When a 15-year-old Gary Grainger saw The Who perform on Eel Pie Island in 1967, little did he think that four decades later he would be performing alongside Pete Townshend at the Royal Albert Hall. Nor that he would headlining The Eel Pie one day, too.
Epsom Playhouse turns into some sort of crazy time travelling music machine next week, as it plays host to tributes to two of the biggest acts of the 70s and 80s.
Your main point of reference for Mike d'Abo is largely dictated by how old you are.Those of a certain age' should know him as the man who replaced Paul Jones as the singer in 60s favourites Manfred Mann. Motown fans and students, think Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations - Mike wrote that.
For several years, jazz trombone master Chris Barber has been often asked by fans the question when are you going to give up?' Since he had no intention of doing so, you can imagine his reply.
Here Is the Blues is a duo, comprising two blues legends - Billy Jenkins and Steve Morrison. They bring their sensational two man, two guitar, two-voiced programme of topical blues to Brooks Blues Bar in Putney this week - rare London date for them.
"We can do over 100 Beatles songs but on a night we will do about 30, so which 70 do you leave out?" Rob Simpson of premier Beatles tribute band, Imagine...The Beatles, is describing the Long and Winding Road the band takes to compile a set list. "We'll say, oh we have to do Ticket To Ride', but that means we have to get rid of All My Loving, then someone will say no we have to do that', but then we would have to get rid of Get Back, it just goes on."
Epsom Jazz Club is going all altruistic for a night, and there promises to be a few blistered fingers and perforated ear drums by the end of it, because it is holding a 12-horu jazz-a-thon for charity.
