Erica Nockalls

Erica Nockalls (born August 20, 1983 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire) is an English violinist, vocalist, songwriter, and visual artist. She is best known as the violinist in The Wonder Stuff, one-half of acoustic duo Miles Hunt And Erica Nockalls, and as a live fiddle player for The Proclaimers. Nockalls is also the lead vocalist, violinist, and guitarist in her self-titled art-rock band.

Erica Nockalls was born in Rotherham, England. Her classical guitarist father Martin Nockalls worked as the guitar coordinator for Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. Her mother Louise Nockalls worked as a claims manager for a large insurance brokerage whilst simultaneously exhibiting as a watercolour artist. Nockalls studied classical violin and received regular private tuition from age 7. She was offered a placement at Chetham’s School of Music at age 9, but only attended for one week, deciding that the school was not for her.

“Even though I was only there for one week, I couldn’t help but notice all the girls in my dorm seemed so sad, crying themselves to sleep. I wasn’t done being a kid yet. I told them I wanted to leave, and left."

At age 11, Nockalls moved with her family to the Isle of Axholme, North Lincolnshire, where she attended South Axholme Comprehensive School. By age 15 she had passed the Associated Board grade 8 violin exam with distinction, and by age 16 was the leader of the Beechfield Youth Orchestra. Throughout her teens Nockalls played in rock bands with school friends, and played locally as an electric violinist in rock cover bands. Nockalls also taught herself to play piano, guitar, and bass guitar during this time.

She went on to study A-level music, music technology, and media at John Leggott Sixth Form College in Scunthorpe, before successfully auditioning for a place to study violin at Birmingham Conservatoire, aged 19.

Music

Birmingham Conservatoire (2002–06)

Nockalls accepted an entrance scholarship to study violin performance at Birmingham Conservatoire. She was mentored by the Japanese violin virtuoso Ken Aiso for the entirety of the course, and graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Music (with honors). Nockalls chose voice as her secondary study at the Conservatoire.

FIRESWITCH (2002-05)

Whilst studying at the Conservatoire, Nockalls formed and performed live with the Birmingham-based progressive metal band, FIRESWITCH. They released a self-titled EP in 2003 and gigged extensively throughout the West Midlands. Nockalls shared the role of lead vocalist and played a Ted Brewer electric violin, her first official instrument sponsor.

The Wonder Stuff (2005 - present)

Nockalls joined UK alternative indie rock band, The Wonder Stuff as violinist in 2005 after The Wonder Stuff’s producer spotted the violinist busking in Stratford-upon-Avon. Whilst studying at Birmingham Conservatoire, Nockalls frequently busked in the cities and towns of the West Midlands on weekends in order to support herself financially. Since joining The Wonder Stuff, Nockalls has contributed to the making of 6 studio albums, providing string arrangements and backing vocals. Nockalls is credited as a co-writer on the album Oh No!...It’s The Wonder Stuff [2012] and 30 Goes Around The Sun [2016].

Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls (2006–present)

In 2006 Nockalls began to tour as violinist with The Wonder Stuff’s lead singer and guitarist, performing acoustically as a duo. Hunt and Nockalls have written and released 2 studio albums together, and produced and released 2 acoustic compilation albums, and 1 live album.

The Proclaimers (2008–present)

Nockalls has been performing as live guest violinist with The Proclaimers since the Scottish folk rock band first asked her to play the fiddle solo on the song Sunshine On Leith, live at Edinburgh Castle in 2008. Nockalls’s guest appearances with The Proclaimers have since included performances at many televised UK festivals, including the Glastonbury Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, V Festival and Belladrum. Nockalls appeared live on The One Show, BBC 1 with The Proclaimers, on October 16th, 2013.

Solo Work

Imminent Room, Nockalls’s debut solo album was released on Independent Records ltd in 2013. The album comprises 11 original songs written and performed by Nockalls in an art-rock/alternative genre.

"It took me until I was 27 to feel I was ready to write my solo album, and as the mission statement explains in the Imminent Room artwork, I was bored of hearing and being disappointed by the efforts of almost everybody else, so I thought I'd invent my own music and stop moaning about it. It's not like I'm a good little classically trained violinist turned bad - I've always been like this, it's just now it's coming out."

Featured artists on Imminent Room include Jeff Walker (Carcass) on Neon Crucifix Ft Jeff Walker. Wayne Hussey (The Mission) and Mark Gemini Thwaite (Tricky/Peter Murphy/Mob Research) on I Am Me, This Is Now Ft Wayne Hussey and Mark Gemini Thwaite.

Imminent Room was mixed and co-produced by TV composer George Taylor (Fratelli Brothers). The pair initially met in 2008 when Taylor employed Nockalls to record strings on his various TV projects, including BBC Arena documentaries: The Dreams of William Golding [2012] and The Hunt for Moby Dick [2009], Farm Fixer [2012] and At Your Service [RTE/BBC 2008-2010], Romy Schneider - A Woman in 3 Notes [ORF / Arte 2008].

After the release of Imminent Room, Nockalls formed a live band and embarked on a UK tour supporting The Wonder Stuff. She has since supported artists including Toyah, Public Image Ltd, Pop Will Eat Itself, and Miyavi. When performing live, Nockalls adorns the stage with her own artwork.

EN2 (2014). The second solo album by Nockalls comprises 11 original songs written, recorded, produced, mixed, and released by Nockalls. In January 2014 she set a goal to produce and self-release an album within the one year. EN2 was funded entirely by sales of her artwork and album pre-sales through her website.

Dutch Head

Dutch Head is an alternative pop project conceived by George Taylor with material co-written and vocalized by Nockalls. Their debut release is a full album entitled The Music Of Sound (2016).

Tronos

In 2015 Nockalls accepted an invitation from Shane Embury Napalm Death to take part as vocalist in his collaboration project, Tronos.

Live session work

Nockalls toured as live violinist, viola player and backing vocalist for Fink on the Wheels Turn Beneath My Feet European tour, 2012.

Art

Nockalls held her debut gallery exhibition at Havill & Travis, Birmingham, 2014. The event was an album launch for her 2nd studio album release EN2. She created a painting for each album track, using each song’s subject matter as inspiration. The paintings were displayed at listening stations for each song.

Nockalls is a self-taught artist and paints with oils on canvas, often preferring to use her fingers instead of brushes. Nockalls is a member of Saatchiart.com and sells her work through her official website.

Nockalls resides in rural South Shropshire with her partner, Miles Hunt. The couple share a home studio. Nockalls also has an art studio in the local area.

• The Wonder Stuff – Suspended By Stars (2006)
• The Wonder Stuff – Live (2007)
• Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls - Not An Exit (2007)
• The Wonder Stuff – Eight Legged Groove Machine: 20th Anniversary Edition (2008)
• Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls – Catching More Than We Miss (2009)
• Shared [Various artists] (2009)
• The Wonder Stuff – Hup: 21st Anniversary Edition (2010)
• Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls – Live (2011)
• Shared 2 [Various artists] (2011)
• The Wonder Stuff – Oh No! It’s…The Wonder Stuff / From The Midlands With Love double album (2012)
• Erica Nockalls - Imminent Room (2013)
• Erica Nockalls – EN2 (2014)
• Dutch Head – The Music Of Sound (2016)
• The Wonder Stuff – 30 Goes Around The Sun (2016)

Session work albums featuring Nockalls

• Jeff Walker and Die Fluffers – Welcome To Carcass Cuntry (2006) [violin performance only]
• Dirty Ray – Big World For A Little Man (2010) [all strings arranged, performed and recorded by Nockalls]

Singles

• The Wonder Stuff – The Animals & Me (2009)
• Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls – Stay Scared, Stay Tuned (2009)
• Erica Nockalls – Christmas Song (2010)
• The Wonder Stuff – From The Midlands With Love [Save It For Later / Blackberry Way](2012)
• The Wonder Stuff – From The Midlands With Love 2 [Far, Far Away / There, There My Dear] (2012)
• The Wonder Stuff – From The Midlands With Love 3 [Planet Earth / Get Up] (2012)
• Erica Nockalls – Cut Them Out (2013)
• The Wonder Stuff – Friendly Company (2013)
• The Wonder Stuff – Oh No! (2013)
• E.N.X – Holiday (2014)

DVDs

• The Wonder Stuff – HUP Live (2009)
• The Wonder Stuff - Never Loved Elvis Live Limited Edition CD/DVD (2011)
• The Wonder Stuff – Oh Yeah… It’s The Wonder Stuff (2013)

Other (songs featuring Nockalls)

• Primitive Painters – It’s Not Enough To Hold You Down [strings arranged, performed and recorded by Nockalls]. From the album, Say It ‘Til You Mean It (2008)
• Lumiere – Silent Night – [violin performance by Nockalls]. Single release (2010)
• Ting Tings – Day To Day – [violin and viola performance by Nockalls]. From the album; Sounds From Nowheresville. (2012)
• The Mission – Aint No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now (Wayne Hussey Demo With Erica Nockalls) – [backing vocals and strings arranged, performed and recorded by Nockalls]. From the album The Brightest Light (2013)
• Matt Watson – Grounded [string arrangement written, performed and recorded by Nockalls]. From the album Grounded (2014)
• Mark Gemini-Thwaite – Black Heart [co-writer and vocalist]. (2016)

Nockalls is sponsored by Ted Brewer Violins. She demonstrated these violins at music exhibitions internationally from 2005-2008, including Namm (LA), Frankfurt, and London.

Nockalls is also sponsored by Pirastro Strings, Fishman, Vivien Of Holloway, Mac Cosmetics, Maya Hansen, and Egality Freedom.