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‘Route 666’: A brief history……..
Formed in October 1998 by front men Mark Evans (bass & vocals) and Simon Noble (guitar & vocals), ‘Route 666’ continue the strive for critical acclaim by producing consistently strong original material and blistering live shows. With the exception of a few classic tunes in their live set, this power trio’s reluctance to rely on the safety net of playing well worn cover versions surely sets them apart from most of their peers on the circuit today. Now in their 11th year, the band have produced 4 cd’s to date, with the latest offering being ‘Scandal’: a collection of 13 original tracks which has garnered considerable airplay on blues and mainstream radio throughout the UK and Europe. Although clearly still rooted in the blues-rock genre, ‘Scandal’ proves that the band aren’t afraid to bring a variety of influences to the table, and blend them together to produce a heady mix worthy of any serious record collection.
The Route 666 line-up is completed by Grahame Caine on drums and percussion, a long term friend of the band prior to assuming the role of ‘skin basher’ full time back in 2005. Grahame’s hopefully the last in a line of previous drummers who’ve been ‘burnt-out’ and fallen by the wayside by the effort required to fill the bands drum ‘throne’ and the demands of Noble & Evans. He’s also responsible for the cd and advertising artwork, his latest ‘masterpiece’ being the ‘gutter press’ inspired cover for ‘Scandal’.
Not content to sit on their laurels and wait for the record industry to come knocking, the band are now working on songs for album number 5, with a release date for Spring 2010. In the meantime, I strongly advise you to catch the band live, whenever and wherever they appear in this not so green, but still ‘musically’ pleasant land of ours.
Hugh Jaars Autumn 2009
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