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Born in Manchester on the west side of The East Lancs (the east lancs is the A 580 a road between Manchester and Liverpool) which is ironic as I ended up in the punk band Accident On The East Lancs.
Started hanging around bands when I was 11, made my first performance at 14.
Moved to Rochdale into a hippie commune at 16 stayed there till..19. Started playing with Accident On The East Lancs in 76 doing covers - Stones, Small Faces, Velvet Underground, Doors, New York Dolls. Started writing my own songs round about the same time, which made the 'musos' in the band leave. Released first single in 79 We Want It Legalised/Tell Me What Ya Mean, released on my own label Roach Records catalogue number SPLIFF 01A. It was double A sided as I figured We Want It Legalised would not get much airplay, it did not get much anyway, only John Peel and Dave Fanning of RTE radio in Dublin playing it as far as I am aware, John Peel however did say it was the most exciting record he had heard since the Sex Pistols, which was pretty groovy at the time. (John Peel obviously can't defend this statement, and I can't prove it but I was listening to radio that night, and I know what I heard). This single was recently featured in Record Collectors magazine at number 74 in the top 100 rarest punk singles.
I was also involved in the organisation of The Deeply Vale Free Festival from 76 to 79. I was the DJ for the first two years and played three times with Accident. If you are interested there is now a DVD available recalling the Deeply Vale festivals, log onto www.tractor-ozit.com or look for Deeply Vale in my friends.
Released second single in 81 called Back End Of Nowhere again on Roach records, also this year recorded cassette album called Shotguns And Hotshots 12 original angry tracks, recorded in four days, and released on Cargo Records. This was recently re-released on vinyl by Last Years Youth in Germany, with Back End Of Nowhere and Rat Race added as bonus tracks,
The two singles have been released on various compilations on Bin Liner Records thanks to punk and mod expert and flag waver David 'Dizzy' Holmes of Detour Records Records. We Want It Legalised was recently re released as a replica 500 copy run, only with a picture sleeve.
1982 left Rochdale and Accident On The East Lancs to deal with a raging drug habit, and as it says in Record Collectors, I threw a few clothes and an acoustic guitar in the back of my van, intending to go back but never did. Joined funk band Paradise Dance.
Released single I Believe In Love, as Citizen 88 on Vibes And Vibes, a primarily reggae label, should have been called Love Is but label boss got it wrong. It was my only attempt to go commercial, but still sounds like Bo Diddley with synth.
Developed an interest in new country thanks to Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett and Dwight Yoakam ,which gave me faith with my writing, as I had been writing in this style since leaving Rochdale, just didn't know what it was. Just played pubs clubs and theatres local to where I was living. Some of the songs on my latest album were written at this time, but never recorded, and as I feel this type of music doesn't date,(well actually I know they don't date) wanted to record them as they are good songs (in my opinion). Started tour managing in 87 which got in the way of playing, was on the road between 87 and 99 almost constantly. Met Hilly Briggs on the last tour I did, he was playing with Ray Minhinnit as support for Errol Brown. Struck up musical friendship and started to record what would become Walking In Familiar Footsteps released on my own label Lanta Records, and recorded in Hilly's (FMA) studio. Asked Mick Taylor and Paul Jones to play on the album and amazingly they agreed. Also playing are the amazing rhythm section Jeff and Tommy Vee, Bobby Vee's sons and various other people including my brother Phil Watts and daughter in law Sarah Dalby. Started working with Paul 'Greenie' Green, after Hilly moved to Bristol to look after his ailing mother. Paul also played on a couple of tracks on Walking. Paul has geat empathy with the songs I throw at him and adds a great feel which turns then into our songs. We have two albums worth of material ready to go, but no funds to release them.
Well that was then, this is now and things change, new album due out in May called Same Same But Different, full of country blues goodies, featuring Jeff and Tommy Vee, it's gonna be hot folks, like hot chilli peppar, only hotter!!
And that's it folks
ONLY that was not it - I got to the states got off the plane, was met by four guys who looked like SS Stormtroopers, was made to feel like the worst criminal who ever tried to gain entry to US of A, fingerprinted, photographed, and made to swear allegience to the flag before making a statement, all because in 1987, (twenty years ago) I was busted with a quarter ounce of hash, and in 1977 I was busted once for less than a quarter ounce and once for a third of a gram of charred cannabis, found in the end of a roach in a rubbish bin in a house where at least six people lived and at least fifty people visited weekly, I think it may not have been my roach. Anyway upshot is, the album never got recorded, but I'm gonna do an acoustic album, with me Greenie, Rodney and the good Captain. Not quite sure when this is happening but hope to have it out by end of July 2008.
WALKING IN FAMILIAR FOOTSTEPS - ANDY SHARROCKS
Cat No LANTA CD1 - available by order in all good record shops
To hear new demos go to www.ezfolk.com/audio/andysharrocks or www.showcaseyourmusic/andysharrocks
For 'Accident On The East Lancs' rare photos and record info visit Detour RecordsTo find out more visit My Showcase
