Kids music that grown ups will enjoy too

The seeds of Henhouse were planted around 2005ish when several members of the band had kids. It became apparent that a lot of the children's music available was ok for the kids but fairly hideous for the grown ups to listen to, especially on repeat, in the car. There was good stuff out there, but not much.

Around this time, Pete from the band had started up his own baby/toddler workshops in Norwich. With the parents joining him on singing and instrument duties, he started singing Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds at the end of workshops, then later Ben E King’s Stand By Me and Bowie’s Starman. The parents loved it and so did the kids!

This confirmed something that perhaps we all know: children’s music and adult’s music doesn’t need to be in opposition. How many times have you put on some great (supposedly ‘adult’) dance music and found the kids bopping around the kitchen with you? Or maybe skanking to some reggae or ska? Perhaps swaying to some soul or cuddling up together to some relaxing folk?

So, that was the idea: to make an album of kids music that adults could enjoy too.

The band gradually started work, writing and recording in James’ chicken barn in rural Norfolk. Progress was slow as they all had day jobs and families as well as ‘adult’ bands they were performing and recording with. However, in 2016 they finally released their first album This Is The Way To The Moon. Pete sold CDs at his workshops and they started to get some wonderful feedback from parents. Then they had videos made for some of the songs by students at Norwich University of the Arts and even performed live at Latitude Festival.

After that the trials of life got in the way for a while. Then there was Covid. Eventually though, talk of making a second Henhouse album progressed into action. It was good timing as Iain from the band had recently become a dad with a second kid on the way. This meant there were little ones around to help create the right head space. Further still, Iain had just built a home recording studio at the end of his garden.

May 2024 and Horse Mountain, the second Henhouse album is finally released. Like the first, along side some recognizable classics, this album is full of new original songs; some are funky and energetic, others are weird and ridiculous, some gloriously mucky and others have a tale to tell. Then there are the ones that are kind of for the adults more than the children.

For Henhouse, all this stuff runs deep. Parenting can be incredibly hard. You can find there’s no time, space or energy for your own interests. A daily musical soundtrack that is utterly maddening can exacerbate things further. As a parent, if you can create spaces where your needs are met as well as the children’s then all the better. Henhouse is there to help with that.