Anti-HS2 band Dirty Mavis mount chart assault

Dec 22 2011 By Lawrence Poole

A GROUP of musical HS2 campaigners have taken the download charts by storm with their track about preserving the Chilterns countryside.

Dirty Mavis, who rehearse in Little Kingshill, released Oak Tree Lament (Stop the HS2) earlier this month and it has since rocketed up the HMV Download Chart to number four.

The group decided to get involved in the battle to stop the £33bn HS2 route through the Chilterns after being invited to record the track by Stop HS2.

Featuring members from Chalfont St Peter, Great Kingshill and Great Missenden, the sextet's folk track has proved a huge hit up and down the proposed London to Birmingham line.

Lead singer Martin Davis was inspired to write the track while out walking his dog on Misbourne Plain - a lot of which will be destroyed if the route goes ahead.

Violinist and keyboardist Kay Fisher, who lives in Austenwood Lane, Chalfont St Peter, is thrilled with the record's progress.

She said: "We're absolutely delighted, it's doing really well in the HMV chart, which is fantastic as that's the one we pre-released it with, so it's definitely worked.

"Since then we've had loads of interest from people along the line and appeared on radio stations in Mercia, Oxford and Northampton."

Despite receiving no backing from national radio stations, the track has still managed to make an impact.

Ms Fisher continued: "For some reason national stations don't want to play it, we think it's because it's perceived to be a political song - but we're not political at all, we just wanted to sing about something we care about."

Mr Davis formed the group in 1997 after attending a guitar workshop at Amersham and Wycombe College and they play all over the Chilterns, blending blues, rock, folk and classical.

Ms Fisher added: "It's just so great for all our family and friends who have supported us for so long to see us having a little bit of success."

The track costs 99p to download from iTunes – 50 per cent of the proceeds will go directly to the campaign effort.