Wanna buy a Bathroom? We played at the Bristan Stand, NEC Kitchen & Bathroom show on March 2,3 & 4 and were privileged to follow Viva Aerial Dance, of whom Jane & Michele performed their superb 5 minute show nearly above our heads while we were setting up. Click the picture to see what we mean. We were booked as background music but managed to wake a few people up without upsetting our employers. However, the show really took off when two of the Viva girls, Jane & choreographer Sandy, joined us for backing vocals on a few of our more commercial numbers, also soloing and, in Jane's case playing harp. As well as being good singers they were great fun and we thank them wholeheartedly. It's amazing, but not surprising, what a difference gorgeous girls make to (male & female) audience participation ... See our photo album for more pictures Then on day 3, after the Viva girls' spot in our show, Andrea Brown, the Northern Manager of Sound Ceilings, left her customers to hop up and sing a spirited Stormy Monday Blues. Andrea originates from the US but lives in Liverpool. Alas we have no pictures as dancer and photographer Michele (who took the pix in our photo album) had gone and John & I were obviously too busy playing. So what might have been a boring "corporate gig" turned into a great, and well paid, three days. Our thanks to Phil Hooper Design and Bristan for hiring us. More please ...                                                               *** Great to see Mojo Morgan, from the early days of the Travelling Riverside Blues Band, featured by Pete Chambers in the Coventry Telegraph. Mojo was born in Coventry in 1952, and the article tells the story of how he started off as a bass player, ha splayed with an enormous number of bands, currently in Pembrokeshire as vocalist and harpist with the Hoochie Coochie Band. See his huge website for a whole lot of music pictures, future gigs and info                                                *** In September 2007 we started, with music teacher and performer Darren Sheldon, teaching and playing The History of the Blues in Coventry Primary Schools. We were all delighted and amazed by the kids' (and their teachers') reactions and hope that, despite severe Education Authority cutbacks, we will be allowed to continue this project after Easter 2008. See the above Coventry Telegraph newspaper article (text version here) or look at our Photo Album which includes pictures of the project and our BBC Bob  Brolly show radio broadcast (13th November 2007) which featured an interview and "tasters" of the project. Many thanks to author, presenter & local music historian Pete Chambers for all of the the excellent media exposure.                                                                 *** John is currently playing with the revived Travelling Riverside Blues Band and I am teaching Coventry school kids to play harmonica (straight & blues) plus odd guest appearances with the Joe Beale Blues Band. Oh, and I did a few solo appearances in Pattaya, Thailand during my winter sojourn, featuring "stand up" vocals & harp renditions of blues and rock & roll songs, as well as being dragged into leading the expatriate punters in singing  Xmas carols and Auld Lang Syne - an absolute first (and last) in my musical career. ... for 5 years John & I have only made odd guest appearances together in Leicestershire pubs, both of us too busy playing with other bands. We did, however, make an appearance on the BBC Cov & Warks Bob Brolly show in September 2005 and were the first band to play live in their new studios (as well as being one of the few bands ever to perform live in any of their studios). Seemed to go down a storm with the listeners but brought us no gigs.   Where did the band's name come from? ... from the song "the Last Fair Deal Goin' Down" by Robert Johnson.       * In its present format the Last Fair Deal is ... John Alderson playing electric, accoustic, Dobro & National steel guitars Tim James on vocals, blues harps, alto & tenor saxes We were aided & abetted by Paul Hooper on percussion for the 2005 BBC gig. Steve Thomas on bass & "Jeff" on drums joined us for the 2002 wedding gig.        * " ... although primarily a blues band, our aim is simply to play any music that we like, which will include rock, country, jazz and 'good time music' in general"

last fair deal website by Tim James