the feelings into a record. The album took 3 weeks to complete, featuring Robin's now ex-wife Sam Brown on female harmonies, and the Organ and synth playing of The Ruffness's Dave Keen and trumpets of ex-bandmate Andy Moore.

The Live band was formed when Bob met one Carl Davies, a genius Jazz Saxophone player, & Ed Wade-Martins, a reggae Bass player. when playing at Buddhafields festival in South England…
…Initially based around Bob's Songwriting, strong friendship between band members, and a shared love of good earthy real music, 'Bob & the Massive Mellow' took shape, taking on-board KULA SHAKER'S drummer Paul Winter-Hart in 2010; and they started creating what can only be described as "folksoulcountrydubreggae"... Namely Bob's songs fleshed out with horn Sections, swirling Keyboards, and fat reggae beats and basslines. But keeping a sensitivity in the music.
A Butterfly was taken on as the band's logo because the sound is just this…Colorful, Mellow, and natural. It also symbolizes EVOLUTION & Love, which all of the band see as an important message to be spreading.

Recently signed to The Big Chill's new record Label, 'TCF'(Total Creative Freedom) & A-TRAIN in the US, they continue to draw increasing good-vibed crowds to their concerts, 2011 sees the release of their debut Album, 'Nature's Pace'.

(Work is well underway on their 2nd Album, 'LOVE'. …Scheduled for release Spring 2012.)

Stay tuned, get involved, tell your chums, buy the Albums, Spread the word if you like it.

Xxx

Peace