H

Call in the friends…

GARY FERGUSON – Drums.
I met Gary when he was in the UK playing for Gary Moore and needed a guitarist for his own side project. We became good friends and I adored his style and skills, Probably my favourite drummer and a great guy, his CV is stellar and includes Larry Carlton, Etta James, John Hiatt, Edgar Winter, Ray Charles, Glenn Hughes… and on!

CHRIS WYLES – Drums.
Also a long-time friend going back to the No Dice years, Chris is an excellent player who also produces and engineers. He made the cocktail stick idea become proper playing! His credits include Red Box, Shaking Stevens and Black Box Recorder .

JAKE NEWMAN – Upright bass.
Jake was recommended by fine drummer Andy Treacey and he was right! A precise and moving player he gave just the colour required. He plays excellent electric bass guitar too!

JODY LINSCOTT – Percussion.
The legendary Jody has worked with just about everyone – Elton John, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Jackson Browne, Kokomo and on. I met her during Jo Burt’s ‘Indestructible’ LP sessions and eventually plucked up courage to ask her to play on some of the tracks. She turned up in her groovy Mini with a heavy cold, and commenced to play superbly and still be charming. Points!

DAVE ‘MUNCH MOORE’ – Keys.
Munch and I go back to No Dice. Faultless, generous and patient beyond  belief and I found myself often saying ‘I don’t recall Munch doing that – isn’t it great!’ Subtlety and taste, Strangeways, Cathedral, Pete Brown, Bo Diddley and others have benefitted from his ivories.

RICHARD CAUSON – Keys.
When I asked the un-assuming Richard if he might play as I loved his style, I had no idea of his pedigree!
‘Googling’ came up with, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams and Tom Jones on his CV. Wooh, indeed! I didn’t know I needed Dulcitone or Accordion until he suggested and played them, amongst the other keyboarded exhibits in his studio.

DENISE McCANN – Backing vox.
A successful solo singer in L.A during the 80s, Vancouverian Denise more than kindly trucked round to my spare-room studio and rattled off a set of fantastic harmonies in record time! Incredibly patient while my basic engineering skills lagged behind, she supplied a cohesive sheen… Perfect!

DEREK JEFFERY – Backing vox.
Derek is himself a great singer and writer. I often feel we were separated at birth, he’s the only person I know who has exactly the same musical taste as me, a great friend and we go back a long time. Apart from his peerless harmonies – hitting notes I only dream of – he also patiently and relentlessly tutored me into some semblance of a singer. His time in California in Ark with Al Perkins certainly rubbed off.

ALAN THOMPSON – Pedal Steel Guitar.
I’ve never actually met Alan but he came with good recommendation from Derek Jeffery, who worked with him in Scotland. His tasteful and considerate licks supplied just the colours needed. Pedal steel is often considered the ‘Marmite’ of the guitar world… I love it!

ANDREW LINHAM – Saxophone.
Andrew performed at the recent ‘No Dice’ re-union gig, an extremely gifted player, it was a pleasure to have his talent on ‘House for Sale’.

RICHARD NEUBERG – Saw
Big thanks for the use of Richard’s Oxfordshire studio ‘Strawhouse’ during some pre-production work. While there, we discovered his unique talent for the saw. Well… we had to have that on the album!

VAL HAYES – Vocal.
I first saw Val in her band ‘Bad Influence’ in the mid 80’s and was suitably impressed by the band and her voice. When we needed a co-vocal in the Bonnie Raitt mode I knew who to call and she graciously laid down a fine harmony to my efforts.

JOHN FIDDLER – Harmonica.
John is a legend, half of the groundbreaking ‘Medicine Head’ (One and One + numerous hits), he generously called me to work on the Box of Frogs two albums, alongside some star guitarists and artists. Recently, while working together rehearsing his new material he very kindly recorded some most blueswailing harp for my LP. Great!

TERRY REID – Vocal
I still can’t believe I’m writing this! I have had the privilege since 2002 to have played guitar for the great Terry Reid, one of the finest voices, a great songwriter and a man who has worked with everyone who is anyone. Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Waddy Watchell, David Lindley – they’ve all trodden the boards with Terry. That he has deigned to sing on my album, never mind co-write a song together blows me away. Just listen to him.