JUDY TOTTON - Key Persons
To quote John Mayall on the subject of guitar players "I've had the privilege of working with some of the finest blues guitarists of our time and I have to say that Buddy has got such a unique style and power that I would hate to have to compare his contribution to the Bluesbreaakers to any of his illustrious predecessors. Buddy is in a class by himself and someone I hope to work with for a very long time".
Born in Fort Worth, Texas on the December the 28th 1956, Buddy Whittington began playing guitar at the age of eight after being inspired by his sister's records of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and, in particular, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton. By the age of fourteen, Buddy had already become an integral part of the Dallas/Fort Worth music scene playing with regularity in the numerous clubs along Jacksboro Highway. Although he became versatile enough to be able to play anything from the country music of Bob Wills to the rhythm and blues classics of Bill Doggett to rock ‘n roll, his main love was, and is to this day, the blues.
During the early Eighties he formed and sang with his own group ‘The Sidemen' who became well known to a large audience who loved their down home grooves. On one special night in 1991, ‘The Sidemen' were booked at a club called Dallas Alley to open up for none other than John Mayall. Apparently John was impressed enough to keep in touch and Buddy gave him his card, never expecting to hear from him. However, when Coco Montoya left the Bluesbreakers in 1993, there was no doubt in John's mind who to call. Ever since that out-of-the-blue phone call, Buddy has brought a powerful new dimension to the Bluesbreakers sound, not only as a lead guitarist but also, through his excellence on rhythm and slide guitar. To date his album credits include ‘Spinning Coin' (1995), ‘Blues for the Lost Days' (1997), ‘Padlock on the Blues' (1999), ‘UK Tour 2K' (2000), ‘Along for the Ride' (2001), ‘Stories' (2002), ‘No Days Off' (2003), ‘70th Birthday Concert' CD & DVD (2003) and the live DVD ‘Cookin' Down Under' (2004).
It's been a long standing tradition for the Bluesbreakers guitarist to cover a Freddie King instrumental, starting with ‘Hideaway' by Eric Clapton on the ‘Beano' album, ‘The Stumble' by Peter Green on ‘A Hard Road' and ‘Driving Sideways' by Mick Taylor on the album ‘Crusade. Buddy continues this tradition and has taken things a step further on live shows by combining elements of all these classics in a medley built around ‘Hideaway' which has become a rousing tour-de-force for him. Buddy's searing tone showcases his strong Texas influence all the way. As Buddy explains "It's that Les Paul-through-a-Marshall tone that Eric refined in '66. It can't be topped! Although I play a Stratocaster through a Dr. Z amp onstage these days, it's that perfect Gibson/Marshall ‘thang' that we're all striving for!"
Unlike countless rock ‘n rollers who carry racks of guitars around for every show with roadies to match, Buddy likes to keep it simple and plays only one - his 1963 Stratocaster plugged into the Dr. Z amplifier. On the very rare occasions that he breaks a string, John can always be counted on to take a piano or harp solo while he changes strings, thereby allowing the show to continue smoothly.
Buddy is a great blues singer and accomplished songwriter too, and it has become a Bluesbreakers tradition for him to get together with longtime Mayall drummer, Joe Yuele, to co-write a contribution to each new album. This began in 1999 with the song ‘Always a Brand New Road' for the ‘Padlock on the Blues' album and, on the album ‘Stories' (2002), he and Joe wrote ‘Pieces and Parts'- a groovy slow shuffle that gives John a chance to play some fine harmonica and trade licks with Buddy. Also on the latter album, he wrote the satirical blues rocker ‘Romance Classified'. These songs have all met with critical acclaim and attention and have been quoted in many album reviews.
On the live ‘70th Birthday Concert' event in Liverpool in a benefit for UNICEF, it was a great thrill for Buddy to share the stage at last with two of his heroes, Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor and have the magic of the evening captured for posterity on the Eagle Records release ‘70th Birthday Concert' (2003).
Currently, Buddy is working on material for an album of his own and looking forward to returning to the UK for another great concert tour and to once again trade guitar licks with Mick Taylor. In the meantime, although his fellow Bluesbreakers make their home base in Los Angeles, Buddy is proud to live in Hurst, Texas with his family where he was born and raised to play the blues.
Job Titles:
- Member of Bill Wyman 's Rhythm Kings
Andy Fairweather Low has been something of a quiet man of rock. Chances are you'll know his hits - Wide Eyed And Legless, Reggae Tune, Bend Me Shape Me, Hello Susie, (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice, Gin House Blues, Natural Sinner…. if not his name, but all that's about to change.
From the early days in Amen Corner, his solo career and then years spent with Eric Clapton, Roger Waters and Bill Wyman, not to mention playing with Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix , The Who, George Harrison and BB King, Andy has not just been a stalwart but a shining light.
"The Very Best Of Andy Fairweather Low - The Low Rider" quite rightly celebrates that fact. Released on Proper Records on June 2nd, it features 14 of his best known tracks and will be TV advertised.
The CD effortlessly mixes re-recorded versions of his biggest hits with some of the most in-demand live numbers that he plays on tour. And in Spring this year Andy takes to the road with his band The Low Riders on a major UK outing.
Quite simply, Andy Fairweather Low has been - and continues to be - the guitarist and vocalist of choice for a phenomenal cast list of musical luminaries.
Andy Fairweather Low was on something of a roll. The following year, 1975, he released his second solo album, ‘La Booga Rooga', which eventually emerged as his most successful record. Produced by the celebrated Glyn Johns - at that time fresh from working with The Eagles - ‘La Booga Rooga' featured such stellar musicians as ex-Eagle Bernie Leadon (guitar), Dave Mattacks (drums), Eddie ‘Tan Tan' Thornton (trumpet), Kenney Jones (drums), John ‘Rabbit' Bundrick (keyboards), BJ Cole (steel guitar) and Georgie Fame (keyboards). Among the tracks was ‘Wide Eyed and Legless', a Top 10 hit for Fairweather Low at the end of 1975.
Johns was also at the helm for ‘Be Bop ‘n' Holla', Fairweather Low's 1976 album. It was followed, in 1980, by ‘Mega-Shebang', recorded for Warner Brothers and destined to be Fairweather Low's final solo album until 2006. In between ‘Be Bop ‘n' Holla' and ‘Mega-Shebang', however, Fairweather Low sang backing vocals on The Who's 1978 ‘Who Are You' album - the start of a relationship which also saw him playing guitar on the band's 1982 album, ‘It's Hard', and appearing with Pete Townshend on his 1993 ‘Psychoderelict' tour.
That work with The Who set the direction for Fairweather Low's next moves. He became the ultimate Guitarist to the Stars, building an extraordinary reputation that has endured to this day.
Most notably, Fairweather Low has been a stalwart of Eric Clapton's band since the early-Nineties, touring in Clapton's bands right up until 2003 and recording the ‘Unplugged', ‘From the Cradle', ‘Pilgrim', ‘Riding with the King', ‘Reptile', ‘One More Car One More Rider', ‘Me & Mr. Johnson' and ‘Back Home' albums with him.
Fairweather Low was also a regular player with George Harrison, appearing on his ‘Live in Japan' album and, in 2002, playing several of the lead guitar parts for the Harrison tribute, ‘The Concert for George'.
One of Fairweather Low's longest musical relationships, however, has been with Roger Waters. The two have worked together since Waters' ‘Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking' tour of America in 1985. Since that time Fairweather Low has contributed to two of Waters' albums - ‘Radio K.A.O.S' in 1987 and ‘Amused to Death' in 1992 - and played guitar and bass on the 1999-2002 ‘In the Flesh' world tour. Fairweather Low rejoined Waters for the ‘Dark Side of the Moon' tour this year.
Fairweather Low is also a regular member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, the consequence of another relationship that stretches back to the mid-Eighties. Fairweather Low and Wyman first worked together at the Small Faces' legendary bass player Ronnie Lane's A.R.M.S. - Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis - benefit concert at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1983. It was a charity cause that Wyman revisited in 1985 with Willie & The Poor Boys, a Fifties' style rock ‘n' roll concept band featuring Fairweather Low. Since that time Fairweather Low has been frequently involved in Wyman's projects, most recently touring with the Rhythm Kings in 2005 and the summer of 2006.
But perhaps it was inevitable that one day Fairweather Low would be tempted to return to the studio in his own right.
‘Sweet Soulful Music' reunited Fairweather Low with producer Glyn Johns and October ‘07 saw Andy touring solo again in the UK with his own all star band containing Chris Stainton - keyboards, Dave Bronze - bass and Paul Beavis - drums. One of the shows was filmed and the resulting DVD is released in June 2008 closely following the TV advertised release of his new album "The Very Best Of Andy Fairweather Low - The Low Rider".
In the words of John Mayall, "In my opinion, the measure of a great bass player in the realm of the blues is one who lays down good solid bass patterns in the rhythm section and who works in total harmony with the drummer to work as one entity. It's not the flashy playing of someone who would rather be a lead guitarist, but someone who lays a foundation for the front line instruments to build on. Ever since Hank Van Sickle has been in the band, the Bluesbreakers have never sounded better."
Hank was born into a musical family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December the 31st 1961. His father, Denny, played in dance bands in Canada as a youngster, went on to graduate from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and played bass in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for nearly forty years. Jazz was constantly heard around the Van Sickle household and Hank remembers as a child being entertained by the music of Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and other jazz giants. It was no wonder that Hank was inspired to take up music himself and learn to play bass.
He got his professional start as a teenager playing blues with his sister, Lucy, who is an excellent harp player and singer. He immersed himself in the classic Fifties Chess recordings of Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers and Howlin' Wolf. These records naturally led to him being turned on to the more contemporary sounds of Albert Collins, Freddie King, Magic Sam and Albert King. Of course there was also the heavy blues-rock influence of the ‘British Invasion' as typified by John Mayall, The Rolling Stones and Cream.
After Hank graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, he worked for nearly ten years as a mechanical engineer in the oil and aerospace industries. This involved quite a bit of traveling in Texas, Oklahoma and California while continuing to play jazz and blues in various groups on a part-time basis. When the oil wells dried up in the mid-Eighties, so did his job. His choice was to move to California where by now, through his many contacts and good reputation, he was able to support himself full-time as a freelance bass player. With his mastery of upright bass and electric bass guitar, he started stretching out beyond blues and jazz and was able to land gigs that covered many different styles of music from Western Swing to R & B, to Dixieland, Country and even musicals! A diverse list of credits included working with Guitar Shorty, Smokey Wilson, Candye Kane, Denny Freeman, Rosie Flores, Wanda Jackson, Yma Sumac, Judy Tenuta, The Drifters and many more. He also contributed to several albums, movie soundtracks (including David Lynch's ‘The Straight Story') plus television commercials.
Hank's introduction to John Mayall came in a rather roundabout way. John was looking for a new bass player and he and Joe Yuele were setting up informal auditions for the new vacancy. One night they went to hear someone who'd been recommended for the job. It turned out that one of Hank's regular gigs was host bass player at a jam night run by Dan Singer at a valley joint called ‘The Chimney Sweep'. A bass player acquaintance of Hank's had invited John and Joe to the jam so that they could hear him play. And he'd apparently called Hank earlier to make sure it was okay for him to come and sit in. Of course when John and Joe came in, Hank was already onstage, it being his gig. The hopeful candidate did his bit but wasn't good enough to warrant further consideration. However, Mayall was much more impressed with Hank and they got to talk during the break and he told him how much he'd enjoyed his playing. It also turned out that Hank and Joe had done a few gigs together before and they were quickly re-acquainted. John took down Hank's number and a few days later he called to say the job was his if he was interested. It didn't take long to cement the deal and Hank became the new Bluesbreaker in the summer of 2000.
Since then, Hank has taken full advantage of his time in different cities, visiting museums, churches and historic sites all over the world. With Joe's encouragement and Buddy's good humor, he has become an avid photographer and now has thousands of silly pictures of the Bluesbreakers in embarrassing situations of their own making. Hank also enjoys meeting John's longtime fans after the shows and throwing back a few local brews while listening to the stories that generally start with "I first heard John back in…." But after all, it is the music that matters most. As Hank says, "Every night is fresh and full of new challenges, and the guys are so good that, no matter what twists and turns the music takes, they always land on their feet. It is truly inspiring to play with such talented guys."
Between tours with Mayall, Hank continues to be in demand for gigs and sessions in the Los Angeles area and most recently has been playing regularly with legendary jazz organist Jimmy Smith.
Speaking about the new single, Joan said: "Natural Rhythm's got right inside my soul, the pulse is slow but my heart beats fast."
Natural Rhythm is the second single from Consequences, Joan Armatrading's recently released Top 10 album which shot straight into the UK Top10 in its first week of release.
JOAN ARMATRADING has been making glorious music for over 45 years. She has the gift of story-telling and the talent to combine it with melodies that transcend the generation divide. A fact that is demonstrated superbly on her new single ‘I Like It When We're Together'.
Joan Armatrading is an artist who has always stayed true to herself and love, as another famous person once wrote, Love is not love if it alters when it alteration finds.
Grounded in her music and confident in her abilities, Joan has never buckled to current trends and genres in over five decades of superlative music-making. ‘Influential' and ‘pioneering' are just two of the epithets that have been rightly attributed to her.
The very first British female singer/songwriter to gain international success, Joan has won accolade after accolade. In 2001 she was honoured by an MBE from the Queen, since upgraded to a CBE and she has even received the keys to Sydney along the way.
In 1973 she was named Outstanding New Artist in Music Week - and she's never looked back.
With 22 superlative albums to her credit, and a new one about to be released world-wide on BMG, Joan's subtle and sublime music has touched millions of people all over the world.
Three times Grammy nominated, two times Brit nominated, winner of a coveted Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection, and winner of the BASCA Gold Badge Award in 2012, it is a recognition that continues to this day. 2012 saw Joan receive the British Folk Festival Award, 2016 Radio 2's Folk Award for Lifetime Achievement and, in the same year, the MMF's Artist's Artist Award. The standout achievements are many.
In 2007 Joan became the first female British artist to debut at number 1 in the Billboard Blues chart and also the first ever female UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the blues category.
Her CD, ‘Into The Blues', remained at No 1 for 12 consecutive weeks. Joan toured the world in support of it and also released a deluxe edition of CD with DVD which showed her at her very best, live, on stage, performing music from across her career.
In 2014/2015 Joan undertook her last massive world tour - it covered an incredible 235 dates with most selling out as soon as they went on sale. Joan made it clear, however, she was not leaving the road for good - ‘I'll never retire" - just withdraw from year long excursions' she said.
In 2016 she composed the music to the acclaimed Donmar Warehouse production of The Tempest which played both in London and New York. Joan Armatrading has come a long way since her birth in the West Indies and her upbringing in Birmingham, UK.
Born in St Kitts on December 9th 1950 and moving to England when she was seven, Joan took her first musical steps on her mother's piano. Although her father had a guitar it was strictly out of bounds so when Joan saw one for £3 in a pawn shop window she pestered her parents to buy it. Her mother bartered two old prams they no longer used in exchange. Joan soon taught herself to play and began writing her own songs at the age of 14.
Joan Armatrading's debut album, ‘Whatever's For Us', released on Cube Records in 1972 and produced by the great Gus Dudgeon, was critically acclaimed and saw Joan voted as best newcomer. In 1974, she signed to A&M world-wide and a whole plethora of classic and memorable songs followed - "Love and Affection", "Down To Zero", "Drop the Pilot", "Me Myself I" to name but a few.
Known as a true craftsman, Joan's distinctive vocals and consummate musicianship - she has arranged as well as played nearly every instrument herself on the last five albums - have led to widespread and, perhaps most importantly, consistent critical acclaim. Effortlessly eclectic, her sound has ranged from jazz to soul to sophisticated pop, all driven by her passionate guitar. Indeed, she was the first non-jazz artist to play in London's Ronnie Scott's main room.
In 2003 Joan released a seminal album, "Lovers Speak". All 14 tracks were self-penned as usual but, with the exception of drums and horns, on this album she played every instrument as well. The CD combined strong upbeat melodies, riffs that stuck in your head and passionate, soulful ballads. It was the result of a long-held desire to make a truly solo album.
In musical terms Joan Armatrading has achieved far more than most performers ever dream of. She has received countless gold, platinum and silver discs and figured large in VH1's Top 100 voted poll ‘The Most Influential Woman In Rock'. She has continued to do what is important to her….and that has included other pursuits.
After years of committed studying, Joan achieved a goal she had held since childhood, she gained her BA Honours after studying history from the Open University - a feat very few other working artists would attempt, let alone whilst on tour. (She took her final exam the day after the last gig of her 2000 dates).
Other educational laurels include an Honorary Fellowship of the John Moores University of Liverpool (2000) and an Honorary Fellowship of Northampton University (2003). She has also received a Doctorate in Music from the University of Birmingham (2002), an Honorary degree from Aston University (2006), an Honorary Degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (2008) and an Honorary Degree from the University of the West Indies (2013).
In 2008, one month from her 58th birthday, Joan ran her first marathon. She ran the New York marathon of 26.24 miles and helped to raise £76,000 for her chosen charity.
A long time Ambassador and performer for the Prince's Trust, she lends her support to various charities across the world. In December 1998 she released a CD, "Lullabies With A Difference" in aid of PACES, a charity for children with Cerebral Palsy. For five years she was President of the charitable and prestigious Women Of The Year Lunch.
The range of Joan's involvement with music has also extended to media. Not only has she presented several series' for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 4 but in 2009 she decided to interview five other guitarists for the BBC, discussing their styles and influences. The musicians ranged from the distinctive rocker, Mark Knopfler, to classical John Williams, blues artist Bonnie Raitt, veteran folk artist Bert Jansch and Bloc Party's Russell Lissack.
JOE BROWN has, incredibly, been playing music professionally for 60 years. On September 6th he embarked on a massive 78 date 60th Anniversary UK tour which sees him on the road until well after Christmas. (Second leg of dates attached.) And to coincide with the live outing comes a special Limited Edition 60th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set. It is scheduled for digital release on November 8th and physical release on the 29th on Joe Brown Productions through Absolute/Universal. The lavish and detailed album-size 60th Anniversary Box Set is Joe's first ever. Each box contains six CDs and a DVD as well as various items including two sixties' poster cards a badge and a guitar plectrum (all unavailable elsewhere), The piece-de-resistance of the box set, however, is the lavish full colour 48 page hard backed book which chronicles Joe's career in pictures and words. A terrific tribute to a musician's life well lived. https://www.musicglue.com/joebrown/
As some of the world's top guitar players will confirm, Joe Brown is that rarest of things in the professional music world - a musician's musician, a guitar player's guitar player. A man held in high regard, now also known as much for his championing of the humble ukulele as well as his guitar dexterity. Following his first record, a 1959 released Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman song ‘People Gotta Talk', in 1960 the Spacemen (a skiffle band Joe was in) became Joe's backing band The Bruvvers. The hits began to roll in. Starting with ‘The Darktown Strutters Ball' they reached a crescendo in 1962/3 with ‘A Picture Of You' (No 1 on the NME chart), ‘It Only Took A Minute' and ‘That's What Love Will Do'. In the early days Joe played alongside legends such as Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Billy Fury. He backed Johnny Cash and others on TV. He was soon headlining British tours that featured opening acts Del Shannon, Dion, the Crystals… and an up and coming band called The Beatles. In later years George Harrison was to become one of his closest friends and it was Joe's rendition of ‘I'll See You In My Dreams' that closed the show at the Tribute To George concert.
Joe Brown still tours to packed houses. Stage, film, radio and TV have all been within his orbit and he is renowned as a natural entertainer. His anecdotes are based on his own experiences from starting out in a time of music hall, traversing skiffle and then embracing rock ‘n' roll.
The Special Edition Box Set pays tribute to a remarkable musician. It demonstrates both Joe's versatility (he plays many instruments) and the range of his music. He is equally at home with Leadbelly standards, Golden Gate Quartet gospel, 1930s' classics and real hoe down country music and country blues. Not to mention klezmer, pop and absolutely authentic rock ‘n' roll. Joe Brown's skill set is diverse and his appeal all-embracing. He truly deserved his recent Mojo Lifetime Achievement award as well as his MBE and this box set does him credit. It shows exactly why Joe has survived and prospered across the decades - a great record of an undisputedly great artist. www.joebrown.co.uk
Biography
Some things never change. Joe Brown's same spikey hairstyle, his distinctive voice and cheerful personality, the same pioneering spirit AND his tremendous talent. Joe is the real deal. He looks good, he sounds good and he is good.
Joe was one of the first great British guitarists and, now, an incredible five decades later, he can still justly lay claim to being one of the UK's finest.
His unique background was deeply rooted in the East End where he grew up (his mum ran a pub in Plaistow and his grandfather was a trick rider in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Circus.) He was a champion of the first form of youth music, skiffle, and while he has never had a music lesson in his life he can play at least eight different instruments.
Joe has inspired and been acclaimed by many guitarists - George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck to name but a few - and he is credited as the man who gave Hank Marvin the echo unit that gave the Shadows their distinctive sound.
(Rumour also has it that Jimi Hendrix took up playing guitar behind his head having seen Joe do it at a show.) 2008 sees Joe celebrating his 50th year in the business, a career that has had more than its fair share of highs. From the early hits - Dark Town Strutters Ball, Shine, Picture Of You, That's What Love Will Do - right through to appearances at Glastonbury and Cropready and on Jools Holland's "Hootenanny" and "Later", he's demonstrated his superb musicianship.
His show-stopping performance at the George Harrison Tribute concert in 2002 with "I'll See You In My Dreams" was both memorable and moving, a fitting tribute to one of his closest friends. (The DVD of the show has already gone 12 times platinum in the US alone.)
50 years on Joe is still making new and highly acclaimed records. He's toured with some great musicians - recently Dave Edmunds - and he still tours major venues twice a year. Following a major Spring outing earlier this year he takes to the road again in the Autumn to complete his 50th Anniversary dates. To mark 2008's special occasion, Universal released the TV promoted "Joe Brown, The Very Best Of" in February - and it's already sold over 100,000 copies. Featuring all of his best loved songs right from the early days to the present including his version of Dylan's Well, Well, Well, One Trick Pony and Black Betty, it provides the perfect prelude to Joe's forthcoming studio album.
Scheduled for October release, the new CD will be out on the Track record label and is titled "More Of The Truth". When Lonnie Donegan was ruling the charts with Rock Island Line, 16 year old Joe joined his first band, the Spacemen Skiffle Group. Three years later he was the resident lead guitarist on Jack Good's groundbreaking TV show Boy Meets Girls. He found himself backing visiting American stars like Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and Johnny Cash. (That's Joe's rockabilly lead guitar all over Billy Fury's classic 1960 album "The Sound Of Fury"- THE classic UK rock record.)
1960 was the year the Spacemen became Joe Brown And The Bruvvers and the hits began to roll in, starting with The Darktown Strutters Ball and reaching a crescendo in 1962/3 with A Picture Of You, It Only Took A Minute and That's What Love Will Do. During this time Joe was headlining British tours that featured Del Shannon, Dion, the Crystals… and an up and coming band called the Beatles.
As the Beatles changed the whole pop music landscape Joe was already broadening his horizons. He starred in the long running West End musical "Charlie Girl" in 1965 and has since appeared in "Sleuth" and 1985's "Pump Boys And Dinettes" which he directed and took on tour.
Joe Brown is the genuine article. That he is one of the real British greats is without doubt. An inspiration to many and an unflagging and surprising talent in his own right, Joe goes from strength to strength. The new CD out in February is a superb testament to a truly unique star.
John Illsley, a founder member of Dire Straits, played a major part in creating the band's sound and played with them up until they disbanded in 1995. Along with Mark and Dave Knopfler and Pick Withers, John was to create some of the most recognisable music in the world and often described himself as the engine room of the band providing the beats that kept them going.
John was born in Leicester on 24th June 1949. He grew up in Leicestershire and attended Bromsgrove School followed by a further education college near Kettering. Then came work as a management trainee at a timber firm. This was soon exchanged for a place at Goldsmiths College reading sociology and opening a record shop with his girlfriend.
Dave Knopfler was his room-mate at the time and it was through him John met Mark. John played a couple of gigs with the band Mark was in, the Cafe Racers, before the pair decided to form their own group. Dave and friend Pick Withers were asked to join… and Dire Straits was born. (Not that it was easy going, the band's name came from their very reduced circumstances when they left their day jobs to focus on playing!)
Dire Straits released six studio and three live albums before disbanding in the mid nineties. During that time John also released two solo CDs, recently rereleased on Creek records through Absolute - Never Told A Soul and Glass.
It was also during the Dire Straits days that John's love of art resurfaced. Being a member of one of the world's biggest ever groups allowed him to travel the globe and visit many major art galleries. His self-styled retirement after they split gave him the opportunity and time to hone his art.
He began to paint and has now had five highly successful solo exhibitions to his credit. His influences are taken from the music he loves and also the countryside of France where he has a house. His last exhibition, "Guitar Solos/French Lessons", took place at the Chelsea gallery, London in Autumn 2009.
In 2008 John returned to music with renewed enthusiasm. He teamed up with Irish musician Greg Pearle to record a new album Beautiful You. He had come across Greg's band, Cunla, playing in a pub in Leicestershire in 2005 and went on to play a couple of gigs with them, notably Cathedrale d'Image in Les Baux de Provence in September '06. This performance was recorded and released as a live CD the following year.
With the release of Beautiful You John embarked on a solo tour of Ireland. This was followed by two sell out UK dates - the Bush Hall and the 100 Club in London. A Radio 2 Bob Harris session also took place as well as a full promotional schedule throughout the UK.
The reaction to John's return to the music arena was instant and encouraging - his web site www.johnillsley.com had so many hits it crashed the server and a new one had to be installed to cope with the incredible volume of download traffic!
May 17th 2010 sees the release of Streets Of Heaven, John's first solo studio album since leaving Dire Straits. Streets Of Heaven is a personal affair inspired by friends, family and close events. It features 11 tracks in total and was recorded at Britsh Grove studios with a terrific musical line-up. It sees old friends ( including Mark Knopfler) contributing to some of the tracks, notwithstanding that John plays guitar not bass and takes lead vocal honours.