The Bogiewheels Band was born when someone took an old guitar along to pass the time waiting to bat for Wesley Cricket Club (normally didn’t have to wait long; our lot were useless) and found that our short-legged, broken-fingered wicket keeper also played guitar. We decided to form a temporary band to play at annual cricket dinners and were aptly named The Wee Willy Wesleys. We rocked the bails off at 3 different dinners with varying supporting artists. Our opening batsman once operated a smoke machine for the band wearing a WW2 army helmet, but that’s another story.
And the name: A local reference to a kiddies go cart made primarily of planks of wood (the Bogie), borrowed or often permanently sourced pram wheels (the Wheels) and a mad street urchin with a ‘live fast die young’ attitude. Ah …memories!!!!!
Recent band reviews: “underwhelming,” The Times; “overbearing,” The Observer; “absolutely average,” The Telegraph; “shit hot,” Calderdale Shopper; “ball-breaking music that made my knickers tingle,” Lady Thatcher
Simon
guitar, vocals, mandobuffoon
Born: Halifax
Die: Halifax more ‘n likely
Greatest achievement: football 6-a-side U12 Bondina Cup winning capt. 1978
Greatest disappointment: about four games into every new season supporting Halifax Town
Passions: The Shaymen (God love ‘em), music
Most difficult task: convincing bandmates that ‘The Bogiewheels’ was a good name for a trio
What is a bogiewheel? excerpt from Prof. A R Swipes Proper English Dictionary:
Bogiewheel n. axle revolving discs borrowed (with or without consent) from any neighbouring perambulator by conker-carrying, snotty-nosed, spanner-wielding kids to create a thing of speed and beauty: the bogie. Also see: ‘go cart’
Aspirations: to find out what all the knobs are for on our PA, to save the whale (or at least an otter or two), raise money for a charity race… sorry no… a chariot race
Jez
guitar, vocals
Son of a Romany traveller and a Peruvian mountain woman, I was brought up to appreciate the subtleties of obscure international folk music and so developed a style and rhythm all of my own.
Also a compulsive liar.
Neil
guitar, vocals, 12-string
Started playing the ukulele at about 6 years old when my big brother bought a Suzuki № 6 guitar. Discovered as a teenager that walking the streets of Dunedin, NZ carrying a guitar helped impress the sheilas so became a 3 chord wonder for the next 30 years. Arrived in the UK and new next door neighbour turned out to be a brilliant lead guitarist, so tried to improve a little under his guidance. Never really touched an electric guitar until I was 40 (phew LIFE BEGINS)! We spent many a summer night playing music across the fence.
Influences… Led Zep (until Jimmy Page got just too good), The Stones, Neil Young and James Taylor.
Work as a driving instructor, married with one grown up son.
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