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Heathen Apostles Paintings at Far West Art Show

Heathen Apostles Paintings at Far West Art Show

The Far West art show at the Arcadia Contemporary Gallery on September 9th and 10th will feature two extraordinary oil paintings of Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin of the Heathen Apostles painted by Sean Cheetham. The title of the Mather painting is “There in the Ground, My Buried Heart”, and the title of the Chopper painting is “All of our Vows, in Death Did Part”, both lines from the Heathen Apostle’s song “Deadly Nightshade”. Also featured will be Sean’s painting “Us and Them”.

FAR WEST is the brainchild of visionaries Mark Maggiori and Petecia Le Fawnhawk-Maggiori, both of whom share a profound passion for the American West. The concept of showcasing the finest working artists in Western art is not new to them; in 2016, they successfully curated a standout exhibition at Parachute Market. “Early this year, Petecia and I were discussing all the projects we would love to accomplish in 2024 and she brought back the idea of the FAR WEST show, and we thought it would be fun to pull it off again but this time in New York City.”

Their creative journey began when they crossed paths on a film set deep in the Mojave Desert, near Chloride, Arizona. Since that serendipitous meeting, their Western odyssey has taken them from Los Angeles to Taos, and now back to Arizona, where they share their lives with their young daughter.

Heathen Apostles Paintings at Far West Art ShowSean Cheetham was born in 1977 in San Francisco, studied at the College of San Mateo, in California, and earned a B.F.A. degree with honors from Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California. His paintings have been included in numerous significant exhibitions internationally including the National Portrait Gallery in London. He has a devoted following of collectors and art students that are inspired by his work and distinctive technique. Primarily a figurative painter, Sean is known for his technical prowess in achieving accuracy and harmony in his alla prima paintings which he credits to a deep understanding of drawing and his own system of mixing colors which he uses adeptly to govern shadows, midtones and highlights.  In addition to having an exceptional ability to understand, draw, and paint the human form, Cheetham’s selection of subjects typically in familiar urban scenes contributes a truthful and often raw spirit that makes his work distinctive and a contemporary testimony of our time.

Glasgow Review: Spaghetti Western Sounds of the Heathen Apostles

A darkness came over McChuills on Thursday night. A glorious, epic darkness that the expectant crowd drank in, captivated by the mix of Americana, country twang and the occasional spaghetti western sounds of the Heathen Apostles. First and foremost it HAS to be about the music and that box was ticked again and again. Add in a visual look that mesmerised and we had a potent blend that made for a heady gig experience.

spaghetti western sounds of the Heathen Apostles

The four members of the band took to the stage, all dressed in black and for over an hour played songs from their new album The In Between as well as tracks from their back catalogue and a couple of cover versions to boot. To the left, Thomas Lorioux (Frantic Flintstones, Roddy Radiation & the Skabilly Rebels) slapped his double bass with dexterous skill, his fingers a blur on the fret board.

Classically-trained fiddle player Luis Mascaro eked out sounds that were irresistible to the ear while guitarist/mandolin player Chopper Franklin (The Cramps/Mau Maus) was every inch the grizzled rocker. On vocals was Mather Louth, flame-haired and with porcelain skin, an enchanting songstress, a beguiling presence with a voice that melded with the music perfectly.

Spaghetti Western Sounds of the Heathen Apostles

Louth’s opening vocal to Hank Williams Ramblin’ Man sent shivers down the spine. Bellowing in the tunnel shaped room, reverberating of the walls before the band come in. The mix of fiddle, mandolin and bass evoking a haunting effect. In short, I’ve never heard anything like it and the memory will live for a long time, a truly gothic, beautiful take on an old classic.

There was also a nod to the memory of Mark Lanegan, the band doing a cool take on The Gravedigger’s Song but it’s on their own material that the band truly shined. On record, the songs are great but live they seemed to take on a new life. Perhaps it was being in the room. The bass, fiddle, mandolin and guitar elevated the sound to what was a great gig.

Spaghetti Western Sounds of the Heathen Apostles

It’s difficult to pick out a highlight, though Without A Trace was fun, a hoedown hillbilly freak out while Two For The Road was a hands down rocker. Aside from the music, Mather was taken aback and delighted with the crowd singing “here we, here we fuckin’ go” before the encore. A first, apparently, for the Heathen Apostles and hopefully reason enough for them to return in the not too distant future! Special mention to Colin Duff and Under The Wires Promotions for putting the show on – check out their upcoming gigs here.

Overall, a tip top gig by an accomplished band that deserve to be heard. Go check out the Heathen Apostles via their website HERE.

John Welsh
Intocreative UK

New Heathen Apostles Western Shirt

The Heathen Apostles Western Shirt is the latest apparel offered by the band, made for their 2024 UK Tour. Check them out HERE.

The Heathen Apostles Western Shirt are designed in a slimmer fit and feature the Heathen Apostles logo on the front yokes, and the band name and logo on the back, along with black pearlized snaps on the front, pockets and cuffs. These pieces are the last of this run and are available in limited sizes, and until they run out (check back for a new batch of all sizes).

Heathen Apostles Western ShirtHeathen Apostles Western Shirt Heathen Apostles Western Shirt

The Heathen Apostles at Boomtown Festival

The Heathen Apostles are happy to announce that they’ll be appearing at the Boomtown Festival in Winchester, UK. The Heathen Apostles at Boomtown will be on the Fogger’s Mill stage on Sunday 11 August at 18:00 (6pm). This will be the last date of their 2024 UK tour.


Boomtown (also known as Boomtown Fair) is a British music festival held annually on the Matterley Estate in South Downs National Park, near Winchester, Hampshire. It was first held in 2009 and has been held at its current site since 2011. Its diverse line-up of bands, DJs and speakers perform on many different stages each a part of a district with its own individual theme. Each yearly event is known as a Chapter and expands on the story line from the previous year, told through the sets, live actors and many forms of alternate reality games. The festival site is split into several districts, and the narrative is reflected in the design of the districts, streets and venues, which are populated by hundreds of actors to play the role of inhabitants. The large scale of the sets and infrastructure require six weeks of construction, and a month of disassembly.
The event is centered around a set of common beliefs and principles, mainly supporting the progressive ideas of environmentalism and social equality, as set out in its vision code, The Six Pillars of Boomtown.

Great Review of The In Between on London Celtic Punks

From London Celtic Punks website: Just days before embarking on their upcoming UK tour, the Los Angeles dark roots and Gothic country group Heathen Apostles unveiled their latest highly anticipated seventh album, showcasing their distinctive blend of Bluegrass, Country and Blues.

Heathen Apostles on London Celtic Punks

 

These are great times to be a fan of the Heathen Apostles. Their new album arrives and any day soon they begin their second, and most extensive, tour of the UK. We have championed them for a few years now and though they are by no means a Celtic-Punk band their music straddles Bluegrass, murderfolk, Gothic and spaghetti western alongside more mundane genres that are mundane no more after being filtered through the Heathen Apostles Southern Gothic Americana. The In Between is the groups seventh studio album and is released on Ratchet Blade Records. The label run by Chopper Franklin, ex- Cramps bassist, that specialises in this kind of music.

Heathen Apostles on London Celtic Punks

 

You could be forgiven for thinking Heathen Apostles hail from the foothills of the Appalachian mountains rather than LA but their music conveys such great imagery it’s hard to imagine them wandering the streets of LA on foot rather than horse! Superbly produced by Chopper Franklin, The In Between features nine original songs rounded up to ten with a cover of the Mark Lanegan (1964-2022) track ‘The Gravedigger’s Song’ from his 2012 album Blues Funeral.

Singer Mather Louth states,

“The idea of the ‘in between’ is all about learning to sit with- and eventually befriend- the uncomfortable times of not knowing what is coming next, either within one’s own life or within the collective. Uncertainty is a very ungrounding sensation, and the emotions that arise from that discomfort can be challenging to navigate. Exploring this sense of uncertainty proved cathartic for me, and I hope it will offer that same release for listeners.”

Heathen Apostles on London Celtic Punks

 

Heathen Apostles left to right: Thomas Lorioux – Double Bass * Mather Louth – Vocals * Chopper Franklin – Mandolin / Banjo / Guitar / Drums/ Vocal * Luis Mascaro – Fiddle *

The In Between kicks off with the startling title track and the double bass and mandolin lead into Luis Mascaro’s alluringly dark violin. Blessed with the voice to accompany the Heathen Apostles music the beautiful Mather Louth uses her vocals as an instrument to round out the sound.

“Here I stand | The in between | A pregnant pause | In everything | What falls away | Was meant to be | What lies ahead | Is yet to see”

The music may be dark and somewhat gloomy but it’s not without lighter touches and Mather’s voice is simply a wonder to listen to. Recorded at the beginning of 2024, it truly embodies its title by balancing between darkness and light and the tangible past and the uncertain future. From the opening song you can sense the Country roots here and on ‘Capital T’ like some Goth hoedown as Mather proclaims

“don’t tell me that it’s wine and roses…what rose smells like that”

during the chorus. Bands like Calexico have made a career touching upon western themes and landscapes but compared to what we have hear their music can be described as twee. ‘The Gods Of Men’ takes the Spaghetti Western theme and runs with it with a song whose lightness betrays its subject matter. ‘Coffin For The Nail’ sees Mather and Chopper spitting out the words through a world weary exhausted drawl as you can almost feel the dust blown across your face. ‘Deama’ sees Chopper’s mandolin and Mascaro’s fiddle carrying the song as Mather tells of a scorned woman. ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ sees a more lighthearted approach and sees those Country influences rise to the top. the band shift gears next for ‘In The Blood’, a song more reminiscent of their early days with it’s speedy tempo during the chorus and slowed down verses while Mather’s howls add to the effect. The one cover here, ‘The Gravediggers Song’, sees them stick fairly closely to the stunning Mark Lanegan original. Lanegan’s barely disguised aggression in the song is replaced by Mather’s dazzling vocals and delicate French whispers, emphasising the song’s dark beauty. We are nearing the end sadly and sorrowful violin and banjo carry ‘Love Letter’ while the curtain comes down on The In Between with ‘He Stood Tall’ and the sound of a thunderstorm as the song takes in honky tonk piano and another great song sees the album out.

Heathen Apostles on London Celtic Punks

 

The Heathen Apostles first toured the UK this time last year and they are returning again. Kicking off in Reading on July 17th and London the following day at The Lexington the tour includes a three day residency (August 5th – 7th) at Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival. A review of last year’s Lexington show – “As if plucked from a surreal spaghetti western, Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin made quite the spectacle, striding down London’s Pentonville Road in full regalia… The Heathen Apostles had etched themselves into our dark hearts, ensuring their spectral melodies and mystical storytelling would stay with us long after the last note had faded into the night.” Dates not be missed so check the bands social media for up to date announcements.