Several members of the band have now left,
Richard being one of them. Dr A is heading for more blues club gigs,
which unfortunately seem to take place mid week, which proved impossible
for those members with a full time job. He will be missed greatly and we
wish him luck with his future endeavours.
First Band - a thankfully forgotten 5-piece back in 1977. Occasional
one-off bands for specific, usually charity gigs. A move to Bletchley in
the late 1980s led to joining a blues band that never quite got 'round
to gigging. After moving to Bourne in 1991, guitar playing was for his
own enjoyment only. A one-off gig with a friend's blues band in
Horncastle in 2001 re-ignited the desire to play with other musicians.
In August 2002 Dear Wife (aka She Who Must Be Obeyed) encouraged him
to attend the jams advertised at the Five Bells at Edenham near Bourne.
When Edenham fell by the wayside, Richard joined the trek of his fellow
jammers to The Castle Inn at Castle Bytham. It was here he first played
with Dr A and Jon. "I felt from the start we had something in
common - like rabies…". More jamming with Consortium components
took place at the Blue Bell at Easton On The Hill throughout 2003.
Change was in the air - but not quite what was expected….
2004 proved a major turning point with a performance in February at
the Mayor of Bourne's Charity Variety Show. Working with cohort Blind
Lemon Ade Atkins, the Adrian & Richard String Ensemble was one of
the hits of the night, not least because they played entirely live.
Later, in June of that year in front of an estimated one thousand
spectators at Bourne Festival Richard played guitar with new band, K2.
Within two weeks of the festival he received the call from Dr. A. The
two events were not connected in the least.
Late June 2004 witnessed his debut with Dr. A's Blues Consortium
after a mere two hours 'rehearsal' in Dave's front room. Apparently his
first solo of the night settled a few jittery nerves of new band mates
who were decidedly uncertain about this unknown and untried guitar
player who was shoehorned into their ranks at very short notice.
Highspot of the gig? That single note sustained for a whole 12 bar
chorus - much to Dave's surprise and amazement.
Low spot of the gig? "Dad's Gay Pedalboard"!
Richard has now followed suit of some of the other Dr A's members and
joined the Mary Hinge Experience!
Musical Influences:
- Pete Townshend - hence the Hiwatt
- Jeff Beck - who inspired the Strat lookalike
- Peter Green - prompted the mods to the Les Paul
- Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Joe Walsh
- John Martyn
- James Marshall
- Hendrix
- Derek Clacton
Favorite Position:
- Hunched - over a disembowelled guitar, soldering iron in hand,
quietly muttering his extensive Anglo-Saxon vocabulary….
Richard
Underwood - Guitar