Music has always been an important influence on me. I was given an old record player and some singles when I was really little and I used to run my own chart show on a Sunday night. No.1 was always ‘Little Arrows’ by Leapy Lee, from 1968. I don’t know why. Perhaps I’ll post it here one day, but in the meantime, it’s on YouTube 😊. I’ve settled, really, on folk and rock now, but I’ll give anything a listen. You never know what you might be missing out on. Although I steer clear of songs about stabbing or ‘hoes’! Not really my bag.

I was introduced to Richard Hawley by a friend of mine back in 2011. Since then I’ve seen him live at Brixton Academy and The Roundhouse at Chalk Farm. Nowhere near enough but the kids put paid to any plans of becoming any more of a faithful follower. One day, I hope to go to Sheffield though, and see him in his natural habitat.

Richard Hawley was born in Sheffield in 1968, into a musical family who worked in the steel industry, which was Sheffield’s raison d’etre at the time. As he grew, he saw his family play in pubs and social clubs and in time joined them. He’s developed a style of guitar inspired in the days of Duane Eddy, and indeed has worked and played with him, Nancy Sinatra and other famous names. He’s a friend of and has played alongside that other Sheffield leg-end Jarvis Cocker – who I will love always for disrupting Michael Jackson’s Earth Song at the Brits in 1996!

Richard’s a great chap, when you go to see him you don’t just get music. He’s a brilliant raconteur and very funny. His songs are long and eloquent and he quite obviously pours his heart and soul into his lyrics. What I wouldn’t give for an evening in the pub with him!

I’ve shared a couple of songs already and I have a notion that you will be hearing quite a lot from him in this blog. Enjoy.