Musician

Recorded at Coach House Studios, Lichfield 1989 produced by Rob Hall. John McGrath (Vocals), Graham Ettrick (Guitars/Vox), Dave Meehan (Guitars), Paul Glover (Bass/Vox), Ian Danter (Drums/Vox)

Recorded at Arkham Studios, Birmingham in 2007 – produced by Alex Cooper. Ash Brookes (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Gary Piears-Banton (Bass/Vox), Trevor Lynn (Lead Guitars) Ian Danter (Drums/Vox)

Recorded 1994 at The Farm Studios, Monmouth produced by Ron Rogers. Mikey Evans (Vocals), Nailz (Guitars/Vox), Jon Everitt (Bass), Ian Danter (Drums/Vox)

Recorded live in concert at JB’s Dudley in 1997 – engineered by Phil Docker. John McGrath (Vocals), Dave Meehan (Guitars), Ian Morton (Bass/Vox), Kev Billington (Keyboards/Vox), Ian Danter (Drums/Vox)

Recorded at Arkham Studios, Birmingham in 2007 – produced by Alex Cooper. Ash Brookes (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Gary Piears-Banton (LeadVocals/Bass), Trevor Lynn (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitars) and Ian Danter (Lead Vocals/Drums)

A good friend of mine still tells me that this song should’ve been given to a boy band to make into a hit. I say he’s mad, but you have a listen and see if he has a point. This was the 4th song recorded and mixed inside 2 days with Ron Rogers and he suggested some fantastic keyboard ideas for the tune. Ron also got the best out of me when it came to my guitar solos, particularly on this track and ‘Stronger Than That’, which was quite a feat given my lack of confidence with soloing!

Towards the end of the 90’s, I realised to my great horror that I wasn’t going to be a famous rock star, and this song was borne of that frustration. After 10 years of trying to get on the first rung of the rock n roll ladder, I came to terms with the fact that I was too old to be considered an asset to a record company regardless of talent, and the lyrical ideas for this tune came very quickly as a result. I was – and still am - a big fan of The Wildhearts and their anthemic choruses. This song is a huge musical nod to Ginger and the boys.

Ok, so this is a total KISS rip-off in terms of the riffs and in general! I wrote this song whilst in the band Shotgun Wedding during the early 90’s and it’s my favourite tune from the time I spent in the band trying to ‘make it’ - I always made a point of writing lyrics that weren’t the normal ‘it’s a Saturday night and I fell alright’ sort of rubbish, and I am rather proud of the lyrics to this song which was written in 1993. I started with the title (it was about a girl I was seeing!!) and took it from there!

My influences are pretty easy to spot sometimes in my songs and not so in others like this track from the Ron Rogers sessions – for me, ‘Brilliant’ has elements of The Police, Manic Street Preachers and Cheap Trick here and there - an eclectic mix I’m sure you’ll agree.