The Band In Heaven They Play My Favourite Song...

Who would be in your Heaven House Band?

Well there are some pretty significant anniversaries this year for prime contenders. John Lennon would have been 70 and its 30 years since he was gunned down in New York. John Bonham, powerhouse drummer with Led Zeppelin, died 30 years ago as well and Jimi Hendrix died 40 Years ago this very weekend past…so, my band in heaven playing my favourite song would be…

Vocals: Elvis Presley

I mean 56 Elvis, the real deal. The risk, the sex, the raw talent and that incredible Black/White Blues thing that every singer since has tried to get a piece of. That Elvis would have been at the forefront of any era and any music style and made it his own.

Lead Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

The God, the Greatest ever exponent of electric guitar playing and raw creativity. He practically invented the solo, the concept album and saved both the Fender Strat and the E7#9 chord from extinction. What a genius.

Rhythm Guitar and Backing vox: Kurt Cobain

Yes even more anger and cutting edge creativity from the Godfather of Grunge. The riffs, the melodies, the understatement followed by the overstatement, the pure pop of all that dirty rage. A pioneer, and keeper of the Elvis Flame, into the nineties and beyond. Listen to Unplugged for a sneak peek at his breathtaking range and hidden depths.

Bass Guitar: John Entwhistle

The Who were so much more than the sum of their parts. That bass solo in My Generation was completely new and is such a key counterpoint to Townsend’s down-stroke rhythm guitar angst taking the whole song up a gear. When the best Bass player’s work is done the band say we did it ourselves and when they look round he has packed up and gone – his work done.

Drums: John Henry Bonham

What more can I say. The drummer’s drummer; and a man who has, quite simply, re-written the drum pattern for rock music. A man whose absence meant the greatest band on the planet could no longer continue as they were and whose sound has been emulated and sampled a thousand times over. He chained groupies to his bed so they would still be there after the gig. He drank more than Keith Moon and Oliver Reed. He died the only true rock star death after 30 shots of vodka. He played the drums on When The Levee Breaks. Nuff said.

Keyboards: Don’t be silly.

So there you have it – a pantheon of genius and the band in heaven. Of course you may have Django Reinhardt, Jaco Pastorius, Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra – but my band is way louder than yours!