About us groovy boys
We have been playing together in some form or other forever. We hang loose on the groove, so loose it really moves. The experience of years and great musicianship puts us where it's funkiest, where it matters and where you can't help but smile and move. We're running on Soul Power and Rare Groove. Get on yer good foot, c'mon x
Where did we come from?
We've all sprouted from somewhere around Kingston Upon Thames, Surbiton, Teddington & Twickenham with a rich history of playing in so many of the bands many will recognise from recently and times gone by. We have an eclectic mix of band history - several of us are the original founding members of ‘BoB’, the original 11 piece funky band which later became ‘Big Rubber Groove’ which grew into the old ‘Groovemanoova’ of a couple of years ago. Also from the acid Jazz based local groovy dudes ‘The Hipjoints’ and the bluesy, funky ‘Honky Sausage’; punky, edgy ‘Ack Ack’ and funky, rocky, singy ‘The Supersize’. We reckon between us we've played every venue South London and beyond has to offer and a fair chunk of well known venues in Europe too… and between us with most of the great musicians who populate the London music scene. (Perhaps we are some of those musicians!) Finally we have come together through every musical genre you can imagine (almost) to be Funkyard 7. The melting pot of all our desires!
Mark ... he sings
Mark has been fronting bands for so long, sometimes he can't even remember where the front is! His gravelly, soulful vocals and charismatic presence can be felt for miles n miles n miles n miles n miles ...
Si ... the rhythm-meister
Si strums, plucks and indulges in screaming lead solos and gentle ones too. He has a vault in his mansion which houses his enormous guitar and pedal collection. His family have to live in the shed
Lozzy Lee ... blow baby, blow
Loz (always auto corrects to Liz) breaths life into saxophones and flute and he will to you too if you stand still long enough! When he solos everyone has to dance, especially all of us Funkyardies. Big respect to the beautiful Lozzy Lee
Bog ... slap, bang n shake
No Bog, no rhythm. Simple. Whatever he picks up, he makes things funkier. He's like 'Conquero' - the god of rhythm (is that a thing?) but with more cowbell, AND he sings! Never, ever underestimate the impact of a great percussionist!
Shane ... the bass
Shane's exacting bass lines, his funky vibe and twinkling eyes make him ... better looking than the rest of us and more solid n groovy than any bass player we know. Except Bootsy ... and Larry Graham erm and Bernard Edwards oh and Marcus Miller
Jemby ... the drummage
Jemby was born with drumsticks (awkward). Funky rare groove, Latin and Jazz rhythms is simply how his heart beats and maaan, can he play ... Seen here in a rare pic without his drums. NB most of us didn’t recognise him without sticks n skins although the jazz shirt kind of gives it away. Too much detail? OK I will delete that last bit.
Jem ... 'Anyone seen my keys?'
Soulful, funky, vintage keys meld us all together, as does a couple of beers to be fair. On a good day you'll also catch him groovin' on his beloved 335 AND singing BVs ... Jack of all trades, erm, master of um none. But a really nice fella, honest