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 "This isn't about cashing in on past glories or rewriting history, I just wanted do music again."
BEV BACK WITH THE BOYS IN THE BAND [They found fame and fortune in the rock world, although their names may not be instantly recognisable. Now this quartet are hoping to make an impact by playing 'real music'.] Tucked away in a small rehearsal room in a central Birmingham district, four middle-aged men clad head-to-toe in black are strumming the familiar chords of Blackberry Way. But these are not amateur 'wannabes'. Bev Bevan, former drummer with Black Sabbath, The Move and ELO, is preparing to rock Birmingham's clubs again with 'real music'. Taking a break from rehearsals at the Madhouse, in Hampton Street, Hockley, he explained why he's put the Bev Bevan Band together. 'I haven't really played in a group for three years or so.Instead I've been learning how to be a DJ on Saga FM and dabbling in music journalism, but I really missed performing,' he said. 'Right now it's like I've come full circle. It only seems like yesterday that I was rehearsing down the road at the Cedar Club with The Move, but that was 38 years ago. 'This isn't about cashing in on past glories or rewriting history, I just wanted do music again.' The 57-year-old, who lives in Lapworth, Warwickshire, has former ELO Part Two cohorts Neil Lockwood and Phil Bates and has brought in bass player Phil Tree, who previously played with Roy Wood's Orchestra. All four friends have formed their own band for the first time and will be making their debut at the Jam House, in St Paul's Square, on April 1 and at a new rock night to be staged at HQ, Bond Street, on April 29.
For Bev it's an opportunity to play his favourite songs from the past three decades to a mature rock audience, although no ELO or Black Sabbath tracks will feature in their sets. He added: 'We want people to come along and recognise the songs, sing along and just have a good time. 'I think The Darkness have managed to resurrect the public's interest in rock and I have to say they're a brilliant band, they don't take themselves too seriously like Coldplay or U2 do. They're a real breath of fresh air. It's sad that if you look at local music listings they're full of tribute bands, it's as if people have a real appetite for nostalgia at the moment and original acts aren't getting much of a look in. 'I go back a long time and have supported legendary acts like The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix so it's sad that we don't see true talent like that come through any more. 'Shows like Pop Idol do discover one or two kids who've got great voices but then they're given terrible songs to sing or told to cover classics like The Doors' Light My Fire which really should be left alone.' Although his new band will perform mainly covers from rock and R'n'B legends like The Who, Ike and Tina Turner, T Rex and Elvis, Bev also loves 21st century rock acts including Kings Of Leon and local songwriter Ian Parker. 'It's been suggested many times that I should get together with Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) to form a supergroup but I know we'd each want to do our own thing, so it's never happened,' he said. 'This band was put together by three phone calls in two hours - these Pop Idol panels take months to do that. The only thing missing from our line-up is a female singer, preferably one who can play guitar or keyboards, but I hope we find one soon.' Female singers/musicians interested in joining the Bev Bevan Band should call 0121 666 7003. Copyright © 2004 Birmingham Post and Mail Ltd.
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