Featuring... Out In LA, The Brother's Cup, Me And My Friends, Special Secret Song, Higher Ground, Stone Cold Bush, Give It Away, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Under The Bridge, Sir Psycho Sexy, Suck My Kiss, Aeroplane, Around The World, Californication, Scar Tissue, By The Way, Can't Stop, Hump De Bump, Tell Me Baby, Dani California, and many more...

Brighton's Hold Fire are a band in their early 20s who write great songs together. Their music inspires the same sense of wellbeing as a brisk walk on the seafront on a sunny day: your heart beats a little bit faster, the colour comes to your cheeks – you’re glad to be alive.

Formed in 2002, singer and guitarist Clark would idle away hours during Science lessons, creating imaginary albums and song titles, but needed a band of geniuses to help them become a reality. School friends Sam (bass, vocals) and Richard (guitar, vocals) stepped forward and, discovering a shared love of epic choruses with huge melodies, the origins of Hold Fire were born!

Fast forward 4 years and together with Drummer Steve, the band have been steadily creating a name for themselves and developing a strong fan base. Amongst their achievements they have played in front of over 11,000 people at Brighton's Party In The Park, been asked to support the likes of The Kooks, One Night Only, The Hoosiers and Air Traffic, as well as releasing several sold out, self-funded EPs. They've also made a few friends at Radio 1 and XFM, having gained exposure from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Claire Sturgess and John Kennedy and being one of the most requested bands on local radio.

In the summer of 2007, the band started working on several new tracks with Producer Ian Davenport at Oxfordshire's Courtyard studios, home to Radiohead and Supergrass. Also having been greatly impressed with the band's home demos, Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Idlewild) invited Hold Fire to work together on a couple of songs, the results of which have launched a huge interest from various labels and publishers.

Early 2008 saw the band putting on their own club night - The Trigger Club - taking place every other month in Brighton and featuring various local acts, including themselves, to a sold out venue each time. The band recently completed a sun-kissed string of dates in Southern France and have released their debut 7" single in Japan - a truly international take on things!

Guitarist and singer Barry Barnes is one of Europe's most active enthusiasts working to keep alive the music and memory of Rory Gallagher.

Since 1996 Barry has organized the annual Rory Gallagher tribute gig at Dukinfield Town Hall, near Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancashire, making this the first, and the longest running Rory Tribute in the world. Currently established as one of the main events on the Rory calendar, and forced to re-locate to Sheffield, it continues to grow and now 'The Rory Gig' attracts audiences in excess of four hundred people from throughout the UK and abroad.

The same impetus to celebrate Rory's genius led Barry to form a tribute band with two like-minded musicians - bassist Dave Burns and, more recently drummer Steve Tansley. Both Dave and Steve are lifelong Rory fans, not just some rhythm section that Barry has cobbled together, and it shows! Together as Sinnerboy and driven by belief, enthusiasm and passion, it's the bands stated aim to be amongst the best Rory Gallagher tribute acts in the world.

Sinnerboy are ever-presents at all the major Rory festivals throughout the world and were Donal Gallagher's choice of band for the first London festival at Hammersmith (Donal calls them his favourite 'boy' band!)

Playing live is what Sinnerboy do best. Anyone who has seen them will tell you, it's all about energy and passion, strong songs played with verve. But how else could you approach playing Rory's music?

Their repertoire numbers over forty songs (and rising), with material from every stage of Rory's career including his early days with Taste. Bullfrog Blues, Walk On Hot Coals, Tattooed Lady, Shadow Play, Moonchild and many more are the essential ingredients of every Sinnerboy set.

For Sinnerboy, keeping the music of Rory Gallagher alive and live for people who love to hear it is all that matters ...and don't look for three guys on stage poncing about in wigs trying to look like three other guys, what you get with this band is all out passionate Rory Gallagher music!

THIS IS NOT CABARET!

“Mick Slacker & Co's tongue in cheek tribute act just gets better and better. The Bog Rolling Stones have earned a reputation as one of the most authentic sounding tribute acts around. Their tongue in cheek humour, wigs, stripy trousers and boundless energy make them an act not to be missed.”

– That’s how Andy and the boys are usually billed for their famous full throttle tribute shows. Over the last 4 years, The Cellars has hosted the boys in a more informal guise. Without the outfits and with a more acoustic sound, they deliver a set which features all the hits, but also some of the less well known album stuff which they don’t perform in their full show and which Stones fans really enjoy. The friendly atmosphere this creates is worth checking out – one of our most popular events.

Out on the wilds of Bodmin Moor, little Rosie Vanier was wrestling with obsession.

There were her eccentric parents’ obsessions: extrovert mum (from Bristol) and cosmic dad (a part-Native American lovechild from South America) were self-taught folk musicians who decided they had to take their music round Europe – on a tandem.

Then, in search of the good life, they moved to deepest Cornwall, to the moors, to a plot of a land with no electricity.

The only heat came from chasing the chickens (for food) and riding the horses (for fun). For Rosie and her older sister, TV was nothing more than a rumour.

At the local primary, the entire school roll – Rosie, her sister and one other girl – spent long days copying calligraphy cards.

The school didn’t have much, but what it did have was a profusion of shiny red metallic paper. ‘I spent a lot of time making things out of that,’ Rosie recalls brightly. ‘Anything sparkly became an obsession in this barren landscape.’

To this day, Rosie red. By the time the tiny school closed down – three pupils weren’t enough to justify a staff of six – and Rosie moved to a proper school, she was hopelessly behind in bog-standard learnin’ stuff. (But if you wanted a beautifully inscribed and designed Valentine’s card, Rosie was your chick.)

Meanwhile, back home at cold comfort farm, Rosie was being locked away in her bedroom. Her musician parents were self-taught; perhaps unwilling to condemn their daughters to a career pedaling around Europe (if Rosie ever went on tour, it would be transit van or nothing), they insisted they have piano lessons, and that they spend hours in their room practicing.

A resentful Rosie, never one to take anything sitting down, would spend most of her practice time hovering over the keys, ‘attacking it! That’s one of the reasons I beat up the piano on stage now – revenge!’ she laughs.

Rosie mentions her song Butterfly, a punchy two-fingers (imagine Kate Bush fronting Goldfrapp) to a boy who ‘was a real maggot’. She says there are a lot of boys like that in Launceston, the small Cornwall town in which she spent her teens. ‘They drive these fancy chav cars and they add all the alloys and stuff. But all that’s inside is this gross little maggot driving. And I just want to stamp on them! It’s venting an aggression but also a love for all that ‘cause it’s so ridiculous.’

And anyway, that aggression has deeper roots: ‘Butterfly was one of the first songs I wrote and I was getting really pissed off, and I started smacking the shit out of the piano. That was something I used to do at piano practice, and then eventually something I did at gigs as well. I’ve cut back a bit now. I’m not quite so angry these days.’

And no wonder. These days, Rosie’s obsessions find form in the glam-stomp pop dramas that make her band one of the most exciting young bands in Britain, and that make her an excitingly glamazon frontwoman.

These days Rosie’s got the Goldbug – aka drummer Plums and bass player Pixie – with whom to fight her battles. These days, Rosie’s escaped Cornwall and found a new obsession: recording the most thrilling debut album of 2008.

Under the glasscrete pavements of Fitzrovia, Rosie And The Goldbug are beavering away. Squirreled into a tiny basement studio in central London, Rosie, Pixie and Plums – and the occasional cellist pal – are working with producer Jim Eliot.

He’s the sonic wunderkind who’s half of Kish Mauve, the electro-pop duo whose song 2 Hearts Kylie Minogue covered for her comeback single. ‘They’re like a really cool Blondie with an electronic twist,’ offers Pixie by way of explaining why the West Country trio chose to work with Eliot. ‘That’s what fascinated us – we wanted to bring a bit of that into our music.’

‘He’s young as well,’ adds Plums, ‘so it feels like he’s on the same wavelength as well.’

It’s a dream partnership, the fruits of which are immediately obvious on Lover and War Of The Roses. The former is an epic, boogie-down anthem of lust; the latter is a hammering synth-pop belter. As if Giorgio Moroder was rebooted as a noughties Cornish indie-diva (instead of being an old Italian bloke).

Rosie: ‘It’s really feisty, like a kick in the balls – not that I have any balls. It’s great to play live. It’s about being pissed off with someone not coming home and throwing away the stuff you made for their dinner. Although it’s less about the lyrics than the emotion of making a fuck-off noise.’

Plums: ‘If you’re a bit pissed off, put it on and jump around for a bit. That’ll sort you out.’

Pixie: ‘It’s almost like a Thin Lizzy tune but on a synth. It’s quite heavy actually.’

Rosie: ‘It’s definitely got a bit of metal in it.’

The energy and excitement of both songs betray the serious amount of gigging the band have put in during their short existence: they spent most of last year ‘gigging like maniacs’, performing some 150 shows all over the south-west and in London, attracting the interest of management, promoters, publishers and labels in the process.

They formed in early 2007: Rosie, who’d studied music at Roehampton University outside London – ‘the course was all about studying pretentious jazz modes and it made me realise I wanted to just write three chord pop tunes and rebel’ – had returned to Cornwall to start a band. Pixie is her sister’s boyfriend; his compact stature and – to be frank – his pointy ears account for his nickname.

But there’s nothing petite about his playing: he wallops out big fat bass sounds. It’s as if he’s channelling the pound and roar of the sea he grew up with, courtesy of hippie-surfer parents and a childhood/youth that was largely spent in a beachside caravan.

Plums and Pixie were at university in Exmouth together (in fact, they still are). Then, Plums’ old band supported Rosie’s old band.

Rosie, fed up fronting a band full of belchin’ ‘n’ fartin’ lads who seemed intent on playing boring old indie-guitar wank, saw an escape route. After all, Plums is like no other drummer you’ve ever seen. She’s mesmerising onstage, all Keith Moon limbs and Aladdin Sane attitude.

Maybe some of that comes from her time as a teenage member of Kagemusha Taiko, an internationally renowned Exeter-based Japanese drumming group, maybe it just comes from the fact that Plums is, like both her band-mates, a full-force character. Rosie And The Goldbug are a trio with three razor-sharp points.

‘I saw Plums on the drums,’ recalls Rosie, ‘and I was like, I have to be in a band with her! I kept on phoning and texting her and eventually she said yes.’

There was an immediate connection – one that deepened when Rosie wrote Heartbreak. It’s a robo-disco throbber, propelled by a rich, sob-in-the-throat vocals from the frontwoman, plus a beautifully evocative middle-eight built round cello.

‘It’s actually about Plums when she came out about being a lezzer,’ says the spade’s-a-fricking-spade singer in this profoundly close-knit band. ‘And it was such a sweet moment, ‘cause it was all very hard for her - she actually thought we were gonna kick her out the band for it!’

‘I thought they’d think I was spreading disease or something,’ laughs Plums.

‘And I just thought it was so beautiful - she blossomed into this little flower. So the lyrics are really basic but it’s all about saying, what does it matter? Nothing else matters but love.’

How does Plums feel about this? Chuffed to bits, it seems. ‘I think it’s really cool - I feel empowered as a gay!’

Rosie’s writing has been blossoming in other ways too. Last year, in between all those gigs, at the suggestion of London music publishers, Rosie spent time writing with Marcella Detroit (formerly of Shakespear’s Sister) and Glasgow band El Presidente.

‘I learnt a lot from Marcella. One thing I didn’t realise is, I find it hard to write about myself – I like writing about other people and telling stories,’ she notes, something her wild Cornish upbringing perhaps made inevitable. ‘She picked up on that and made me write some songs about myself. I know it seems quite an obvious thing but I was quite insecure about it.

Some artists write about themselves so much it makes me wanna vomit, it’s just disgusting, so I was steering well away from that. But she said, at the end of the day, people do want to ear a little about you. We wrote one song together like that, Soldier Blues.’

El Presidente, meanwhile, brought something else to the party. For all her love of Kate Bush and Tori Amos, Rosie also loves cheesy Eighties nonsense – the band’s cover of Duran Duran’s Planet Earth is a highlight of their live set – and a bit of a party. ‘And some of our stuff had gotten a bit heavy and complicated,’ admits this ever-candid pop-star-in-waiting, ‘and El Presidente’s music is just up and having it – I felt I wanted a bit of that, so we wrote You’ve Changed together.’

It’s time to get back to work, to get back beneath the pavement, back into the tiny hive of creativity in which Rosie And The Goldbug are finishing off an album that manages to be both slinky and throbby, intimate and powerful, emotional and hedonistic, big and clever.

Backed by her two kindred spirits Rosie – the little girl who had to explore her own imagination out in the empty wilds of Bodmin Moor – is determined to see out her own vision, no compromise nor short-cuts nor interference allowed. So much so that the band are forming their own label to release their album.

The ‘Goldbug’ name, meanwhile, comes from a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, whose gothic grandeur Rosie has long felt an affinity for.

‘The imagery he conjured up, I could really relate to it from where I grew up – the darkness hit home. I just carry a lot of my weird childhood with me wherever I go. Also, I liked the idea of having a name like Siouxsie and the Banshees or Adam and the Ants. And I like a lot of Egyptian and 1920s imagery, so the scarab beetle really fitted with that.

‘And also, Plums and Pixie together this noise just like a goldbug: this big bass and drums, which are the driving force behind my piano. Together, the three of us are just rocking it.’

The battered piano, throbbing beats, buzzpop psychodrama and disco-diva magic of Rosie and the Goldbug – coming soon to The Cellars.

Arriving on the back of punk rock and a gymnastic performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, his first single, the half-spoken love song "Really Free" soared to number 27 in the UK Singles Chart. It would be his greatest success for some time. However, the song did earn him a five album deal with Polydor Records, who thought he was a punk rather than merely eccentric. His first album, recorded with Wild Willy Barrett, was produced by Pete Townshend but sold only fitfully. The follow up singles fared no better despite some imaginative promotion, which included an offer for Otway to come to a lucky buyer's house and perform the single if their copy was one of the few from which the vocal had been omitted.

Despite that, his live audience remained loyal, due to Otway's manic energy and the probability of physical injury during renditions of songs such as "Headbutts". His autobiography (subtitled "Rock and Roll's greatest failure") was a study in self-deprecation, and his touring continued to sustain him. By 1993 he could draw 2,500 fans to a gig in London and in 1998 4,000 celebrated his birthday with him at the Royal Albert Hall, coinciding with the release of Premature Adulation, his first album of new material for over ten years.

By then, Otway had realised he could use his fanbase, who were in on the joke, to engage in minor publicity stunts. A well orchestrated grassroots campaign saw his "Beware Of The Flowers Cause I'm Sure They're Going To Get You Yeah" voted the seventh greatest lyric of all time in a BBC poll, but his finest moment came in 2002. Asked what he wanted for his 50th birthday, he requested "A second hit". A concerted drive, including a poll, scrutinised by the Electoral Reform Society, to select the track, saw "Bunsen Burner" — with music sampled from the Trammps classic "Disco Inferno" and lyrics devised to help his daughter with her chemistry homework — reach the UK number 9 on 6 October, and earned Otway an appearance on Top Of The Pops, BBC Television's flagship popular music programme.

To encourage fans to buy more than one copy each of the single, he released three different versions. The flip side of "Bunsen Burner — The Hit Mix" was a cover of "The House of the Rising Sun" recorded at Abbey Road Studios and featured 900 of his fans on backing vocals, each of whom was credited by name on the single's sleeve.

Thanks to this second hit he has now been able to release his Greatest Hits album (note the s, he's very proud of it, having "finally got it on the right side of Hit").

John Otway currently tours as a solo act; as a duo with Richard Holgarth (also of Eddie and the Hot Rods; and often with his Big Band which includes Murray Torkildsen, Seymour, Adam Batterbee and guest keyboard player Barry Upton.

Throughout 2005 and 2006 Otway teamed up with The Hamsters and Wilko Johnson as part of The Mad, The Bad & The Dangerous Tour. A DVD of the tour was released in 2007.

He also delivers occasional (humorous) lectures on the theme, "Making success out of failure".

A world tour was planned in October 2006. Otway, his band and 300 fans were to embark on a world tour with gigs in Las Vegas, Sydney, Shanghai and Dubai. However, due to insufficient numbers (150 signed up) the tour was cancelled.

John now has a motorcycle club of dedicated fans called Beware of the Flowers MCC. Members are all Otway fans that also ride bikes.

Angela Brown is certainly a Blues Diva – ‘raucous, raunchy and rumbustious’ are just some of the words used to describe this great singer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Angela began her musical career by singing gospel music in church and performing with school choirs.  Although she was aware of the blues, she didn’t devote herself to singing them until around 1980, when she played the role of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey in a stage musical. Inspired by the music, she worked, honing her craft, in numerous Chicago blues clubs, often accompanied by pianists Little Brother Montgomery, Erwin Helfer or Lovie Lee, or sharing the stage with her music friends, the likes of ‘Blind’ John Davis, Pinetop Perkins, B.B. King, Georgie Fame, Long John Baldry…the list goes on. Her Debut recordings were released by the Red Beans label in 1983, and the first album under her own name was made in 1987 for the German label, Schubert Records. She was dubbed "The Bessie Smith of the Eighties"and later the 90’s, a deserved title given her strong renditions of vaudeville blues material. Her powerful voice is also well-suited to more modern blues and jazz styles, becoming a popular attraction at festivals all over the world; not only vocally, but for her onstage presence and oomph!! Angela has been included in The Guinness Book, ‘Who’s Who of Blues’, and the new ‘Virgin´s Encyclopedia of the Blues’, making her one of the few Living Legends in Blues Music today. Past years have seen Angela voted in France "International Chanteuse De L´Annee 1999", and in the U.K. "Overseas Female Artist of the Year and her album "Thinking Out Loud” with her English band The Mighty 45s was runner up as the UK Album of the Year 2000. 2005 CD release Angela Brown and Jan Luley’s "Wings of Blues". 2006 saw the release of Angela and her favourite 4 piece band, The Mighty 45s, new C. "In A Dangerous Mood."

A maker of delicate yet stubborn songs, an instinctive traveller, a human scrapbook.

Kirsty McGee’s songs show a depth and sensitivity, coupled with a dark, wry sense of humour that have earned her national daytime radio airplay and two BBC folk award nominations, not to mention a host of notable fans and collaborators such as Boo Hewerdine, Karine Polwart and Mike West.

Her ‘vaudebilly’ style combines traditional American instruments with a 1930s style sense of cabaret.

With this European tour which will take her to Belgium, Holland, Norway and Spain as well as the UK, Kirsty celebrates the release of ‘The Kansas Sessions’, her fourth studio album of original material, produced and recorded under a hard mid-west winter in Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

She will be appearing with long term collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Mat Martin.

Here's some nice words other people have written about Kirsty's music:

"Shivering, hollering, edgy, dark, delightful, disturbing, involving, beautifully phrased acoustic music' - The Living Tradition

"Perfect understatement - not an extraneous word or note" - Karine Polwart

"Absolutely superb, memorable... I love her songs, I love her way" - Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2

"A quiet triumph" - Folk Roots

Check back soon!

Fresh meat on the rock star radar - are The Hot Melts, a sizzling, power pop foursome, from The Wirral; Liverpool.

With influences ranging from Weezer to Eddie Cochran and Happy Days 50’s rock 'n' roll, bubblegum nostalgia, the Melts debut single “(I Wish I Had) Never Been In Love” captures the quartets’ unique, raw diversity, and is due for release on the 20th October through Epitaph records brand new joint venture with Wonderland.

Will Baylis- singer/songwriter, Jack Prince- drums, Johnny Green- guitar, Jamie Otsa- Bassist mix the best sounds of both sides of the Atlantic; with the US typical big, hard-riffin’ sound and punchy Liverpudlian skullduggery.

Singer and songwriter of The Hot Melts - Will tries to sum up the band by comparing them to film:“If we were a film, I’d say The Hot Melts would be The Royal Tenenbaums. I love Wes Anderson films. They’re hilariously funny, but also massively, soul-destroyingly depressing.”

So far the Melts have cut their teeth touring with The Pigeon Detectives, The Hold Steady and Albert Hammond Jr as well as appearing at this year’s 02 Wireless Festival.

Toby Walker is a unique, accomplished fingerstyle guitar virtuoso adept at blues, rags and hot country picking, coaxing more out of a guitar than anyone can imagine, but the originality doesn't end there. He is also a skilled singer and songwriter who draws inspiration from traditional and contemporary music.

Toby’s passion for the blues and other traditonal Amercian music sent him into the deep south where he tracked down old time musicians of an earier era, learning directly at the feet of Etta Baker, Jack Owens and many others. He shares this music and the stories of his travels in each of his performances. Toby takes this foundationand creates something uniquely his own and has been eagerly received in concert halls, festivals, schools and coffeehouses throughout the U.S., England and Europe. His songs can make you shake with laughter or, bring a tear to your eye.

Collapsing Cities hail from Auckland, New Zealand where they’ve built a reputation with their brand of spiky indie post-punk guitar action.

The band’s debut single ‘Fear Of Opening My Mouth’ is a propulsive jaw-dropping proposition.

Collapsing Cities marry post-punk sensibility with great pop hooks and ‘Fear Of…’ reveals itself over several listens and is the first step in establishing Collapsing Cities as one of the most exciting new bands around.

Sharp lyrics and sharp tunes is what you get with Collapsing Cities.

The debut album ‘Elixir Always’ is due later this year. Those that have heard it can testify that this will be one of the debuts of the year.

‘Fear Of Opening My Mouth’ is released on Way Out West Records, the label that first brought artists such as Late Of The Pier, Cajun Dance Party, Laura Marling and Jamie T to prominence.

Big Al & The Fireflys are a ‘big’ band. Armed with a repertoire of Swing, Rock Jive and Jumpin’ Blues and influenced by The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Louis Jordan, Colin James, SRV and Mike Sanchez, they guarantee you a fun night out. They’ve recently been in the studio laying down 5 tracks which include 2 original numbers – Jitterbug Baby and Retro Rockin’ Daddio – for an EP entitled ‘The Embassy Sessions’. Don’t miss their return to The Cellars. Their first gig with us this year sold out, so buy early.

Usually, this is the bit where we humbly try to describe the artist's music.

But on this occasion, we're going to let you read through just a handful of the many plaudits from other nice people:

"Lupen Crook stands alone as one of the few artists around who seriously defies categorisation" – The Fly

"A bewitching talent" – Uncut

"Original and highly concentrated stuff" - Mojo

''To say the atmosphere of a gig rests on the proverbial knife’s edge is a rare statement indeed. For Lupen Crook and his band of ‘birds however, it illustrates just how captivating their agitated pop is and the stop start animation of the band can be visually seen to make its onlookers flinch with expectation'' - Artrocker

''Utterly compelling'' - NME

''Indisputible genius, sublime stuff'' - The Fly

"… an air of insanity and a genuine edge-of-the-seat brilliance" – The Sun

''Indie folk heroes'' - The Sun

''The most original and unexpected sound of the week'' - The Mirror

''Their energy and performances have been amazing. Its nice to see them come into the sidewalk on tour and just blast the doors down. Bravo. Check them out!'' - Graffiti Board, Sidewalk, New York

At just 22 Frank Hamilton had a busy 2007, notching up several thousand miles on the clock of his one litre Vauxhall Corsa.

He released a couple of singles, got played by Edith Bowman on Radio One, was dubbed ‘the Mike Skinner of folk’ by Music Week had his latest single feature as XFM’s record of the week.

‘Friday Nights’ was the second release on Franks DIY label and demonstrates exactly why a buzz has centred around the Cambridge born wordsmith.

Penned after several messy nights in a pub where he and several other musical type folk (including Newton Faulkner & Nick Harrison) drank their student loans away, it was added to the XFM playlist upon the first mention of its release and encompasses everything that people love about Frank Hamilton and his music.

Reliant upon an honest and everyday approach to lyric writing, Franks sound centres around real words and catchy melodies, which are taken from the bedroom and crafted into a fresh and exciting blend of indie/folk.

Here's some nice words other people have written about Frank:

"Described as ‘the Mike Skinner of folk’, Frank’s writing is every bit as engaging as the bands live show" - Music Week

“Hamilton's success should be assured the moment the world hears how acutely his songs translate the real magic of love” - The Fly

“Frank Hamilton makes perky, pacey, tuneful indie that's not a million miles away from Liam Frost and Badly Drawn Boy's, but with a few more occasional ass-shaking elements. He's jolly good.” - Marsha Shandur, XFM

"Think upbeat Bright Eyes with a more friendly and accessible main vocal" - The Mag

“Very quirky, very British, very different!” – BBC

“At times vivaciously raw and gutsy, but always encouragingly melodic and lyrical” – Paul Richards

“The lyrics are well crafted and the songs arranged perfectly” - Chris Bradford: Executive Member of British Academy of Composers & Songwriters.

Our regular rockers return for their high octane covers night. From Bon Jovi to The Automatic, these guys guarantee a great party night out for all.

Trevor has been a mainstay of the Portsmouth music scene for many years. His distinctive voice and charismatic performance have earned him a reputation as one of the best covers artists in the area. Joined as always by Trev Parsons and Jez Shipton on electric guitars and a drummer and bassist from a regular pool of musicians, Trevor John never fails to deliver. The set includes Travis, The Eagles, Snow Patrol, Prince, Carly Simon, Crowded House, Tom Petty and many, many more. Get here early as he’s usually on stage by 8.30pm and plays as long as I’ll let him! More than just a covers band.

Herbie Goins started singing in the Baptist Church of his town in Florida when he was a little boy alongside his mother who was a Gospel singer. He was still a teenager when he formed his first Blues Group, The Teen Kings, and he enjoyed successes in Florida and in other southern states. Some years later he moved to New York, and he started his real musical apprenticeship, travelling all over the States and participating in concerts of bluesmen such as B.B. King, Bobby Bland and Sam Cook. After the military service in Germany, Herbie was engaged by the great English Orchestra of Eric Delayne and, with them, he moved to England. He left Eric Delayne to join the Chris Barber Jazz orchestra.

The call of the Blues was too strong for him, and so he became the official singer of Blues Incorporated the band of Alexis Korner, considered the father of the White Blues, who assembled those who were to become the most interesting artists of the English scene. Herbie sang with musicians such as Dick Heckstall Smith, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Danny Thompson, Phil Seaman, and many others. Unforgettable are the albums recorded in this period “Live at the Cavern” and “Red Hot from Alexis”. After some years with Alexis Korner, Herbie formed his own group, The Night-Timers and concentrated on the type of Rhythm and Blues which he helped shape into the origins of what we now call Northern Soul. Once again his band included greatly talented musicians like John Mc Laughlin on the guitar, and they found immediate success.

Herbie became one of the favourite singers of the Mod movement. They follow him around all the famous London Clubs - The Flamingo, Marquee, Sylibles. His song “Number One in Your Heart” becomes as Mod hymn. EMI signed him and his records entered the charts in most European countries and eventually became in great demand for collectors of rare records. During this time,  there were memorable jam sessions with Herbie and Otis Redding, John Lee Hooker and with Jimi Hendrix, still unknown and present at the Blaises Club in London every Monday to catch Herbie’s set. One of the biggest fans of Herbie Goins was a young Robert Plant, who, even today, still remembers every word of his songs.

After some years with the Night-Timers, Herbie started to collaborate as a composer of songs for other artists and worked extensively for television. Leaving England for Italy, his home to this day, he found the friendship of Italian Bluesman Guido Toffoletti. They recorded an album together called Keep it Simple.

Finally at the end of 80s’ he returned full time to the scene. He tours, not only in Italy but all over Europe and also across the United States, playing clubs and numerous festivals.

For this tour of the UK, Herbie will be joined by the superb Norman Beaker Band, who’ve worked with such luminaries as Alexis Korner and Chris Farlowe.

If you’re lucky enough to catch Mick live you are guaranteed the real deal; no pedals, no effects, just a (rare) 54 Strat (stroked) played by a bluesmeister. Oh- and how he makes it plead, bleed, sing, scream, cry – and smoke!

With a life time in music you’ll hear echoes and influences from the whole tradition of the blues in Mick’s playing. His uncompromising adherence to a genuine belief in his music has never been deflected. Those distinctive raw, attacking riffs and phrases, often reminiscent of such legendary names as Freddie King, Albert Collins or T-Bone Walker hit you with aggression not unlike a ton of bricks, then in a moment, he’ll melt your heart with a sweeping phrase of pure beauty. These are the hallmarks of Mick Pini: to encounter him live is a joy not to be missed - it’s a blues master class!

Mick started playing guitar as a young boy back in 1960. Since then he’s paid his dues in pubs, clubs, festivals, concert halls - hell, even busking on the streets. Over a lifetime he’s worked with all sorts: Doctor Ross, Professor Longhair, Rich Grech, Mojo Buford, Louisana Red, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Chris Farlowe, Mike Vernon, BB King, Luther Allison – and more than a few others. Currently based in Germany, Mick has more recently worked with Roy Estrada (Little Feat) and Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa).

Live he’s simply brilliant – but why take my word for it; Eric Clapton called him the “legitimate successor to Peter Green”, while Mick Vernon described him as “ having the energy and attack that made Freddie King one of the greats. There are too few great guitarists working the European scene. Sure there are many good ones, but only a few have the potential to make a mark in a way Peter Green did many years ago.” A recent gig produced the newspaper headline: “An honour to see blues legend in action.” Perhaps the most telling tribute is the fact that when Mick is in town, Mick Double, Eric Clapton’s manager can regularly be found at the back of the room, quietly enjoying Mick’s set.

Early Beatles, late Beatles, dead Beatles, living Beatles, you get them all with the Silver Beatles.

"...Cover bands are big business these days, but this quartet are clearly a cut above most with suits, mop-tops and jerking stage manoeuvres all in place as they blast out ‘From Me To You’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ and ‘Please, Please Me’ with note-perfect aplomb."  - The Daily Telegraph.

There seems to be two different methods employed by tribute bands in copying their heroes. One is to immerse themselves totally in character, become the band. The other is to still do this, but do it with tongue very much in cheek. So how to interpret the greatest pop group of all time? The Silver Beatles go for option B, not taking themselves too seriously and this approach definitely works for them. They indulge in banter among themselves and with the crowd, making the most out of the fact that every Beatle is instantly recognisable. The first half of the gig is the young Beatles, suits and mop tops, covering all the early hits; ‘Saw her standing there, Can’t buy me love’ among others before finishing on ‘Twist and Shout’. Then it’s a quick break and costume change where they miraculously transform into the older, hippie era Beatles; the period where they wrote some of their finest songs. Just point non-believers to songs like ‘In my life’ and ‘Let it be’ which show, more so than the early years, why the Beatles are still held in such esteem.

The partnership between Bob Fox and Stu Luckley proved to be one of the most innovative and highly acclaimed collaborations ever seen on the folk scene, their first album ‘Nowt So Good’ll Pass ’ was voted folk album of the year and remains a unique and classic album.

In 1978 Colin Irwin wrote an article in Melody Maker entitled ‘ A Meeting of Two Minds’ in which he described them as ‘the progressive dynamic duo’ and went on ‘Great White Hopes of Folk are such a rarity you’ll forgive us for making an excessive fuss when we encounter one, two even!’

Following the success of this L.P. Bob and Stu were in great demand and played almost every folk club and festival in the U.K. including Cambridge, Cropredy, Edinburgh, Fylde, Cornwall, and were support artists on major British tours for Richard and Linda Thompson and Ralph Mctell.

The duo also toured Germany, Holland, Australia and New Zealand in their own right and released a second album 'Wish We Never Had Parted' in 1982 before breaking up to pursue individual projects.

Bob Fox & Stu Luckley will re-form for a very special  tour in October 2008 to  celebrate the  30th Anniversary of the release  of their highly innovative and  widely acclaimed album: "Nowt So Good'll Pass". Bob and Stu have re-recorded both "Nowt So Good'll Pass" and their second LP "Wish We Never Had Parted" for a unique "collector's item" boxed set for sale on the tour.

SOLD OUT LAST YEAR – BUY EARLY!

In the summer of 1977, Dean Friedman marked his entry into pop consciousness with the enormous success of his infectious hit single Ariel, a quirkily irresistible and uncategorizable pop song about a free spirited, music loving, vegetarian Jewish girl in a peasant blouse who lived, as the lyric goes, "...way on the other side of the Hudson."

A year later, Friedman struck again, this time with a magical duet, performed with singer Denise Marsa, entitled Lucky Stars. Lucky Stars zoomed to the top of the UK singles charts going instantly gold.

The now classic single Lucky Stars paved the way for a slew of hits off of Friedman's humorously titled album "Well, Well" Said the Rocking Chair", including familiar tracks such as Lydia and Rocking Chair as well as singles from his first album, Woman of Mine and Ariel.

"An amazing Talent" - The Sun, "Outstanding" - Record Business, "Songsmith extraordinaire! A great performer!" - Music Week. "Immaculate writing and magnetic personality" - Cumberland News, were just of few of the superlatives used to describe Friedman's powerfully unique and original talent.

Although Friedman's next single, McDonald's Girl was officially banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the well known fast food restaurant in its chorus, the irrepressible pop song has been covered by a number of acclaimed new bands including the ground breaking Canadian group Barenaked Ladies (WEA). (BNL member, Steve Page, sings background vocals on Dean's latest album.) And, just this summer, a new group named, The Blenders (Universal), recorded another cover of McDonald's Girl, which soared to #1 on the national airplay charts in Norway.

During the '80's, Friedman turned his hand to composing and producing music soundtracks for TV and film. Unbeknownst to many of his fans, he has composed, performed and produced all of the music to Central TV's hit series BOON. And it's Friedman, himself, who sings the country & western songs played over the end credits of every show, familiar to millions of viewers, such as The Texas Rangers, He's My Friend, He's My Buddy and Handsome Stranger. Other TV credits include the popular TV series Nick Arcade / Nickelodeon and Eerie Indiana / NBC.

Friedman also composed, performed and produced the soundtrack to the underground cult horror film classic I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle (Hobo Films/U.K.) in which he performs the unforgettable track She Runs on Blood, Not Gasoline.

While recording remains his main love, Friedman has always had a strong interest in state-of-the-art technologies (he has authored several best-selling MIDI synthesizer books for Music Sales Publishing). Much of his apparent reclusiveness is due in part to his having achieved considerable success in the hi-tech areas of virtual reality software and video game design, with his company InVideo Systems. Since creating TV's first VR game EAT-A-BUG for Nickelodeon TV, InVideo has established itself as one of the world's leading developers of VR entertainment systems with award winning installations in leading children's museums, science museums and family entertainment centers, including venues such as Disney and Blockbuster Golf and Games in Sunrise, FL.

Friedman has also managed to merge his musical and hi-tech interests by inventing an unusual and popular line of musical instruments called the Music Atrium "a musical playground for kids" originally featured at the Eureka! Children's Museum in the U.K. and now being reproduced by his company, Cool Stuff For Kids, for major theme parks, family entertainment centers and museums around the world, including Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, FL, Barney's Playland / Universal Studios and Dynalecx, Japan. These strange and playful instruments have names such as the Booble, the Honkblatt and the Jingle-Lingle-Lily and have proven to be a huge hit with millions of kids.

Despite Friedman's apparent absence from the popular music scene, evidence that his name and music have made a lasting impact can be found in repeated appearances in popular media: The British band Half Man Half Biscuit released a best selling EP which contains a track incredibly titled The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman. (Dean emphatically denies this claim.) Underground poet, Nicholas Awde, published a well received collection of poems entitled, I Saw Satan on the Northern Line (Desert Hearts), which includes a romantic poem featuring three ardent Dean Friedman fans. In interviews, the popular American band, Ben Folds Five (Sony/550), acknowledges Dean as an important musical influence and their song Kate, off their album, Whatever and Ever Amen, pays direct homage to Dean's first single Ariel.

And so, it came as no surprise to Friedman’s UK fans when British TV personality Gaby Roslin, host of the The Big Breakfast show, confessed on air to being a massive Dean Friedman fan, herself. Viewer response was “overwhelming” according to the show’s producer. Sacks full of mail, faxes and phone calls immediately began pouring in from viewers expressing their love of Friedman’s music and support for the idea of a Dean Friedman revival. Friedman has recently been featured on the BBC TV series ‘I Love the ‘70’s’, confirming him as a pop culture icon of the decade. Friedman also taped a guest star appearance on comedian, David Baddiel’s new TV series ‘The Baddiel Syndrome’ (SKY TV) in which Dean delivered a tour-de-force comedic acting performance playing ‘himself’ in an hilarious episode written about him.

Determined to make something of his music career, five years ago Derrin Nauendorf arrived at Heathrow airport from Australia with a guitar, £1200 and several extra layers of clothing to acclimatise to the drop in temperature. From this, Derrin spent those next five years playing anywhere that would have him, sleeping on floors and living on tuna baguettes. Things looked up a few years ago when he purchased an old Post Office van, which then became his home for the next six months, more importantly, it allowed him to get gigs, and essentially his music, out into the real depths of the UK. They've looked up and haven't looked back yet.

Literally over 1000 gigs later (a lot of them listed on his website), Derrin finds himself with fans not only in England, but Scotland, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and his native Australia too. He has since managed to sell over 12,000 albums from the back of that van, and become a bit of a hit on the festival circuit too. He's supported Van Morrison and played to dignitaries and politicians in grand Parisian castles right down to WW2 bunkers in Germany and two-men-and-a-dog type shows in Denmark - all without the help/ hindrance of a record label, manager, agent or press officer. Derrin is a determined sort and this independence has meant that he can turn up anywhere and get a show out of it.

His main focus, throughout all this, has been to make a name for himself and his music. It can be hard work, "In Australia, my apprenticeship was hard.  Towns and cities are spread out and the living is hard.  But while it was hard it made me stronger and when I got over here I knew I'd be able to make the audiences give me a chance" He's now played practically anywhere and everywhere, building up a small barmy army of supporters who'll follow him for several dates at a time, such support has allowed him to get re-booked time and time again. His favourite places to play in the UK include "the South Coast, Jersey and the Channel Islands, Yorkshire... everywhere!"

Derrin's new album, The Rattling Wheel, is actually his fifth release following such titles as 2005's New History and 2003's Wasteland, and it's also the first to feature his band, adding new dynamics and allowing him to flesh out his songs. The new stuff sounds like "A kind of post modern Steve Earle type thing - more energetic, with a rougher feel - I'm writing more for a band now, rather than just myself; exploring bigger sounds and arrangements".

While Derrin is open to band-mates collaboration and inspiration, The Rattling Wheel is a personal leap forward. Alongside tell-tale nods to his main influences of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Martin Stevenson and Richard Thompson, there's hints of John Martyn and traditional British folk, blended in with his own rootsier, bluesier, and altogether gutsier sound.

With The Rattling Wheel, Derrin Nauendorf has finally swallowed a bit of the music industry pill-but only just.  His firm foundation built over 5 years of hard slog has taught him what he's willing to accept help with and what he is not.  He's hired his own PR company, radio and TV plugger, as well as his own marketing team and all out of his own pockets.  He's already had his own label, after all, this is his 5th album.  From selling the music out of the Post Office van to now having his songs on iTunes; it's obvious things can only get hotter. An intense and raw performer, Derrin works best in the live setting - it is, after all, how he got his reputation - and why we're here now, at the cusp of the bigger, better things for a man who's more than paid his dues and kept the receipts. The only way now is up.

Dave Swarbrick was born in London in April 1941, moved to Yorkshire when only three months old and then to Birmingham at the age of eight. By that time he had already learned the rudiments of the fiddle but it was Beryl Marriott who persuaded him to continue with the instrument. By his early twenties Dave had toured and recorded extensively. Amongst the huge back catalogue from that time are three Radio Ballads with Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker. Dave's lifelong passion for folk music was born in those busy years. Besides Beryl and Roger Marriott, Dave met, worked and recorded with A .L. Lloyd, Alf Edwards and, of course, Ian Campbell. Dave joined the Ian Campbell Folk Group in the early 60's and in 1966 he teamed up with Martin Carthy. This remarkable pairing played an important part in the tremendous shake up given to British folk music in the middle to late 60's. When they parted in 1969 Dave joined Fairport Convention and his contribution to folk and folk/rock music is legendary and well documented.

In 1984 Dave left Fairport and, along with Kevin Dempsey, Chris Leslie and Martin Jenkins, formed Whippersnapper, a group renowned for its drive and acoustic prowess. In 1989 Dave decided to leave to concentrate on solo work and revive his partnership with Martin Carthy. In the early 90s Dave and Martin were members of the folk "supergroup" Band of Hope along with such luminaries as Roy Bailey, John Kirkpatrick, Chris Parkinson and Steafan Hannigan.

In 1993 Dave moved to Australia where he met and began working with Alistair Hulett. So far their partnership has produced three highly acclaimed CDs. Dave returned to England in 1996. He and Kevin Dempsey started making music together shortly afterwards.

While touring Europe with Kevin in 1999, Dave became seriously ill and for the next six years battled against emphysema. His double lung transplant operation in October 2004 has meant a return to form and a renewed zest to be out there playing music again.

Swarb received the highest award from the English Folk Dance and Song Society, the Gold Badge, in 2002 and the Gold Badge of Merit from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, again their highest accolade, in 2003. In 2004 Swarb received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the annual BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and in 2006 Fairport Convention received an award for "Liege And Lief", the most influential album of all time, as voted for by the listeners. in 2007 Swarb received another award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, this time for Best Duo (with Martin Carthy). He was also nominated in the best instrumentalist category. And he won the Hancock Award for Musician of the Year with over 40% of the vote, in which over 3000 people took part.

Kevin Dempsey is a guitarist, singer and producer second to none. He has extensive experience in the music business, having worked with everyone from Percy Sledge to Dando Shaft and The Marvelettes to Alice Coltrane, not forgetting the incredible "Whippersnapper" whose line-up also included Dave Swarbrick, Chris Leslie and Martin Jenkins. With this band Kevin toured the world extensively and recorded five albums. In 1987 his highly acclaimed solo album "The Cry of Love" was also released, which featured Danny Thompson, Polly Bolton, Chris Leslie and Paul Dunmall. The nineties saw Kevin producing albums for several leading artists, writing film scores and performing with old friends Chris Leslie and Dave Swarbrick.

After touring with Mary Black in 2004 Kevin joined the band Uiscedwr with whom he toured until the end of 2006. He's also been touring with Peter Knight (Steeleye Span and Feast Of Fiddles) and Tom Leary (Feast Of Fiddles) as Tanna, as well as gigging with Joe Broughton. Kev also produced the recent album from Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy, Straws In The Wind.

Maartin Allcock was born in Manchester in 1957. After studying music at Huddersfield and Leeds he played on his first tour with Mike Harding in 1977. In 1981 he joined The Bully Wee Band and after this broke up he toured with Kieran Halpin. He was invited to join Fairport Convention as lead guitarist in 1985 and from 1988 he was also a member of Jethro Tull where he played keyboards. He stayed with Tull for four years and, after leaving Fairport Convention at the end of 1996, he formed the acoustic power trio WAZ! where he played bass, bouzouki & guitar and sang.

Since then Maart has been freelance, recording and playing live with all kinds of people. Between 1998 and the present Maart has played on many TV and film soundtracks. He has also written music for a Sony Playstation game and painstakingly transcribed three songbooks for Fairport Convention, one for singer-songwriter Allan Taylor and two for old chum Kieran Halpin. in 2006 Maart released a songbook containing all of Sandy Denny's original songs and is just finishing notating three books (150 songs) for Richard Thompson.

In the last few years Maart has toured with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Blue Tapestry, Miranda Sykes Band and The John Wright Band to name but a few. He continues to work extensively as a musician and producer, having now played on over 200 albums, including three of his own. Maart is becoming increasingly popular as a producer on the Welsh music scene and plays live with ace Welsh harpist Gwenan Gibbard.

Born in Worcestershire, the younger sister of the late John and Michael Bonham. Deborah was only five when John joined Led Zeppelin, and this powerful introduction sparked in her the overwhelming desire to write and perform.

Her home was The Old Hyde farm, where she lived with her father, John Henry Bonham snr, known as Jack, in the cottage at the back of The Old Hyde Farm. Her brother, John and his family, lived in the main House.

While living there, Deborah and John's son Jason started playing and recording their own songs. At the age of 17, at Robert Plant's house in a nearby village, she recorded her first demos.

With some encouragement and advice from Robert, Deborah sent out the songs anonymously and soon landed her first record deal with the major label Carerre Records, for whom she recorded the critically acclaimed album "For You and the Moon". The album reached the top 5 in the NME chart, was Simon Bates record of the week on Radio 1 and sold extremely well in Europe, being voted "Record of the Year" by Musik Mart, Germany.

A period of recording for the Japanese Sam Corporation followed, and with press and radio promotion including interviews for Burrn and J Wave Radio. After this, English label RPM records released the single, "Perfect World" in 1995.

Deborah spent 1996 getting her new band together, new songs for an album and playing some great shows such as headlining the Belfast Festival and a sell out show at the Bottom Line, Shepherd's Bush to excellent reviews, honing a new direction for the forthcoming album.

The beginning of 1997 saw two extremely successful trips to the US. Firstly, she performed live on LA's Rockline radio to three million listeners throughout North America and Canada. This was followed by a special appearance with Jason Bonham and his band at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles, where she went down a storm!

The success of the first trip led to another visit to the US with her band to open for Jason Bonham Band's shows in Los Angeles 'House of Blues' with guests Slash and Terry Reid, Dallas Fort Worth, Houston, New York and Chicago 'House of Blues'. Subsequently, two more tours across America were secured.

Back in the UK and Europe, Deborah has toured and performed with Van Halen, Alannah Myles, Tim Rose, Uli Jon Roth, Paul Weller, Humble Pie, Donovan, Lonnie Donnegan, Jools Holland, Ann Peebles, Foreigner and Paul Rodgers. Played festivals from Glastonbury to Donnington, and twice at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival.

Jet Harris learned to play clarinet as a teenager, before he made his own four string double bass to play in a jazz group and later graduated to a professionally made double bass. In 1958, while playing jazz with drummer Tony Crombie, Crombie suggested that Harris should try "this new guitar". Thus, Harris was possibly the first person in Britain to own an electric bass guitar, and certainly the first to play one in a band. His original instrument was a Framus Star bass imported by Besson & Co from West Germany.

He played in several groups including The Vipers Skiffle Group and The Most Brothers before joining (in 1959) Cliff Richard's backing group The Drifters, who later changed their name to The Shadows (a name Harris took from Bobby Vee's old backing group). In 1959, after the neck of his Framus was terminally damaged in a dressing room accident, he was presented (by the importers) with one of the first Fender Precision Basses which came to Britain from the United States.

Harris also contributed vocally, adding backup harmonies and occasional lead vocals. He also had a trademark scream used in the Shadows' "Feeling Fine" and Cliff Richard's "Do You Want to Dance".

In 1962, he left the Shadows, but went on to release solo instrumental and vocal work with some success and, as part of a duo with former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan, topped the UK Singles Chart in early 1963 with "Diamonds" (featuring Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar). Harris and Meehan followed this with two further smashes, "Applejack" and "Scarlett O'Hara".

However, a motor car crash later that year (in which singer Billie Davis was also injured), as well as personal problems, meant that this success did not last long. Harris attempted a solo comeback in 1966 and was briefly in the line-up of the Jeff Beck Group in 1967, but somewhat fell out of the music industry.

Harris still played occasionally, with backing band The Diamonds or as a guest with The Rapiers, and teamed up with Tony Meehan for a support performance in Cliff Richard's 1989 'The Event' concerts.

In 1998 he was awarded a Fender Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in popularising the bass guitar in Britain.

2006 saw Harris' first single release in over 40 years, "San Antonio".

Jet Harris is once again an active performer amd tours with The Rapiers and Rocking Horse. As well as old friend Billie Davis.

Billie Davis's career started like many other of the female singers of her time. At the young age of 16 she entered a local talent contest at Southall Community Centre, Pushed on stage by her best friend Billie sang a Connie Francis song 'Many Tears Ago'. Along with Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers as her backing group for the performance, Billie Won the contest. After winning she was advised by Cliff Bennett to go and see the legendary Joe Meek.

Billie worked on various experimental recordings and also worked on her own vocal. It was while working with Meek that she was spotted by Robert Stigwood and instantly snapped up. This was the start of her journey into fame. "I was listening to Rock n Roll I just loved the beat. Chuck Berry Jerry Lee Lewis. I adored Bobby Darin. Then came Phil Spector. The Great Wall of Sound. Oh How I wanted to make records like that. I did tour with The Four seasons and Bob Crew wanted to take me back to America and record me but Stigwood would not let me go"

Her first big appearance was on the Comedy hit record by Mike Sarne 'Will I What'. Billie bringing the comical cockney accent to the chorus. Though this was her first hit, it is 'Tell Him' that Billie is particularly remembered for. That record sent Billie up the British charts, preceding Dusty Springfield’s debut by about seven months . With her Jet Black hair, Big doe eyes and vampy and unique clothes style Billie was one of the earliest images of the 60'S Brit scene. Certainly a muse for the tabloids too. The heavy promotion for 'Tell Him' had Billie performing and touring with mega acts The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, to name but two.

Billie enjoyed a great build up of success with 'Tell Him' but her career hit a brutal and very tragically early stump at the end of 1963. It was while promoting her follow up single to 'Tell Him', the song 'He's The One', that Billie was involved in a serious car accident along with Jet Harris of The Shadows. Jet and Billie had become a much loved and hounded couple for the Tabloids, and were together in a chauffeured car that hit a Midland red bus. Billie in fact pulled Jet from the wreckage and both sustained various injuries. In particular Billie received a serious broken jaw and as a result was unable to do any performing or promotion . This caused serious damage to her career, as the music industry was at such a fast moving pace, Billie was temporarily lost from the limelight.

Once she recovered. Billie was back to work and had success with songs such as 'Angel Of The Morning' and 'Want you to be my Baby'. Billie enjoyed touring the globe and discovered fans from Communist Europe to South America. Billie in Particular found much success in Spain with 'I Want You To Be My Baby', produced by Michael Aldred, featuring the voices of Madeline Bell , Doris Troy, Kike Dee, Kay Garner and the Moody Blues - pulled from the studio next door. Billie actually also translated and recorded a version in Spanish. "I did Top of the Pops the record was selling 12.000 a day I remember very clearly a friend of mine was looking after Joe Cocker and we were doing the same sales a day. Then Decca had a strike at the factory and they wouldn't press anymore records so it killed it. Bad luck yet again."

Billie also recorded the Moody Blues classic Number 'Nights In White Satin' which she performed on Spanish television and had a hit with there. Loving the country and its people Billie spent a great deal of time in Spain and still has a strong fan base there today.

Billie has never really stopped working, just a few breaks bringing up her two children, but has continued to gig and write. Billie writing her own material led to an album recording called 'Stormy' featuring legendary guitarist Albert Lee. This work took quite a country feel, and revealed Billie as a great songwriter. Touring the country with various sixties shows has resulted in Billie working with a huge range of long time friends and other Sixties legends of her own time. The Likes of The Searchers, Marty Wilde, The Tornados, John Leyton and P.J Proby. Most recently Billie has been working hard on a tour with another old friend Jet Harris.

Edwina Hayes is a singer/songwriter who has been a regular performer on the UK acoustic scene since 1999.

Edwina grew up in Preston, Lancashire before moving to the East coast of Yorkshire as a teenager, where she has been based ever since. Dividing her time between the UK and America, Edwina's second home is Nashville where she is a much loved as a songwriter and artist.

In March 2003 Edwina signed as a writer with Warner Chappell. Her influences include Mindy Smith, Ray Charles, Carole King, Van Morrison, Nanci Griffith, Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin and Bob Dylan. As well as writing on her own, Edwina enjoys co-writing with her friends such as Carissa Broadwater and Malcolm Darwen and has also co-written songs with writers ranging from UK writers Boo Hewerdine (Patience of Angels - Eddi Reader) and Ricky Ross (High - James Blunt) to Nashville writers Don Rollins (It's Five O Clock Somewhere - Alan Jackson/Jimmy Buffet) and Bobby Wood (Talkin' In Your Sleep - Crystal Gayle).

In 2005 Warner Brothers released Edwina's debut album 'Out On My Own' on produced by Clive Gregson and John Wood, and her song 'I Want Your Love' from the album was included on the No.1 bestselling CD 'Acoustic Love'. Both Michael Parkinson and Bob Harris have been tremendous supporters of Edwina on BBC Radio 2.

Since 2005 Edwina has opened several shows for Van Morrison, twenty-six shows for Jools Holland, three UK tours for Nanci Griffith and has performed twice for Michael Parkinson at his Maidenhead pub The Royal Oak. Edwina has also recently toured with Gretchen Peters, Ricky Ross, Loudon Wainwright III, Roy Harper, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lulu, and supported Julie Fowlis, Sandi Thom, John Tams, Daniel Beddingfield, Chris While, Julie Matthews and Ruby Turner.

Edwina also appears as a guest vocalist on recent albums by Alastair Artingstall, Christopher Holland, Kate Bramley, Jimi Alexander, Shane Lynch and Joan Coffey.

Edwina kicked off 2008 with her first solo UK headline tour and released her second record 'Pour Me A Drink' on February 22nd. Edwina continues to write songs and play gigs all over the country and in America, with a Winter UK Tour planned for October/November.

Quotes:

Michael Parkinson - 'A very talented young lady'

Nanci Griffith - 'A wonderful young woman, so gifted and full of song, with a voice as sweet as the angels'

Perez Hilton - 'Like a soft blanket'

Making Music - 'A performer in true acoustic style'

The Guardian - 'Haunting honeyed solo songwriter'

Get Rhythm - 'Sweet, honeylike, relaxing songs'

Time Out - 'Haunting vocals'

Virgin Radio - 'A true pleasure watching and listening to this talent at work'

Radio Caroline - 'Not heard a singer, singing live with such natural talent in many a long year'

"My new material is best summed up as acoustic with a bit of Captain Beefheart bass, using bass drum and toms and a fair few handclaps" muses John after a session, reflecting on where this past year has taken his new material and what has infused and coloured its shape and form.

"Its the first time I have had the confidence to allow the material to breathe and the songs find their space when I write this stuff I had in mind John Steinbeck, rootsy rock and roll blues and traditional folk it feels like I have gone back full circle and I feel at ease with myself, he reflects.

"Its Folk in the way its story telling, craft in the way its what people do, tell stories and create, I guess its where I have always been somehow but prior to this I didnt know how to get there."

History Lessons

Johns new material may be of some surprise to fans of his previous bodies of work with The Las and Cast, because to all intent and purposes it seemed he had withdrawn from the music scene, appearing occasionally at bespoke intimate gigs, but in the main he had disappeared off the scene for a while.

It appears this was all a neces