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Biography
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I started struggling with the usual E, A and D around the age of 11,
on some cheap nylon strung box from Woolworths.
It had an action about 3 yards away from the fretboard, or so it seemed.
One Saturday I met my friend Graham in the street.
He was carrying a beautiful red Vox Symphonic bass.
A quick WOW! and £15 later, I was hooked on the lower register.
Image right is me with a nice fireglow Ricky, about 1976/77. The days of heavy rock, and even heavier amps.
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The Vox bass is long gone, for a couple of years later I bought a Fender Jass Bass,
having drooled long enough over a picture of one in the Bells Guitar Catalogue.
I owned various bass guitars over the years, but always returned to the Fender.
I still own it, and use it even now as my main instrument.
The Woolworths box ended up in the Thames, to float away on the tide.
I don't know where it went to.
Perhaps some young lad in Australia is struggling over E, A and D with it.
Of course I had to have a 6 string, so replaced the box with a 1959 Telecaster.
I bought that for £205, which was a great price even in those days.
I sold it years later for £350, thinking I had made a killing!
I set out playing full time in the early 70's.
It began one day whilst engaged in a session in Blackwing Studios,
owned by my good friend Eric Radcliff.
Eric took a phone call from a band seeking a guitarist and bassist for a gig they had that night.
Eric happened to be a very good guitarist, and we both agreed to take the job.
I stayed with the band for some 2 years. That band was Nightride, a hard hitting RnB band. And popular with other musicians too,
we had queues of guys wanting to get up and play.
I recall one night,
Geoff Whitehorn had just finished an American tour, I think with Elkie Brooks. He landed at Heathrow, drove home,
picked up his guitar and came straight up to play. I don't think he even unpacked his luggage first!
Work from other bands came in along the way. But now Saturday Night Fever was the hit movie,
and flares and medallions were the height of fashion.
So I took on the bass duties in Sidewalk Talker,
a jazz funk band that toured around the many clubs and disco's in London and the Home Counties.
Moving on to circa 1982. I dropped in to a local music shop,
that was owned by Geoff Everett, an old guitar playing friend of mine.
By pure good fortune Geoff was in need of a bassist for his new band, and I got the job.
It so happens Geoff is an outstanding guitarist, and I consider myself very fortunate to still be working with him.
However, our band of the time, The Mosquitoes, ran for a few years,
until I joined Blues Delux. They were a straight down the line blues band, that featured Richard Studholme on guitar.
We took on a few gigs with New York bluesman Bill Dicey, a legendary musician from the Muddy Waters Band.
I recall to this day the story Bill told us, about the time Muddy Walters was gigging down south in Alabama.
A 'good ole boy' in the crowd wanted them to play country music, Muddy apologised and said all they do is the blues.
Well, there was some real bad feeling going round, and this guy went to his truck,
returning with a shotgun. "Wow" I said to Bill "what happened then?" Bill in his matter of fact way replied
"Well, I pulled out my colt and shot the guy six times" Six times!!!
Bill explained that if he only shot once, the guy may have got annoyed and shoot back.
Witnesses say it was self defence, and Bill was not charged. I tell you there's nothing like a critic.
Bill unfortunately passed away a few years later. And these days Richard owns Tone Zone Studios. He is also currently working with Dave Bronze, Eric Claptons former bass player.
For the past five years I have been working for David Blosse, a terrific singer songwriter, either as a member of The Hurlimann Band, or The Soul Cowboys.
Both bands are fronted by David.
The Hurlimanns play Jazz, Blues and African style music. And the Soul Cowboys are the
Texacana band fronted by David, where I get to play double bass.
As if that isn't enough. I still work with Geoff Everett,
having this year reformed the original Mosquitoes, with Bill Johnson on drums.
We now have Alan Clark with us on harmonica and vocals,
and have (quite rightly) changed the name to The Fabulous Mosquitoes.
See you at the next gig
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