" MY LIFE IN MUSIC - A GERIATRIC ODYSSEY "

 

"Bassdaddy" Mike Ray is, by an alarming distance, the band's senior citizen; his bass crimes commenced only upon retirement from the day job. He first played guitar with local skiffle band The Beatniks in the 1950s (yes, really, that long ago). In the early 60s he heard Wes Montgomery for the first time, and gave it all up as a hopeless task.

 

After a lay-off longer than the gap between Steely Dan albums, he picked up on bass ("because it's not so hard")  and for some blissful years played in a trio led by gifted bluesman Roger Billings. When RB relocated to less miserable climes Bassdaddy worked with rock band Sweet Nothin's, played in a duo with songwriter David Young, and jammed with blues luminaries Oli Brown and Dave Thomas.

 

Mike is delighted to be with Blue Fingers; it keeps him off the street corners, and the others play so well he's hoping it'll rub off on him. In the meantime it makes him grin inanely. He also currently provides the bottom end for 8 piece soul/R&B band Midnight Groove, who haven't spotted how bad he is either . . .  "