Martin “The Earl” Gray – tenor sax , alto sax , clarinet, cuica and duck
On full throttle
So Martin when you did you first play the sax?
I started playing Alto sax at the age of 13 when encouraged by my music teacher Mrs Weavers. It was a great way to retreat to the school practice room during break and escape the riggers of a 1970’s winter. It was cool, we could make tea.
Do you play any other instruments?
Whilst in my first band in the mid 70’s I taught myself to play guitar. The guys I played with at the time didn’t know how to work out chords for songs, their main pursuit appeared to be centre around the waving at girls rather then getting down to the hard work of covering Gary Glitter songs, as a result I’m brilliant at improvising but useless at chatting up women.
How long have you played with Red Stripe?
Since 2004, that’s about six years. I was asked by Midnight Bob to cover for him at Jazz After Dark in Soho, just till Bob turned up, after midnight. It turned out it was to play with a scaled down version of the Red Stripe Band , the only regular member of the Red Stripe Band appearing on that stage that night was Red Stripe. I have many happy memories watching the goings on in the VIP lounge whilst trying to hold down a sax solo. Bob didn’t turn up. I have never looked back - or forward.
Can you remember some really funny gigs?
Like with Ed there are so many, such as the Christmas gig for the London Marathon people, all of us crammed into a tiny room, the night the party goers had industrial strength party poppers, Ouch ! Also the night in Scotland we ended up at a Indian restaurant near Kirkcudbright. We introduced Emma Wilson, our singer to the bong. I have never laughed so much in my life.
Can you remember some really funny gigs?
" Your f****** mad!"Was one comment I remember
Costa – bass guitar – read all about him !!!
On the train with his profile....
On the train on the way back from Kirkcaldy where we had just played at the lovely Adam Smith Theatre as part of the Fife Jazz Festival , Costa decided to complete his profile (which he is holding in the above picture!). I need to number the questions so that you can read the answers:
1. So Costa - when did you first start playing the bass?
2. Do you play any other instruments?
3. How long have you played with Red Stripe?
4. Can you remember some really funny gigs?
5. What do you do in your spare time?
6. Have you made any New Year's Resolutions?
And here are the answers - complete with train ticket, pretzels and pen:
Red Stripe Band voted Best Band at Marlborough International Jazz Festival
Picking up the cup !!
We are sooo delighted - Voted Best Band at the Marlborough Jazz Festival 2010. Some of us travelled down to Marlborough on the way to a gig in December and picked up the cup!!! Already engraved - smashing
We are looking forward to being back at Marlborough in July (15/16th July) check out the website www.marlboroughjazz.co.uk and even better come and check out the festival !!!
Erica Clarke – Baritone Sax , Flute & Swanee Whistle
Find out about Erica !!!
pensive...
So Erica when you did you first play the sax?
I started when i was 15. Think i needed to escape the shackles of the classical cello and singing i was doing. Oh dear, not much of a rebellious streak!
Do you play any other instruments?
I am the proud owner of a flute, clarinet, bass clarinet and bass guitar. Not sure i can play them yet, but my swanee whistle solos are coming on a treat.
How long have you played with Red Stripe?
I think it must be 3 1/2 years now. The first gig was in France and it was warm so i am guessing it was summer. We arrived at 11am and did not play until 11pm. The Champagne started flowing at 12pm and did not stop. Memories of the gig are a touch hazy, but i do remember thinking that this was my sort of band.
Can you remember some really funny gigs?
Martin (tenor sax) told a pretty funny joke about two years ago!
What do you do in your spare time ?
I am pretty obsessed with snowboarding but only get to go for one week a year. I splashed out last year on a really expensive holiday and came back with a broken foot and a stomach bug. Whoops.
Have you made any new year’s resolutions?
Get my car fixed. It has a little too much character at the moment and currently the only door that unlocks is the boot so i have to climb through the car to unlock it. Was pretty funny the first 10 times but the joke is wearing a little think now and i got a funny look from the police the other day.
Ed Williams – Drummer
This is the first of our "Popzine Profiles" of members of the Red Stripe Band - enjoy !!!
Ed Williams
So Ed when you did you first play the drums?
I was twelve. I had been naughty in class and was told to sit next to the other naughty boys at the front. One of them already played drums and guitar and invited me to the music at break time. From playing my first beat I became completely obsessed with drums, tapping everything in sight annoying the hell out of my mum and sister!
Do you play any other instruments?
Not really. I had violin, recorder and piano lessons for many years as a child but none of them really grabbed me. I'm now learning the pandeiro (brazilian tambourine) and hope to eventually learn the bass guitar.
How long have you played with Red Stripe?
SInce 2005 i think! My first gig was down in Bude for the jazz festival - in at the deep end!
Can you remember some really funny gigs?
There are quite a few but the first one that springs to mind is when were in Scotland (can't remember where exactly) and we decided to leave the stage whilst playing Tequila. This isn't unusual and neither is walking out into the foyer (still playing!), then outside! However on our way back one of the troupe caught sight of the photo booth and decided it'd be great to get in there during the song and have our picture taken. So, we now have several pictures of the band crammed into a two person photo booth mid-song! Crazy but great fun!
What do you do in your spare time ?
I also play drums for other artists. I might be playing drums for various artists in and around London or in the studio recording for them. I also teach drums in schools, colleges, universities and at my studio in West London. Apart from that I'm learning Portuguese, designing some software, renovating a Vintage Ludwig kit, building a new website for myself and generally chasing my tail!
What do you want for Christmas?
A new car, or a lesson with a classical percussionist, or anything from my Amazon wish list, or a motorbike, or some blue mountain coffee, or a personal trainer, or a bungee jump, or a skydive, etc
The Red Stripe Soho Revue
We had a BRILLIANT night at the Pigalle Club in Piccadilly. The Red Stripe Band acted as the house band for the evening and I hosted the night with special guests the Rockabellas, Steve Aruni and Henri the Hoover, Rupert Sebastian with his juggling talents and the wonderful Craig the Hula Boy. Two georgeous assistants helped me through the packed night of entertainment. It was pretty full on and we had two hen nights in - they danced the night away - all in all I would say a huge success - take a look for yourself......
Having a really good year…
Well I am ashamed that I haven't posted anything since our great Nantwich festival debut in April - we got a great photo from it though taken by the enthusiastic, young and attractive local reporter (see below - the picture not her!) I guess my lack of posting is because we have been travelling all over the country and I have also trained and completed a marathon 26.4km swim - the entire length of Lake Zurich !! That took up a little time . We have played Derry, Iford , Abersoch, Kirkudbright , Upton, Marlborough, Bures, Reading, Edinburgh, Twinwood , Great British R & B ..... to name but a few. Festivals-r-us ! and we have had a ball - great to have Costa on board - our Italian bass player. And of course the "Red Stripe Soho Revue" at the Pigalle Club in Piccadilly, video footage to follow.
We have just been booked for Ronnies Bar at Ronnie Scotts on 19th September , 17th October and 21st November - 8.00pm - that's gonna be a blast. That's all for now.........happy late summer !!!
Jerry Springer in Soho
Well, I don't like to say it but "it would only happen in Soho". I had invited an ex-employee and friend who was a very very attractive young girl to attend with me an evening with Sebastian Horsley (google him) He is a Soho Neighbour of mine and I have read his rather entertaining book "Dandy in the Underworld" I make a habit of reading books written by people I know. It was at the Union Club in Greek Street - part of my fascination was to visit the Union club as I had never been inside having viewed it from the outside for years.
Well , we both enjoyed the night - Sebastian perhaps needs a few lessons in performance but nevertheless has a good message - he is totally honest for a start - even though some of his views might be frowned upon.
Anyhow - once the show was over , we ventured to my local Jazz After Dark, and sat down with a vodka and tonic - after congratulating Lewis McLeod (google him) on his newborn.
And low and behold - who should walk in Jerry Springer - I kid you not !!!
Very bizarre and slightly surreal it has to be said......
He sat down with his companion and enjoyed the music
Well I never did - we had a great night catching up and talking about a lot of commond ground and Jerry seemed to enjoy himself too.....
the end
only in soho............................
Rex Rheni
We have just got back from a week on the beautiful Dutch Riverways aboard the Rex Rheni and had an ABSOLUTE ball ! Four shows in five nights which were a mix of talks by yours truly about the history of our music and instruments and songs from the decades from 1920's to the 1950's. Sold a stack load of CD's and ate and drank very well. The sun didn't stop shining and the crew of the ship were VERY VERY accommodating - they couldn't do enough.
Naturally I have a lot of photos and videos. The ship had 25 crew and around 100 guests.
On the second night we all went into the little town of Enkhausen where we were moored to try and find some nightlife - we chose the Non-Irish pub which was one of only two places still open - being only a small town.
A lovely young dutch barmaid joined us on the razzle - dancing gave way to silliness and I ended up sucking a glass of spilt wine from my t-shirt on the way back to the boat.
You might be able to make out Martin and Erica doing some "break dancing" together:
We spent our last day in the lovely city of Amsterdam - and partied into the early morning after our final performance.
Up at 6.30am Sunday morning (ouch!) for a drive back to the UK via the euro tunnel and on to a private 21st Birthday party in a lovely Oxford Hotel.
Now recovering..........
Stretch Limo…..
Well, it seemed a sensible thing to do at the time - sold up in Surrey - left accountancy - Sep 2002 and so I cashed in my endowment on my mortgage and bought a really solid investment- a stretch limo! So I entered the world of the Lincoln Towncar - ten a penny in the US but stretched and sent to the UK to service the hen parties and stag nights. I wanted one to go to my gigs in - so I bought one. It wasn't long before I recruited a budding driver in the shape of Richie Christmas - who I met at Blase wine bar in Walton where I played for six years on a wednesday.
I bought him a genuine cap in New York and here he is holding the door open for me when we took the trip down to Cannes to the annual music industry conference known as MIDEM. It was a long way to go in a limo and we turned a few heads at customs at Dover ....
I had the limo sign written "Red Stripe" and we had such a great time - in a small town on the way down we were going down a very narrow street and it was getting narrower and narrower but little Christmas( my driver) wasn't freaked out at all - he just kept driving - no problem - he is now driving HGV's on the continent - he was born to drive.
Many a night he took me to gigs and got me home in one piece sometimes with a bit of a detour depending on who was on board.....
And I made a lot of friends too - when we were down in Cannes , one night we took a couple of girls to Monaco for the evening and I recently bumped into one of them in Limassol - it is good to keep in touch 
We used to run competitions to the Red Stripe Mailing list and the winners would come to a gig in the limo with Red and champagne on ice - here are a couple of lucky winners.....
Then there was the "limo bitches" as they liked to be called - we had quite a few nights out drinking more champagne - in fact buying the limo was to create my love of champagne. It really is a nice way to travel - DVD , stereo, champagne on ice and kind lighting - I used to arrive at my gigs not wanting to get out !!!
There are a thousand and one stories I just can't reveal publicly but do you know what - after a couple of years it became a bit boring ! Being driven around in a stretch limo became boring !
So it had to go and I lost a packet on it but it was worth EVERY PENNY and I thoroughly recommend it - - live for the moment !
Goodnight Zebedee....