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JOHN YOUNG BAND
The Peel, Kingston,Surrey 9 August 2003
On a very hot night I trundled along to the Peel in nearby
Kingston to check out the John Young Band after all he did do a 10
Q's for the Newswire/GRTR! and fellow Newswire member Doug
recommended seeing him (could that be because he helps run John
Young's website???).
Smallish venue but it had air conditioning - bliss :) Support band
were called (I think) Dave's Not Here and they played to a grand
total of six people! Crikey, London Underground busker's pull more
than this! Five piece band who played a mix of punk/pop/rock - bit
too much variety really but some toe tappers in there. Very good lead
guitarist and solid drummer plus bass player who pulled all Gene
Simmons' moves! The only song I knew was the bnad's cover of
G'N'R's 'It's So Easy', which they did well.
The crowd grew to nearly 30 by JYB's set - where the heck was
everyone? I blame the weather! Now this band has some pedigree - John
Young on vocals/keyboards (Asia/The Scorpions/Greenslade/Bonnie Tyler
et al), top bass player John Jowitt (IQ/Jadis), guitarist Robin Boult
(Fish) and drummer Dave Stewart (Fish/Deacon Blue). I had never heard
a single song by this band prior to tonight (bar John Young's co-
writes on John Wetton's solo stuff) and was intrigued to say the
least...
Well I can honestly say I love this band now! They play well as a
band - it's not just Young's keys with other instruments tagged on
and the songs are heartfelt with some superb instrumental passages.
Comparisions? Hints of Jadis, Marillion (although Steve Hogarth not
Fish era), definately Asia and just damn fine tunes. Songs played (I
hope I have the titles right) included 'Unkown Soldier', the keyboard
highlights in 'Childhood's End', 'Underside' and 'Under Angels
Wings'. John Jowitt and Dave Stewart kept a solid backline with
Jowitt doing some tasty bass runs and Robin Boult is a very talented
guitarist. He switches from heavy riffs to nimble passages and
acoustic moments with ease.
The JYB are out in the UK again in Nov - go see them! If you like
well played music (slightly prog rock) you are in for a treat. I will
go again and I am off to buy some CD's - can't give a better
recommendation than that!
More at - Website
Text © 2003 Jason Ritchie
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