Gothic Author Mick Mercer Reviews Heathen Apostles UK Show
The long running gothic author Mick Mercer has written a review of the Heathen Apostles intimate show at the Anchor Inn in Wingham, UK:
Heathen Apostles – Anchor, Wingham – July 24th 2025
Well, this was a delightfully weird surprise. We knew we were going to see them, obviously, but the how and where and why was a higgledy-piggledy burst of wonderment. The sort of pub setting where you just get chatting to people, the promoters are geezers with a wealth of experience (and good ears, clearly), and towards the end of the set the lady behind the bar wends through the crowd taking entrance money (only a tenner!) in a tankard.
The venue is well known for putting shows on in its garden, but it had been peeing down all day, so that was off. Although they have a large room upstairs that was hosting a meal, so the band ended up crammed into the corner of the public bar. Given that this is a typical village high street pub you can imagine how tiny an area this is. To the left a bar billiards table, in front of them people on bar stools. Genial troupers all, the band declare this an ‘intimate’ gig and serenely surge through their material, Chopper Franklin on guitar stooping to avoid his hat brushing the rafters. (Luckily Lynda was taking photos on her phone, as these are probably brighter than what I got on the camera. My photos will be on Substack later today.)
I am not greatly familiar with their music, having simply played a few songs on the show, so bought five CDs afterwards to explore further, but the Gothic Country sound has always made sense. From ghost towns to campfire devilry, outlaws, emotional husks and fiery characters of legend, it can present vivid imagery and ideas.
Down the years I’ve been hooked in by the brilliance of the cowpunk originators Tex & The Horseheads, Blood & The Saddle and Screaming Sirens … which bizarrely fits in with guitarist Chopper Franklin, as those three bands were featured on the epic compilation Hell Comes To Your House Volume II alongside his own Mau Maus! Then through the quieter 90’s we had Ghoultown, with the noughties throwing Lonesome Wyatt, Those Poor Bastards and Sons Of Perdition at us, and there was even the recent madness of Goth Brooks. Gothic Country is a rich vein as yet unfully tapped. We could do with much more of this.
