Meet the band
COLIN DAVIES
Vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards. Colin got his first acoustic guitar when he was sixteen years old precisely because he wanted to learn all of the songs on the Paul Simon Songbook album.The guitar has been his constant companion for almost fifty years and it is a rare day that he does not pick it up, even if only for a few minutes. From the early seventies to the early nineties, Colin wrote and performed with Tony Bakonyvari as the acoustic folk duo Two’s Company. In 1976, Two’s Company were approached by a London-based producer, Ray Cameron, who recorded and published a dozen or so of their songs. Colin and Tony kept the music going, still as an acoustic duo, but also in various cover bands, the most successful being the fundraising band Wheelz which was formed in 2005 and which raised and donated over £41,000 until they disbanded in 2019. Colin is still an active songwriter with two full, solo albums behind him (Still Waters, 2014 and Futureland, 2017).
PAUL BLEACH
Keyboards & vocals. Paul started on piano at the age of nine, and has been a full-time musician for some thirty years. During that time, he has appeared at many of London’s top hotels as a pianist and vocalist and is currently Musical Director at the Friern Manor Country House Hotel which specialises in the wedding and Christmas Party markets – over the years about a quarter of a million people have seen him, and his piano, going up in the air at the start of a gig! A songwriter since the age of fifteen, Paul has also recorded two solo albums: ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’ (2010) and ‘Only Create’ (2019), along with a self-produced EP ‘Songs from Lockdonia’ written and recorded entirely at home during lockdown. Paul’s influences and musical heroes include: Kate Bush, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, and, of course, Paul Simon – one of the greatest songwriters in popular music.
KELVIN WARD
Bass guitar. Took up bass at school at the age of 16 largely because nobody else in the band wanted to play it. Progressed through a number of pop bands in the 70’s before ending up playing bass in some quite well respected country bands for the next couple of decades including Tawny, Bob Bramley & Delta, and the Wes Cardy band. After a couple of years in function bands and jazz combos eventually joined the Wheres Spot Band and enjoyed some success on the folk music circuit until they split in 2017. He then started singing and accompanying himself on guitar around local folk clubs until intrigued by the prominent high range melodic style of bass playing from the likes of Joe Osborn and Bakithi Kumalo led him back onto 4 strings and into Paul Simon’s music with ‘Shades of Simon’.
JOHN AUSTIN
Electric & acoustic guitars. Like other members of the band started playing in his school years, and would play bass or guitar for school bands, whatever was required. Leaving school played with various covers bands and in later years played guitar with Old Spice, Six Pack and Foxy Music (a Roxy Music tribute band). John went on to play with fund raising band Wheelz where he met Colin and Dave, playing guitar, bass and Ukulele over the eight years he was with them. He teamed up with Colin and Dave to form the popular trio The Busketeers and was asked to join up with the rest of the Shades of Simon to help create the guitar sounds that were needed for the band. John loves all kinds of music genres but is a particular fan of Paul Simons music.
DAVE JOHNS
Drums & percussion. Dave has been playing drums from the age of 10, playing pots and pans and anything he could lay his hands on to play a beat, after being inspired by the Glenn Miller story. He started in the Boys Brigade, progressing to the school dance band, moving into the theatre and rock world playing street parties, festivals, Universities, Rock & Pop weekend at Knebworth in 1983, anywhere that would have them. Since that time he has been involved in mainstream cabaret, pub and club cover bands playing at many top corporate events. Dave met Colin when he was asked to sit in with Wheelz for one gig in 2006 and ended up staying until they disbanded in 2019!. Dave has always enjoyed Paul Simon’s music and is enjoying the challenge of recreating the beat and rhythms of his great music.
JOHN WHITE
Sound Engineer. John takes care of all our audio and technical needs on stage and ensures that all is always perfectly balanced to help create that authentic Paul Simon sound.
