As the Lust For Life band (Clem Burke, Glen Matlock, Katie Puckrik, Kevin Armstrong, Luis Correia and Florence Sabeva) hit the road in February/March this year there will be one song in the set-list that will be particularly special for guitarist, Kevin Armstrong.
As Kevin explains in this video, getting the call to work with Bowie on ‘Absolute Beginners’ was a life-changing day for him, not to mention a pretty unique experience for his sister, too!
But how did Kevin’s sister come to be performing backing vocals for David Bowie?
Kevin takes up the story in his recently-published autobiography, Absolute Beginner:
“After twenty minutes of trying various things, we had a structure and shape that seemed to please him. He took a pen and paper and started jotting down lyrics. We recorded the whole thing in one or two takes, and it sounded fucking amazing right off the bat. David seemed really impressed and asked me, Neil, and Matthew to be ready to do the real session in a week’s time at Westside Studios near Ladbroke Grove.
‘Oh, and I need to find a girl singer who sounds like a shopgirl,’ he said.
‘My sister Janet sings a bit, and she works in Dorothy Perkins,’ I ventured.
‘Great,’ he laughed. ‘Get her in.’
This was no idle comment. He really meant it. That really is my sister Jan harmonising sweetly above Bowie on ‘Absolute Beginners’.”
Janet and David Bowie in the studio recording Absolute Beginners
Janet Armstrong recalls the session as follows:
“It was all a bit surreal. The atmosphere that he created in the studio – even before he turned up – was electric and upbeat. I remember Mathew Seligman was making everyone laugh.
When David came in he lit up the room just a bit! He was lovely, chatty and engaged. He listened to people and their ideas and joined all these elements with his to get the track done. When we did the vocals I was really nervous but David was so sweet and encouraging. Mathew suggested some breathing exercises, which he directed. So there I was standing a foot away from the great man himself doing these breathing exercises together!
Then he sang and I joined in, he corrected me on phrasing and I think we only did a couple of takes and that was it. David left shouting ‘see ya’ and went off for a Sunday roast. Like I said, a bit surreal, it was a whirlwind!”
Janet today
You can catch Kevin and the rest of the Lust For Life band at the O2 Academy, Islington on 9th March where Janet will be joining the band on stage to relive that “surreal” experience.
Storm Warning won over plenty of loyal converts on the UK blues rock scene during their fifteen-year existence. I was pleased to review their latest and final album back in the Autumn of 2020. Although an impressive album its release was tinged with sadness, however, as guitarist and founder member, Bob Moore, passed away shortly after recording was completed. None of the remaining members wished to continue so Different Horizons became Storm Warning’s swansong and a lasting tribute to Bob Moore.
Happily, the story doesn’t quite end there. A chance encounter between Storm Warning’s Derek White (bass) and Ian Salisbury (keyboards), with the guitarist Steve Summers and the vocalist Mike Sebbage (both from recording project Rien de Faire) led to the inception of a brand-new band: Long Road Home.
Making their debut appearance at the Cambridge Rock Festival in June 2022 (initially with drummer, Dave Norman, but Lee Morrell was soon to step in on a more permanent basis) the band began planning gigs and putting together their debut album.
Are We Invisible? is the result. Blues rock with a touch of class and bags of soul, the album comprises eleven original tunes and it took no time at all to win me over. Driving rhythms, great vocals, catchy songs, penetrating guitar solos and divinely soulful keyboards, Are We Invisible? is a highly impressive debut.
Slade in the 1970s – my third book for Sonicbond Publishing’s Decades series came out in May 2023, following my books on The Sweet (2021) and Suzi Quatro (2022). All three books are available on Amazon and other major retailers as well as the publisher’s own online shop at Burning Shed.
It’s been great seeing the amount of interest in the book, including a joint interview with Don Powell (pictured here with a copy of my book – definitely a proud author moment!)
Here is a round-up of reviews that have come in so far:
“Covering the titular decade, Johnson provides in-depth analysis release by release, relying heavily on contemporary press. It reads well: interesting, informative and with an amiable personal slant.” – Gerry Ranson RnR magazine
“Another ‘must have’ for the casual Slade fan and anyone who loves a bit of glam rock”– Jason Ritchie, Get Ready To Rock (read full review here)
“As a massive glam rock fan, this is a must-have book” – Martin Hutchinson, Eighth Day magazine
“This neat paperback guide to a glittering 70s heyday recalls a momentous run of singles and albums” – Beat magazine
“As well as listing all single and album tracks, with accompanying background notes, all key elements of the Slade story are covered here.” – Jon Marsh, Wired Up fanzine
Blackbox on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Hastings Old Town is proving to be a superb small music venue for the town. It is pretty much what the name suggests, a 200+ capacity oblong room with the stage across the front, the bar across the back and, unlike many small venues inhabiting reconfigured old buildings, there are no awkwardly-placed pillars or over-congested bars getting in the way of sightlines. Black Box is fast-developing a reputation for pulling in some pretty big-name acts, too. They’ve recently welcomed both Mike Peters from the Alarm and Mark Chadwick from the Levellers and in January they are due to host British Lion, the side-project of Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris. Tonight it’s the turn of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends, Praying Mantis, who are supported by another veteran name of the era, Tytan.
Tytan were the band put together by Angelwitch bassist, Kevin Ruddles, on the demise of the original Angelwitch in the early ’80s. That band also fell apart after a couple of years, although their debut album was eventually released in 1985. Then in 2016 Ruddles reformed Tytan – now fronted by the impressive Tony Coldham who possesses a fantastic rock voice with a great vocal range. Providing top-notch support, Tytan deliver a superb slice of powerful but melodic early 80s heavy metal, performing songs from both their original 1985 album, Rough Justice, and its Iong-awaited 2017 follow-up, Justice Served. I was impressed enough to pick up a copy of the former from the merch desk and would certainly enjoy seeing this band again.
Unlike Tytan, Praying Mantis are a band I have seen live on several occasions in recent years, courtesy of numerous retro-themed hard rock and heavy metal weekends. Although not quite as chequered as the aforementioned Tytan, like many still-touring bands of the original NWOBHM era, Praying Mantis have still have something of a chequered past with various changes in personnel and a long hiatus throughout most of the ‘80s. For the past decade, however, the band’s line-up has been entirely stable with Dutch lead vocalist, John Cuijpers, fronting the band; alongside guitarist Andy Burgess, drummer Hans in’t Zandt and the ever-present Troy brothers, Tino on guitar and Chris on bass. As he alluded to on stage, Tino Troy has recently moved to Hastings which definitely assured him an extra warm welcome tonight. Not exactly a home-coming gig it was more of a housewarming party.
Few bands of the NWOBHM era are able to combine machine-gun heaviness with finely-polished melodiousness quite like Praying Mantis and tonight was no exception. It’s a superb set and the quality of material the band continues to release these days means that they are not simply reliant on old stage favourites – with the eponymously named ‘Praying Mantis’ and the ecologically-themed ‘Children Of The Earth’ from the band’s early days, appearing alongside the excellent ‘Cry For The Nations’ from the band’s 2022 album and other newer material.
An excellent night of old-school heavy metal in a superb local venue.
This is a somewhat unusual blog post for me, being part gig review, part crime report and part trauma therapy.
Starting at the beginning, I was fairly late coming to Barclay James Harvest. I was aware of the likes of ‘Mocking Bird’, of course, but picked up a second-hand compilation from a charity shop in about 2019 and my fasciation grew from there. By the time lockdown came, I found myself tracking down the band’s entire back catalogue on ebay. In fact, there’s only one studio album left I’ve yet to buy.
When I saw that John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest were doing their final tour I decided I just had to be there. With only one remaining UK date I wasn’t particularly keen on a trek all the way up to Huddersfield from my home in Hastings and so I hit on the idea of a trip to Paris. I could meet up with friends and make a long weekend of it. What could be more fun?
It all seemed to be going smoothly but as soon as I got off the Eurostar at Gare du Nord I was followed on to the Metro platform by two men who began assaulting me on the train, one grabbing my bag and trying to pull me over and, unbeknownst to me, the other one making off with my wallet. As soon as I got out off the Metro I got onto my bank to report my cards stolen but in the twelve minutes since boarding the train and reporting my wallet stolen they had still managed to make off with £1,400 from my account. Fortunately, the bank have refunded the missing money but to say it put a damper on the weekend and left me fearful and traumatised was something of an understatement.
In fact, after several panic attacks over the course of the weekend the only time I properly relaxed and felt genuinely safe was when I got inside the Salle Pleyel. Thankfully, the robbers didn’t nick my ticket! A beautifully-designed theatre with the sort of security you’d expect of a venue of this size, I immediately felt the chances of me being mugged by a bunch of elegantly-turned out, ageing French prog fans was pretty much close to zero and I was able to put my experiences to one side and concentrate on immersing myself in the concert that I’d come especially to Paris for.
It meant my first and only time seeing John Lees Barclay James Harvest was memorable for all of the right reasons. An absolutely spell-binding performance, with original BJH member, John Lees (guitar/vocals), being joined by his regular band of Craig Fletcher (bass, vocals), Jez Smith (keyboards) and Kev Whitehead (drums), for two hours of BJH classics spanning a four decade period from the original band’s debut album in 1970 to the North album in 2013.
With a wonderfully-atmospheric light show and a big screen showing the relevant album covers from both the original band and John Lees’ latter-day reconfiguration with the current line-up, it was an emotional evening and Lees was visibly moved by the audience reaction on more than one occasion. This quiet, gentle, self-effacing but supremely-gifted man was happy to let his band-mates do most of the talking but there was, deservedly, a huge amount of love for him in the Salle Pleyel audience.
In terms of musical highlights there are far too many to list but I was particularly moved by ‘Child of the Universe’ (sadly, still all-too relevant in terms of the impact of the horrors of war on the very young); ‘North’ from the current band’s 2013 album of the same name (celebrating the land of my own Lancashire upbringing, from its industrial heritage to its near-constant wet weather); and, of course, the aforementioned ‘Mockingbird. For their encore the band finished with the ecologically-themed ‘Dark Now My Sky’ from the band’s debut album and a beautifully-poignant rendition of ‘Hymn’ which turned into a huge, communal singalong.
A bright spot in an otherwise painful weekend. Thank you John Lees and thank you BJH.
Setlist:
Fifties Child Child of the Universe Poor Man’s Moody Blues In My Life If Love Is King North Cheap the Bullet Mocking Bird For Your Love Loving Is Easy Suicide? Medicine Man The Poet After the Day Dark Now My Sky Hymn
‘Neighbourhood Threat’ a cover of the classic Iggy Pop song released: 1st December 2023
Following glowing reviews, sold-out venues and many, many fun nights, the all-star line-up celebrating Iggy Pop’s classic Lust For Life album have announced a second UK tour. Legendary Blondie drummer, Clem Burke, will once again be joined by former Sex Pistol and punk pioneer, Glen Matlock on bass; broadcaster and Pet Shop Boys dancer, Katie Puckrik on vocals; Iggy Pop and David Bowie collaborator, Kevin Armstrong on guitar; Luis Correia, who’s toured internationally with Earl Slick on second guitar; together with classical pianist, composer, and touring member of Heaven 17, Florence Sabeva on keyboards.
The band will again perform the Lust For Life album in full, as well as revisiting songs from across the individual band members’ careers with legendary artists including Blondie, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols. Some of them will be songs the band performed on the last tour but there will be a few surprises thrown in as well.
Ahead of the tour, a live version of Iggy’s ‘Neighbourhood Threat’ from the classic Lust For Life album will be released as a single on 1st December, recorded live at London’s Lexington on the previous tour back in March this year.
Fronting the band, the irrepressible Katie Puckrik proved a rock ‘n’ roll revelation to many on the last tour. As Clem Burke said: “Katie is fantastic and she’s joined the ranks of the other brilliant women I’ve been fortunate to play with: Debbie, Annie, Nancy, Wanda, The Go Go’s and Joan!”
Katie Puckrik: “Touring Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life in 2023 felt like a homecoming. My broadcast career had long steered me away from my original calling as a performer, from dancing onstage with The Fall and Michael Clark Company, touring the world with Pet Shop Boys, and singing in Sparks’ opera The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, both on the original cast recording and in performance. So to embody the funny/dirty/tart/smart songs of the magnificent Iggy Pop was an electrifying rebirth. Every single gig was a communion with a frothing room of Pop-aholics, and it’s thanks to the crowds who danced and hollered along to Lust For Life, The Passenger, and the rest of Iggy’s anthems, that we get to do it all over again. Once again I’ll be elevated by some of Iggy, Bowie and Blondie’s most beloved players, including Clem Burke, Glen Matlock and Kevin Armstrong, and I’m warning you—this band is a joy machine!”
Three of the band members, Glen Matlock, Clem Burke and Kevin Armstrong, have toured with Iggy Pop and each has made an album with him: Glen Matlock (Soldier) in 1980, Clem Burke (Zombie Birdhouse) in 1982 and Kevin Armstrong (Blah Blah Blah) in 1986.
Glen Matlock: “To be on stage with these fellow like-minded guys and gals and celebrate our collective musical ancestries is always a pleasure, so come on down and let’s all hit the roof together.”
Clem Burke:“I’m really looking forward to once again playing with this great group of friends and musicians. All aboard for more Funtime!”
Lust For Life tour – what they say:
“One hell of a gig.” – Tim Keppie, Record Collector magazine
“Puckrik leads a performance of riotous energy and no mean volume.” – Chris Roberts, Classic Rock magazine
“If you’re my generation, this is a blast.” – Neil McCormick, chief music critic – The Telegraph
“Great gig. Great band. Brilliant night.” – Marc Riley, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter
The full 2024 tour dates are as follows:
Wed 28 Feb – Arts Centre, Colchester
Thur 29 Feb – Arts Centre, Colchester **SOLD OUT**
Following on from her hugely enjoyable gig at the Albert Hall last year, Suzi Quatro is currently touring the UK once again. An almost capacity-crowd packed out Brighton Dome to witness Quatro mark her half-century since first topping the UK charts with ‘Can The Can’.
The set-list is largely the same as for the Albert Hall performance, spanning the Suzi Quatro back catalogue from 1973 right up to the present day. However, there have been a couple of new albums since last April’s Albert Hall gig and we get a song apiece from each of those: her covers release, Uncovered (here represented by Quatro’s storming interpretation of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’.) and her duet album with KT Tunstall, Face To Face (here represented by ‘Shine A Light’).
Like last year, there’s no support – just two hour-long sets of pure unadulterated Suzi with just a short break in the middle. Of course, last year’s prestigious Albert Hall gig saw a handful of special guests take the stage, too, in the form of Sweet’s Andy Scott, Slade’s Don Powell and Suzi’s own son, Richard Tuckey. But in truth, hugely enjoyable though these cameos were, no special guests are needed. Quatro’s backing band (these days incorporating female backing singers and a brass section in addition to the classic bass-drums-keyboards-guitar configuration) are absolutely shit-hot.
The first half sees the various phases of Quatro’s fifty-year solo career well-represented, as are the different sides of her on-stage musical persona. From the big glam-era hits like ‘Daytona Demon’ and ’48 Crash’; to the emotive balladry of ‘Can I Be Your Girl?’ from early ‘80s Unreleased Emotion album; to songs from the two critically-acclaimed albums written with son, Richard, No Control and The Devil In Me; to a blistering cover of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’.
Now back on stage in her trademark leather jumpsuit, there’s another blast of her more recent material in the second half, including the magnificent ‘Motor City Riders’ celebrating Quatro’s Detroit heritage, as well as more Chinn/Chapman-penned hits and a stomping version of ‘Glycerine Queen’ from Quatro’s first album which is then followed by a pumping extended bass solo.
Soon it’s time for the two songs absolutely everyone has been waiting all night for: ‘Can The Can’ and ‘Devil Gate Drive’. And Suzi implores us all to get up on our feet for these. Sadly, we also know this incredible show is drawing to a close but there’s still time for a joyful, life-affirming communal sing-along to ‘Can’t Give Me Love’ followed by an incendiary rendition of Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Rock n Roller’. For her final encore Suzi puts down her bass and takes a stool to give us a spellbinding rendition of the Eagles ‘Desperado’.
An incredible show. An incredible fifty years.
Setlist:
The Wild One I May Be Too Young Daytona Demon Tear Me Apart Shine a Light Stumblin’ In 48 Crash No Soul/No Control The Devil In Me Slow Down Rockin’ in the Free World Can I Be Your Girl? Motor City Riders I Sold My Soul Today Bad Moon Rising She’s in Love With You Overload Too Big Glycerine Queen Can the Can Devil Gate Drive If You Can’t Give Me Love Sweet Little Rock & Roller Desperado
My book ‘Suzi Quatro In The 1970s’ published by Sonicbond is available here
In a new collaboration, the former Traffic musician and all-round rock legend, Dave Mason, has teamed up with blues rock icon, Joe Bonamassa, to record a brand-new version of Traffic’s ‘Dear Mr Fantasy’ which was originally released back in 1967 on the band’s debut album, Mr Fantasy.
Although written by Traffic’s Steve Winwood, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi, the song has been a mainstay of Mason’s live set throughout his solo career and he’s expressed his delight about re-revisiting the track and in working with Bonamassa for a contemporary take on a seasoned classic.
Dave Mason:“Fantasy has been a favourite song of mine since its release in 1967. I’ve played it live for years in a number of different arrangements. As I’ve often said, there are no old songs, just good songs, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy,’ in my mind, is one of the finest examples around.”
“To have the opportunity to incorporate one of the modern-day great guitar players, Joe Bonamassa, is as exciting to me as playing with Jimi Hendrix. He is the first person I wanted to include on this new version of ‘Fantasy.’The combination of talent with great song structure is exhilarating to me, and I knew Joe would play it like nobody else. He has a uniquely keen sense of precise timing, unobstructed by a bluesy groove that’s perfect for this song. He brings everything up, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy’ is both classic and current, an exceptionally difficult balance to do but Joe Bonamassa pulled it off powerfully with grace and genius.”
The new version of “Dear Mr. Fantasy” featuring Dave Mason with Joe Bonamassa is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Fans and critics alike hail Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason as one of the most talented songwriters and guitarists in the world – which is why he is still performing over 100 shows a year to sold-out crowds. Best known for his soulful voice and unsurpassed guitar playing, Dave founded two bands by the age of 15: The Deep Feeling, and The Hellions. At 18, the Worcester, England native teamed up with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood to form the legendary band Traffic. At 19, Mason penned the song “Feelin’ Alright.” The rock anthem, first recorded by Traffic and then covered by dozens of other artists (including Joe Cocker), cemented both Dave’s and Traffic’s legacy, and had a profound influence over rock music that continues today.
About Joe Bonamassa:
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 13x Blues Music Award Nominee (4 wins), he achieved his 27th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his latest release, Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 40 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party.
Blues-rock slide guitarist and singer-songwriter, Troy Redfern, releases a new single from his forthcoming album this week. ‘Getaway’ is the second single taken from his coming studio album Invocation which is scheduled for release in 2024.
Troy Redfern: “Getaway is about cutting yourself some slack. It’s about transforming your life, even if there are difficult decisions to be made. As they say, from the mud grows the lotus.”
‘Getaway’ follows Redfern’s 2023 summer festival appearances including Steelhouse, Maid in Stone, and Rawa Blues Festival in Poland where he performed to a crowd of 7,000.
The new single is released just prior to a November 2023 UK tour supporting guitar prodigy Philip Sayce. Tickets available via https://troyredfern.com/dates.
‘Getaway’ is produced by Dave Marks and mixed by Jo Webb. The new single features Troy Redfern (guitar, vocals), Paul Stewart (drums), and Dave Marks (bass).
Photo credit: Jason Bridges
Troy Redfern:“On ‘Getaway’ and the forthcoming album, I wanted to write and record songs that were bigger and ballsier than what has come before. The new songs embrace more of the rockier elements of my writing and playing. I’ve also given myself the creative freedom to explore and feel out other styles or aspects of my writing that have not been heard on any of my other albums.”
“As an artist I feel it’s important to keep pushing and striving to refine your art, while staying true to your vision. It is important to know who you are as an artist, and on ‘Getaway’ and the upcoming album, I think I have finally perfected my own contemporary signature sound.”
Kent-based blues rock band Big River were formed back in 2016, taking their inspiration from that early 1970s golden era of blues rock and turning out a nice line in meaty rhythm, soulful vocals, catchy hooks and big fat riffs and lush guitar solos. Adam Barron took over as lead singer of Big River in 2021 but had previously worked with that giant of blues rock, Mick Ralphs, as lead singer of the Mick Ralphs Blues Band. I catch up with Adam to discuss his time working with Ralphs, his joining Big River and Big River’s latest single ‘Wings’.
You’ve never made any secret of your love for that classic era of blues rock from the late ‘60s and early 1970s. I was still a toddler when Free were formed and still at infant school when Bad Company started out – and I’m considerably older than you! So where does your love of those bands and that whole era of music come from then?
I’ve always loved music. My mum loved music, not all of it to my taste now. But she did particularly love Queen. So I remember listening to a lot of Queen when I was a child. And also this particularly brilliant cassette. A triple cassette album called Sixty Number Ones of the Sixties. And I loved that – and that had a bit of everything on. But when it came to classic rock and blues rock, that was when I went to secondary school. I was about 12 or 13 and a friend of mine lent me a copy of the Free album Fire and Water. And I still remember listening to it that first time and it was like a thunderbolt went off. I was like, “Oh my god. This is what I want to do with my life.” And from there I kind of listened to everything I could find and this was obviously not quite pre-internet but very early internet so we didn’t have everything at the touch of a button. But I remember watching an interview with Paul Rodgers where he said, “If you want to be as good as your heroes, don’t listen to them. Listen to who they listened to.” So that’s where I kind of went back. To Muddy Waters and all the classic soul singers, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. So really Free and Bad Company were like the gateway for me into all of that incredible music.
You had to do some real detective work, didn’t you, pre-internet? To track albums down and work out who recorded what!
Absolutely. That’s why I often say that my musical knowledge is like a map of the world that’s partially been eaten by mice. There’s some bits that I know loads about and then others that just completely escaped me. I’ve actually started a little project recently with a group of friends of mine where they give me classic albums from the ‘70s onwards and if I haven’t listened to it as an album, it goes on my list. So that I can start filling in some of those gaps!
Before taking on lead vocals for Big River you’d previously worked with Bad Company’s Mick Ralphs in the Mick Ralphs Blues Band. Can you tell us how that came about?
It was just one of those fortuitous things really. They were looking for a new singer. They had been around for a little while with another singer.
Because you were the second singer with them? They’d done one album with another vocalist first?
Yeah they did. And a friend of mine, who I had met when I was a teenager at the first jam night I ever went to, he sent me a message and said, “Oh, this is a bit of you, isn’t it?” And it was a Facebook post saying they were looking for singers. And I was like, “Christ! Yeah, that is a bit of me!” So I got in contact, sent some video clips and stuff and they invited me up for an audition. And I got the job. Yeah!
I still remember that first tour. It was about this time of year – a bit earlier than this time of year – and they had a run of gigs up to Christmas. We had a few days rehearsing in a little rehearsal studio up in High Wycombe. And I still remember just standing there and listening to that unforgettable and almost indescribable big sound that Mick produced. And it wasn’t even when he was playing a Bad Company song. He was playing an old blues one. I can’t remember off the top of my head what it was but I was facing the other way and he was behind me. And you know those great guitarists when you just know it’s them? And yeah it was outrageous. And I never lost that feeling of wonder really. Just sharing the stage with him and seeing the things he could do with a very simple set up of a guitar and an amp and pretty much nothing else.
And how long were you with Mick Ralphs Blues Band for?
So it was a few years. It got cut short.
Yes it all came to an end, sadly.
Yeah, we had just done a run of gigs and then he’d gone back on the road with Bad Company and we’d all gone up to watch the big last show at the O2 – which was just nuts. It was so good. And then, unfortunately, a couple of days later was when he had a stroke and that put paid to the band. But most importantly, he’s still with us. Obviously it put paid to the band which was a great shame for the music but also just because we had so much fun. Getting in a transit van and driving around to these gigs and just listening to Mick tell us the most amazing stories.
I wrote at the time that you joined Big River, after the previous vocalist departed, that you seemed like an ideal fit for the band. And around that time Simon Gardiner came in on bass, too. Was it a comfortable band to slot into?
Yeah, absolutely. I’ve known Damo (Fawsett – Big River founder and guitarist) for a few years and we’d done a couple of bits and bobs together and he always struck me as a lovely guy. I’ve always known he’s a great guitarist. And when he asked me, we were just coming to the tail-end of lockdown and I was itching to do something. As most of us musicians or music lovers were. We were itching to be either playing gigs or going to gigs. So I went and had a rehearsal and none of us had played for months, if not years because of everything that had gone on. And so we all said at the beginning it really doesn’t matter how it sounds because we’re all going to be as rusty as fuck. What really matters is how does it feel. And it felt great. It felt natural. It felt loads of fun. And it has done ever since really.
It probably felt like a new band for all four of you, not just you as a newcomer, I suppose?
Absolutely. It was like Big River Mark II as we say. Because it was just a fresh start, not because of me but because of the timing. Eighteen months of not gigging meant that we were all kind of chomping at the bit. And then Simon (Gardiner – Big River Bass-player) came along who’ve I’ve known for a long time. He used to gig with Rosco Levee and the Southern Slide and I’ve known Ros since I was 16. So he came in and, again, we had a few people who auditioned because Ant, our previous bass-player who’s a lovely guy who we all still get on well with, just couldn’t put the time or commitment in. Which is unfortunately one of the joys of being a grown-up trying to be in a band as well. And Simon came along and auditioned and, again, it was just that thing. It felt right. And it’s taken us in a slightly different direction which is really good as well.
And so you’ve been with them two years now?
Yeah, it’s coming up to two and a half years.
And you’ve gigged quite extensively as well as recording the EP Beautiful Trauma?
Yeah absolutely. I mean what I really love is in previous bands I’ve almost been – I use the phrase – a gun for hire. Because I would quite often be brought in to a project for the voice. Which is great and I’ve done some incredible things and I’ve had the most fun. But this was a different animal. It was coming in to be part of a band and write the music and get out there and play it. And I’ve found that such an enjoyable experience. I absolutely love sitting down with the boys in a room and thrashing out a new song and seeing what’s going to pop out. Because we’ve got four musicians who all write. And it might be an idea from Joe or it might be a fully-fledged song or it might be just a riff from Damo or it might be a thing on my ukulele or whatever it is. And it starts with this little seed and by the end of a couple of sessions of thrashing it about we’re like, “Oh! Well that’s what it is.”
So you feel like you are fully involved in this band creatively then and not simply the ‘voice for hire’ as it were?
Yeah absolutely. And it’s flexing a whole kind of different muscle that was a bit underdeveloped before.
Had you written much before you joined Big River then?
Yeah bits and pieces. But I’ve never really had the vehicle for it. And although I can find my way around a piano and I can play the ukulele a bit, I could never quite get the ideas in my head out on to an instrument because I didn’t quite have the technical ability. So, for me, when I had written before it always tended to be with someone. And that was always a bit few and far between. But with these boys it’s just really natural.
You released your latest single, ‘Wings’, last week. Are you pleased with the response it’s been getting so far?
Yeah, I am. We started playing it at gigs over the summer. It’s written by Simon our bass-player and when he brought it to us, I said, “Oh Simon, we’ve got one here!” I said, “This is the set-ender.” And he said, “Really? It’s quite slow.” And I said this is the big finish. And we played around with it and ended up coming up with the massive outro at the end where Damo really gets to let loose and open up. I knew it was going to go down well and it did go down well – as soon as we started playing it at gigs. So I was hopeful that it would have a similar response when the single came out and, yeah, we’ve had some really, really lovely responses. And quite a bit of radio play which is really nice. The main aim is we want people to hear it.
And what next for Big River?
We’ve got a couple of gigs left this year. We supported Brave Rival at the 100 Club a few weeks ago and it was joyous. Absolutely joyous. Those guys are bang on it. They deserve all the plaudits they are getting because they’re fantastic. And we’ve really enjoyed supporting them and we had a lovely, magical, impromptu live music moment where, after a little chat before soundcheck, we ended up getting the girls up to sing ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ with me, which was just amazing. It was so good. And they’ve invited us to come and support them again at the 229 (London) on 16th November which we’re really looking forward to. And then the big one, the last gig of the year which we’re over the moon about is Friday 1st December and that’s at Planet Rockstock which we are really excited about. And that’s it for gigs this year but we are already booking studio time. We’ve got another three or four songs that are pretty much ready to record.
So will it be another EP or are you working on an album?
We’re going to bring an EP out in the Spring and then the aim is to have a full album out in the Autumn of next year. One thing we have been a bit slow with and it’s because, unfortunately, we’re all family men with jobs and real lives, is getting new music out. We’ve kept it ticking over but next year we want to get a lot of new music out.
So plenty to look forward to for Big River fans. Is there anything else you want to tell us before we wrap up?
We’ve really loved getting out in front of new people this year and adding to our dedicated and loyal fanbase. And we love seeing those familiar faces. We love seeing those Big River T-shirts. And we just look forward to seeing everyone out there at another festival or another gig next year and hopefully bring in whole new army of Big River fans with them.
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