HEY! THAT'S NOT ME SINGING UP THERE!
I write lyrics and those are demos of some songs I've written with others over the years. As drummer with the Kursaal Flyers, I co-wrote much of the group’s material, including Speedway, Pocket Money, Television Generation and the hit single Little Does She Know. When the Kursaals disbanded, I founded The Records with John Wicks and enjoyed modest success in the USA with Starry Eyes. Whilst with The Records, I co-wrote A1 On The Jukebox with Dave Edmunds, which has recently been covered by BR5-49. With John Wicks, I wrote Pin A Medal On Mary for Rachel Sweet and Hearts In Her Eyes, recorded by The Searchers for their comeback album on Sire. Hearts In Her Eyes has been recorded by a number of artists and performed in concert by Mary Chapin Carpenter.
When The Records disbanded, I co-wrote songs with former Rockpile guitarist and singer Billy Bremner, and produced his Stiff Records singles Loud Music In Cars and Laughter Turns To Tears, and the album Bash (Arista, reissued on Gadfly). Since then, I have written with Paul Astles (Electric Bluebirds); Andy Paley [see above for A New Willie Nelson]; various members of Dr Feelgood; Andy Leek (Dexy’s Midnight Runners) [see above for Give Your Tears A Chance To Dry]; Clive Gregson (Any Trouble) [see above for All Hat And No Cattle]; Bobby Valentino, whose single The Man Who Invented Jazz briefly troubled the airwaves, and more recently, in Nashville, Bill Lloyd.
When entrusted with a recording studio, I have been present and credited as 'producer' or co-producer on recordings by: Yachts; The Records; Billy Bremner; Desmond Dekker; Howard Werth; Any Trouble; Hollies; Dr Feelgood; Electric Bluebirds; Long Ryders and Makin' Time.
I have written a book entitled No Sleep Till Canvey Island - The Great Pub Rock Revolution, available from www.willbirch.com and I am currently researching the life and work of Ian Dury for a possible biography.
