ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 19, 1990
By Steve Newton
There are some bands out there that are just made to play in bars—they have that certain something that demands you sip a frosty cold one while wallowing in their raucous boogie noise. The Beat Farmers are one of those, the Georgia Satellites another. And a new band called the London Quireboys is in that league too. When these Quireboys start churning out their raggedy rhythm ’n’ boogie, it’s party time, no questions asked. It’s not surprising that lead singer Spike met his songwriting partner Guy Bailey in the type of establishment that the band has proved so worthy in.
“I met Guy in a bar in London,” says Spike (a.k.a. Jonathon Gray), “and we just got talkin’ about how we liked the same style of music and that nobody was playin’ good rock ’n’ roll any more. So he got a few of his friends down from the YMCA and we had a jam.” Five years after that initial meeting, the London Quireboys still have the loose, gut-bucket feel of a bunch of guys shooting for the Bar Band Hall of Fame. Just ask anyone who witnessed the British sextet’s show at 86 Street last summer. The crowd went nuts in response to every song from the group’s debut disc, A Bit of What You Fancy, and they’ll probably go nuts again when the band returns to 86 Street this Sunday (December 2).
According to Spike, audiences tend to do that a lot for his band. “Everywhere we play in the world we seem to get the same type of crowd,” explains the 24-year-old crooner. “They come to the gig expectin’ to have a good time and a good laugh. It’s like, ‘Let’s go see the Choirboys and get drunk!’ ”
Although fans of the Choirboys gorge themselves on the band’s heavily Stones- and Faces-influenced sound, the group did have to deal with a certain amount of critical flack when its debut album first came out. The similarity to the Faces was too much for some detractors, who slagged the band as copycats. Spike just slags ’em back.
“These people—I mean you ask them to name nine Faces songs and they’ll give you nine of Rod Stewart’s hits—they really don’t even know the Faces. So that doesn’t bother me at all. And I mean I’d rather be compared to them than half the other bands that are goin’ round these days.”
Spike—who got his nickname from the spiky hair he sported as a teen—is joined in the London Choirboys by two Guys—guitarists Bailey and Griffin—keyboardist Chris Johnstone, drummer Rudy Richmond (ex-Lone Justice), and bassist Nigel Mogg. The latter happens to be the nephew of former UFO vocalist Phil Mogg, who managed the Quireboys briefly when they were starting out (Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife, now handles the band). The younger Mogg cites his uncle’s band as one of his biggest influences, along with bands like Bad Company, Queen, Mott the Hoople, and, of course, the Rolling Stones.
One of the biggest thrills of the 25-year-old bassist’s career so far came when the band opened for Jagger and Co. for one show of the Stones’ Urban Jungle tour. “Mick and Ronnie watched some of the show from the side of the stage, and we met all the band afterwards,” spouts Mogg. “That was great!” Mogg and Spike and the other Quireboys are good buddies with another new band that pays serious homage to the Stones in its music—the Black Crowes. That group’s singer, Chris Robinson, hopped up on stage with the Quireboys in Edmonton a while back to lead them in the blues classics “Walkin’ the Dog” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”.
“They’re doin’ the same sort of thing we’re doin’,” claims Mogg in his thick Cockney twang. “Playing proper sort of rock ’n’ roll.” Before he signs off from Montreal, there’s one more thing to ask Mogg. It has to do with the liner notes to A Bit of What You Fancy, in particular the message at the end of a long list of thank-yous which reads: “Absolutely no thanks to Pacific Bell or Oki-Dog of Fairfax Avenue.” Mogg explains that the first “no thanks” is for the telephone company that kept cutting their phone off when the band was staying in L.A. That sounds familiar, but what about the Oki-Dog bit? Did some hot-dog stand in the City of the Angels cut their wieners off as well?
“Naa,” chuckles Mogg. “They just taste disgustin’.”
To hear the full audio of my 1990 interview with Nigel Mogg of Quireboys/London Quireboys subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 400 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with:
Dave Martone, 2020
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, 2006
Joss Stone, 2012
Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest, 2005
Jack Blades of Night Ranger, 1984
Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard, 1992
Colin James, 1995
Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, 1998
Tom Cochrane of Red Rider, 1983
Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 1995
Taj Mahal, 2001
Tom Wilson of Junkhouse, 1995
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, 2003
David Lindley, 2002
Marty Friedman of Megadeth, 1991
John Hiatt, 2010
Nancy Wilson of Heart, 2006
Jeff Golub, 1989
Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness, 1990
Todd Rundgren, 2006
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, 2001
Steve Earle, 1987
Gabby Gaborno of the Cadillac Tramps, 1991
Terry Bozzio, 2003
Roger Glover, 1985
Matthew Sweet, 1995
Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, 2003
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars, 2001
John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, 1995
Steve Hackett from Genesis, 1993
Grace Potter, 2008
Buddy Guy, 1993
Steve Lynch of Autograph, 1985
Don Wilson of the Ventures, 1997
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, 1998
Trevor Rabin of Yes, 1984
Albert Lee, 1986
Yngwie Malmsteen, 1985
Robert Cray, 1996
Tony Carey, 1984
Ian Hunter, 1988
Kate Bush, 1985
David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, 1984
Jeff Healey, 1988
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1996
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, 1993
Colin Linden, 1993
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 1995
Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, 1986
Elliot Easton from the Cars, 1996
Wayne Kramer from the MC5, 2004
Bob Rock, 1992
Nick Gilder, 1985
Klaus Meine of Scorpions, 1988
Jason Bonham, 1989
Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers, 1991
Joey Spampinato of NRBQ, 1985
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, 2003
Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, 2003
Steve Kilbey of the Church, 1990
Edgar Winter, 2005
Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, 1990
Randy Hansen, 2001
Dan McCafferty of Nazareth, 1984
Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam, 2007
Jimmy Barnes from Cold Chisel, 1986
Steve Stevens of Atomic Playboys, 1989
Billy Idol, 1984
Stuart Adamson of Big Country, 1993
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, 1992
Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule, 1998
John Bell of Widespread Panic, 1992
Robben Ford, 1993
Barry Hay of Golden Earring, 1984
Jason Isbell, 2007
Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, 1991
Joe Satriani, 1990
Vernon Reid of Living Colour, 1988
Brad Delp of Boston, 1988
Zakk Wylde of Pride & Glory, 1994
John Sykes of Blue Murder, 1989
Alice Cooper, 1986
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1985
John Doe, 1990
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon, 1992
Myles Goodwyn of April Wine, 2001
John Mellencamp, 1999
Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1999
Kenny Aronoff, 1999
Doyle Bramhall II, 2001
Jon Bon Jovi, 1986
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1992
Randy Bachman, 2001
Little Steven, 1987
Stevie Salas, 1990
J.J. Cale, 2009
Joe Bonamassa, 2011
Tommy Emmanuel, 1994
Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip, 1997
John Petrucci of Dream Theater, 2010
Eric Johnson, 2001
Stu Hamm, 1991
Gene Simmons of Kiss, 1992
Ace Frehley from Kiss, 2008
David Lee Roth, 1994
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, 1988
Steve Vai, 1990
Tony Iommi of Heaven and Hell, 2007
Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1996
Geoff Tate of Queensryche, 1991
James Hetfield of Metallica, 1986
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990
Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites, 1988
Andy McCoy and Sam Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks, 1984
Steve Morse, 1991
Slash of Guns N’ Roses, 1994
Brian May from Queen, 1993
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1991
Jake E. Lee of Badlands, 1992
Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1997
John Fogerty, 1997
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 1987
Rick Derringer, 1999
Robin Trower, 1990
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, 1994
Mick Ronson, 1988
Geddy Lee of Rush, 2002
Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult, 1997
Michael Schenker, 1992
Vince Neil of Motley Crue, 1991
Vinnie Paul of Pantera, 1992
Joan Jett, 1992
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, 1988
Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1989
Rob Halford of Judas Priest, 1984
Bill Henderson of Chilliwack, 1999
Paul Rodgers, 1997
R.L. Burnside, 1999
Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats, 2015
Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, 1985
Carlos Santana, 2011
Walter Trout, 2003
Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, 1983
Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil, 2001
Tommy Aldridge, 2001
Donald “Duck” Dunn, 1985
Mark Farner of Grand Funk, 1991
Chris Robinson of Black Crowes, 1990
Jennifer Batten, 2002
Mike Fraser, 2014
Leo Kottke, 2002
Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, 2002
David Gogo, 1991
Booker T. Jones, 2016
Link Wray, 1997
James Reyne from Australian Crawl, 1988
Mike Rutherford of Genesis, 1983
Buddy Guy, 1991
Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers, 1990
Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, 2016
Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1986
Lindsay Mitchell of Prism, 1988
Buddy Miles, 2001
Eddie Money, 1988
Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, 1983
Gaye Delorme, 1990
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, 1984
Graham Bonnet of Alcatrazz, 1984
Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, 2016
Doc Neeson of Angel City, 1985
Rik Emmett of Triumph, 1985
Sonny Landreth, 2016
Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders, 2016
Jeff Beck, 2001
Albert King, 1990
Johnny Ramone of the Ramones, 1992
Peter Frampton, 1987
Otis Rush, 1997
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1989
Leslie West of Mountain, 2002
Steve Howe of Yes, 2017
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, 1983
Uli Jon Roth, 2016
Poison Ivy of the Cramps, 1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1985
Greg Lake of ELP, 1992
Robert Plant, 1993
Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC, 1983
Warren Zevon, 1992
Tal Wilkenfeld, 2016
Steve Clark of Def Leppard, 1988
Ronnie Montrose, 1994
Danny Gatton, 1993
Alex Lifeson of Rush, 1992
Ann Wilson of Heart, 1985
J.J. Cale, 1990
Yngwie Malmsteen, 2014
Chris Cornell, 2008
Long John Baldry, 1985
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
Kim Mitchell, 1984
Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers, 1994
Derek Trucks, 1998
Susan Tedeschi, 1998
Joe Satriani, 2018
B.B. King, 1984
Albert Collins, 1985
Ronnie James Dio, 1985
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, 1984
Dick Dale, 2000
Greg Allman, 1998
Dickey Betts, 2001
….with hundreds more to come