Roots Music report

On Parole
North Shields - United Kingdom

About the Band
Discography

On Parole

On Parole are two musicians from North Shields. Larry Page - guitars and vocals, and Steve Rudd - bass, guitars and vocals

On Parole’s music has it’s roots in the blues and rock of the early seventies but is influenced by all the music the band has covered over the decades, be it pop soul, reggae or folk.

Larry and Steve first met as teenagers and instantly became firm friends, having the same interests and values. Led Zeppelin and Wishbone Ash were their heroes and they wanted to emulate them and formed a band called Oblivion. The year was 1974, playing covers of Free, Rolling Stones, Wishbone Ash, Rory Gallagher etc to an audience at a local arts festival. After the gig they went to the office to collect the fee. The event organiser had run off with the money and they didn’t get paid. That’s rock and roll I guess!

The band progressed with personnel coming and going but always the nucleus was Larry and Steve, playing local pubs and clubs. At one stage they joined a dinner dance band and had to read the music to back other artists – no backing tracks in those days. So the emphasis has always been on live gigs. However, over the past years they have spent time recording their own songs at Red Tape Music.

The first album released in 2017 Old Shoes with New Laces is magnificently engineered and produced by Steve Coates and is enhanced by local musicians Mike Waller (piano), Liam Fender (keyboard), and Phil Corbitt (saxophone). Influenced by over forty years of music, gigging and life experiences, with hints of blues, rock, soul, pop, and folk this collection of songs will not fit into one music genre.

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/2JtGrtrYbUTySxpCmKos17?si=uFS51rEkTS6afMgMrSLDUA

iTunes - https://music.apple.com/us/album/old-shoes-with-new-laces/1287207794

The EP Odd Socks released in 2019 is a mixture of genres from folk to rock.

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/7w3c4YPGjSVsH2yG4rM2rr?si=sSYPXQN2RBa1F7PfSxQ2dw

iTunes/apple - https://music.apple.com/us/album/odd-socks-ep/1521396731

The latest release is Barefoot Blues, four blues/rock songs, Greta’s Blues, Red Cadillac, Coffee House Rag and New Shoes recorded with the help of friends Gordon Hall (keyboards), Phil Corbitt (saxophone & clarinet) and Steve Payne (harmonica).

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/7lrPg5X6zGH4sQUnMMIHSj?si=r7LReUZPSy-qbGxhzW1zeQ

iTunes - https://music.apple.com/us/album/barefoot-blues-ep/1515179856

BB cover.jpg Barefoot Blues back cover.jpg