CATtales

September 2018: Guitarist Paul Guerin has been a major player on the international music scene for over twenty years.

He’s played alongside The Scorpion’s Michael Schenker, Thin Lizzy’s Brian Robertson, Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ Huey Morgan, Black Star Rider’s Ricky Warwick, and even music legend Eartha Kitt.

Now, Paul juggles his time between rock bands The Quireboys and the Down ‘n’ Outz, with Def Lepard’s Joe Elliott, as well as fitting in a few personal projects along the way too.

#PaulGuerin #TheQuireboys #DownNOutz #TheClan #interview

August 2018: This tale is about the frontman of one of the most iconic bands of the last 40 years.

Best known for singles Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3), and What a Waste, Ian Dury & The Blockheads chalked up hit after hit until Ian’s death in 2000.

But Ian’s passing didn’t deter The Blockheads from continuing to produce and perform great music led by the distinctive vocals of Derek Hussey, one Ian’s closest friends and companions on tour.

#theblockheads #punk #funk #rock #iandury #derekthedraw #derekhussey #interview

August 2018: With a career spanning over 36 years and with record sales in excess of over 30 million albums Imagination released many classic Funk/soul-dance hits such as, Body Talk, Just An illusion, Flashback, and Changes.

It’s fair to say founding member and songwriter Leee John is one of the hardest working men in music, touring internationally, appearing in as well as producing and directing films, writing books, alongside charity work.

And it appears that his creativity is just warming up!

#LeeeJohn #Imagination #funk #soul #dance #music #retropia #policeandthieves #flashback #interview

July 2018: Gizz Butt became a household name in 1996 when he became lead guitarist with The Prodigy just as The Fat of The Land album became No1 in 38 countries at the same time.

But that’s not all he’s done in his musical career. He’s been in English Dogs, The More I See, The Destructors and played live with The Foo Fighters and The Beatles’ Pete Best.

Now he’s about to re-launch his band Janus Stark with an exciting new release and is planning a tour.

#punk #TheProdigy #EnglishDogs #TheDestructors #TheMoreISee #JanusStark #Prodigy #music #interview

Feb 2018: In this edition I catch up with Sandy Newman, lead-singer and guitarist of pop sensation of the 60/70s The Marmalade.

The Marmalade may be best known for hits such as Reflections of my Life, Rainbow, Falling Apart At The Seams and Lennon/McCartney’s Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, but Sandy Newman is a whole lot more than that!

Singer-songwriter, solo performer and an all-round fabulous guy, Sandy chats to me about his early life and his formative years.

#marmalade #themarmalade #sandynewman #pop #music #Glasgow #Scotland #60s #70s #interview

13 December 2017: I chat with the hottest band to come out of #Manchester since Oasis.

It’s contagious, it’s creating an epidemic, it caused by brothers Mark and Paul Hinks….it’s Some Kind of Illness!

#indy #SomeKindofIllness #interview

November 2017: It’s exactly 40 years since John Otway’s now legendary appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test with Wild Willy Barrett with gymnastic antics to ‘Really Free’.

It was this performance that shot John to fame but despite a financial backing of £2m, in today’s figures, from Polydor Records it was a further 25 years before he enjoyed his second UK Chart hit, ‘Bunsen Burner’.

Undeterred, John is now celebrating his 65th birthday with the recent release of a brand new album, ‘Montseratt’, and is already making plans for his 70th!

#JohnOtway #punk #interview

November 2017: British country and folk musician Charlie Landsborough started performing professionally in the 1970s but it wasn’t until he appeared on an Irish TV show in 1994 with ‘What Colour Is The Wind’ that divine intervention opened doors onto a musical career that has spanned decades.

Now he chats to me about his numerous music awards, being inducted into the British Country Music Hall of Fame, and about sharing his childhood with a monkey!

#CharlieLandsborough #Country #Folk #interview