About The Band
Run Out The Guns was formed in late 2009 and is a five piece acoustic line-up featuring guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, bass and percussion. Mixing their music with songs, shanties, jigs and reels from the distant past to the modern day, with a huge repertoire and back-catalogue to call on, their live show is second to none and ever adaptable to suit.
Dance tunes and instrumentals flow seamlessly into the next, mixed with classic foot stomping sing-a-longs and shanties that will rouse and energise any audience from 4 to 94.
No airs or graces, no pretence and raw enthusiasm are what make Run Out The Guns such an infectious live act. The refined vocal simplicity of ‘Working Men’s’ songs combined with the close dynamics of their vocal harmonies are sure to have any audience joining in.
An Introduction To Run Out The Guns
Sam McGrady – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire (2009-2020)
Sam started his professional music career in 1968 and has been playing in bands and as a solo performer ever since.
He plays fiddle, guitar, tenor/G banjo, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, cittern, tin whistle and harmonica.
Sam has played and wrote with influential and critically acclaimed bands like the Oaklands, Bullock Smithy, Maguire’s Kick, Bilbo Baggins Barn Dance Band, Kevin Kennedy’s Bunch of Thieves, Strangers in Town.
He also co-published Northern Frisk with Tom Shepley’s Band musicians Jamie and Pat Knowles; a book of dance tunes from the North of England collected from various manuscripts held in libraries and museums around the country.
It also featured various contemporary compositions in the traditional North West style many of which were written by Sam.
Unfortunately Sam passed away in the summer of 2020, but his legacy of enthusiasm and back-catalogue of music lives on in every performance, and he’s always with us in spirit(s).
Paul Sudlow – Singer-songwriter based in Royton, Oldham
Paul started his performance career aged 16 playing in working men’s clubs around the Manchester area.
After a 20 year break from live performances, he joined Smith (a Manchester based Indie Soul band founded by Craig Smith) as bassist in 2006. Following a 2 year stint around the North West UK, Paul left to pursue a solo project.
About this time Paul had the good fortune to meet and work with Dave Sharp (Founder member of The Alarm). Under Dave’s guidance, Paul widened his musical repertoire and also took up Mandolin as a second instrument.
Paul began regularly supporting Dave playing guitar / mandolin and vocals throughout the UK and abroad.
Paul continues today to work with Dave Sharp, perform solo and perform in Run Out The Guns, additionally he is also a member of Moonshine Rebels with Sam McGrady with whom he also plays in a duet.
Bod – Bodhran, Vocals, Kick Drum, Tambourine, Gob Iron
Most brothers would have some sibling rivalry and different tastes, yet Bod and Paul grew up with the same passion for folk music that their parents had. Bod started his musical career a lot later in life. It was only when his brother Paul called upon him to help back him that the passion fired up. And once it started, there was no stopping him.
Bod never had lessons or any kind of formal training when learning the bodhrán. He spent hour after hour, any free time he had, watching and trying to learn the varied techniques of his bodhrán heroes such as Kevin Conneff (The Chieftains) and Christy Moore (Planxty/Moving Hearts) on YouTube videos, along with a whole plethora of different bands on MySpace, until his own style came through.
If you asked him what his thoughts on the band were, he would say “I’m glad to be a part of something that’s helping to keep traditional music alive…in our own special style.”
Ollie Polak Pietruch – Bass Player
Ollie started playing bass at the age of 15, having grown up listening to Pink Floyd he took inspiration from bass players like Darryll Clarkson (Profane), John Myung (Dream Theater), Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne), James Leach (SikTh) and John Patitucci listing these as key players influencing his style and form of playing.
He achieved distinctions for both years at Music College in the United Kingdom.
Ollie has played mainly in metal bands, spanning the sub-genres from commercial to technical and experimental.
He was first introduced to the band when he attended a jam session hosted by Sam and Paul, and became a member that night.
He always strives to implement his musical knowledge into his performances, proving that different styles and genres can mix to create something truly original.
Matt Richardson – Mandolin, Bouzouki, Electric Guitar, Vocals
Matt joined in early 2015 after a brief stint as stand-in bass player for a gig! After getting to know the guys and loving the bands sound, he agreed to learn how to play the mandolin and join the ranks!
Matt first began his life-long musical voyage at the age of nine with the classical guitar.
Through his teenage years, he played in a variety of bands, as lead guitarist, drummer, percussionist, and at 16, joined local rock outfit, Into the Fire, as bass player. Throughout his 20’s he earned a living as lead guitarist in a Cabaret Duo, and bass player in an entertainment band.
Over the years, he has also pursued his own projects such as Pincer, Last Reprieve and lead guitarist in the Progressive Metal six-piece, Hot Pocket Face.
Now, as an integral component of the Guns’ sound, Matt’s unique style of mandolin playing brings a new musical dimension and a fresh resonance to the already unyielding force of the previous, solid four-piece. Ahoy mateys! Here’s to more rum, rebellion and rock n folkin’ roll!
Tommy Murphy – Fiddle, Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals
Tommy found his passion for music at an early age of 5 years old, and not too fond of the eras pop music, he would rummage through countless cassettes belonging to his father. Everything from Kate Bush to Beethoven.
Being moved by the sounds of instruments without a need for words, seemed like magic and this had a profound affect on Tommy. It led him to delve into the deeper, mysterious aspects of sound and its affects on people. In the words of Beethoven, “Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine”.
At 9 he was bought a guitar, along with classical lessons and a natural ability for composing evolved.
Tommy later went on to learn as many instruments as possible to expand his musical horizon. As a teenager he gigged around Oldham as a bassist for a funk/ punk band. Later he took on Manchesters jazz scene as guitarist for his old band E.F. becoming a regular at Matt and Phreds.
Now a fully fledged member of Run Out The Guns Tommy plays fiddle, guitars and mandolin. He separates his time between; writing and performing, teaching and body piercing.
Ste Hadfield – Drums, Percussion
Ste started learning classical guitar at the age of 13, which soon shifted into electric guitar and drums so he could play thrash metal and punk rock music from bands like Metallica and Green Day. His first live performance was playing guitar in the first student-organised rock show at Copley High School.
Once he entered college, his tastes started to diverge into hybrid genres, particularly ones that blended electronica or dance elements into rock and metal like the band Enter Shikari, which encouraged him to broaden his musical horizon both in terms of taste & ability, eventually leading him to co-found the Glossop-based band “Can You Promise Tomorrow?”, in which he played synthesiser and keys.
For the past 7 years, Ste has made his living teaching guitar, bass, drums, piano, and ukulele at the Stalybridge Music Academy.
No airs or graces, no pretence, just fine quality musicianship and raw enthusiasm make this album what it is … The choruses and rhythms are equally infectious and it’s success is down to its refined simplicity….this album is sure to please all comers!
A.J. Tranter (FATEA Magazine)
Run Out The Guns is the kind of act folk festivals and beyond would love to have play for them. For the quartet is accomplished in all departments, not least is the superb musicianship as fiddle, Bodhran, Irish tenor banjo, guitar, percussion, mandolin and harmonica
Maurice Hope (AmericanaUK)