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

September 2017: The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential British groups of all time, with millions of record sales and countless awards and accolades to their name. In this edition, I catch up with keyboard player Ian Gibbons who, as well as being a long-term member of the band, also has a long list of credits to his name including Love Affair, Dr Feelgood, Roger Chapman, The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Ian Hunter and Chip Hawkes. #IanGibbons #TheKinks #LoveAffair #DrFeelgood #RogerChapman #TheSweet #SuziQuatro #IanHunter #ChipHawkes #interview

September 2017: Today on the line I’m joined by drummer Bob Henrit who has quite a few tales to tell! Ivor Novello Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee, Bob has been a member of The Roulettes, Unit 4+2, Argent, The Kinks, and almost Genesis as well as recording with Leo Sayer, Ringo Starr and Roger Daltrey. And it isn’t over yet. #AdamFaith #TheRoulettes #Argent #TheKinks #Unit4+2 #CliffRichards #Genesis #interview

August 2017: Multi-instrumentalist Michael Steed has contributed bass, keyboards, and even penny whistle to some classic recordings as a full time member of some influential bands including Flesh For Lulu, Love Affair, The Marmalade, and The Rubettes. His life changed in 1989 when he answered an advert in Melody Maker, one of the top magazines of the day, which led him on a journey to the US, Europe and even theatre land. #FleshForLulu #TheMarmalade #LoveAffair #Rubettes #interview

August 2017: The Jesus and Mary Chain have been back in the studio for the first time in 2 decades facing the difficulties of recording together to make new album Damage and Joy. Much has been written about the chaos and violence of the band’s early live shows, their unexpected rise to mainstream Top of the Pops success, and their agonising decline. Now Jim chats to me about their seminal debut album Psychocandy, his tempestuous relationship with his brother Will, and why they don’t conform. #JesusAndMarychain #TheMarychain #JimReid #interview

August 2017: I have a rabbit with rockney legend Chas Hodges. As one half of Chas & Dave, he wrote and recorded exceptionally witty songs about life in a unique style of a London pub singalong, with a bit of music-hall humour and boogie-woogie piano thrown in. Authentic and charming, Chas reminisces about the early days, provides some sound advice on life, and speaks about his other projects…down the allotment! #Chas&Dave #ChasnDave #ChasHodges #interview

July 2017: I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist and punk aficionado David Donley. He’s played with almost everyone who’s anyone as well as being a member of Glen Matlock’s Philistines, Holy Holy, and almost The Cure. Now he tells a few tales on the people in his phone book and the first vinyl release with a few friends as The Venus Reaction. #GlenMatlock #ThePhilistines #HolyHoly #AdamAnt #TheVenusReaction #EdGraham #VivAlbertine #interview

July 2017: The Vibrators bassist, Pete Honkamaki, joined the band in 2003 having previously played in Finnish three-piece No Direction and subbing for the UK Subs. Dressed head to toe in black and hidden under heaps of silver metal, his appearance is every bit the personification of the modern day punk scene he plays in. But when I caught up with him at a charity gig in Norfolk, he showed his hidden depths and gave some sound advice for life. #TheVibrators #TimeToKill #UKSubs #NoDirection #Punk #interview

July 2017: Guitarist Nigel Bennett ripped up the rule book of the 70s London music scene auditioning for major bands including the Sex Pistols and Iron Maiden before recording with The Members, playing in Julian Lennon’s band, with Tom Robinson and, of course, The Vibrators. We had a little giggle before he played a charity gig in Norfolk when he confessed all about his naughty school days, what it’s really like to be on tour, how he loves America, and snake-skin boots! #TheMembers #TheVibrators #JulianLennon #SexPistols #IronMaiden #TomRobinson #Punk #interview

July 2017: Amongst those bands at the forefront of the #punk movement of the 70s was The Vibrators’ with their seminal album Pure Mania influencing the genre and many other musicians at that time. Forty one years later The #Vibrators are still performing and I spent some time with founding member Eddie who chatted about the punk scene, Past, Present & Into The Future and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.  #JohnEdwards #EddieVibrator #JohnEddieEdwards #TheVibrators #PureMania #interview

May 2017: This was a particularly poignant interview for me as it was recorded the day after the terrorist atrocities at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. But it was a lovely conversation with Whiskey Myers' guitarist, Cody Tate, who showed that life must go on as we chatted about music, life…and the events in Manchester. #country #rock #whiskeymyers #codytate #Manchesterattack #interview

April 2017: I’m joined on the telephone by blues drummer extraordinaire and veteran of the music business for over 50 years, Tali 'Icepack' Jackson. A pure world-class multi-talented musician, Tali has played and recorded with absolutely everyone who’s anyone from Bob Dylan, and Bonnie Raitt, to Bob Marley and Bette Midler, and on his new CD is joined by no less than 9 Gold Grammy and Rock & Roll Hall of famers. #TaliJackson #IcepackJackson #TaliIcepackJackson #BobDylan #BonnieRaitt #BobMarley #BetteMidler #TheMonkees #EllaFitzgerald #interview

March 2017: I chat on the telephone with Jake Burns. When the punk revolution took hold in the 70s, Stiff little Fingers were at the forefront of the movement along with the likes of the Clash, Sex Pistols, and the Stranglers. But, the band of 4 from Belfast defined something a little more than simply rebellion. Writing about their own lives growing up at the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland, they confronted social change head on and took on the establishment and won. 40 years on Stiff Little Fingers are still out there touring, but this time talking to a whole new generation and still creating meaningful music. #JakeBurns #StiffLittleFingers #punk #interview