Bill's musical career started in Guernsey in 1963 with Rob Spensley, who will be travelling from the south of France to St James for the concert.
Rob was 11 and Bill was 12.
‘We started a band which we called The Phantoms. Channel TV filmed us that Christmas as we practised in the public bar of the Queen’s Hotel, which belonged to the drummer’s father. I was on piano, Robert on acoustic guitar, Pete Mallaband on electric guitar and John Charnley on drums.
‘We played throughout the 60s until 1968. Because we were so young, our parents wouldn’t allow us to accept a residency at St George’s Hall that we were offered. We played stuff by people like The Kinks and The Who and especially The Beatles, including three-part vocal harmonies. I remember local artists from that time like Pete Frampton, Us Ltd and others.’
In 1967, when Jimi Hendrix came along, his songs were added to the repertoire. By that time Rob was on electric guitar, Pete was on bass and Bill was on drums.
In 1978 Bill qualified as a lawyer and in 1980 got a job in Brussels.
‘In the evenings there I used to go down to a local bar where a lot of young locals used to hang out. I discovered that there was a band which practised in the basement. I picked up a bass guitar for the first time since 1967. I went to a gig in the centre of Brussels one evening – a Brazilian band was playing, but the bass player was late. “I can play bass” I said and I sat in for the first couple of numbers. After that there was no turning back.’
Back to London, Bill got married in 1982 and shortly after that bought a Portastudio, a four-track tape recorder. He bought a bass and an electric piano and a microphone and started writing songs.
‘A friend gave me a guitar, a Harmony Meteor. I used that for a bit, then I bought my first Stratocaster. The Strat took over completely. I got a 100-watt Marshall stack and by the late 80s I was in a power trio playing Jimi Hendrix around Windsor.’
In the mid-90s Bill joined a covers band called From the Hip, which is still going.
Bill’s eldest son Ed was born in 1987, his younger brother Will in 1990 and a daughter, Ellie, in 1994. All the children grew up to be musicians.
‘Will and Ed started their own band – I was the bass player to begin with. In 2009 the band got a recording contract – the first line of my contract said “It is anticipated that Bill Adlard will be replaced…” and I was. The band, Patch William, was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award.’
Bill and his sons went to Austin, Texas together in 2012, and they’ve been playing Texas blues together ever since.
‘My guitar style is heavily influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Ed now lives in Saffron Walden and Will in St Paul Minnesota.
‘This is a very special gig for us all because we can get together in the same place and play some of our favourite stuff. In the first half we’ll start with some Texas blues, just me Will and Ed. Then Rob will join us on keyboards and we’ll play some Fleetwood Mac – Peter Green style – some Albert King, some Buddy Guy, some Jimi and some Clapton.
‘For the second half, Ellie and her friend Emma will join us on vocals and I’ll be mostly on keys.
‘The girls will take centre stage towards the end for Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and Elton John. The final song will be awesome. But you’ll have to come along to find out what it is.’
Support comes from home-grown country-rockers The Moonshine Sunsoakers.
Allister Carey, director of The Eleanor Foundation said: ‘Thanks to the incredible generosity of a private donor covering all event costs, every ticket sold will go directly towards our projects in rural Tanzania.
‘Lives are genuinely being changed through access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare – and by joining us for this event, you become part of that story.’
Bill Adlard & The Blues Kings with The Moonshine Sunsoakers are playing at St James on Friday 12 June at 7pm. Tickets are available at stjames.gg or at the box office on 711361.
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