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The Who guitarist teams up with book-inspired musical duo

Martin Tompkins Bookshop bandMartin Tompkins
Pete Townshend heard the Bookshop Band's work and reached out to them

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend has teamed up with an unsigned musical duo whose work is inspired by books for their new album.

The rock icon was so impressed by a set of CDs sent to him by the Bookshop Band from Wigtown, in south west Scotland, he got in touch with them.

He then offered to produce their album Emerge, Return - due out this month - and ended up playing on every track.

Band members Ben Please and Beth Porter said the collaboration was something they could not "ever have predicted happening".

Townshend said: "I listened to the CDs in my car as I was travelling.

"I was blown away, completely blown away.

"I got into the whole Bookshop Band technique, which is just two people making this sound like a symphony orchestra. It's quite extraordinary.

"Each song was special in its own way. So, I reached out."

It ended up with the album being recorded at his studio.

Martin Tompkins Bookshop bandMartin Tompkins
The duo write songs inspired by books they have read

Ben said it had been a "rollercoaster" working with such a well-known figure and "really exciting".

"He brought his great musicality and experience to the recording process, doing things we'd never have thought of ourselves, offering a different perspective on the songs," he said.

"That’s the value of working with a great producer.

"And the fact that he ended up playing on every track added an extra dimension – I think that fans will hear his influence woven right the way through the album."

The band plays gigs in small bookshops across the UK, USA and Europe.

Elly Lucas Bookshop BandElly Lucas
The album is due out later this month

Their songs are inspired by books they have read and they have previously recorded 13 albums which have been sold at gigs and online but Emerge, Return will be their first commercial release.

It is being supported by a 70-date UK tour - mostly in independent bookshops.

Beth said: "Ben and I are really excited to be touring this album.

"Playing these songs live and getting to share stories in bookshops is what this band is all about."

The Bookshop Band was formed in Beth and Ben’s former home city of Bath in 2010, as a collaboration between a group of musicians and local indie bookshop, Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights.

The duo now live in Wigtown, Scotland’s national book town, where they are regular contributors to the well-known annual book festival.