The Band
Formed this year by ex Contraband, The Herbs, Space Cadets, Hocum Society guitarist Grant Day and Bass Player Graham Haldwell, the "Riffs" have finally hit the Weymouth gig scene with a bang. Also consisting Emma Gale on Vocals (Vending Machine Repairmen), Jake "make no mistake" Sorbie on tubs (New Breed), Steve "rock stance" Rossant on Rhythm Guitar. The bands style of music is influenced by the likes of Amor, The Hoax, Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder and Joe Bonamassa and could be described as Funk Rock that gets you up of your ass and on the dance floor! The band has been well received at their gigs so far.... Enchanting? uhm..... no. Purists? uhm..... no, Young and Handsome? uhm.... no (well maybe Jake) Bangin' groove kickers? Oh yes!
Please click on a link below to see the band members:
Grant Day
Graham Haldwell
Emma Gale
Steve Rossant
Jake
Grant "what's the time" Day
Grant likes to think that he is the more mature and mentally stable member of the band although to be fair he has been playing the Weymouth music scene since music began! You may recognise him from one of the bands mentioned above but more than likely you will recognise the top of his head. Apart from telling the time Grant loves to "carpet watch" as he strums his geetar. He has quoted "I could walk into any pub in Britain blindfold and guess the name of the pub by its carpet alone"......Uhhhmm ok Grant.
While treading the well trodden carpeted stages in and around Weymouth Grant decided to form the Riffs with Graham in late 2004, but trying to get the right formula was going to be a long task. After 7-8 months of looking for the right musicians the band just seemed to fall together very quickly with Steve, Jake and Emma.
Grant's influences are the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa, The Hoax, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and believe it or not Oscar Peterson.
Outside of music Grant's hobbies are Poker, collecting amps and guitars, practicing dance moves with Graham (although of course not as well) and singing in the mirror with a hairbrush.
Grant uses a Callaham Strat, Brunnetti Amp, Fender and Peavey Classic amps and a Fulltone Fulldrive 2.
Graham "new jacket" Haldwell
Graham is not only the Riff’s bass player, he is the fourth youngest and self confessed best dancer in the band. Although he started playing 20 years ago, he has taken numerous breaks due to other commitments and is relatively new to the Weymouth music scene. Returning to playing bass with a new found flare, his influences are Mark King, Louis Johnson, Flea, Guy Pratt, Marcus Miller i.e. all the Funk bass players, although his musical taste is diverse to say the least. Recently he has been seen jamming regularly around the Weymouth scene in order to broaden his playing abilities.
Graham co-founded the band with Grant towards the end of 2004, as both had the idea of playing music which wasn’t done by other bands, but got people’s foot tapping nonetheless.
Outside the Riffs, Graham lists his hobbies as drinking and being a babe magnet, and even though these are seldom successful when combined, he does try hard.
His ambition is to be the first host of ‘Strictly Come Bass Playing’, though as yet has to find anyone remotely interested.
Graham plays a Fender Jazz Deluxe 5 String QMT through an Ashdown EVO II 500 Head and Ashdown cabs.
Emma Gale
Emma began singing in the pub for tomato juices from the age of 5. Now she will quite happily sing for vodka!
Always doing something or other on the stage during her school and college years, it didn't take her long to realise that her first love was the microphone. Her first band "Cover me Bad" were based in Cambridge, together for 7 years, and during this time supported Katrina and the Waves, Wilco Johnson and Chaz and Dave. They were regulars on the Cambridge Live Music scene.
Since moving to Weymouth in November 2001, Emma has been appearing with the Vending Machine Repairmen who include covers from Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morisette, Suzanne Vega and is a regular at the jam nights.
In the future Emma hopes to learn to play one of her Takamine guitars although this may be a little while yet because she has been learning to play the guitar since she was 8 years old and still hasn't yet managed to get to grips with F!
At 36, Emma has the dual task of being the third oldest and third youngest member of the The Riff Junkies. Its a big responsiblity but one she hopes that she will take in her stride. And the music? Well this is a totally new style of music and according to her has been an enjoyable challenge. "I hadnt even heard many of the tracks or even knew of the bands when Graham gave me the CD and it was a little daunting to start with, but i absolutely love the music now and Im really getting into Warren Haynes vocals" (Gov't mule, Allman Brothers).
Steve "rock stance" Rossant
Steve is the Riff Junkie's rhythm guitarist and is one of the younger members of the band at 23.
Steve actually began playing the guitar at about 14 years, although he hung it up for a while as he got fed up of having to play what he was told to play. Jingle Bells and Coming Round the Mountain just didnt do it for him! At 18, he started listening to artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Hoax and the passion for the guitar soon came back. Steve has now been playing since then and has no intention of ever putting it down!!
He enjoys a range of musical styles which include rock, blues, jazz, dance and metal (yep pretty much anything!!)
His favourite artists include: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa, Aynsley Lister and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, the Davey Brothers, Gov't Mule, Chris Duarte Group.
Steve is famed for his amazing rock stance which compliments his Fender Strat (1985 '62' Japan re-issue). And for those gals who havent seen him strutting his stuff in Dorothys to Status Quo, watch out you will be in for a real treat!
The Riff Junkies is Steve's first gigging band.
Jake "make no mistake" Sorbie
Jake is the baby of the group. At the age of only 18 he has already been gigging around Weymouth for over four years with his other band, New Breed. When Grant asked Jake to join The Riff Junkies last year, he jumped at the chance to play with such experienced musicians. He quotes. “When Grant asked me to join the band I grabbed the offer with both hands, who wouldn’t. I’m playing with musicians who have got 20+ years of live playing experience, it’s an exciting challenge and I learn something new every time we play”.
Being the drummer of the group, Jake is the naturally the most laid back, and coolest member of the band. He enjoys playing the drums naked and listening to such bands as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Incubus, The Artic Monkeys, Dave Matthews Band and Oasis. The list goes on. His influences are Chad Smith, Dennis Chambers, Phil Collins and The Blue man Group.
In his spare time he likes to swim, play poker, have sex, practice and go out with his mates on the piss! “I love to party, but when I’m gigging I always put in 100% effort, so that hopefully I improve each time I perform”.
In the coming September Jake will be going to university in Guildford to study Commercial Music. His ambition is to earn a living playing music all over the world, either in a band or as a session musician.
Jake’s drum kit is a 5 piece Yamaha Stage Custom, with a Tama Snare drum. His cymbals are Zildjian and Paiste 502’s.