Mishkin Fitzgerald is best known for her role as lead singer and pianist in the British ‘orchestral-rock’ band, Birdeatsbaby. However, she now embarks on a new project, Mishkin Fitzgerald & The Chemical Perils – an alternative mix of klezmer, folk and country.

The daughter of a minister and a maths teacher, the young singer grew up singing in the church choir, was also influenced by classical piano music, and then later discovered artists such as Queen, Jimi Hendrix and Nick Cave. However, The Chemical Perils was truly inspired by Mishkin’s Greek, accordion/piano-playing grandma, and for that reason has elements of Jewish music and story-telling.

Her debut album Present Company, released in 2013, was played on BBC Introducing London/Sussex and hailed by Simon Price (Independent, Guardian, Q) as ‘stunning… frighteningly talented’. The follow-up “Seraphim” was released in 2017 and was featured in The Metro “Widescreen pianos-and-violins grandeur and emotive song-writing”, and The Quietus “Think a beautifully-wrought mournful take on Patrick Wolf and Regina Spektor via mid-period Depeche Mode”.

Although led by Mishkin, The Chemical Perils is a group effort, with an ever-growing variety of musicians. The band currently holds Garry Mitchel on double bass and brass, Anna Mylee on percussion, Hana Piranha on violin, Jacy de Sousa on Sax/Flute, Jonny Parlett on guitar, and vocals. There is only one rule for the Chemical Perils: “whoever turns up on the night is in the band”.

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