Steve: Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar. Has been singing in various club bands for about 10/12 years, started playing rhythm guitar out of necessity

due to a member leaving the last band Steve was with.

It was after this that Steve decided to hang up his mic. After a 10 years lay off Steve now find himself fronting an established blues rock band Shoestring Blues

Iain: Lead Guitar. I started playing in about 1970 mainly self-taught by listening to records and buying sheet music.

My main influences were progressive rock and blues from bands such as Jethro Tull, ELP, Deep Purple,

Groundhogs and Rory Gallagher, although my tastes now are a lot more diverse.

I have played in a variety of bands through the years including

Earthworks, Einstein’s Younger Bears, Human, Damaged Goods and now Shoestring Blues.

Rich: Bassist. On my 18th Birthday I was presented with a Kay Fender Precision Bass copy and a baby 12 watt Marshal bass amp. My first bass guitar and amp, but not my last……....

For the next 12 years or so I honed my bass playing skills. Learning by ear all the rifts and bass lines by people such as Mark King of Level 42 and JJ Burnel of The Stranglers, all the way through to the likes of Phil Lynot of Thin Lizzy and that crazy man called Prince!

In 1999, I got a phone call from my brother in law, Keith. It was a Sunday afternoon and the phone call went something like “Hi Rich, do you still play bass? Would you like to join a band?”

With some trepidation and a certain amount of excitement, I drove round to his mate’s house, not knowing quite what to expect. After a few minutes of meeting and chatting with the guys – Ian, Keith, Simon and Steve – I found my self in my very first band - RISK.

Initially, rehearsals took place in an old school hall in West End but we soon upgraded to Ian’s front living room, which had free coffee (thanks, Penny) and comfy chairs and the occasional bottle of beer thrown in for good measure. We’ve now moved on again to proper rehearsal rooms.

Over the next couple of years the four of us played several gigs but eventually Dave decided to give up drumming and left the band, which was now called RSi. Another advert later, and our new drummer, Charlie, joined us. Sadly, after only a few weeks, Charlie left us due to ill health. A few weeks later, in July 2005, Rob joined us. With the addition of Rob’s excellent drumming we were now back to full strength; our music taking on a more focused and dynamic approach.

Rob: Drums. He started life playing in a Poole based pro band called “Peoples People”

back in the mid sixties, the band soon found themselves on a slow boat to the island of Jersey.

Rob's background was a varied catalogue of support bands, supporting 60's bands,

the likes of, The Tremolos, The Sweet, Jerry and the Pacemakers Amen Corner, and most recently Darius.

Former founder member of a successful R&B band “Stone cold Sober” left them and after a short R&R

he joined “Ocean Drive” a very successful M.O.R band. After leaving Ocean Drive along with the lead vocalist

H (Neil). Rob answering an ad on the Ad-Traders website, Rob is now in his latest venture with -
Shoestring Blues.

Influences: Joe Morello of Dave Brubeck, Nick Mason - Pink Floyd, John Bonham - Led Zeppelin, and Pick Withers - Dire Straits.