Richard Fairclough

It must have been the early exposure to Beatles LPs, Shadows singles, and The Monkees’ TV shows that did it. After that, and studying guitar under the tutelage of Ulf Goran and Yorkshire Television, Richard started to make a racket in bands from the age of 14.He learned a lot (probably what not to do) from first band experiences playing with such non-household names (in Cambridge or anywhere!) as Indiscretion and The Picasso Brothers.In the 1990s Richard played guitar, keyboards and sang along with Cambs Weller acolytes The Buzz, who released some songs on Detour Records and managed to split just in time to miss out on Britpop by a matter of months! He also enhanced the song stylings of gifted wit and raconteur Tom Roughan in punksters Celebrity Squares (a.k.a. Shed, a.k.a. Keith’s Shed).Richard enjoyed a guitar and harmonising white-knuckle ride with ‘East Anglian thrillseekers’ Freeboy (marvellous indie pop written by Mr Jason Baldock) before eventually falling off.He was chuffed to add guitar, keyboards and vocals to a reformed and expanded line-up of late 70s mod pop band Squire, playing with the group at several gigs including their headlining slot at Mods Mayday ’99 at The Forum in London and another headline show at the Purple Weekend festival in Leon, Spain.He served ten glorious years in local garage band The Mayfields, who played ‘thrash Tamla’ with considerable energy, as well as recording and playing live with songwriter Phil Ward’s acoustic outfit Starlings in 2005/6.Richard added bass guitar and vocals to a modern line-up of cult 80s faves The Jetset which played the International Pop Overthrow at the Cavern in Liverpool in 2003. He continues to play and record with Paul Bevoir. Richard plays guitar and sings with the band Rigby as well as doing his own thing.