Crackling Jack is a progressive rock band with its roots in the blues, playing a diverse range of music
from bands from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Cream, Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Walter Trout, early
Journey, Free, Robin Trower, Joe Walsh (of the Eagles), Buddaheads (a roaring blues band), Gary
Moore, Santana.
CJ is a three-piece group – guitar/vocals, bass, drums – with all instruments to the fore, and with the
freedom that that allows for extended improvisation and dynamic interaction. The blues we play are
on the heavier side, modern and a little way from more traditional tropes in that genre.
The band also writes its own numbers, which rock the blues and touch upon the contemporary world,
dealing with public and personal themes such as war, loneliness and mental illness.
We adopt the
longer progressive format, favouring fiery and mellow riffs that can be developed and extended with
high-flying motifs allowing the guitar to soar, the bass to growl and the drums to dream and dispense
thunder. We are inspired by the groups referred to above which have produced so much great music
that has accompanied our lives.
The band has been busy in the studio recently, recording an EP of four original numbers which will
be available shortly in August 2024. The titles are: Down to the Bottom (drug addiction); River of
Fear (personal relationship); If Tomorrow Comes (dedicated to the fighters of Ukraine); Black
Sunday (an extended reverie about the dust bowl in the United States in the 1930s).
We will continue to add further numbers in the next few months and aim to release a full album by
the end of 2024.
We will also continue to cover the numbers that we love and enjoy playing; we hope
you will enjoy hearing them too.
Dave Sweetenham, bass & vocals, is a session player extraordinaire for well-known, signed professional
musicians. He has the warmest, most resonant bass you ever heard. He also writes original jazz-fusion music
and film scores, which involves his appearing at the Cannes Film Festival. He has an impressive collection of
guitars. He also plays sessions for one of the singers in Britain’s Got Talent.
Sean Quinn, drums & vocals, is a multi-faceted music teacher with a very wide knowledge of music of all
kinds, who teaches a variety of instruments, including guitar, drums and bass. A natural talent, he did not let
his early lack of an acoustic drum kit deter him and found all kinds of items to deal a blow to. As a teacher, he
has a particular talent for imparting his deep understanding and passion for music. His compendium of
influences includes punk, early Pink Floyd and a miscellaneous variety of less well-known rock and blues.
Mark Hobbs, guitar & vocals, like so many guitarists, was turned on to guitar by that early Eric Clapton
Bluesbreakers Marshall sound. He has played in a variety of classic rock and blues bands.
Event Information
Tickets Prices: General Admission £15
All ticket prices include a £2 booking fee.
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The Beehive has a fully licensed bar which we open 1 hour before events begin – Bringing your own alcohol in is strictly Prohibited.
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