Great singer, petite, blonde with attitude and a shoe problem ! ( Going into rehab soon).
Shared lead vocals in Vital Signs, also sang with local choir as soprano.
Band leader and total disciplinarian ( the whips are not just for show!). Loves
jazz and blues, and all forms of music. Also loves changing the key of a
song just when everybody has learnt their part. Party trick - unplugging
mike before volume has been switched off. ( Also once sang with no knickers
on!).
Knows what she wants and usually gets it. Collector of band fees and
chief negotiator - don't whatever you do look into her eyes.
Steve Gladwin-Drums & Percussion
Started playing guitar at age 16 - 1st band (Monolith)formed while at school - couldn't afford a bass so top string tuned down to B and bass tone full up through a linear 50 watt amp which finally blew up.
Member of Vital Signs for 15 years - playing bass and eventually drums and part-time disc jockey. Responsible for all the cables and wiring so watch out. Music gadget junkie.
Chris Gardner-Guitar
Chris "The Hat" Gardner - mean moody and magnificent. The sort of man that
tells the kids that when the ice cream van rings it's because
they've just run out of ice cream. Talented guitarist and techno junkie who
speaks a strange language that only Ian and Chris can understand.
Teacher by trade so ideally suited to the temperament of the band members.
Expert smuggler of new musical instruments from car to house without his
wife noticing - then when challenged - says he's had it for years.
Has a big red Gretsch guitar thats bigger than him - well some men get big
cars - nuff said.
Founder member of the Ossie Osbourne home for the terminally bewildered.
Ian and Chris were founder members of BROWN TROUSERS (as in Napoleon needed em at waterloo... Ian's comment when
he knew he'd be the support/warm up act for The Motivators) and asked me to join on rhythm guitar originally.
Later we became STRANGE DAZE in a variety of incarnations, losing drummers like Spinal Tap (sadly Bob hung himself...).
Latterly experimenting with jazz, Irish and home recording... playing to dead folks in a graveyard one summer...
until drafted in to combine forces with Vital Signs.
Chris Smith-Double Bass
Mister cool on the double bass (check out the photos) - plays great bass,
arranges and generally steers us all in the right direction.
Huge musical knowledge and experience.
Convinced his wife that the bass is actually a piece of furniture and it
doubles as a cocktail cabinet on quiet nights in.
He has work that involves extremely sharp knives so we are all slightly in awe.
Womens institute pin up in his spare time.
First public performance on lead guitar shared with my brother on drums in our own school band.
Later to return as bass player with my brother now on lead in 70,s progressive/rock band.
Co-founder of Strange Daze, with Ian and Chris G. playing pubs and clubs throughout the area.
Having exhausted several drummers (poor old Bob/"sale of the century") and a female vocalist
we settled for home studio recording of pop, rock and Irish folk music.
Playing in grave yards a speciality!
Past "deputy" bass player for local bands which lead to Vanilla Smooth.
Regular player of religious music with local church orchestra.
Bass tuition by appointment.
Ian Briggs-Saxophone & Flute
Master baker continously reminiscing about how great bread used to be and
riding his bike down steep hills and pushing it up t'next one. Master of sax
and flute and various other mythical instruments and keeper of thousands of
gramophone recordings. Known to strut his stuff on the folky scene and is
the proud possessor of a collection of Arran sweaters with leather elbow
patches ( only joking).
Keeps coming up with obscure instrumentals that we are sure he's invented.
Collector of ancient musical instruments which pleases his wife no end who
stays up polishing them until they shine.
Matthew Jeffrey-Keyboards
Piano and keys wizard !
He's got a degree in music so we all doff our caps to him - mind you we
also get a crick in our necks looking up at him. A real ale drinker so he
must be all right. Youngest member of the band and prodigal son of Louth.
Bell ringer in his spare time - but not a campanologist ( thats a study of
bells as opposed to ringing them) we think it's just an excuse to go drinking
on a Sunday. Once featured on Radio Lincolnshire aged 11 playing piano at
Gainsborough church.
John Maguire-Sound Chappie
Sound man and general good egg. Beaten to the role of Walker in Dad's Army
by a whisker.
Possesses blue van occasionally pressed into service to carry the bits we
forgot to put in the vehicles once he's evicted the people living in it at
weekends. Totally deaf having spent a lot of time pressing his ear against
Danny Bryants speakers at the Hope Tavern. Mr fix it and current web wizard
for the band. (He's not really deaf, thats just a joke, we wouldn't employ a
deaf sound man, would we?)
Recently responsible for suggesting a very successful Oxjam 2007.
Influences
Sylv - Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Diana Krall, Gary Moore, Pink Floyd, Snake Davis to name a few.
Steve : Too many to list - but includes the above, King Crimson, Yes, Jimi Hendrix, early Queen, Eric Clapton, Bill Bruford, Ian Paice,Nige Lobley, Rob Foster.
Chris The Hat Gardner has set up the JAMPAL group to get amateur musicians to be able to get together to jam and make music socially. see more at http://groups.myspace.com/jampal
Proud to be a member of the happy band of professional musicians with the best PA in Louth... no credits for hard work, dedication, striving to deliver to an audience? Chris The Hat
Hiya Hope you're all having fun !! Hope to catch you somewhere soon !! You should put 'chasing cars on too !! was well impressed by that !! Keep smiling !! lol denise x
Hi Thanks for the comment, all styles of music are welcome at our Open Mic, we have had enquiries from another Jazz performer, so maybe we could organize a night dedicated to that... Cheers
Am lovin' the new choons on the MySpace player recorded at the Oxjam Louth gig. Have also been checking out the photos from Oxjam on the Ludafest site. www.ludafest.co.uk Nice stuff. Hope to see you play at the next Oxjam Louth event in 2008.
hi, thank you so much for doing the oxjam video and for spending hours to get it to work for us. weve downloaded the womble software and its fab!!! Ive edited the vid to 2 mins and will upload it on our myspace and on mtv very soon. Thanks everso much. Charlotte - ukdelusion =)
Hi all you smoothies( and Smiffy, lol),thanks for all the support over the Oxjam Louth weekend, and the use of your PA system, although I think we only used it for vocals and drums as we were a little loud in the evening. Great festival, great weekend, great bands, all of them. KLOUT! pop/punk/indie/rock. Covers.....getting KLOUTED!
Hiya Folks. Glad to have you on board for Oxjam Louth. Thanks for the kind offer of PA and sound engineer for the weekend, very much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing you play.