Armadillo In The Road

There's a little piece of armoured rock coming your way thanks to the great Rockin' Armadillos.

The band have been dug deep in the studio for the past few months to produce the brilliant blues/rock album - Armadillo In The Road.

You can find 12 tracks of loveliness there and the six-piece Essex blues band are on fine form.

The CD was officially launched last week at the Riga Music Bar to much acclaim and it is just the first gig in a string of dates and radio appearances up and down the country over the next two months.

The new album comes four years after the Armadillos' previous release, Texas Cockroach, which received rave reviews and airplay on both sides of the Atlantic.

Frontman Tim Aves - who is also one of the organisers of the successful Burnham Festival - said: "We're really pleased with the way the CD has turned out.

"It's been a long time coming - we decided we didn't want to go back into the studio until we had the right songs and we were happy with the way we were playing them."

The gang finally got back into the recording studio in February and March this year, at the Stable Sound studios in Wickford, which is owned by ex-Slade and Rubettes bass player Trevor Holliday.

Trevor also doubled as engineer on the CD, so he knew exactly where all the right knobs were to twiddle with.

Tim said: "This album sounds very different to the last one. Musically, it's much more varied and more ambitious - funkier and with lots of jazz, country and other influences, as well as that tough old Texas blues thing.

"The whole thing just sounds better too because we've now been playing together for something like seven years and the younger members of the band have matured tremendously in that time."

Included in the Armadillos' lineup are youthful guitar ace, 21-year-old Owen Barry, a former Guitarist magazine Young Guitarist of the Year - when he was just 16.

Add to that his big brother 22-year-old Rob "Tank" Barry who plays bass, Burnham singer Jane English, Southminster keyboard wizard Alex "Big Al" Murkin and South Woodham drummer Paul Lester.

And of course, not forgetting the burning hunk of love, Tim Aves who sings like Stevie Ray Vaughan and plays a mean harmonica to cap it all.

So what can you expect?

In a nutshell - hard rockin' blues with crystal clear touches of the aforementioned and sadly departed Mr Vaughan.

From the first notes of funky blues of Armadillo in the Road, written by Tim, right the way through to the final chords of the boogie-woogie blues of Thunderbird, it's a bang-on, fun ride through rock blues at its most enjoyable.

The kind of music you can't help wanting to jive, groove and wail along to at a proper gig.

There isn't a fault on the production, the leads - from the piano, harp, vocals, guitar to drums, are all top drawer material and the sort of stuff you can't believe a quirky Essex band being able to pull off - but they do in spades and gardening forks.

The Dr Feelgood-esque of I Believe I'm In Love leads onto to the slightly country rock/slightly Michelle Shocked You Can Have My Husband with Jane on vocals (obviously it's not Tim singing this one!).

Hear the tightness between the rhythm section and the leads on harp and guitar.

You can just about hear the ghost of the great John Lee Hooker shouting "mercy, hallelujah" in the background.

Sooner or Later is pure Ray Vaughan from his Couldn't Stand the Weather era, while What Passes for Love - with Jane taking an almost Chrissie Hynde style to her vocals - is a more "pop" blues.

I Feel Lucky is fun-time honky-tonk country blues - which makes sense as it was written by Mary-Chapin Carpenter - perfect for the rhinestoned line-dancer in you.

Ain't Gonna Let You Win Again is eased down Texan blues, with Owen's haunting guitar solo raising the hairs all along the back of your neck, down your spine and resting in your toes.

Jane's self-penned lyrics are perfectly complimented by visiting tenor sax provided by Colin Hartshorn.

You Lead Me On - yet another Tim and Owen co-operative effort - takes the Armadillos' down some George Benson/Parliament funk routes.

But with Tim's rough-edge voice it diverts into a few Ian Dury and the Blockheads avenues when they did their funky rock material.

The Thrill of the Chase ticks over well, letting Tim do some corking harp playing while Palace of the King is a fair homage to the great bluesman Freddie King.

All in all a great blues to add to your collection and an even better reason to get out and support live music.

Don't miss them at the Southend Blues Festival at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff on August 26.

The CD is now on sale in selected good records and book stores - notably Burnham Bookshop in Station Road, Burnham, Adrians Records in High Street, Wickford and Fives Records in the Broadway, Leigh, or you can get the album via the band's website at www.rockinarmadillos.com

Lander touch down at Riga

Lander have been in contact to tell me about their indie rock ways.

The Essex based band have recently hit the Grand in Leigh and will be playing the Army and Navy in Chelmsford on July 27, before returning to the south with a gig at the Riga Music Bar in Westcliff on September 6.

Expect all original material from the year old band and their starting to get a growing fan-base in this area.

They recently supported the Cooper Temple Clause - who in turn have recently supported Muse - at the Army and Navy.

More gigs in this part of the world are in the pipeline as well as London venues in the new year.

For more information on them see them at www.landerweb.com

Tremeloes at the Towngate

The legendary Tremeloes will be coming to Basildon for a fund raiser for the Woodlands School.

The aim is to raise around £50,000 by October to pay for a performing arts centre.

The gig, at the Towngate Theatre on July 29, will feature the considerable talents of the Takely End pupils well as the Tremeloes themselves.

The facility will cost around £150,000, but the Government is promising £100,000 if the folks can raise the other fifty grand.

There will also be an additional half million from the Government over a four year period should the school be successful in its bid.

The centre will not only benefit the pupils but also be widely available to everyone, young and old, who have an interest in music, drama and dance.

The school has hired the theatre to present the concert and the Tremeloes - of the Silence is Golden, Here Comes My Baby, Do You Love Me and Twist and Shout fame - have lent their wholehearted support.

Assisting the unstinting efforts of headteacher Andy White, deputy head Dave Fogarty and head of performing arts Alan Morgan, is the author of the "Essential Guide to a Career in the Music and Entertainment Industry".

Tremeloes manager Stephen Colyer said: "When I was approached by Dave Fogarty for advice I felt I had to become involved in some way.

"I have family who live in Basildon and some of them have often said there are not enough facilities to occupy them within their community.

"This is possibly the most worthwhile project to emerge in the area for a long time and it would be a real shame if it did not receive the support it deserves for the benefit of the wider community of Basildon, not only for the present day, but for many years to come."

I couldn't agree more, so you Basildon folk, it's time to get public spirited and community minded and get your £10 tickets this minute. Contact Woodlands school on 01268 282146 or write to them at Woodlands school, Takely End, Basildon, SS16 5BA.

By Carl Eve

Reporter's e-mail: carl.eve@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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