The Blackheart Orchestra
# The Blackheart Orchestra

The Blackheart Orchestra are a multi-genre, multi award-winning band composed of British composers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkington from Manchester. They can probably lay claim to being one of the smallest orchestras in the world. Two people playing 13 instruments. They perform in the centre of a circle of instruments that has been described as their ‘musical space station’. Their music combines ethereal vocals with multi-layered combinations of acoustic instruments such as guitar and mandola, rock instruments including electric guitar, bass and percussion, plus piano, organ, electronica, orchestral and symphonic sounds, omnichords and their collection of vintage synthesisers. The music is emotional with Metal Planet saying “Their music reaches areas of your head and heart that you never knew existed.” They draw on their backgrounds in rock, folk, electronica and classical music to create a truly unique sound frequently compared to early Pink Floyd, Steve Reich, Philip Glass,Portishead and Kate Bush. Simultaneously symphonic and psychedelic, classical and totally contemporary.

## Biography

### Early years

Pilkington grew up in Bolton, but he was never encouraged by the formality of music lessons offered in school, and instead devoted himself to learning the Spanish guitar his mum had bought him aged 11. Finding Cream’s Disraeli Gears in a Porthmadog record shop he set about teaching himself every song on it. He was surrounded by a group of music-obsessed friends, and among those within Pilkington's peer group at Bolton School were other musically inspired individuals including Tony Wadsworth [former MD at the Parlaphone label and Chairman of EMI Music], Bryce Edge [manager of Radiohead], Mark Radcliffe [BBC Radio presenter], and Mick Singleton who became the drummer in the Buzzcocks. Pilkington formed his first band, Black Cat Bone, with Tony Wadsworth (and, for a while, Mick Singleton) and a bunch of other guys and went on the rampage around Bolton and surrounding areas creating rock ‘n’ roll at the loudest possible volume.

By contrast Mostyn was born and raised in Wigan, and although there was always music in the household no-one was playing it or creating it. Despite this Mostyn knew she wanted to be a singer. Maybe she was just born with the urge? Her dad had always told her to follow her dreams, and also encouraged by her sister the foundations were laid.

### Blackheart (2007-2016)

Blackheart was formed in 2007 by multi-instrumentalist Rick Pilkington. At the time he was pursuing a career in Advertising and Chrissy Mostyn was still a student studying Psychology and Counselling at University in Wigan. In 2008 the band released their debut album "Indigo". An album of contemporary folk/pop music which was largely acoustic guitar based.

This was followed in 2010 when the band released their second album "Invisible". A step forward in terms of song writing, yet very much in a similar vein to their debut album. With the new album came a spreading of their wings as they sought to take their music further afield with a tour of Australia and New Zealand. This culminated in an appearance on the celebrated New Zealand Television show "Good Morning" playing "94 Years"from their debut album and "Wednesday Afternoon" from their second album.

2013 saw the release of the album "Songs From A Satellite" and with it came a major shift in musical direction. It shifted from the folk/contemporary pop emphasis of the first two albums towards a more diverse, complex and expansive sound. In many ways this album saw the start of the transition from the band as Blackheart, to that of The Blackheart Orchestra.

### The Blackheart Orchestra (2017 - Present)

2017 saw the arrival of the bands fourth album "Diving For Roses" and the full transition to the more orchestrated, multi-instrumental and structured sound that had started to appear on "Songs From A Satellite". With that richer, fuller and expansive sound came a more ethereal style of vocals from Chrissy. Along with the change in musical direction came the change in name to more accurately reflect their use of multi-instumentalisation both in the studio and Live, and so The Blackheart Orchestra was born. Yet along with the change in musical style at its heart the deep, intense and pensive lyrics remained. The video for the single "Sebastien" demonstrates that lyrical intensity with the video imagery acting as a metaphor for the songs central theme of relationships sometimes seemingly like being at war. It has been said that Diving For Roses for all its shift in emphasis still manages to maintain its open and accessible nature whilst combining it with experimentation that produces music that refuses to be ring-fenced within any particular genre.

In 2018 the band came to the attention of Dave Brock of Hawkwind and the band was invited to support the "Space Rockers" on their Road_to_Utopia_(album) Tour complete with 20 piece Orchestra led by Mike Batt. A seemingly unlikely combination, the Hawkwind/Blackheart Orchestra pairing was met with very favourable reviews. Maximum Volume Music called the bands support show captivating, graceful and elegant, and an enjoyable set with ethereal , ambient numbers brought to life by the duo`s musicianship and Chrissy`s haunting, emotive vocal range.. Likewise Metal Planet noted that Hawkfans were a famously tough crowd, but were soon won over by The Blackheart Orchestra and their plaintive and haunting music, that brought about a hushed and reverential calm to the sold–out venue and was light years away from what most were expecting from a touring partner of the sonic warriors.

Mesmeranto was released in 2019 and is probably the most personal, even autobiographical of their releases to date. In particular this album is clearly very personal to Chrissy, as her mother was in the process of passing away during its writing and recording. The result is fourteen songs which represent a journey through the different emotions that life throws at us, and how they work together to create our world. There is reflective sorrow, of course, but there is hope, joy, resolve, bitterness and anger in equal measure. A particularly British musical trait that Charlie Silvestri of Public Radio Exchange termed "English Melancholia". With Mesmeranto you feel as if you have stepped into someone’s soul and are living their life and feeling what they feel. This conceptual identity gives the album a strong sense of purpose right from the start. The album overflows with songs of doubt and optimism, of frailty and strength, blended with a sonic accompaniment and a quality production that’s both rich and fragile. Mesmeranto immerses us in a life-enhancing listening event.

In the Autumn of 2019, and building on the success of the previous year, The Blackheart Orchestra were once again invited to Tour with Hawkwind as part of their 50th Anniversary Tour. A Tour which was to see many personal highlights for the band including playing on stage at G-Live with Eric Clapton and Phil_Campbell_(musician). It was also to allow the band to fulfil one of their lifelong dreams and to play in front of a sell-out crowd at the Royal Albert Hall. However, as the tour with Hawkwind was coming to a close and the dates for the early 2020 solo tour were being finalised, so the dark storm clouds of change were building on the horizon

### The Corona years (2020-2022)

In early 2020 after no more than a handful of dates on their spring tour, all hell was let loose as the full affects of Coronavirus was unleashed upon the world. With Coronavirus so the UK, as with many countries went in to a long period of enforced lockdown. This was to have a tremendous impact on musicians, venues and all aspects of the creative industries with little support provided to them by the UK Government. Musicians were left to fend for themselves and find unique and innovative ways to make ends meet. Many including The Blackheart Orchestra turned to their loyal fans through Patreon to help see them through the difficult times. In the end it was to be 517 days before the band would be able to play in a live venue to a live audience again. Yet despite the enforced restrictions placed upon them, lockdown was to prove a fertile and productive period.

Writing for the follow up album had begun soon after the release of Mesmeranto, and the enforced lockdown was to provide the time and the space to focus on this process. The new album started life with a working title of "The Tide" after one of the early tracks that would eventually appear on that album. Despite lockdown providing the time and space for writing, for a band where the live experience is an integral part of their being, the loss of live gigs was particularly hard felt. In order to maintain the strong bond the band have with their fanbase they introduced the "Big Armchair" series of virtual events. Streamed live from Rick Pilkingtons living room the Big Armchair was a unique live experience that enabled their fanbase to share a live concert simultaneously no matter where they were in the world, albeit virtually !. The Big Armchair series of concerts was also to win much critical acclaim, and was voted 10th Most Important Rock Event of 2020 by the readers of Prog Magazine. Although that was not to be the only acknowledgement of how far the band had progressed as Chrissy was also voted #5 Best Female Vocalist of that year.

Having seen what an orchestra could bring to the music of Hawkwind in 2019 the band were keen to explore a side project that had been forming in their minds since that time. It had often been remarked that much of the bands music contained passages that were very highly symphonic. With this firmly in mind Rick and Chrissy sought to reinterpret a variety of tracks from their previous three albums utilising greater orchestration and also to be instrumental. So, with one of the bands key musical instruments removed, Chrissy's vocals, the project became known as "Mute".

Mute: Instrumental Variations was released in May 2021. Rick Pilkington called the album the duo’s "album in between albums" but that comment is a little tongue in lockdown recorded cheek – it is an obvious labour of musical love, resulting in an album that's almost cinematic/ soundtrack in feel. Yet, although very much viewed as a side project for the band, as PROG Magazine was to explain it was very much seen as a visit to "an alternative universe" and an important bridge out of the period of coronavirus restrictions and lockdown. A pathway back to normality and to working on the new album -

### Hotel Utopia and beyond (2022-Present)

Three years in the making the new album, "Hotel Utopia" was finally released on the 9th October 2022,and was very quickly met with critical acclaim. This was reflected in a number of music awards being presented to the band at the start of 2023. Particularly rewarding was the number of those awards which originated in the United States, indicating that the bands musical reach continues to expand. Amongst those rewards were the award at the USA Progressive Music Awards for Best Progressive Song (The Flood), Best British Album (Hotel Utopia), #2 Best International Album (Hotel Utopia) and Best Female Vocalist going to Chrissy Mostyn. Also from the United States came the Music in Widescreen Award for Best Album Track (The Flood) Chrissy was also to once again come in the Top 10 Female Vocalists at the PROG Music Awards 2022 As well as awards Hotel Utopia has also been gaining large amounts of radio airtime and even a three page spread in PROG Magazine !

Whilst "Mesmeranto" was concerned with its unifying concept of death, inspired by the passing of Chrissy’s mother who was nearing the end of her life, Hotel Utopia takes a musical look at the afterlife and the fears and hopes around that last great mystery and of the human condition in general. What happens after life? Do the lights go out or is there something beyond? Is there a God or a spiritual pathway? Is there a heaven? These are big questions which Rick and Chrissy explore through thirteen tracks of effortless musical complexity and yet beautifully judged, contemplative simplicity. In Hotel Utopia the songs are like the rooms in a hotel, the hotel being our mind. Hotel Utopia is the human condition, and we are the guests. But is the hotel our current life or our afterlife? Each song is a reflection on our existence, our fears and the many things that encompasses such as love, loss, suffering, growth, suicide, joy, surrender and the unanswerable question we all ask – where do we go when we let go of our final breath? Was this life Heaven all along or is there something, somewhere or someone waiting to gather us up and lead us onwards?”

So what now for The Blackheart Orchestra ? Firstly the return to normality continues in 2023 with the band having just announced a Twenty-four date Spring Tour to ease them back in to touring and live performances once again. It gives the band an opportunity to bring "Hotel Utopia" to the live environment for the first time since its release. Secondly, the writing for the next album is well under way and no doubt candidates for that album will gradually be introduced to a live audience as the year progresses. All in all its been an eventful last few years and with many considering "Hotel Utopia" to be their most complete album to date, the future looks very positive indeed !

## Discography

Albums:

* Indigo (2008)
* Invisible (2010)
* Songs From A Satellite (2013)
* Diving For Roses (2017)
* Mesmeranto (2019)
* Mute (2021)
* Hotel Utopia (2022)

Singles and EPs:

* Wednesday Afternoon (2010)
* Any Shade Of Blue (2014)
* Not Over Yet (2014)
* Keep The Light In (2016)
* Sebastien (2017)
* Born to Live (Martin Hviid Remix) (2017)
* Left To Right (2019)
* Northern Lights (2019)
* If You Tolerate This (Your Children Will Be Next) (2021)
* Under The Headlights (2022)
* The Tide (2022)
* Astronaut (Edit) (2022)

Live Albums:

* Livespan (with Diving For Roses crowdfunding campaign) (2017)

## Awards

2022

USA Progressive Rock Awards

* Best British Album – Hotel Utopia
* Best Song – The Flood
* Best Female Vocalist – Chrissy Mostyn
* #2 Best International Album – Hotel Utopia

USA Music In Widescreen Awards

* Best Music in Widescreen – The Flood
* Best Closing Track on an Album – The Flood

PROG Magazine Readers’ Poll UK

* #5 Best Female Vocalist – Chrissy Mostyn

Progressive Rock Central Awards USA

* Professor Mark’s #1 Album of The Year – Hotel Utopia

Rear View Mirror Awards AUS

* #2 Album of 2022 – Hotel Utopia

Get Ready To Rock UK

* #2 Album of the Year – Hotel Utopia

The Prog Mill UK

* #3 Album of the Year – Hotel Utopia

Epic Prog Radio NL

* Album of the Month – Hotel Utopia

Prog Rock.com UK

* Artist of the Month – The Blackheart Orchestra

2021

PROG Magazine Readers’ Poll UK

* #5 Best Female Vocalist – Chrissy Mostyn

2020

PROG Magazine Readers’ Poll UK

* #10 Most Important Rock Event of 2020
* The Blackheart Orchestra Big Armchair Online Concert Series

2019

USA Big Takeover Awards

* #4 Album of the Year – Mesmeranto

Rock Writers’ Albums of the Year

* Voted Twice - Mesmeranto

2018

Prog Magazine Progressive Music Awards UK

* Nominated for the Limelight Award

PROG Magazine Readers’ Poll UK

* #4 Best New Band – The Blackheart Orchestra
