Brian Rawson

My first real band was "The Tearjerkers" who were signed to Terry Hooley’s Good Vibrations record label in Belfast. The first single, “Love Affair”, was recorded in Dublin and produced by Johnny Byrne.The band was subsequently signed to Phonogram by the head of A&R at that time, Davy Bates, and released the Phil Chapman & John Astley produced “Murder Mystery” on the subsidiary label, Back Door Records. We toured with Thin Lizzy, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Doll By Doll and Rachel Sweet and did numerous TV and radio appearances in both Northern and Southern Ireland.We worked with Chris “Merrick” Hughes (Adam & the Ants, Teardrop Explodes, Tears for Fears) on a follow-up EP and with Lawrence Juber of Wings on a subsequent release. A couple of John Peel sessions followed and the band broke up.A short time later, I was later invited by Nigel to play guitar on the single, "Fool", with a different Tearjerkers lineup which was signed to an Irish independent label.

Following the demise of the Tearjerkers, I Joined Jim Lyttle's band that would eventually become “Rogue Male” and worked with Jimmy Bain (Rainbow/Dio) who played bass and produced the band’s initial recordings in Alvic Studios in London, I relocated to California where I recorded the track, “Tears from Heaven” with the band, Criss Cross, for the Concrete Foundations CD, did a British tour with Brian Connolly's new “Sweet” lineup, played guitar on singer/songwriter Jon Lacabanne's album, “Amen”, in the infamous Route 66 Studios in Santa Rosa, California, with producer Harry Gale, played guitar on Irish singer/songwriter Deirdre Cunningham’s album “Sunny Days” which was favourably reviewed in the Hotpress that year, played a one-off gig with “Handsome” Mick Rowe’s band “Nineteen88” in Nashville and whilst there I played guitar on the Whiskey Hill release “Killing Time”.

I played with singer/songwriter Lynsey Dolan's band for three years, had one of my songs "This is Life", included on the soundtrack of the David Bryant movie "Dead Wood" in 2007, played guitar in singer/songwriter Emma Jane's band along with "El Trio Loco" bass-player/vocalist Robin Neilson and recorded a three track CD with producer Jamie Duffin which was mixed by Sandy Jones (who also recorded the drums) at The Foundry Music Lab in Motherwell. In October, I was asked to play guitar in the house band for singer Keith Jack, who was the runner-up in the BBC series "Any Dream Will Do", at his homecoming gig at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh which was a great honour and I'm currently writing with Robin Neilson for the "El Trio Loco" CD which is scheduled for release this summer.

I am currently endorsed by Roland UK