Emma - Our New Lead Vocalist

We're very excited that Emma Wilkinson has joined our band as lead vocalist. Emma won ITV's 'Stars In Their Eyes' in 2001 and is a superb vocalist and live performer. We're really looking forward to working with her.

First Rehearsal With Emma

Laurie explains a subtle musical point (!) during our first rehearsal with new band member, Emma.

Old Musos Lunching

The main reason for the band attending Birmingham's Music Live show each November is to enjoy a cracking good lunch afterwards. Here we are November 2006 about to indulge at a rather pleasant hostelry called the 'Orange Tree' in Chadwick End, Warwickshire. L to R: Jim, Laurie, Richard, an old friend, and me.

Peter Green

A nice picture of Peter Green, my favourite guitarist, in action c.2003. I saw him live with his band, The Splinter Group, at the University of Warwick. The magic wasn't quite there, with Peter playing tentatively with none of the old confidence. Luckily, things were held together very ably by the rest of the band. After making some reasonable blues music for a few years after his comeback, but not feeling inspired enough to write any original material, Peter went off the radar again in 2004. Some sort of Court proceedings took place and he split from both the band and Nigel Watson, fellow band member and the man most intrumental in coaxing Peter back into the limelight back in 1995.

(Cont'd next picture...)

Peter Green

There was some sort of gagging order on the Court proceedings from what I can gather and it seems the Court of Protection was involved; a process used in the UK for administering the affairs of people unable to do this for themselves (usually through mental difficulties) and save them from exploitation. Peter went off to Sweden around this time. He popped up briefly in The British Blues All Stars but that stay was very short lived. I'd love to know what happened next and still cherish a hope that Peter will finally get it all back together and make great music again.

Friend in Pensive Mood

This is an interesting portrait of Richard, good friend and old school pal from forty years ago. He sent it to me last year and it seems to represent the mid-life melancholy that we all sometimes become afflicted with. He now lives nearby, so after a long time out of touch we can see more of each other and commiserate over the trials of the ageing process, which is therapeutic if nothing else!

Irises at Trellisik Gardens

I took this in the National Trust's Trellisik Gardens, Cornwall, April 2007. The gardens were exceptionally beautiful due to an early warm spring. Photography isn't a hobby of mine and I surprised myself by taking quite a good shot of these blooms.

'No Fun Allowed' in Falmouth

Actually, I fully understand the desire of Falmouth's city fathers to keep a grip on rowdy behaviour in their very pleasant Cornish seaside town, but this seafront sign did strike me as a little, well, 'Basil Fawlty' in its tone, so I took a snap of it!