Derek's Influences ......There have been many influences on my musical taste some of which have influenced my lyrics whilst others the sound.
Lyrically I have been influenced by wordsmiths like Bob Dylan , Joni Mitchelle, Billy Joel , Jewel, Janis Ian , Ray Davies and Chuck Berry as well as poets like Tennyson.
Musically I started off with rock artists like Buddy Holly through Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. back in time to the great Country Blues artists like Skip James, Rev Gary Davis, Robert Johnson, Rice Miller, Son House, Memphis Minnie, Mississippi John Hurt,Eric Bibb, Tommy McClennan, Tommy Johnson, Blind Blake, Big Joe Williams, Bessie Smith, Johnny Shines, Blind Boy Fuller, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Hambone Willie Newburn, Billie Holliday.
Thrown in a dash of some Northumbrian folk music and of course Dire Straits and you have a melting pot of our style....................
....................... Louise’s Influences :-
Jefferson Airplane, mainly because of the talent of their vocalist Grace Slick, and I also discovered Janis Joplin - for me, the best white female blues singer ever.
David Bowie. His lyrics simply blew me away, they were unusual and creative, and way ahead of their time. I also liked Rod Stewart when he sang with the Faces, and I began my 30-year obsession with Alice Cooper who seemed able to combine his music with great theatre, fetishism, and biting social commentary. Velvet Underground have also been a favourite
When I lived in Texas it had dozens of local radio stations, most of them playing country music, and I renewed my acquaintance with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Roy Orbison. But now there were also singer/songwriters who were not welcome at the Grand Ole Oprey in Nashville, such as Hank Williams Jr, Willie Nelson, Michelle Shocked, K.D.Lang and John (Cougar) Mellancamp, all of whom had a great deal to say about life in modern America, some of which was not very complimentary. I saw
K.D.Lang perform with her first band, the Reclines. We also saw local bands such as the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Asleep at the Wheel, ZZ Top, and Stevie Ray Vaughn perform, just before he was tragically killed in a plane crash.
As you see a diverse mix of all sorts no wonder its difficult to pigeon hole our music !
Janes Alley
Hey! I'm back from the tour, and i made a little video of some of the highlights of 2006....complete with an encounter i had with a Japanese toilet!! If you get a chance....you can see it on youtube....click here to watch it. Anyway, take care and i hope to see you somewhere on the road....i hit it again in May!
Kevin
Hey. sorry i haven't got back to you sooner.
Tangerine is lucking good. We've just been waiting for the film council to give us the sign off. We just got feedback from them and we'll see from there.
But I will say one thing, I think the music fits perfectly with the film!
Janes Alley
Happy New Year!!! I hope Santa was nice to you this year, and that 2007 is a great year.
We play Nottingham tonight, then Bristol, and Newcastle on Sunday......and then we have a couple of well needed days off. Al Perkins is playing his butt off on the tour....
Anyway, here is a little video i made of the guys in the band..for a laugh!...the Shawn Byrne bit will crack you up! Click here to watch it. Anyway, take care and hope to see you soon! Kevin
