Phrases and Photos : Adrian Hextall – MindHex Media
From globetrotting, arena-filling steel bands to homegrown heroes selling their new album with a brand new unmarried, a perfect gig can come from the unlikeliest of puts.
Over the past couple of years, the rock press has broadly reported at the turmoil throughout the Quireboys’ ranks, with founding member Spike necessarily being fired from his personal band. I’m now not going into the whys and wherefores on this piece, however suffice to mention, Spike hasn’t rested on his laurels. As a substitute, the person who based the band and most likely has extra proper to its title than somebody has rebuilt a lineup from the bottom up. This lineup comprises bassist Nigel Mogg returning, Luke Morley on guitar, Chris Johnstone on keys, and Rudy Richman on drums. Man Bailey had additionally returned to the fold, however as many are mindful, we misplaced Man on the finish of 2023.
The ensuing album, Wardour Side road from Quireboys (observe The has been dropped), sums up the ones early years of the band and comprises new subject material penned by way of Man and Spike. It’ll be launched later this yr, and to advertise, an intimate gig for round 80 or so other folks used to be carried out in a tiny café in Greenwich.
A tiny semi-acoustic display didn’t want Nigel’s giant bass sound, so he stayed within the VIP space with a drink and a grin. The display itself noticed Spike, Luke, and Willie (“From The Grip”) Dowling carry out some vintage Quireboys subject material for the lucky few provide.
With the brand new album due later this yr and a playback of it for the ones within the room prior to and after the display, there used to be an actual buzz within the air. As Spike, Luke, and Willie got here to the level, it used to be transparent that the display used to be going to be stuffed with prime jinks, teasing, anecdotes, and extra. Taking a look again so far as 1991, when each Thunder and The Quireboys performed London’s Wembley Area as a part of a 3-night Brit Awards collection of displays, Spike recalled how Luke and Danny Bowes had long gone to their dressing room and commented on how great it smelled. “How does your dressing room odor so great and ours doesn’t?” requested Luke it sounds as if. “Neatly, we get women visiting ours…” recounted Spike with fun, a lot to the amusement of all provide. And so it persevered.
The beverages and anecdotes flowed. Restricted version t-shirts with the date and venue at the again had been dispensed, and for the ones vinyl creditors, the brand new unmarried Raining Whiskey subsidized with the former unmarried Jeez Louise used to be to be had as a purple 7” unmarried. Raining Whiskey includes a vocal efficiency from Frankie Miller, the Scottish songwriter Spike has admired for years, even naming one in every of his solo albums after the nice guy. Frankie used to be even provide within the room, and the 74-year-old, whilst now not in nice well being following a mind aneurysm in 1994 which left him not able to talk or sing, used to be stuffed with smiles and obviously glad to be a part of the day.
It’s onerous to look your personal heroes combat, so credit score to Spike for doing what he can to stay Frankie’s legacy alive and stay the person firmly in other folks’s minds to at the moment.
They closed the quick semi-acoustic set with extra beverages, jokes, anecdotes, and a storming rendition of 7 O’Clock. They then stayed for footage, chats, photos, and extra. A great afternoon and a great gig. Simply glorious.
The band head out on excursion later this yr. Main points and price ticket hyperlinks beneath:
https://www.spikequireboys.com/excursion.htm
NOVEMBER 2024 – QUIREBOYS – QUIREBOYS WARDOUR STREET TOUR ’24
NOV 14 THU Grimsby, Yardbirds
NOV 15 FRI Wakefield, Venue 23
NOV 17 SUN Newport, Corn Change
NOV 20 WED Belfast, Limelight
NOV 22 FRI Nuneaton, Queens Corridor
NOV 23 SAT Nottingham, Previous Chilly Retailer
NOV 24 SUN London, Islington Meeting Corridor
NOV 28 THU UK, Winterstorm – Headliner
NOV 29 FRI Birmingham, Asylum
NOV 30 SAT Manchester, Gorillas
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