GROOVY: Graham Clark (centre), Ian "Beano" Gilpin (drums), Brian Franks (bass guitar) and Bruce Roland (guitar).PHOTO/SUPPLIED
GROOVY: Graham Clark (centre), Ian "Beano" Gilpin (drums), Brian Franks (bass guitar) and Bruce Roland (guitar).PHOTO/SUPPLIED
They're brilliant, they're Brilleaux, and they will be conquering English audiences in a whirlwind tour of the UK from Thursday.
Brilleaux (rhymes with pillow) are a bunch of amateur Tauranga musicians who share a huge passion for playing hard, driving British rhythm 'n' blues.
The band, started by lead singer and guitarist/harmonica player Graham Clark, takes its name from the legendary frontman for R&B band Dr Feelgood, Lee Brilleaux. The mini-tour will see them play two festivals and numerous high profile pub gigs.
We are living the dream, especially this thing of going to England.
Brilleaux's line-up has not changed since they got together in 1999. Not satisfied with playing together, three of the four band members now work in the same place - the head office and warehouse of Cubro, which imports health care equipment.
Drummer Ian "Beano" Gilpin said he was really looking forward to the tour which coincides with the launch of their eighth album Pictures of the Queen - a reference to the Queen's image on UK and NZ currency.
The album's leaning towards English mannerisms and lifestyle has been likened by Gilpin to selling coal to Newcastle. Recorded at Welcome Bay's Colourfield Studio, the music file will be sent to England and released there first.
Partners of the band will sell CDs at venues to make as much of a dent as possible in the self-funded $20,000-plus cost of the tour.
Between performances, Gilpin will catch up with old friends he made during his OE to Britain in the 1990s.
Clark has used his contacts in the UK to help organise the tour and ensure they will rub shoulders with some of the great names in British R&B.
Gilpin hopes these musicians will join the band on stage.
Brilleaux's appearances at the Torquay Festival will be a direct result of the band's 2013 UK tour, when they were so well received they were invited back.
The day after their stint at Torquay they play the Blues on the Farm festival at Chichester.
"We are living the dream, especially this thing of going to England," he said.
Clark said Brilleaux was keeping the spirit of British R&B alive in the Southern Hemisphere and he was proud of the way the band always stepped up and played professionally, even though they were enthusiastic amateurs.
They will be joined at the Chichester festival by piano and keyboard player extraordinaire John Potter, who played with Wilko Johnson and the Solid Senders.
"We will be showing them what we are doing with their music on the other side of the world," he said.
Brilleaux also comprises Brian Franks (bass guitar) and Bruce Roland (guitar).
