Dennis Greaves, Nine Below Zero – old-school R&B, police and thieves and the agony of white clogs

Dennis Greaves took a week off from Nine Below Zero in 1980 but otherwise kept his nose firmly applied to the grindstone. They broke up in 1983 when he formed the Truth, who broke up in 1989 when he rebooted the old band. He looks back here at the first gigs he ever saw and played – a world with the attractive scent of spilt beer and tobacco – stopping off at various points, among them …

… why blues and R&B flourished in South London, police and villains drinking together at the Thomas A Becket and the folklore of the Old Kent Road.

... the great advantage of never having a hit.

… taking his parents to see Chuck Berry in 1972.

... the lasting appeal of R&B in a world of processed music.

… what he learnt from Glyn Johns when he produced them at Olympic Studios, “the man who invented phasing with Itchycoo Park”.

… buying singles at A1 Records in Walworth – “Progressive, Reggae, Artists A-Z …”

… seeing Blackfoot Sue and Scarecrow on the pub circuit, and the Groundhogs and Rory Gallagher at the Rainbow.

… Pete Townshend watching Nine Below Zero from the wings - “you remind me of us in the ‘60s”.

… seeing the Jam 11 times – “900 people in a 400 capacity venue!”

… “getting gyp is good as you learn how to control an audience.”

… 2am service station food and how touring has changed in 45 years.

... performing in the pilot for The Young Ones in 1982.

… “the song you should study for A-Level Pop”.

… memories of Mylone LeFevre, Capability Brown, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee, BB King, Muhammad Ali, Henry Cooper, Uriah Heep, The Little Roosters, Deep Purple, Gary Moore, Greg Lake, Love Sculpture, Free, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alvin Lee, Dr Feelgood and Charlie McCoy playing Lady Madonna on the harmonica on the Val Doonican Show …

 … and the greatest record ever made!

Nine Below Zero tickets and tour dates here: https://www.ninebelowzero.com/tour

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