Paul and his full Band headlined at the Warrington Blues Festival also on the bill was Connie Lush, Marcus Malone. Nicky Moore. Paul performed duets with both Nicky and Marcus to the delight of good size appreciative crowed, at the end of the show he was called back for two encores. Three of his performances were included on the Live! CD of the Festival, well worth a listen a sound investment.
Paul continued to be busy working with the led Zeppelin, Free & Bad Co. tribute band Fire & Water they did over 50 gigs. They were also in the studio and recorded a special Promo 6 track CD “Live in Studio”.
Donahue was born in New York, the son of big band saxophonist Sam Donahue and actress Patricia Donahue and grew up in Los Angeles. Encouraged by his parents, Donahue took classical guitar lessons as a child, but it was Gerry McGee (who later joined The Ventures) who made the biggest impression on him, when the 14-year-old Donahue saw him playing behind-the-nut bends at a performance at the Sea Witch, emulating Earl Scruggs’ banjo technique. Donahue then took lessons from McGee. Regarding regular bends on the fretboard, Donahue cites Amos Garrett as a major influence. Other influences in his formative years were Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, The Shadows and The Ventures; later influences were Clarence White, Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Tommy Emmanuel and Robben Ford.[1][2][3]
Recently, Donahue formed the band Gathering – Legends of Folk Rock with Clive Bunker, Rick Kemp, Ray Jackson, Doug Morter and daughter Kristina Donahue.[6]
Larry Miller is fast becoming one of the must see rock acts of 2010.
Larry Miller
With his energetic and eclectic style, Larry brings a new dimension of showmanship to his performances. After picking up his brother’s guitar and writing his first song, he felt his future lay in the same direction as his hero Rory Gallagher. Larry himself says: “For me, my moment of inspiration was seeing Rory Gallagher live, I had never experienced anything like it. So loud, so gloriously on the edge of total mayhem, yet Rory was still totally in control. How could I NOT do this too! Like Rory I’d work under my own name, with a band. I’d do all the writing, singing, producing, playing and leading.” During his career, Larry has had his fair share of highs and lows, but he feels that his highest point to date was at the 2009 Cambridge Rock Festival. The whole affair started rather badly, with Larry’s name missing on the website, and then the news that he would not be playing the main stage; they had him headlining the blues tent. Larry and his band set up, and began to play to a rather empty tent. Meanwhile, the main stage had technical problems, so the headline acts couldn’t play. It wasn’t long before the blues tent was overflowing. When the set had ended, the crowd called seven encores. To his surprise, Larry heard the MC call a “National Larry Miller Day!” This was an experience that Larry will never forget: “I have played hundreds of great gigs but there was something else happening here. I really felt that we and the audience were as one and the atmosphere was like nothing I’d never ever experienced before.” Larry Miller is a born entertainer. His life is his music, however, he doesn’t take himself too seriously, he is often seen laughing and joking with his audience during a set, and enjoys interacting with them. He is happy to get in amongst his fans and chat with them after a gig, and is universally known amongst his fans as “the nicest man in Rock and Roll”. The Larry Miller Band features bassist Derek White, Simon Baker on Drums, and Ian Salisbury on the Hammond Organ.
Dr Shades are back at the Blues Room this Thursday.
Dr Shades is :
Chris Lord (lead vocals) Niall MacMahon (lead guitar, backing vocals)
Steve Austin (bass) Steve Henrys (rhythm guitar)
and last but not least, Dr Shades himself, Bob Ayre (drums)
The band was formed out of the audience at “Shades of Blues”, the blues club that Bob used to run in St Albans. He sent an email round asking if anyone wanted to get together to do some jamming. After a couple of changes of personnel, the line-up has settled in its current form. And the rest is history……!
Says I sing, play harmonica and guitar. Until the beginning of April, 2008 I fronted a great funky Texas blues band called THE ROCKIN’ ARMADILLOS- check them out on their myspace page at myspace.com/therockinarmadillos and their fabulous website at www.rockinarmadillos.com
My old band, AUTOMATIC SLIM still gigs occasionally, too. ‘Slim also has a myspace page (myspace.com/autoslim) and a website www.automaticslim.com
I’m currently working on a number of musical projects, but the most regular is my collaboration with Alaskan singer, guitarist and lap steel virtuoso SON HENRY under the working name, The Tim Aves-Son Henry Band or TASHB for short!
We’ve played several festival gigs and completed an eight-date tour of southern England in the spring of 2009 – boy, was that some fun! We are next due to tour in January, 2010, but in the meantime, we have a live album available right now!
I also host a two-hour weekly blues show every Sunday night on SAINT FM on 94.7FM (if you’re within gobbing distance of Burnham) and online at www.saintfm.org.uk if you can’t get it on the radio. Have a listen sometime – and don’t be afraid to get in touch if to tell me what you think, or request a favourite blues tune…
(Rhythm & Blues) A brilliant selection of New Orleans and classi R&R piano by Sheffield based Dale Storr who has played with Eugene Bridges, King King, Dave Berry, Dukes of Robillard and many more. Think Dr. John meets Jerry Lewis. The evening will close with a rock ‘n’ roll jam as Dale meets with the fabulous Elephant Shelf 9pm
4 piece playing rockin’ rhythm and blues.
Foot tappin’ dancing stuff. Visually impressive and well loved for their choice of unusual material.
Will (fat) Walters: GUITAR & VOCALS
A legend in his own lunchtime, Will Walters warm vocals and bluesy guitar have graced many a venue across the UK, and a few overseas. With his trusty vintage Fender Blues De Ville amplifier behind him and slung with one of his growing collection of guitars he is a well-known character on the live music scene. Past band credits include Cornwall-based Ruff As Ratz, Herts and Beds-based The Suspects, and The Marlins. But Will has done plenty of solo work as well, the most exotic including some busking work In St Tropez and Northern Spain. Along the way he has played alongside some great musicians including Tim Aves (Rocking Armadillos), Honey Boy Hickling, Bob Hokum, Sam Kelly (Station House) and Clive Jenner (The Proclaimers)
Will’s favourite artists include Los Lobos, The Killers, Coldplay and The Editors and he claims that Clapton, Robert Cray and current band mate Rick Parker have been the key influences on his music style – alongside good beer. Those keen to identify which guitar he is playing at any gig might like to know the list: Duesenberg Starplayer Ron Wood Special Edition, Gibson Les Paul Special, Fender Telecaster, Fender 40 Anniversary Stratocaster and a Fender Telecaster Jerry Donahue Special. The favourite – the Les Paul.
Rick (skinny) Parker: LEAD GUITAR, SLIDE GUITAR, HARMONICA & BACKING VOCALS
Rick took up guitar at 14, and later formed a band at school. He first started regular playing in the 70′s with Bristol based funk band “Full House” (who became the “Planetz” when Frankie Miller pinched the name for his band). Full House/Planetz played all over the UK in pubs, clubs, military bases, and also the odd festival as well as a short tour of Germany, Holland and Belgium. After a break of about twelve years (to earn some actual money), Rick helped form Bedford- based rock and blues band “The Penang Lawyers” which enjoyed seven successful years despite resisting Rick’s many attempts to add his trademark harmonica to the sound. In addition to Hendrix and Clapton, Rick cites “Big Brother and the Holding Company” and lesser known “Steamhammer” as strong influences on his style, plus the soulful harmonica playing of the late Paul Delay. Several of Paul’s songs now feature in Fat Walters Band’s current set.
Though he dislikes pompous titles, Rick is nevertheless the musical director of the band and has the scars to prove it. He is also the only one who knows how the pa system works! Unusually, Rick plays finger style instead of plectrum and names his favourite instruments as his original 60′s Danelectro shorthorn and a Fender Telecaster with Bigsby tremolo; he favours Marshall amplification.
Oli (The Butler) Dawson: DRUMS
The youngest member of the band, Leeds lad Oli has been drumming for thirteen years now, mainly with successful local bands prior to his move South to Hertfordshire.These include “The Avenues” – one of the most prominent and exciting bands in the Leeds area, a Beach Boys tribute band and various rock and blues outfits.
It was the good old Lemonrock website that led Oli to audition for Fat Walters Band, and following the famous initiation ceremony (“Buy a round and you’re in”) has been the heart of the rythmn section since early 2007. In addition to a nice controlled touch, Oli’s speciality is setting up and playing a full kit in a space the size of a phone box.
He is also learning to speak English. John Densmore (The Doors), John Bonham, Peter Salisbury (The Verve) and Rini (Stone Roses) are Oli’s key influences and indeed his playing style often suggests that he is under the influence of something.
Paul (Dogman) Ellis: BASS GUITAR
Paul has been playing the bass guitar for over 40 years. He started out playing the drums in his brother’s band, the tiny feet, who in their day broke all the village hall attendance records covering Bucks and Beds. He then went on to play the bass in the same band, winning battle of the bands in Milton Keynes where judges included the legendary Jim Marshall.. He also played a stint with Kenny Jones, ‘that was great.’
As a founder member of Fat Walters Band, his musical influences are wide and varied from Atlantic Soul to Rock and Blues and most things in-between. Favoured gear includes Marshall valve bass amps and Peavey bass amps, Musicman Stingray and Fender Jazz fretless bass guitars. Paul is not keen on effects pedals as they tend to take away the natural sound of the bass guitar. ‘If you have a good one, there is no need for anything else.’
Blues pianist and singer Eric Ranzoni leads his band into this blues evergreen.
Recorded at FLUFF STUDIOS, LONDON, 2007
Singing piano player Eric Ranzoni is a full-time musician.
Born in London in 1969, he spent the majority of his life between Rome and Milan, so he’s both British and Italian.
Since coming back to London in 2003, he’s gained a reputation as a skilled and versatile pianist, “equipped” with a warm singing voice. Solo or accompanied by excellent musicians, he’s played the Blues (and Roots music in general) in many top venues in London and about, with frequent stints abroad. In great demand as Blues pianist with several London-based bands, a recent highlight was playing the piano in the UK tour of Mud Morganfield, the eldest son of Muddy Waters, along with Big Joe Louis and West Weston.
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With his trusty vintage Fender Blues De Ville amplifier behind him and slung with one of his growing collection of guitars he is a well-known character on the live music scene. Past band credits include Cornwall-based Ruff As Ratz, Herts and Beds-based The Suspects, and The Marlins. But Will has done plenty of solo work as well, the most exotic including some busking work In St Tropez and Northern Spain. Along the way he has played alongside some great musicians including Tim Aves (Rocking Armadillos), Honey Boy Hickling, Bob Hokum, Sam Kelly (Station House) and Clive Jenner (The Proclaimers)
He first started regular playing in the 70′s with Bristol based funk band “Full House” (who became the “Planetz” when Frankie Miller pinched the name for his band). Full House/Planetz played all over the UK in pubs, clubs, military bases, and also the odd festival as well as a short tour of Germany, Holland and Belgium. After a break of about twelve years (to earn some actual money), Rick helped form Bedford- based rock and blues band “The Penang Lawyers” which enjoyed seven successful years despite resisting Rick’s many attempts to add his trademark harmonica to the sound. In addition to Hendrix and Clapton, Rick cites “Big Brother and the Holding Company” and lesser known “Steamhammer” as strong influences on his style, plus the soulful harmonica playing of the late Paul Delay. Several of Paul’s songs now feature in Fat Walters Band’s current set.
These include “The Avenues” – one of the most prominent and exciting bands in the Leeds area, a Beach Boys tribute band and various rock and blues outfits.
He started out playing the drums in his brother’s band, the tiny feet, who in their day broke all the village hall attendance records covering Bucks and Beds. He then went on to play the bass in the same band, winning battle of the bands in Milton Keynes where judges included the legendary Jim Marshall.. He also played a stint with Kenny Jones, ‘that was great.’