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Johnny Chicago (Vocals)
Born in Birmingham a stones throw away from the Blues ground.
Where I lived reggae was what every cool kid listened to. You had to own or at least
know someone who owned a Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley LP.
I first heard Hendrix when I was about 12 or 13. I started listening
to rock from then on really, Free, Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, Deep Purple, AC DC and blues stuff like Stevie Ray Vaughn.
I've tried to learn the guitar several times over the years but I still can't play!!
In my late teens I sang in a reggae rock band with some friends. We played a couple of gigs under the name 'Rebellion'.
We didn't last very long as a band but we had some real good times. I remember going to Donnington, (Monsters of Rock as it
was called then), it was amazing. I've been to many great gigs and festivals since.
When I met my wife Toni, she got me
into more indie bands like The Cult, The Pixies, Mudhoney and The Wonder Stuff. I've got to thank her for that, otherwise
I'd still be walking around wearing an old Skidrow t-shirt and big white trainers!
My favourite singers are Paul Rodgers,
Chris Cornell, Ronnie James Dio, Axl Rose, Ian Gillan and Bruce Dickinson. Singing with the band is brilliant. I've got three
really talented mates in the band and we have a lot of fun.
I love playing live and I'm hoping to make some serious cash
as I've promised my wife a Louis Vuitton bag!!! It's the least she deserves for putting up with me and the boys talking about
nothing else but the band!!!!
David Nielsen (Bass)
I'm from Howick, New Zealand. I think of myself as Crazy Dave and I reckon most
people I know would think that was about right. The rest would probably think "fuckin' wanker", so they can go choke on my
swollen gristle piston.
I started playing bass cos that's the only instrument they were missing in the first band I joined. I've
tried but it's really hard to play anything else so I've just carried on with it.
When I think about it now I've been
in quite a few bands. I got kicked out of most of them and all the rest disbanded and reformed without me. If I'm honest I
guess I got kicked out cos I'm an irritating prick who spouts unalloyed, prime, 100% bullshit and to make it worse I've got
a problem repeating myself.
I drink too much and I'm unnecessarily contrary when I'm pissed. All things considered though
if I'm really honest it was mainly cos they were all a bunch of fuckin' dickheads.
Some of the bands I've been in made
it big after I was kicked out: Bressa Creeting Cake (disbanded now, Flying Nun Records, NZ) and 8 Foot Sativa (now with Black
Mark Records, Sweden). I hope they don't mind me name dropping ... well, no, I don't really... they can kiss my filthy bullet
hole!
If I had to name four of my favourite bands then it would have to be Motorhead, Suicidal Tendencies, Slayer and
Pantera. I grew up on rock. When I was a kid my older brothers got me into Led Zep, Sabbath, Alice Cooper and ACDC. They had
some stuff like the Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys and Black Flag as well so I got the punk crossover too.
I moved here to
England from New Zealand in 2001 for a job. While I've been in the northern hemisphere I've tried to advance my career. I
applied to West Point in 2004. When I emailed about admissions I included details of some ideas I've had over the years about
assaulting a 50 man, four piece M198 position defended by six M60 and two 50 cal nests, wire and a trench network using four
men with M16s, M67s and 50 condoms (cos dead men can still give you AIDs). Mr Dad emailed back saying I was too old and there
were no waivers. Since then I haven't had much ambition and my girlfriend thinks I'm a slackarse who always needs to be asked
to do anything around the house.
Although I've been living in old blighty for a few years now I'm still practicing hard
to be a Brit. I have to keep practicing cos I've got a fairly severe problem retaining the stuff I learn. That goes for the
songs we play. It's part of the reason I reckon we're punk cos I hardly ever achieve the planned performance of the music
when I play live.
Some of the things that fill me with a warm glow are the times when I get a clean pair of jocks every
fortnight and when I see specials on lager.
Stuie Day Care (Guitar/Vocals)
Been around since 1974, born in Hartlepool and lived there until I was 18. Had a
good time being a kid and don't think it's ever left me. Too many things have happened around me to make me take this life
thing seriously.
Took me a while to get into any form of music scene. I remember tryin' to go with the flow when Bros,
Belinda Carlise, Rick Astely and T'Pau were in the charts.... what a load of shite!!
What saved me and put me onto the
path I run today was the Seattle grunge scene kicking off in the early 1990's. Sonic Youth, Green River, (Later becoming Mudhoney
& Pearl Jam) and Nirvana started me off with the likes of Faith No More, Greenday and Soundgarden coming along soon after...
The music influenced my whole life and dress code!! Rocked up and looking like a dickhead with long hair I was ready to move
on...
I moved to Swansea in 1993, taking up a place at uni. Didn't plan this but got hooked with the student way of life
and went with the flow. It was here I picked up the guitar for real, having pissed about on my uncle's acoustic for a while
back home.
I bought a cheap amp (still got it today) and a shit guitar and strummed away like any other novice pissing
off everyone I lived with but thinking I was Hendrix.
I got into a few bands and we had a few gigs, hitting the unsuspecting
public around Swansea. I was so shit on guitar I ended up fronting a band called Armitage Shanks...
The band thing fu**ed
up once everyone graduated and I ended up jacking it all in and moving on.
I arrived in Birmingham in 1997, initially
trying to settle down but realising it wasn't for me. I moved in with a bunch of guys and had one hell of a time for almost
five years. Still jamming away on the guitar I became pretty good, but still I had no time or interest in getting a band going.
I took a career path for almost 10 years with an organisation I can honestly say wasn't and still isn't fit for purpose....
those of you who know me will laugh!!
I was becoming a 'normal' person and I hated it... I frequently reflected back on
those days as a kid and couldn't understand why the adult world behaved the way it did....
In 2005 I got married to TC,
one hell of a fit girl who sometimes commits the crime of being 'normal' [law according to me]. We have a great life with
the usual ups and downs but I wouldn't change her for the world...
It was around this time I'd met the guys who, together
with me, became the 'Rock Dog Project'.
Becoming good friends with Johnny, Davo and Markie J created a strong bond which
I hope with be an anchor in the future. We all had similar interests with one coincidental twist... Davo played Bass, Markie
played drums, Johnny could sing and I could now play the damn guitar.... after pissing about for 18 months we really hit home
in 2007 and started playing gigs as a four piece early in 2008...
I finally freed myself from my job and took on another
career path in 2007.... one which isn't such a restriction on my private life... right now I'm like a pig in shit... I've
got everything I want and it's time to wallow in it!!!
My advice on life.... don't let it eat you!!
Jay Rivers (Drums)
Born in Leicester in the 1970's! I moved to the West Midlands in 2004 when I got hitched to Bex.
I hit my first drum when I was six and I've been playing ever since. I love life and everything that it throws at me…..
I can take it! I find my peace when underwater, I loving diving, I'm also a man of faith.
I'm influenced by Stewart Copeland, Cozy Powell and Mick Fleetwood and I love bands like Madness, Blues Brothers, Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon.
I've hit around with other bands in the past, No Funk Way, Rock Gospel, Lick and Dammit to name a few!
I play a lot of percussion too….. I met with the rest of the band in February 2010 when they were looking for a new drummer….
There's another story! We hit off together from day one…… I've got a lot of experience under my belt and I'm looking forward
to working with Johnny, Dave and Stu…. I predict big things to come……
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