Hound Dog Taylor , Elmore James , George Thorogood .
Without the slide - BB & Albert King - Son Seals , Fabulous Thunderbirds , Bonnie Raitt , Buddy Guy , Stevie Ray Vaughan , Jimi Hendrix , Smokin Joe Kubek , Lightnin Hopkins - loads more !
In 1978 I saw a very young and hungry George Thorogood at Birmingham's Barbarella's club . Already a long time Elmore James fan , this made me start playing slide guitar - and led me to records by Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers . In 1981 I formed Les Wilson and The Houserockers , naming my band in honour of Hound Dog . In the intervening 28 years , surviving dozens of drummers , vocal cord nodules , and supported by a handful of wonderful bass players , and despite increasingly elusive gigs , I have never gone more than a few weeks without a Houserockers show .
In 1988 I recorded my first album ' Fine Lookin Woman ' - and was signed to the penurious , but prestigious blues label Red Lightnin - run by the flamboyant and mercurial Peter Shertser . This and my live reputation got me one of the earliest guest sessions on the BBC Paul Jones blues show . Around 1990 the UK began to host large blues festivals , and I enjoyed considerable success - headlining the British stage at the Colne British Blues festival on three occasions , as well as appearing on the International stage twice . The 90's found me with regular spots on most of the big UK blues festivals such as Burnley and Gloucester . Then in 1991 I began to play festivals and club dates in Holland and Belgium - I love you guys - its always the best to come over and play for ya ! ( and occasionally France , Switzerland and Luxembourg ) - I steadily released albums - ' Fuelled Up ' 1992 . ' On The Loose ' 1996 . ' On the Road ' ( live ) 1998 . Things were pretty good .
In 1998 I had the misfortune to move to Cork in Ireland . Since when it has of course been difficult to stay in touch with the blues scene - and I have been more or less forgetten in the UK . But I still manage to visit the Uk every month to play a few gigs . When I get up on stage , the fire is still burning , and I'm playing and singing better than ever . But what it takes to actually get up there is now an increasingly high price to pay . The train wreck of my personal life is taking its toll . And of course , the work is far less than it used to be , so many venues are closing their doors , and the money hardly worth it . But - there are gigs in the book for 2010 - so I guess I'll be seeing you all at least one more year ! Though if I never saw another aeroplane again it would be too soon .
There have been more albums - a compilation/best of ' Ton Of Red Lightnin ' in 2001 , and ' Slide It On Over ' in 2005 . Then another live release ' Rock away Those Blues ' for 2006 .
Blue Highway is my latest Houserockers album - and is released now in November 2009 . I will feature songs from all of these albums from time to time on this page . I also shot a professional video last year at my favourite gig - the Village Hall in Alrewas , Burton-on-Trent , England . I have now uploaded some of the tracks from that live show onto this page .
You can buy any of the albums or DVD - just get in touch with me .
I have also done something I always wanted to do - record and release an album of acoustic/roots/americana songs . ' Broken Hearts ' came out in August 2009 - and its the best thing I have ever done - I have a separate website for this side of my music - just click on the ' LESLIE WILSON ' link at the top of my list of friends below on this page .
See you at the next gig !
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