Not all projects are equal; The Funny Terns are a flashing example of what it means to make music for a cause. Expressing themselves in a way that’s playful and often comedic, the Bristol-based duo pivots their lyricism into environmental militancy and contemporary issues, transforming their records into more than just entertainment; they are pure empowerment in sonic form, aimed at inspiring their audience into taking actions – or at least being critical and reflective of the status quo.
‘Bring Back The Beaver’ is The Funny Terns’ latest effort, a cheerful ukulele-based showcasing Natalie Fée and Angus Barr’s witty take on the loss of biodiversity in the UK. An accomplished and very active pair, TFT have a lot to share with us; intrigued by the project, we caught up with Fée and Barr to find out more about their artistry and future goals… interview below!
Hey guys, how is it going? Hope all is well in these tumultuous times. How’s Bristol at the moment?
Bristol is as groovy and grungy as ever. A wall near our house has ‘KEEP EASTON SHIT’ scrawled on it … as well as ‘Easton mums are peng’ (which Nat likes). And we even had a bedraggled beaver washed down the river into Bedminster a few months ago!
Natalie and Angus, you are the masterminds behind The Funny Terns. A comedy-driven act, rather playful in its musical stylings. Am I correct in thinking that this uplifting livery is often a facade, a way to deliver meaningful and relevant lyricism in a digestible way?
Angus: I’ve been trying to convey environmental messages through comedy for some years now – I was hoping that laughter might trigger some chemical reaction that makes the message more palatable.
Natalie: And I also like bringing some light relief to what can be a very serious movement and activists are often tired … and we all need a word tickle from time to time.
Natalie, we dug down into your public profile and we feel inspired by your passion for environmental activism. How do you apply it to creating art and music?
Natalie: Yay, glad it’s inspired you! In a roundabout way, my activism started with music – I was working in TV and they wouldn’t let me do much environmental content, and I’d written a (serious!) song which I thought could work with a music video about plastic pollution. So I did that, then realised perhaps that one track and video wasn’t going to change the world. So I set up my campaigning organisation, City to Sea, and we’ve gone on to do pretty amazing stuff to stop plastic pollution.
Alongside that, I wrote ‘How to Save the World for Free’ in 2019 when I read we’ve lost half the world’s wildlife in my lifetime. I could write an essay (or another book!) on this, but maybe the main answer to your question is I try to be of service to people and the planet through my words – be that a comedy song with Angus, a book, a poem, campaign content, or my forthcoming solo folk EP!
You have recently released a wonderful record that greatly showcases everything we’ve discussed so far; ‘Bring Back The Beaver’ is a slice of cheerful goodness on the surface, hiding a much more nuanced theme behind it. Can you shed some light on it?
Natalie: I was having a bad day, and if I’m in a grump I usually do something to try to shift it into something more positive. Someone had asked us if we’d write a song about beavers, so I sat down to write some lyrics, and before long was giggling away at what was coming out. I’ve always loved the very British art of puns and toilet humour and think I’m probably quite crass, so whilst it is a song about personal choice when it comes to pubic hair and promoting the joys of a wild, hairy bush, as well as the devasting loss of biodiversity in the UK (we’re one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries), it was actually mostly just us mucking around and making ourselves laugh.
Musically speaking, ‘Bring Back The Beaver’ builds its sonic identity on a charming ukulele; do you thrive in acoustic, sparse environments? Or was it to allow the listener to fully focus on the lyrics?
Angus: We do thrive on acoustic and sparse for several reasons: it allows for spontaneity to perform in most situations; the stripped-back nature of the sound forces one to focus on melody and dynamics (someone once called it a ‘bullshit detector’); the ukulele-banjo, AKA banjulele, (our main instrument) is unconsciously associated with comic song in the British mind thanks to the likes of George Formby; there’s an honesty and humbleness about it that disarms the listener; and yes, it totally serves the delivery of a message in the lyrics. Is that too highfalutin?
Natalie: Yes, but that’s ok. You’re the intellectual one.
Do you usually write songs together or individually? How does the process work?
We usually write them separately then annoy each other by critiquing them … but once we get through the initial ‘BUT I LIKE THAT LINE!’ defensiveness, we usually end up with a better version than if it had just been one of us. Angus is definitely the more musical of us, so he usually comes up with the structure. Nat’s more melodies and catchy hooks.
Some nights we just jam instead of watching Netflix, and a song might come from that, but usually, we’re asked to sing a song about something by a client (we do corporate gigs) or a friend (we do campfires), for example our Greenwashing song came from a theme of a sustainability award night we were performing at, and Angus has written two songs for Vivobarefoot because he loves them so.
Natalie and Angus, the last few years have been a fast-moving rollercoaster, to say the least. Do you think art and music can help us find a path forward?
Angus: music has always played a part in social and environmental change. In the war (N – lol, he’s not that old!) songs used to bring people together, so yes, I think it can.
Natalie: I’m not so sure that it can … I think it’s more a place to retreat to, top up your tanks, reset your nervous system, find inspiration to carry on. I do believe music can change your energy though – you only need to listen to your favourite track to see that!
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
We’ve got a few gigs booked for 2024, and we’ll keep releasing some of our most popular ones over the coming year. But mostly we just like writing stuff together, some of our songs are about our relationship … which seem to go down well at gigs to balance the environmental stuff! Nat’s also working on her EP, Daughter of Nature, and is excited to share that next year too. Follow us on Instagram to keep in touch if you want to hear more!
