Several new gigs added to the upcoming gigs page.

A couple of new Andy Roberts gigs and one alongside new subversive alternate music act from Brighton, The Steam Punk Beatles.   Andy returns to a theatre and music combination... See more information on the upcominggigs page HERE

[June 2025]

HANK WANGFORD / BRAD BREATH / NOEL DASHWOOD are HALFWAY TO CHRISTMAS!

LIVE AT THE FOKLORE ROOMS 12 NORTH STREET BRIGHTON BN13GJ

Hank Wangford, the grizzled Godfather of UK Alt Country, will once again be joined by his long-time compadre, Brad Breath (Andy!), along with dobro maestro Noel Dashwood in a Country spectacular at The Folklore Rooms, on 29th June.
It is over 3 and a half years since Hank & Brad last brought their unique blend of misery and melody to Brighton, and now Dash will be adding to the blend with his slack key wizardry.
Hank has been picking at the underbelly of Country music for a lifetime, since hooking up with Gram Parsons and being converted to the hard edged Soul of Country, when it was the least popular musical form around, atthe time when Punk was on the rise. Gram picked up Hank’s guitar and sang him George Jones’s classic (An Empty Bottle, A Broken Heart And) You’re Still On My Mind, and Hank felt his heart torn from his chest, and vowed to be an evangelist for this much maligned music.
Brad Breath played lead guitar in Hank’s first professional band in the ‘70s, and hooked up with him again in the late 90s to tour Britain as a duo under the banner of No Hall Too Small. Between these events he reverted to his former name, Andy Roberts, to tour and record with a lustrous roster of acts like Pink Floyd, Bonzo Dog,
Liverpool Scene, Scaffold, Roy Harper, The Rutles , Iain Matthews, Billy Connolly and Twiggy, to name just a few.
Noel Dashwood, probably the finest dobro player Britain has produced, has been playing with Hank for a while, and together they released a much lauded slice of Americana, Promises Promises, last year.
What will you find at the Folklore Rooms? The show is called Halfway To Christmas, because that’s where we are. It is also called The First Noel, because Dash and Brad have never played together before! In a word – a treat (a pedant writes – “that’s technically 2 words”). Among a good selection of Hank’s original songs gathered from many of his albums (all available on streaming platforms such as Spotify), Brad will mine a rich vein of classic Country and Honkytonk specialising in dark and doomy songs in his “Glimpses of
Gloom” while Noel, slippin’ and slidin’ over his Dobro strings, may even take us on a trip to the Polynesian islands. There will be tears and laughter, Heartbreakers and Toetappers, Buckleshiners and 2 Steps as this talented Trio explore the darker side of Country. Expect rabbit roping and yodelling, too.
Individually, each of them is a superb musician and entertainer, drenched, immersed in Hard Country. Together, the three of them are a mighty Country force of nature.
Let them take you by the hand on the 29th of June at the Folklore Rooms, as they guide you into the true heart of real Country, where there are no strangers, only friends they don’t recognise.

THE FOKLORE ROOMS

12 NORTH STREET BRIGHTON BN1 3GJ

More on the 'Upcoming Gigs' Page.>>>

[June 2025]

NEIL INNES CELEBRATION

A start studded celebration of Neil Innes life and times takes place on the 28th November.
A celebration of the life of Neil Innes - ‘How Sweet To Be An Idiot’ is coming to indigo at The O2 this November.
Loved by everyone he worked with, this show will feature Neil’s music and many special guests, including Musical Director John Altman, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, The Rutles, Tommy Emmanuel, Ade Edmondson, Phill Jupitus, Tom McGuinness, Elliott Randall, Roger McGough, Yo La Tengo, Terrafolk, John Halsey, Andy Roberts, Ricky Fataar, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Larry Smith, Brian Patten, Micky Simmonds, Kevin Eldon, Micko Westmorland, plus a host of others still to be announced. Tickets << HERE >>
[November 2024]

FIVE BOX SET OF THE BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND CDs COMING SOON...

Also happening in the next few months: A Bonzos box set coming out in December, with a launch at the British Film Institute on November 14th. The box set is 17 CDs and 3 DVDs. And the deluxe version, which includes limited edition vinyl is also planned. This will be the definitive, last ever Bonzo release.
[October 2024]

NEIL INNES CELEBRATION
There will be a 'Celebration of Neil Innes Life' concert at the O2 (Indigo) on 28th November. The evening will include appearances from various Bonzos and Pythons (Mike Palin and Terry Gilliam), Brian Patten and Roger McGough, and many music colleagues, including McGuinness Flint, Aimee Mann, Maddy Prior, Joe Stilgoe, Elliott Randall (Steely Dan), Yo La Tengo, Terrafolk, Tommy Emmanuel & Isabella Coulstock, and The Rutles, with comedy from Stephen Fry, Adrian Edmondsen, Emo Philips, and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Andy will be playing throughout including a short set accompanying Roger McGough... More news as it develops.
[October 2024]

PLAINSONG: Following Amelia

2022 has been a remarkable year in the history of Plainsong. March saw the publication of Ian Clayton’s book, In Search Of Plainsong, which chronicles the formation of the band in late 1971, followed by its demise in December 1972. In July, Iain and Andy’s long time manager and producer, Sandy Roberton, who had helmed all of the Plainsong material in 1972, died unexpectedly after a short illness. Just a month ago, Cherry Red Records released a box set of most, if not all, of the recordings by the original band, with other supporting material. There is a 44-page booklet alongside 6 CDs of newly mastered material.
Short tour announced: This tour is a short outing in celebration of all of the above. Iain and Andy will be collaborating on songs from the In Search Of Amelia Earhart record, mostly reworked in 2020, along with other material from their shared catalogue, and some solo performances taken from their individual careers. Should be fun. Dates are on the 'Upcoming Gigs' Page.>>> [November 2022]

PLAINSONG: Following Amelia
Exciting news for Plainsong fans, this 6CD Box Set has now been released.
118-track, 6CD box set from the legendary British country rock/folk rock band Plainsong.
Features a 50th anniversary re-issue of their 1972 debut album ‘In Search Of Amelia Earhart’, digitally remastered from the original reel-to-reel master tapes. This Box Set contains over 50% previously unreleased material, including: several rare 1970s BBC recordings, the full original 1972 Folk Fairport concert in Amsterdam, and excerpts from the very first concert by the reformed Plainsong in Mayrhofen, Austria in 1993.
LINK to Cherry Red pre-order page. [October 2022]

SANDY ROBERTON:
This afternoon I heard that Sandy Roberton died in hospital in London, yesterday. He was my manager, my publisher, my producer, and above all, my friend over 54 years. 
His is not necessarily a well known name outside of the music industry, but this linked biography, taken from his own business’s website, shows the breadth of his influence, over nearly 60 years of relentless good work. I met Sandy in 1968, after he had made contact with us in Liverpool, asking if we wanted representation... s MORE OF ANDY'S TRIBUTE TO SANDY ROBERTON HERE.
[28 July 2022]

HANK AND BRAD...
Will get together for an evening at Cheltenham Chapel Arts on the 27th March. More info on the 'Upcoming Gigs' page. (Amended 11th March to correct this gig date.  [February 2022]

Please Note – Coronavirus
Following the Prime Minister’s statement, advising the UK public to avoid unnecessary social contact, including in theatres, pubs and other venues etc., many upcoming shows are temporarily suspended with immediate effect. Please visit venue websites for more up to date information.  [March 2020]

PLAINSONG TOUR of the UK begins....
Andy and Iain's tour of UK venues begins on Friday (1st July) in Whistable in Kent. The duo had a really warm reception on the States early in the year, playing material from REINVENTING RICHARD - the songs of Richard Farina. Mark Griffiths will make a welcome return to play alongside Andy and Iain for these UK dates.

Your can keep up with the full tour dates by visiting the Upcoming Gigs page. [ 26 June 2016 ]

REINVENTING FARINA - the songs of RICHARD FARINA
The reviews of the CD have all been very encouraging and positive.
“The making of Reinventing Richard: The Songs of Richard Fariñia has clearly been a huge labour of love for Iain, Andy, Mark and everyone else involved; it’s to the credit of all concerned that the result is such a strong and vibrant collection that stands proudly in its own right and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.” Is what FolkRadio wrote about the new release.

REINVENTING FARINA, the new CD from Andy, Iain and Mark featuring songs of Richard Farina is now available. [ 12 March 2016 ]

PLAINSONG TOUR
Andy and Iain have announced details of a European and USA tour featuring material from their recent CD, REINVENTING RICHARD - the songs of Richard Farina. The tour kicks off in late March in the Netherlands and then moves across the Atlantic throughtout most of April. The UK dates will be in July before Iain and Andy head back to the USA in September. Mark Griffiths will be accompanying during the UK dates. The schedule is not yet finalised, so stay tuned for further additions. Your can keep up with the full tour dates by visiting the Upcoming Gigs page. [ 02 March 2016 ]

CHANGING SERVERS
In the next few weeks AndyRobertsMusic.com will be changing our Hosting Servers. We hope that the transition is smooth and visitors won't notice a thing! However we apologies in advance if there are any hick-ups to normal service... [ 02 October 2015 ]

REINVENTING RICHARD - the songs of RICHARD FARINA
The reviews of the CD have all been very encouraging and positive.
“The making of Reinventing Richard: The Songs of Richard Fariña has clearly been a huge labour of love for Iain, Andy, Mark and everyone else involved; it’s to the credit of all concerned that the result is such a strong and vibrant collection that stands proudly in its own right and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.” Is what FolkRadio wrote about the new release.

REINVENTING FARINA, the new CD from Andy, Iain and Mark featuring songs of Richard Farina is now available. [ 12 September 2015 ]

REINVENTING FARINA
It has been announced that Andy and Iain's REINVENTING FARINA CD will be released in September. The CD will be released under the Plainsong banner and includes Griff (Mark Griffiths), who plays on the album. Andy is quoted as saying in the Press Release, “This has to be put out there as a Plainsong project. That’s the banner Iain and I sewed in 1972, under which we’ve forged and polished our musical relationship, and it’s where we’ve championed Richard Fariña’s songs for over 40 years.” The CD will be released simultanious in the USA on Omnivore Recordings and in the UK by Fledg'ling Records. 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of legendary singer-songwriter Richard Fariña’s death in a motorcycle accident. Stay tuned for more information which we will upload as it becomes available, and hopefully a sample track from the new CD. READ MORE HERE. [ 11 July 2015 ]

3BOXES TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED
3Boxes are about to embark on their UK Spring tour. Andy, Clive and Mark will kick-off the tour on April 22nd at the Green Note in North West London and will also take in the Budleigh Guitar Festival later the same month. CHECK OUT THE TOUR DATES HERE. You can find out more and hear 3Boxes on their website. [25 February 2013]

3BOXES GIGS
3Boxes, the guitar trio formed by Andy Roberts, Clive Gregson and Mark Griffiths, have a couple of gigs this Autumn. The first is in Stroud this coming Friday (4th Oct). CHECK OUT ALL THE GIGS HERE. You can find out more and hear 3Boxes on their website. [29 September 2013]

FROME OLE OPRY
Andy and Hank will head out West to feature at this year’s Frome Festival. Featuring Hanks Quartet, with the one and only BJ Cole and Dusty Evsky.  Catch the unique sound of these yodelling, waltzing musicians on one of their rare trips to the West country. MORE ON THE UPCOMING GIGS PAGE HERE. [6 July 2013]

BRIGHTON FRINGE FESTIVAL
Hank Wangford and Brad Breath (Andy) will play the 600 seat Speigeltent at this year's Brighton Fringe Festival. The duo play Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May and will have BJ Cole and Jerry Rulf accompanying. MORE ON THE UPCOMING GIGS PAGE HERE. [18 April 2013]

BUBS WHITE - BONZO GUITARIST - another significant player passes
I heard on Saturday that Bubs White had died in hospital, in Coventry. We were introduced by Viv Stanshall – Bubs had been playing in bands with various of the Bonzos for over a year by then.  He and I toured together in Bonzo Dog Freaks in early 1971 – the band had a variable line-up, but Bubs and I had major roles to play alongside Viv..... READ MORE HERE. [22 January 2013]

ADRIAN HENRI - Poetry in Art Prize
The closing date for the very first 'Adrian Henri Poetry in Art' award is fast approaching. The competition, to be held every two years, is open to British artists, makers and poets working in the visual arts including: two-dimensional, three-dimensional work and contemporary craft. Wenlock Poetry Festival ‘Adrian Henri Prize for Poetry in Art’ will be held from 6th to 20th April at the Twenty Twenty Gallery in Much Wenlock. The closing dates for entries is 28th February. You can find out more about the competition on the 'Adrian Henri Poetry in Art' website HERE. [18 January 2013]

BOB RONGA - a reminiscence
The news that Bobby died on 12 November 2012 only reached us a week ago.  Before I found it on Google I had only heard rumours that all was not well – we had heard he had been in hospital back in September when we were making our final shows in the UK, but I had no idea things were to end like this... READ MORE HERE. [16 January 2013]

GLEN SHERLEY
We documented Andy's affection for Glen Sherley's music on this website some years ago and have a page (link below) dedicated to the Glen Sherley story. Johnny Cash spotted Glen Sherley at Folsom Prison as a talented musician and songwriter and performed a song written by Sherley on the Folsom live album and subsequently fought to have him released. BBC Radio4 ran a programme recently highlighting Johnny Cash's work within the prison system in the States and in particular his work to try to get Sherley released. You can hear this programme on the BBC's iPlayer. HERE. [13 January 2013]

BOB RONGA - passes
Andy has just found out the very sad news that Bob (Robert) Ronga, one of the original members of Plainsong, passed away in November. Bob was a session musician, a member of American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) and was currently working on a screenplay. As well as Plainsong and several of Andy Roberts solo albums, Bob also played with The Sutherland Brothers (Lifeboat), Marc Ellington and on Allan Taylor's album The Lady. Bob lived in New York with his wife and family. We will have a more comprehensive tribute here shortly. [05 January 2013]

ANDY ROBERTS - plays in a famous shed!
Andy is sitting in with Hank Wangford's band, The Lost Cowboys, for the next few gigs. You can see the full list on the Upcoming Gigs page, and they include Hank's famous traditional gigs at The Shed, in Hovingham, on the 7th & 8th December. Andy will be re-united with BJ Cole, pedal steel guitar player, who is featured on Andy's solo albums Urban Cowboy and The Great Stampede. [28 November 2012]

PLAINSONG - Off to Japan
Net Rhythms ran a lovely review of Plainsong's final CD, Fat Lady Singing, in their recent edition. You can read the full review on the album page [ here ]. The band will depart for Japan shortly to fulfill their final performances in Toyko. See Upcoming Gigs page for details. [14 October 2012]

PLAINSONG - back in the UK
After a brilliant Bob Harris Show session on Sunday morning and a successful European tour, Plainsong are back in the UK for their final few dates which end with the Union Chapel gig in London on Sunday (16th). Andy reports back that the "Europe gigs have been spectacular, with sell out shows and standing ovations" and that "the band are in remarkably good shape." See the Upcoming Gigs page for more information about the remaining gigs...[ here ] and don't forget to listen to Plainsong's session on BBC iPlayer on the BBC radio2 website [ here ]. [13 September 2012]

PLAINSONG - Sell-out gigs
The news from Europe is that Plainsong have kicked off the 'Fat Lady Singing' tour really well and are playing to sell-out houses every night and with enthusiastic audiences demanding standing ovations. Andy, Iain, Julian and Griff squeezed in a recording session for the Bob Harris Show before they left UK, and the recording will go out on Bob's Radio2 Sunday morning show (00.00hrs!) on the 9th September - that's next Sunday.  See the Upcoming Gigs page for more information [ here ]. [29 August 2012]

PLAINSONG - Photos added
We've added a few photographs of Plainsong at the opening night (Goldmark Gallery - Uppingham) of their final tour. The band are currently touring Europe and reach these shores for their remaining UK dates on the 13th September at Gateshead. The other dates include South Petherton, Rye Festival and Union Chapel in London. Tickets are selling fast so hurry if you'd like to see this outstanding band on their final tour. See the Upcoming Gigs page for more information and the Music page for photos [ here ]. [29 August 2012]

PLAINSONG - On THE BOB HARRIS SHOW
Plainsong will do a session for the Bob Harris Show on BBC's Radio2. The session is due for airing on Bob's show on the 9th September. See the Upcoming Gigs page for more information
[ here ]. [23 August 2012]

A sample track from the new CD 'Fat Lady Singing' - Old Man At The Mill. Catch the UK and European tour dates on the Upcoming Gigs page [ here ]

A long time in the making, we are pleased to announce a new website dedicated to the memory of Adrian Henri, Painter, Poet and frontman for the poetry & rock band The Liverpool Scene. John Peel called Adrian “one of the great non-singers of our time. ” The live performances of The Liverpool Scene were legendary and they were one of the hardest working bands playing the college circuit, and in 1969 supported Led Zeppelin on a UK tour. Find out more about Adrian at <www.adrianhenri.com>

The dates for this year's Plainsong tour are firming up and we've added known venues to the Upcoming Gigs page [ here ]. The tour will take in several UK and European Festivals and visit venues across the UK between August and September. 2012 is the 40th anniversary of Andy Roberts and Iain Matthews forming Plainsong and the release of the legendary ‘Amelia Earhart’ album. 

2012 will be the 40th anniversary of Andy Roberts and Iain Matthews forming Plainsong with Dave Richards and Bob Ronga and also the release of the legendary ‘Amelia Earhart’ album. 

To celebrate, the band will be releasing a live studio album, ‘Fat Lady Singing’ (on the Blue Rose label) and touring Europe in August and September.  The sad news is that this will be a farewell tour for Plainsong, as it has become harder to pin down the four current members in one place, let alone schedule dates for touring.   For those fans who have loved Plainsong’s unique sound for forty years and those who have never seen Iain, Andy, Griff and Julian perform together, next year’s tour represents a final chance to say goodbye to what Melody Maker described as “quite simply and without hype: a supergroup”.

HANK'S BIRTHDAY
This November Hank will turn 70 before his time so the rest of the world can feel twenty years younger.  He will celebrate his 70th birthday weekend with two very special gigs.  In West London on Sunday 14th November he will be at the Half Moon Putney for his Birthday Prequel and on Monday 15th November Hank will celebrate his Actual Birthday in his homeland North London at the O2 Academy in Islington.  On both nights he will have a clutch of special guests including the legendary Brad Breath – Andy Roberts – who will be yodelling into your hearts and offering you a Glimpse of Gloom on both nights.

SHINDIG music magazine
Andy is featured in the latest edition of SHINDIG talking about his early solo career and "groundbreaking fusion of jazz, rock, R&B, poetry and performance, The Liverpool Scene (who) were one of the truly unique bands to emerge from the incredible creative melting pot of the late '60s." Andy chats with Colin Hall and Jeff Penczak.

ANDY AND HANK

Hank Wangford & Brad Breath (aka Andy Roberts) kick off their nationwide (actually Dorset county to begin with!) NO HALL 2 SMALL tour this weekend with gigs in Puddletown (Friday), Ibberton (Saturday), and Wootton Fitzpaine (Sunday). Catch them both at a gig near you. MORE GIG INFO HERE

“In the week that sees the start of the more regular outings for Hank Wangford and Brad Breath (we’ve done a few one-offs over the summer, nothing more) I thought I’d set down a few musings that might be of interest, and slightly relevant!   Now bear with me...
READ MORE HERE