Billy Sollox started his musical career relatively late in life and formed Sollox and The Spooners, as he affectionately refers to himself and his band, to gain a wider audience for his increasing portfolio of songs. He has worked variously as a car cleaner, computer company executive and, mysteriously, as a government employee. Sollox has consistently refused to speak publicly about his friendship with the late Diana, princess of Wales. Guitar Gill Bates Snr Plays guitar and sings. Thats more or less all anyone knows about this reclusive, influential musician. Turns up. Plays. Leaves, is the way Billy Sollox explains it. Chuck Babbage Plays keyboards, piano, percussion, and sings backing vocals. Babbage trained at the Royal Academy and then heard rock n roll. Like so many before him, his life was never the same again. Unlike his famous computer inventing namesake, hates technology. Dick Mell Keyboards, Guitars, Saxophone Pell Mell as hes know by the rest of the band, due to his propensity to running around like a headless chicken. When not musician-ing he lives in an old rectory in Lincolnshire. Job Stevens Drums, percussion & backing vocals. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Stevens now has a ranch in Montana, where he spends as much time as he can, between performances and recording. Lee Bernerstim Bass, backing vocals. The Spooners only bona-fide Cockney. Born in the east end of London and learned bass by listening to The Ox - John Entwistle, who he met several times. Sunil Sunny Lavrot Guitar, Piano, keyboards. From the Lone Star state, Sunny does indeed love the sunshine and spends as much time as he possibly can sunbathing. Suze Konrad Backing Vocals, percussion. Another Londoner. When not touring Suze likes to spend time in that great metropolis.
His musical influences: Bruce Springsteen, Martyn Joseph, Steve Earle, Tom Robinson, The Beatles, Jimmy Buffett, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, John Lennon. Often political, story-based songs of rock, folk, folk-rock and country flavour.
Number 1 On Neil Young's Web Chart with "Take Your War And Stick It Up Your Arse" To all those who have been voting/listening - a great big thank you. We are hoping to use this to launch a publicity campaign in the UK media. Let's also not forget that, more important than songs going up charts, we can get this war ended as soon as possible. Sollox and The Spooners have been making music for a long time, but the exposure that the www can give them has inspired them to new efforts.
The band are . . .
• Billy Sollox - vocals, writer, arranger. Guitar Gill Bates Snr Acoustic six-string, 12-string and electric guitars, backing vocals;
• Chuck Babbage - Keyboards, piano, percussion, backing vocals;
• Dick Mell - Keyboards, Guitars, Saxophone Job Stevens - Drums, percussion & backing vocals;
• Lee Bernerstim - Bass, backing vocals Little Gilly Bates - Electric guitars;
• Sunil "Sunny" Lavrot - Piano, keyboards;
• Suze Konrad - Backing Vocals, percussion.