Playing the part of Bruce Foxton

At what age did you start playing the bass?
I was about 13 I think. I started learning guitar at the same time as my brother and got fed up with us both playing the same things, so moved to bass.


Musical influences
So many to choose from. The main one by a country mile is The Beatles, but outside of that, The Stranglers, The Smiths, New Model Army, The Posies and of course, The Jam. Anything that has a strong melodic bass presence and good song writing will grab my interest.



What attracted you to The Jam?
Their energy and power from a 3 piece band is phenomenal and Paul Weller's amazing ability to tell a vivid story in three minutes. His lyrics are remarkable particularly considering his age at the time he was writing in The Jam.



What other bands have you been in?
The Silence, Laughing House, Kebabman, Johnny Seven and The Jexit.



Where did you grow up / live?
Coventry born and bred.


What’s your greatest Jam memory?
Coming home from school in 1977 and watching the 1st episode of "Marc" The Marc Bolan TV show. 1st guests were The Jam doing "All Around The World" and seeing Rick Buckler drop a stick right at the end. I've see many many bands live, but am gutted that I never saw The Jam!


How did you end up in Band Called Malice?
A while back Warren and Matt saw me playing with The Jexit (another Jam tribute) after that I was asked to dep a few times for them (which I loved doing) and when the opportunity arose due to Chris (a previous bass player) leaving I wanted to be involved.



Did you know any of your band mates before joining?
I didn't know anyone until Warren and Matt introduced themselves after my 1st Jexit gig. I could tell they were in a band when they came over, musicians just seem to know who other players are, but I hadn't heard of A Bands Called Malice at this point. I have got to know them all from the deps I have done and they are great guys.


Do you have any memorable / funny stories from your time in A Band Called Malice
Most memorable is being asked at short notice to dep for two nights at The Half Moon in Putney when Matt was on holiday and Chris was ill. We were doing the hits plus Setting Sons 1st night and Sound Affects the 2nd night, that meant we had to play "Music For The Last Couple", which is an odd song! I recall Andy saying "We're not bloody playing that one again!" after the gig. Let's just say it was a challenge!


What’s your most memorable musical achievement / highlight
In a previous band "Laughing House" we played the original Marquee Club in Wardour Street three times which was a hell of a buzz. So many famous bands played on that stage including The Jam!