As the band prepares to embark on it's first tour of SE England, the excitement mounts with the release of the new album, 'Nothing To Lose', on Thursday 1st March. The album can be purchased through the website or digitally from iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and other platforms.
GIG CANCELLATION - SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE BAN'S GIG AT CHARTS, FEATURING GEORGE SHOVLIN AND THE RADARS AND ARCHIE BROWN AND PAT RAFFERTY ON SAT 21st MARCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
This joint decision between ourselves and Charts was taken because of the current situation. A new date will be re-scheduled for later in the year.
Excited to report that 'George Shovlin and The Radars' play their first-ever gig in Belgium when we play Brussels Rhythm and Blues Club on Saturday, 15th February. Great news!
I recently wrote:
‘Dave 'The Bishop' Scott is a highly respected reviewer of the blues' on both sides of the Atlantic. Although still writing for 'Blues in Britain' and 'American Blues Scene' magazines, he has recently retired as writer with 'Blues Matters' magazine. His final article was to list his 10 favourite blues albums OF ALL TIME. I am privileged to be able to say that he included 'George Shovlin and The Radars' latest album 'Nothing To Lose' in his final selection. What an honour!’
David then wrote:
'What George failed to mention due to his modesty is that I rated him above John Lee Hooker and John Mayall. Joe Bonamassa didn’t even make the cut. George is the real deal and has contributed more to the blues than most of his over hyped contemporaries. Keep on supporting him.
David Scott'
If anyone would like to buy this, or any other of our albums, please follow this link:
http://www.georgeshovlinandtheradars.co.uk/music.html
A delayed announcement, but the band has recently undergone changes in personnel. As previously indicated, ex-Cirkus bass man John Taylor, now takes over on bass, and ex-George Shovlin Blues Band drummer, Ian Hamilton, also joins the band. Since the inception of the original GSB early in 1990, these are only the third changes made in lineup. Good luck and best wishes to Stu Burlison and Kevin Scott.
It's great to see our monthly gig at Charts, on Newcastle Quayside, taking off. This is a special bar in a unique location.
We are thrilled to be asked to play at the next Wharfedale Blues Festival event, held at Burley-in-Wharfedale Cricket Club on Saturday, 9th October.
I can now announce that the band is playing the 'Blues des Duex Riviere', in Brittany, on 5th October, this year. Check out their website....
https://www.festival-blues-bretagne.fr/
We are pleased to announce that we have been booked to play at the Redesdale Festival, Northumberland on 3rd August, 2019
Great news! The band has just been booked to play Margate Rhythm and Rock Festival in September, and the duo has been asked back to play at Matt and Phreds in Manchester, on 2nd July. Wonderful!
Exciting news: the band has been booked to play a second blues festival in France, this time in Brittany, later in the year in October. Further details will be released shortly.
The band plays it's first festival on mainland Europe when it play The Potatoes Blues Festival, in Normandy. We catch an early ferry, and play later that night....ON MARCH 29th!
The band embarks on one of its mini-tours in May when it heads South to play at Tring Blues Bar, The Railway, Oakham and finally Essex BluesRock Fest on 16th to 18th May, respectively. Really looking forward to it!
Following the duo's hugely successful set on the Jaks Blues Matters Stage, at The Greast British Rock and Blues Festival ,Skegness, I CAN NOW ANNOUNCE that the band has been booked to play the Little Muni Stage at the Colne Great British Rock and Blues Festival, in September.
Other Festival appearances already booked this year includes The Secret Blues Festival, Scarborough on 23rd March (duo), the Potatoes Blues Festival, in Normandy, on Friday 29th March...our FIRST EUROPEAN FESTIVAL, and Essex BluesRockFest at Barleylands on 18th May.
The band is playing a sold out gig at the Peacock, Sunderland, on 27th December, along with ex-Dance Class Dave Taggart, and STAN, the band. This completes a great 2018 for the band....and 2019 is already looking good.
Thank you to everyone who has shown interest in, or supported the band in any way, during the last year. On behalf of the band I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and a happy and successful 2019!
The band has a new bass player....ex Lucas Tyson, Cirkus, music entrepreneur and all-round decent bloke...John Taylor. He replaces long serving Stu Burlison. We are sorry to lose Stu, but he has decided that he wants to pursue other musical avenues. An old mate, and always will be, we wish Stu all the best in the future.
The band was due to play at the prestigious Bassment in Chelmsford on 15th November but, due to work commitments, the duo of George Lamb and myself will be playing the gig. Many thanks to Nick Garner for his understanding regarding thius matter. Also, many thanks to David Gray, who has arranged for the duo to play the following night at The Sir John Moore Cellar Bar, Appleby Magna.
Christine and Tony Moore are major contributors to the development of blues music in Britain. First with Blues Matters, and now with Blues in Britain magazine, they give massive support to gig and festival organisers.
So you will forgive me for sharing this review from Tony, but I am sure you will understand....
'George Shovlin & George Lamb in Concert at the Cross Keys at Thropton . Two supreme artists and entertainers , both legends in the North East Music Scene , George Shovlin has organised Music Events , Speak Easy's , Folk Clubs that have been at the forefront of the musical and cultural scene in Sunderland , Newcastle and through out the Northern Region , he is a singer/ guitarist , raconteur and a Force of Nature.
George Lamb is one of the most talented guitarists in Britain ,subtlety, feel, clever riffs.... George has it all. a clever, clever guitarist and all of it delivered effortlessly.
They were playing as a duo last night but they Tour with their Band "George Shovlin and the Radars"....Clubs and Festivals up and down the Country should be banging on their door for bookings....they're tremendous!'
I can now formally announce the concert at The Peacock, Sunderland, featuring 'GeorgeShovlin and The Radars',the wonderful 'Broken Levee', along with speciall guest John Wilkins. Headlined as 'the young and the old of NE blues', the concert is already attracting much attention, with over 25% of the available tickets already pre-sold. Tickets, priced £10, are available from George Lamb or myself, or online at
https://www.wegottickets.com/event/446678
Really pleased with festival work this year. Following on from our booking to play at the Ilkley Blues Festival in October, we've just been booked to play the Orkney Blues Festival, at the end of September.
At our recent performance at the Durham CC 20/20 cricket match at the Riverside Stadium, Chester le Street, we featured the incredible Marcus Browne on keyboards. Great!
Some special news for all website followers.....our gig at the Tyne Bar, Newcastle, on the 27th May, will feature amazing keyboard player, Paul Wilson, who played so wonderfully on our latest album.
Our new CD 'Nothing To Lose' has received some wonderful plaudits and comments. First we heard that it was to be one of four IBBA 'Albums of the Month' for April, then, in early April we discovered that it was placed !st in the IBBA 'Top 40', for March, followed amonth later by the news that it was placed 2nd in the 'Top 40' for April.
Just received this review from eminent blues reviewer Dave Scott, published on the US website Blue Night Productions, of our new album 'Nothing To Lose'....
Having pursued a distinguished career as a teacher whilst also establishing a reputation as the award winning "Godfather of North East (of England) Blues,"George Shovlin in his retirement is proving that he is a major UK talent following a successful national tour and this ground breaking album of original blues songs, Nothing To Lose.
The jaunty opener, “Don’t You Just Love The Blues,” with its barrelhouse piano groove, appropriately traces George Shovlin and the Radars love of the blues and main influences. “Got Home This Morning” has a haunting infectious bass riff overlaid by Shovlin’s seriously dark, gravelly vocals. By contrast, “Cruisin’ Come Sundown” is optimistic and upbeat with superb dueling between George Lamb on guitar and Paul Wilson’s keys.
The first real indication that this a very special album comes with the emotional tribute to Billy Gibbons, “William Frederick (A Homage)” followed by “I Don’t Mind,” the track which propels Nothing To Lose into the magnum opus category. The latter together with “Lord Hear My Prayer” are reminiscent of Bowie’s and Cohen’s final works in terms of emotional intensity, anguish and lament as Shovlin proclaims in a voice at breaking point, ‘Whatever may be Lord, I Don’t Mind.” The equally atmospheric ‘prayer’ builds up to a crescendo courtesy of Jim Bullock’s brilliant harp interludes and Kev Scott’s precise drumming. However, the sadness is balanced by joy on “Just Wanna Have A Good Time” with Mick Cantwell excelling on saxophone.
Scott’s funky rhythm and Stu Burlison’s pulsating bass are the driving force behind “She’s So Fine” with Lamb delivering classy guitar solos. The swirling Hammond organ and harmonica on the closing track, “You Know Who’s Gonna Win,” make this a fitting finale to a highly memorable CD.
Not only did the youthful, effervescent George have nothing to lose when he entered the recording studio with his talented musicians, he has gained even further respect for his lifetime achievements including induction into the American Heritage Blues Hall Of Fame.
--- Dave Scott
Thursday 4th April - GREAT NEWS! After our album 'Nothing To Lose' was voted by the IBBS broadcasters to be one of their four 'Records of the Month' for April, we then discovered that the album had come Number 1 in their Top Forty for the month of March. Great!
Tuesday 13th March:
We have just finished our minitour of the SE of England. What a great time, what great gigs and what a great group ofwonderful people. We had a smashing time! Richard Dunning organises the successful...and important...Tueday Night Music Club, in Coulsdon, Surrey. We played there last Tuesday and this was his review of the gig:
'It’s useless trying to translate a live music experience into words…. as they say ‘You just had to be there’. Thankfully a great audience were there when George Shovlin led his band of merry men onto the stage at The Tuesday Night Music Club and those in attendance will now be out there, once again, telling people to go and see George Shovlin & The Radars.
So what makes this band a ‘must see’? Well let’s look at the component parts.
First, of course, you have George Shovlin himself - seated throughout but no less a showman for that. From the off he made a connection with every person in the room and without playing a note we probably would have listened to him chatting all night. The intros to songs and the general banter and humour had smiles on everyones faces - not a bad foundation for a nights entertainment. And then he sung. His gravelly voice went from a whisper to a roar with every word conveying an emotion. This wasn’t someone just running through a bunch of songs. This was someone who conveyed the meaning in each phrase and, in so doing, involved us all in the songs.
Then you have George Lamb on guitar. This is a player who does with each note what George Shovlin does with each word - he invests it with feel and emotion. Sure he can play fast, intricate runs when he wants to but that’s not his style. He makes those guitars talk and tells the story - why play flurry upon flurry of notes when just one will leave the audience breathless. To pick one song to give you an example of what we mean is difficult but ‘William Fredrick (A Homage)’ from the bands new album is probably a good start.
And underpinning all this are Stu Burlinson on Bass and Kev Scott on drums. When we talk of rhythm sections the word ‘tight’ gets bandied around a lot. Well these guys are the definition of that word. Understated and concentrating on just pinning the whole show down. They play gently when needed but when the groove is required these two can lay down some of the funkiest blues beats in town. We swear if we’d removed all the chairs in The Club we would have had everyone up and dancing to these two alone.
So, you take all that talent, emotion and feel and put it on a stage together, mix in a tangible camaraderie and you have a band that will, quite simply, blow you away. The queue for CD’s attests to how much we all wanted to take that music home. It was one of those nights where closing time came around way too fast… Though even another hour, or two hours or more wouldn’t have been enough. If George Shovlin & The Radars had been able to play all night we’re sure the room would still have been full of happy, smiling faces now.'
TOMORROW IS THE DAY! THE EAGERLY AWAITED NEW ALBUM BY 'GEORGE SHOVLIN AND THE RADARS' - 'NOTHING TO LOSE' - BECOMES AVAILABLE'.
You can buy it through our website...
www.georgeshovlinandtheradars.co.uk
or, hopefully, through iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and other musical platforms. The album has already had numerous radio plays and pre-release sales have produced a fantastic respone. So, here goes....if you like the band I think you'll LOVE this album!
The countdown is on...
