Tag Archives: Guitar

Suzanne Booth

(GB) Vocals/Guitar

What a woman and what a singer! Suzanne has a voice Pure natural talent(and a character!) that should make her famous, and never fails to astound everyone who hears her sing. Whether its a slow folk ballad or a raunchy blues, Suzanne has a gobsmacking range of tone, emotion and raw power that often results in goose pimples for the listener. It comes from pure natural talent and is so original that no amount of vocal training could ever reproduce Suzannes earthy, sensual sound.

Suzanne was born in 1964 in Mansfield Nottinghamshire, (“Ay up ducks”) to a background of coal mining and greyund racing. Her early musical inspirations came from her family. Grandad, although no crooner himself, was a fan of Al Jolson, her father would sing Johnny Cash and Elvis songs around the house, her motherBlame mother for the pigtails couldn’t sing for toffee but played the piano rather well. At the age of 6 Suzanne started rattling the ivory herself,  taking formal lessons in which she eventually reached grade 7. Her piano tutor, Mrs Timmons, also liked to listen to young Suzanne sing. The old films and musicals from the 1920s to the 1960s were a big influence for Suzanne, the songs  were osmotically absorbed and Suzanne would effortlessly sing them all. Mario Lanza and Barbara Streisand were particular favourites. Her talent didn’t go unnoticed and she was recruited for the school choir, which toured the country performing in choir competitions. Highlights included Latin hits such as ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Panus Angelicus’, and a trio number called ‘Three little maids from school’.

Her parents were big fans of Country and Western music, and everyCoalminers daughter year would gallop off to Pontins for Country and Western week, trailing young Suzanne and younger brother Gary along with the the posse. This was seen as totally uncool for a teenager in the late 70’s (unless it was the Wild West in the 1870’s!). Although she stubbornly snubbed the stetson and spurs, Suzanne quite liked some of the music, especially songs like ‘coalminers daughter’ (she was one!), and the bluesier side of C&W. Suzanne and Gary, like any normal teenagers, were into the pop music of the 80’s and could sing the top 20 backwards. Bands such as ‘Blondie’, ‘The Eurythmics’, and ‘Adam and his Ants’ were favourites in the Mansfield clubs and discos’ where you daren’t mention Country & Western!…………. Folk music was unheard of!!

In 1982 Suzanne left school and home to study the male dominated art of Technical Illustration at Blackpool College on a four year HND course. The ‘Hard mans’ town of Mansfield had taught Suzanne to be fiercely independant, and she could draw bevelled gearwheels with the best of them. To supplement her meagre college grant and to pay the rent, she took a job in ‘Johns’ fish & chip shop’ (where it’s rumoured that old ladies were made to eat battered sausages seductively to earn an extra portion of batter bits). Very Blackpool! Besides the popBehind unexpected doors music of the day, Suzannes eccentric musical tastes extended into the realm of the blues, major influences being female singers such as Billie Holiday and Judy Garland (post Wizard of Oz!). Folk music had always been seen as ‘naff’ and ‘wimpy’ in Suzannes’ book, but the folk singer Sandy Denny opened unexpected doors.

After sucessfully gaining her HND, Suzanne became a professional Technical Illustrator, taking an apprenticeship with Rolls Royce for a few months before a report came from college mates that there was Illustrating-a-plenty to do across the channel and over the Rhine, so with her rotring pens, ellipse-templates and a sense of adventure, off she went, starting out in the little town of Salgau, moving eastwards to Augsburg, and finally landing in München, and here she is!

Suzanne teamed up with Paul through the EnglishA large bacardi and coke please T.I. scene in Munich, sharing an interest in eccentric musical tastes and sechskantschrauben. She is THE knowledge on films old and new, classic English comedy and ‘Eastenders’ (?), an expert on fish & chips, Bacardi and Coke, medieval English history, and any game she decides to have a go at, and quite a talent in general crafts to boot. Besides the Biscuits, Suzanne has sung with The Huckleberry 5, Paddy Whack and rock band Tuesday Bluesday. She still works as a freelance Technical Illustrator, but would gladly give it up for fame and fortune, however her bevelled gears are the best you’ll find this side of the alps!

By the way, Suzanne is now the proud mother of twins! See News page…

Paul Richards

(GB) Guitar/Mandolin/Banjo/Melodeon/Vocals.

Stranger on the shore

Paul is a proud Cornishman, born and raised in the proud little town of Penryn near Cornwalls’ picturesque seaside ‘metropolis’ Falmouth. He is the multi-instrumentalist in the band and songwriter, and many of his songs are based around experiences and places in his home county.

Paul was born in 1965, the height of Beatlemania, and he’s still a Beatle faHow did such a nice boy ...natic after all these years. He claims Rolf Harris as one of his earliest musical influences, (but rumour has it that his first LP was Pinky & Perky!). The late sixties and early seventies kiddies TV shows, Oliver Postgates’ smallfilms, HR Pufnstuf and the above mentioned porky duo also made a lasting impression, and his first musical instrument was a ‘Blow organ’ (?) upon which he would play the theme tunes. At the age of 9 he joined the junior school brass band firstly on flugel horn and then trumpet. His father then bought him a clarinet in the hope of producing another Acker Bilk. Paul progressed to the level of ‘Tune a Day book 2’ and then gave it all up in pursuit of…… fishing! (Why does the tune Stranger on the Shore spring to mind?).

In his mid teens, like many before him, Paul decided he wanted a guitar end up looking like this.– an electric guitar to make all those ‘Kerraaaangwoowoowaaaah’ noises popular (or not!) throughout the seventies. With the help of his father (watchmaker and DIY genius) and ‘Everyday electronics’ magazine, he built his first electric guitar, a ‘Delta’ ‘V’ shaped instrument that did the job. Mum & Dad were to have little peace from that moment on.

It was the early 1980’s and punk rock had exploded in mainland Britain and now even the quaint and quiet streets of Penryn were awakened to a ‘Horrible din’. Paul, his brother Steve on drums, and chum Alex Willey on rhythm guitar, formed a band, ‘Barry Bitter and the Dobheads’, later to rename themselves ‘The Dregs’, ‘Unshaven Whale’ and ‘Deadly Eggnog’. The core members of Paul, Steve and Alex remained together for the duration, while singers and hangers on came and went. The music however remained a horrible din (tapes exist to prove it!)

After leaving school, Paul went to nearby Camborne Technical College on a four year course in Technical Illustration, and it certainly wasn’t all nuts and bolts! College life expanded Pauls’ musical horizons (as well as other things!). Cornwall at this time was still a haven of hippydom with the NAnother bad hair dayew-age/punk ‘edge’, and the Cornish ‘scene’ in the 80s’ was in its heyday. Music, Art, Festivals, and all of the zany events, characters and substances that go with it, only helped prolong Pauls’ ‘idyllic’ childhood.

In 1985 it was time to grow up and get a job, the latter of these proved no problem as Paul was now a competent Technical Illustrator (& Space cadet!). He moved to Hitchin in Hertfordshire and worked for Industrial Artists for 2 years, still dabbling in music, including a short lived stint with the punk band ‘Scum of Toytown’. Also during this time a good friend introduced him to Horslips, Fairport-Convention and……Folk music! Something connected, Paul was now a ‘folk-rocker’ and after hearing Hearts’ ‘Sylvian song’ “Had to get a mandolin man!”. The hippy/anarchist lifestyle came to a head in 87 when Paul jacked in the job & bought a van to become a ‘Traveller’, only he hadn’t travelled very far when the van broke down and was impounded by the police. They say that money isn’t everything, but Pauls’ problem was that he didn’t have any.

Luckily he’d always had very patient, loving and understanding parents to bail him out, and he was welcomed back home like the prodigal son. PaulRock and Roll !! was homesick for Cornwall anyway and found that the place was still “buzzin”, however, fate springs its surprises and a job opportunity came up… in Munich Germany, Paul wasn’t that keen on the idea of leaving Cornwall once again, but it would have been folly to refuse, and in November 87 ‘Ein neues leben’ beckoned.

Paul has since come down to Earth (if not quite on ground level), has recently turned 40! A vegetarian for the love of animals (no more fishing! But he knows his Pollack from his Piranha!!), loves the great outdoors, non-conformity, draws cartoon strips for fun, is an expert on biscuits, and a music addict, with tastes ranging from Abba to Zydeco, trying out any instrument he can lay his hands on. He has played with the Munich based folk rock bands Paddy Whack, Six Hand Reel and bluegrass band The Huckleberry 5. Pauls current projects outside the BBB include The Bottles – yet another Beatles revival band featuring Paul on lead guitar & vocals together with Liverpudlian Phil Newton on guitars and vocals, the BBBs’ own Jim Klopfenstein on bass and Pauls brother Steve on drums. Find out what they’re up to at Phils site: www.philnewton.de He also sings and plays his Mandolin, Melodeon & Guitar with The Paul Daly Band – They have a CD coming out on 27th September. Info, photos and even video files at: www.paul-daly-band.com Paul also features on the new CD project from Puzzlepie studio “Sink or Swim” info at: www.international-chansons.de   Music aside, he continues to keep his day job as a freelance Technical Illustrator.