The musical pedigree of the band members in The New Foundations cannot be faulted. JAMES HASTINGS finds out why they’re going to be a Wokingham Festival hit
IF you ask Keith Bryan how long he has been playing music, he has to think for a moment.
“It was probably when I left school which was so long ago, I don’t think electricity had been invented,” he smiles.
But not only has Keith (aka K.B) been on the music scene for a long time, he has also played with some of the best performers.
“My first band, Blizzard was formed in the late 60’s,” he adds.
“In 1974, I joined The First Class, who had a No 1 hit in the USA and Europe, and No 12 in the UK with the classic Beach Baby. That led to many happy years touring Europe, playing over 1000 gigs.”
Keith went on to establish RAM Studios, one of the first professional standard rehearsal studios in West London where music legends including The Sweet, Mud, Ozzy Osborne, The Nolans, Bernie Torme, Whitesnake and The Damned rehearsed there throughout the 70s.
One of his musical highlights was playing drums on Dennis Waterman’s hit “I Should Be So Good For You”, which reached No 4 in the UK in November 1980, and went on to become the theme tune to the popular TV series, Minder.
By comparison, the newest member of the band, Adam Stangroom, is a local boy who grew up just outside Reading.
Described as a “pocket-rocket bass-man,” Adam is a multi-instrumentalist and singer who has performed in an eclectic range of styles from classical to hard rock but has always had a love for soul music.
“The tracks put out by labels like Stax, Tamla and Motown feature some of the funkiest, greatest basslines ever, they are really fun to play … so groovy,” muses Adam.
But if there’s one band member who is really looking forward to the Wokingham festival, its Richard Tilbury, who admits to enjoying good food – and there will be plenty of that at the festival.
“During the 1990’s I formed a band with work colleagues called “Rich T and the Biscuits,” he smiles.
“On stage, I was resplendent in a white suit which reminded people of Boss Hogg [from US TV series The Dukes of Hazzard]. Fun people, and good musicians.”
In 2012, Paul Dyson and K.B. contacted Richard, who said: “It was just like we had never been apart.”
So if you want to hear some top Soul 60’s,70’s, Motown and much more, then you won’t want to miss The New Foundations.
The New Foundations will perform at the Wokingham Festival on Friday night from 9.30pm
