backdoormen bluesband

Backdoormen Bluesband were named after the Willie Dixon song of the same name. They have been playing their potent blues based mix of original songs and covers for the last 18 years in the south west of the UK. The twin guitar based band with lashings of harp from Jeff Horsey and backing vocals from the lovely Tucker sisters are a main draw on the blues scene in this neck of the woods. Check 'em out!

The band were named after the Willie Dixon song popularised by the Doors, “Backdoorman”and were formed in 1986, a time when blues was thin on the ground nationally and locally. The core members of Jeff Horsey, vox/harp/slide, Graham Sleeman, guitars and vox, Kenneth Hodge , bass and vox and Chris Pank drums , have been together for all of that time, altho’ other musical interests have taken precedence sometimes. Graham moonlighted in slick club bands for big money before returning to the blues, while Jeff spent six years as a member of Julian Pipers Junkyard Angels, touring with Louisiana bluesman Tabby Thomas in 1994 and playing blues festivals in Belgium, Ireland and even Baton Rouge USA in 1998. Chris has played with so many bands he probably can’t remember them all! These do include though, Plymouth band “Third Avenue” and South West rockers, “Forged”. Kenny stayed pretty true to the cause throughout and his rock solid, bottom end bass playing has always been a trademark of the band. In many ways he has been responsible for keeping the band’s sound distinctively their own. Over the last 17 years , Backdoormen have just kept going, building up a loyal fan base in the South West and a huge repertoire of bluesy material.

We have played the Colne Blues Festival, Lancashire, several Exeter blues festivals and have done gigs with Geno Washington, Big Town Playboys, Jesse “Guitar” Taylor, Graham Neill, Pete Brown ( he co- wrote Sunshine of your love and White room) and even Screaming Lord Sutch!For the last two years we have backed Barry Melton from Country Joe and the Fish and Banana from the legendary Youngbloods as well as playing behind David Nelson from New Riders of the Purple Sage, all thanks to a local promoter who just loves psychedelia and american roots music!

The band have always served as a magnet for up and coming talent and have often incorporated other musicians and even a four piece rocking brass section on occasions. For the last ten years Backdoormen have usually featured Gyan Bansall on rhythm and second lead guitar. (He plays beautiful Peter Green style licks) and Kate and Vanessa Tucker on lead and backing vocals. Their input into the band has been immense. Kate sings like Aretha Franklin while Vanessa is more Bonnie Raitt. What a combination! They look great too.

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What sort of music should you expect at a Backdoormen gig? Well, the basic line up always features lashings of harmonica and guitar, but the band manage to produce a whole range of musical textures from straight ahead, Chicago style blues, to funky workouts like “Buddy Buddy Friends” and the original “Nightshift” released on the new CD. When Kate and Vanessa are on board, expect to be blown away by Aretha covers like “Chain of fools” and even the odd Tina Turner number. Both girls swap verses on “Nobody’s business” and Vanessa covers “Love me like a man”, a Chris Smither song from an early Bonnie Raitt album. Lots of blues then, but tightly played, ranging from down home stuff to bang up to date, self-penned classics. You won’t get the same old twelve bars all night, not that there’s anything wrong in that, but its just not our style. We even throw in a handful of 60s/70s pop and soul numbers although they MUST have that blues feel. We love the audience to dance and they almost always do. Come and check us out. Look out for our CD “Small town affair” with seven original numbers and a storming “live in the studio” set of more traditional material, from Billy Boy Arnold to the Temptations, featuring the big line up.

We are a working live band. We love it. Played a bruising two and a half hour set at the Castle rock festival in Launceston 2 years ago with brass section in front off ecstatic audience. Highlights have to be the Colne festival, Lancashire , a recent tour of Normandy France, playing behind Geno Washington , supporting Big Town Playboys, backing Barry Melton from Country Joe and the Fish, and getting people dancing to the blues all over the SW of UK.

The band produces blues that strays out of the usual 12 bar format, but is heavily influenced by the likes of Albert King, Sonny Boy Williamson, with a nod to the home grown players like Peter Green and Rory Gallagher. Personal favourites with the band include Billy Boy Arnold, Albert Collins, William Clarke and Charlie Musselwhite. We try to get some melody in there and have a sneaking regard for that whole stax/motown thing and Al Green, Ann Peebles and all the rest out of Memphis. We have I think, very much our own sound after years of playing together.

Peavey amps.. A Fender bassman top for harp thro 2 x 10 inch speakers and Marshall soundbrake.

Ashdown amp for one guitar and Marshall Bluesbreaker for the other. Fender strat. guitars and Yamaha SA 800 gibson 335 copy. Peavey bass amp..

Old JT astatic harp mike thro a noisegate.