Mythical Beasts are Talis's multi-talented incredible floating band - Talis performs solo and with up to four or five Beasts (resident and guest) so you may want to know who are the brave and versatile souls who appear with her and otherwise make the music happen:

Founder member John Jones (bass, flute, bodhran) played acoustic guitar for various bands in Oxford, mingled with flute and alto-sax. He also played bass and flute for the Semaphore Men with Kieran Taaffe, himself a former Beast, and finally made guest appearances for The Wishing Storm, playing flute, bodhran and guitar, before Mythical Beasts materialised. John is partial to good beer and has travelled the world in search of it; he quite likes whisky too.

John was joined in 1998 by Simon Fairbourn (bassoon, oboe, trumpet, keyboards, dhumbek, saxophone etc) widening still further the instrumentation possibilities in Talis's songs. Simon comes from a classical background, having played bassoon in the top amateur orchestras around London. Simon is also Marchwood Media's Chief Recording Engineer. He swears by his Mackie mixers. He is also a conductor of the n'Early Music Consort. He is an Islay whisky connoissieur and an unrepentant punster.

Multi-instrumentalist Tim Walker, on occasional loan from acoustic duo Wilderwood, appears courtesy of Weyrd Music. He also plays trumpet with Brighton-based band The Champions, drums and bass in rock band Phoenix, and is drummer to Talis and Mythical Beasts. It's rumoured he can play anything including a towel; this is in fact true. Tim is also something of an artist (you should see his etchings...) and is Archetype Café's resident architect as well. He likes whisky almost as much as Simon does.

Abi Salinger, the Purple Princess, takes up the mantle of backing vocalist, joining the band early in 2001. She's got a terrific voice, is mad as a fridge, and is a welcome addition to the team. Fortunately, she also enjoys a good whisky...

Soundman Chris Croughton - aka Keris - is firmly part of the team as well, and can be bribed with chocolate and bananas. Keris sings bass with the NMC and at least one other choir that we know of; he plays acoustic and electric bass and is a fount of eclectic knowledge - and also likes his whisky.

Guest artists include Chris Conway (who performs in too many bands to list here, not to mention plays too many instruments!) who appears courtesy of Oblong Music. We don't know whether Chris likes whisky but we'll ask him when we remember. Chris is a fine solo performer and a versatile collaborator. He wears hats, too, and Talis approves of that. Chris appears as a special guest on the album 'Archetype Cafe', where he did a fine job.

Mike Whitaker also guests on 'Archetype Cafe', adding a fine electric guitar line on the song 'Carrion'. Mike is a founder member of the rock band 'Phoenix' and likes whisky so much he set up an internet mailing list about it. Cricket is his other great passion (apart, of course, from his family!)

Harry Sawatzki is a bodhran player of excellence, and he was Guest Beast on Talis's German performances in Autumn 2000. Talis firmly hopes she'll get to play with him again, as she needs to ask him about his taste in whisky... it was Harry who said that Talis's fabled time changes are perhaps her form of built-in copyguarding. Harry is based in Frankfurt and tours regularly with other bands.

'Decadent' Dave Clement and Tom Jeffers, who constitute Winnipeg-based duo Dandelion Wine, were Talis's Backup band on the road in the USA and Canada, adding their many talents to the sound - Tom sings, and plays bass, cittern, mandolin and bodhran; Dave sings and plays guitar, bodhran and doumbek. Both a delight on the road and onstage.

There are planned excursions with other fine musicians trained and ready to change key, time signature, and indeed song, at the drop of Talis's hat.

The Marchwood Media Team also includes artists Fox, whose graphics and work on Zen Zebreas and 20th Century Dryad have graced the 'Taliswoman' newsletter in the past, and David Morris, whose work is visible in the Marchwood and small hare logos, plus his own work on Zen Zebras as well. David is currently working on the occasional Zen Zebras gag-strip, and the next appearance of Rapunzel, Lady MacBeth and the gang at Archetype Cafe.

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