THERE are some bands who like to name drop. There are some who wish they could. There are others that don’t need to.
Never the Bride clearly fit into that last category. That’s because other people are busy talking about them. Other artists love to talk about the group’s enormous talent, their unique songwriting, awesome stage presence and the astounding vocals of Nikki Lamborn.
But, just for the record, here are a few name dropping comments from some of the biggest names in the music business
Roger Daltrey from The Who said: “Nikki Lamborn has the best female rock voice since Janis Joplin and I know what I’m talking about, I knew Janis.”
The legendary Dame Shirley Bassey who asked Never the Bride to produce her album, Get The Party Started, called the girls “inspirational,” while Bob Harris described them as “one of the best live bands in Britain.”
Now, people in Wokingham can hear for themselves just how good Never the Bride are when they take to the festival stage on Saturday.
“We did the Wokingham Festival once before and it was a marvellous night,” said Bristol born Nikki.
“It’s nice to go somewhere where there is no agenda, just people coming out to hear good music in a lovely setting.
“Stan is a lovely man and he and his team work really hard to bring this festival about and to encourage musicians. I’m really looking forward to being there as are the band.”
Having invaded venues ranging from The Royal Albert Hall (on multiple occasions), playing alongside Elton John, The British Rock Symphony Orchestra and Blues festivals, Wembley Arena supporting The Who, The Viper Room in LA and Euro-fests galore – to intimate spaces like The Green Note in Camden, Never The Bride have amazed and floored audiences and peer groups alike over their 25 years of service – these ladies are true rock and roll royalty.
Nikki Lamborn carries the dynamo vocal lead, while Glaswegian, Catherine ‘Been’ Feeney asserts the ‘sonic art’ with keys and vocals.
Their raw, unfettered talent is undeniable and is enough to justify the impression the girls have left on audiences throughout Never The Bride’s 25 years of global domination.
Festival goers will recognise Nikki as a vocal coach on BBC’s Just The Two Of Us and Channel 4’s Faking It series. She was described as “the best I have ever known” by Beverley Knight.
“I grew up listening to jazz music because that’s what my dad played,” adds Nikki.
“But I have a wide range of music tastes. Its not so much about the genre, its more about the voice and the music. I love Janis and Elvis, I can listen to Dame Shirley all day or The Who and The Rolling Stones.
“I sometimes feel music today has got a bit insipid. Its not surprising that a lot of young people are going back to the voices and the music of the 60s and 70s, people like Cher and loving what they hear.”
Not that Nikki needs an excuse for any more name dropping, but she once did a private gig for Cher and Liza Minnelli while in New York.
“It was fabulous. I was singing and I took the mic over to Lisa and she joined in. I’ll never forget it.”
Capturing the electric and unquestionable live energy, Never The Bride’s presence has also been noted as one of LA’s famous Viper Room’s top favourite moments of the past 21 years.
Sunset and Clark magazine wrote: “Their legendary career merely represents their journey so far – and remains a testament for what dangerously is yet to come.”
If you want to hear what has set the LA music scene alight, then make sure you don’t miss a live performance by Never the Bride.
Never The Bride perform at Wokingham Festival on Saturday night from 9.15pm
