BUDDY HOLLY LIVES
for all the great work he has done on this fantastic website!
I play around 3 gigs every week in London in various cover bands.
My most regular gig is in Soho’s Oneills bar in Wardour Street,
where The Crickets once played when it was called the
Whiskey-a-go-go!
much the only indoor activity you could do on a rainy day and we have plenty of those in England!
We had a copy of “Rave On”, an MFP compilation album of Buddy Holly’s hits.
It was my favourite of all the records that we had, I was just so taken with this style of music and Buddy’s hiccup singing
style. I had no idea why, I just really liked it, so I listened to it a lot. I don’t know what happened to that record, but I
recently bought a copy of it and I can’t wait to set up my old record player now to see that red oval go round again!
So here's Lee's rendition of 'RAVE ON' from 2019 !
new movie and was totally blown away what Los Lobos had done with Ritchie’s songs. Right then, I decided I had to get a
guitar and learn to play. I had actually already learned to play before I was even able to see that movie, because it had a 15
certificate in the cinema and I was only 14 at the time, so I had to wait a year to see it on video.
Foundations, he just happened to live near me and was teaching students. We actually formed a rock n roll band in 1988,
playing all the old classics in pubs around London. I played rhythmn guitar and sang (and learned as much as I could from
him!). I also worked as an apprentice in his recording studio, I made my first recordings there. I recorded “Oh Boy” and “Rock
Around With Ollie Vee” in 1989. I don’t have a copy of those recordings now, but I do have the master tapes in my loft,
although I don’t have a machine to play them now! Alan and I played a few gigs together again recently, which was really
nice, he’s a great guy and still a fantastic guitarist.
Me - Alan - 1989
I also learned to play drums, I just taught myself from
watching others in bands I played in. Actually the biggest
gig I ever did was as the drummer of a band called “JAG”. In
2005, we won a battle of the bands competition with a song
called “Stranger Fings” ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=RAtV99vdIik ) and we got to play in Hyde Park and also
support “Madness” on their forest tour in the summer that
year. That was an unforgettable experience!
younger, so the thought of having to perform on a big stage terrified me. Plus I had kids very young, so I was happy doing
my day job and playing gigs in pubs for fun and some extra cash.
the singer/guitarist from “Clear Blue Sky” saw me play in his local pub and said if I had any original songs, he would be
happy to let me use his studio to record them. We are still good friends today and he is still making some great music. I sang
some songs and wrote the lyrics for the title track for their 2009 album “Don’t Mention Rock & Roll”.
called “Both Barrels” with my friend and super guitarist Andrea Samengo. I play drums once or twice a month with a covers
band called “The Swans”, which is great, because I hadn’t played drums at all for over 10 years until I joined them. I also
play guitar in a duo my daughter Lucy, playing reggae songs. She has a great voice!
Me - Alan - April 2019
playing the guitar and, I play the guitar because of Buddy Holly. He is still giving us all gifts!
recording gear and loaded in “Peggy Sue Got Married”, which was just Buddy and his acoustic guitar. We added drums and
our own guitars, bass and backing vocals. We got to record a song with the great man himself!
got around to it until now. I am doing my best on these recordings to sing and play in Buddy’s style, it’s not my natural style.
I have something of a hidden talent for immitating voices, although Buddy’s is so unique, its difficult to even get close! I will
keep making more and add them to my “Thanks Buddy!” collection on my Youtube channel and on my website
The new version of "MAYBE BABY", published 17th of August, 2020:
nothing like him, so I don’t know if that could really work. Even if I wore some glasses, I have no hair now. I did think about
calling myself “Baldy Holly”, but I found that there is already a band with that name, very good they are too!!
The new version of "Love's Made A Fool Of You", published 17th of August, 2020:
Buddy Holly & The Crickets for all they have done for all of us!
