THE BAND

Neal Wood

Neal drives the band unerringly  - a true virtuoso of the drum kit, despite his tender years.  Citing his influences as Buddy Rich and Joe Morello, Neal has played with numerous jazz, rock and blues outfits  and as a hobby, is chief percussionist with a regional brass band.

John Chaytor

John was there, in the early days of the famous Newcastle music scene, playing alongside bands like The Animals, John Miles, and Lindisfarne.

Playing with The Gregg Burman Soul Band,  he developed both his style of finger bass and his feel for the Blues. They were hugely popular, becoming one of the North East's top bands, gaining great support in and around the area.

John and Gregg went on to make the now famous Burman Amplification. The first cabinets were made on John's mother's dining room table, with the help of his dad, a first class carpenter.

John stopped playing in 1975, hung up his bass, and didn't play again  till 1995, when he was asked to play in a band put together by like minded musicians to play two charity gigs. These were so well received that  he was fired up to dust off the cobwebs and bring his bass out of retirement, and Barkin’ Billy and The Scrapyard Dogs were born.  He  went on to  play with this band for some five years.

After a chance meeting with Maggie (whom he had not seen for many years) at a Buskers Night, the idea was mooted that they both would like to form a Blues Band.  The rest, as they say, is history!

Martin Craggs

Martin has been playing guitar for the best part of 3 decades and in that time his playing has come full circle. “I started out learning by ear, listening to anything I could get my hands on, from the Shadows to Motorhead. After a few pub and club bands I decided to take some time out and go all the way back to the beginnings of the instrument and do the classical thing. I had played the violin when I was a kid so it seemed like the next obvious step so I got a cheap Classical guitar and as much printed music as I could and set myself to the task.” 

Some years later and again, following stints in a number of local bands and with 10 years of teaching experience, Martin was approached by Maggie and asked to jump on board a new project she and the other guys were putting together. “Obviously I said yes, and so my playing came back to the roots of all contemporary music, the Blues. 

Martin’s input to the band is to try and create as much texture and interest to the music as is possible within the constraints of a very much stripped back lineup.

“There are only 4 of us which means it can be challenging at times but I try to draw on the knowledge I’ve gained from playing in all styles to try to keep the music fresh but without losing that particular “Blues” feel.  

Maggie Ross

Maggie’s tiny frame belies a scorching powerhouse voice.... her dynamic performances ensure she is acknowledged and respected as one of the really great female singers in the North of England. 

According to her mother, Maggie has been singing professionally since the age of three ...... when her  performances  for friends, neighbours and total strangers invariably resulted  in her coming home with pockets full of pennies and sweeties!!!!   It must have seemed like a good idea....... singing has played  a major part in her life ever since!!!

She joined her first band at 17,  singing classic R & B and soul classics.... emulating her idols, Julie Driscoll and Janis Joplin. After following  the traditional path of college, marriage and motherhood in her early 20s, she then returned to singing for a living.   Maggie has always considered herself to be a "jobbing vocalist", singing  whatever and wherever  she was paid to!  Over the years she has worked in theatres, ballrooms,  clubs and hotels, in bands and as a solo singer, in the UK and in Europe. Her vocal style is wide ranging......  from soul, rock and pop  to jazz/standards; from musical theatre to cabaret, and her versatility  has resulted in  regular work as a session singer on numerous radio/TV commercials.

Somewhere along the way she qualified as a teacher and spent 10 years teaching drama and music in  secondary schools, followed by 5 years as a college lecturer in Performing Arts, passing on her skills and knowledge to the next generation!

Although enjoying the variety of her career so far,  Maggie is now excited to be embarking on a new musical chapter with this band.  Drawing on her roots in soul and blues, and with great musicians alongside her, she’s  developing her signature hard-hitting vocal style.Having previously been involved in a songwriting partnership with an American musician, she is delighted to be collaborating with Martin and John in creating original music for the band.