from Jamming 3
This interview took place (at the Prince of Wales, Hammersmith, 28 March 1992), transcribed and presented by Grahame Reid.
Jamming: When did you first become interested in playing the guitar?
Brian Willoughby: When my parents gave me a Russian Guitar (like a Spanish guitar but with steel strings). It was totally unplayable! Then I bought an electric guitar and an amp from a mate at school and joined my first band. They were all a lot older than me and played rock and roll and R&B and stuff.
Then I started to go to the White Bear at Hounslow, where I first met Dave Cousins. He and Tony Hooper and Ron Chesterman were The Strawberry Hill Boys then, and it was he and Tony Hooper who inspired me to start playing the acoustic guitar. I was 15 years old.
Jamming: How did your musical life develop?
Brian Willoughby: I joined various bands and ran several Folk Clubs both at school and at Regent Street Polytechnic, where I studied languages. It was then that I met Maureen Kennedy - Martin an American singer. When her guitar player (who I admired very much) returned to the States she had to perform solo. One evening a friend of mine went up to her and told her that I played the guitar, and I was prodded into playing the second half with her. That began three years as her full time accompanist. Jasper Carrot was my agent.
Things moved on again as I went to do a post-graduate qualification in Technical Translation at Hilborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce. I was still playing the guitar, and I had given a tape to Dave Cousins. He played it to Tony Visconti and Mary Hopkin. They liked it enough that, on my 22nd birthday, they offered me a job touring with them. The tour lasted for about a year, and took us to Israel, Australia and New Zealand. We had a fantastic time.
Jamming: Did you do a lot of touring?
Brian Willoughby: Yes, after working with Mary and Tony V, I went on to work with New World, three guys from Australia who won Opportunity Knocks and had nine hits, including "Tom Tom Turn Around". After Opportunity Knocks they were looking for a backing band. I joined and stayed for three and a half years. The music was nowhere but it was great fun.
After New World broke up I joined Roger Whittaker. He has a very distinctive guitar style. Because he grew up in Kenya where guitar picks are unheard of he puts them on backwards, as if they were fingernails. He is a great guitarist and singer and boy can he whistle! I stayed with him for around a year, and toured the world with him.
After Roger came Joe Brown and the Bruvvers. Joe had two bands going at the time - the Bruvvers and an outfit called Home Brew, and the gigs were equally split between the two.
"No Sweat " were next. We were the first signing to Pete Townsend's Eel Pie record label. It was in 1978 while I was playing with them in "The Albany", a pub in Twickenham, that Chas Cronk came to see me play. Dave Lambert had just left and he recommended me to the rest of the band as his replacement. Dave Cousins, of course, already knew me and I was invited to a rehearsal. The rest is history!
Jamming: Did you tour much with the Strawbs?
Brian Willoughby: No - I joined just as the band was breaking up!! Dave and I did an acoustic jaunt in 78/79 (some of that material is on "Old School Songs"), the Strawbs toured in 1980, and I did a recording with them then as well - "The King" with Maddy Prior and Rick Kemp from Steelye Span. That line up was Chas Cronk (bass) Tony Fernandez(drums) Andy Richards (keyboards) Dave and me. Then Dave got a full time job in radio and left the band.
Jamming: But the band kept going after Dave left?
Brian Willoughby: Yes. The line up was John Knightsbridge (lead guitar) Bimbo Acock (sax and flute), Chas Cronk (bass) Andy Richards (keyboards), Tony Fernandez (drums) Roy Hill (vocals) and me on rhythm guitar. We only did two gigs - it was a disaster. The first was at the Oasis in Swindon, when we all turned up with white stage clothes! The second gig was at The Venue in London. Roy sat at the front of the stage and sang "I Only Want My Love to Grow in You" The crowd hated it. They all shouted "Where's Dave?". It was clear then that Dave Cousins and the Strawbs are synonymous, and we decided that night not to carry on.
Jamming: How long was it before the band re-formed?
Brian Willoughby: Well, the final split was in 1982, and we reformed in 1983 when TSW wanted to do a documentary on us. That line up was Dave, Tony Hooper (guitar and vocals), Hud (drums and vocals) John Ford (bass and vocals), Blue Weaver (keyboards) and me.
The next gig was Cambridge Folk Festival. They invited us to play as a celebration of the 21st anniversary of the festival - the Strawberry Hill Boys had played at the very first festival. After this, Blue became unavailable, so we brought in Chris Parren, who had been a member of Hudson Ford. Later we brought in Rod Demick on bass when John Ford moved to America.
Jamming: You seem to have been involved with a lot of bands recently?
Brian Willoughby: Yes, apart from the Strawbs there is The Monks, High Society, Turkey Leg Johnson, and until recently, the Jana Heller band and The Steve Whalley band.
The Monks started in 1979. The line up was Hud, John Ford, Terry Cassidy (the Strawbs' sound engineer) and me. We had a hit with a Hudson Ford composition "Nice Legs Shame about the Face", followed by an album that went gold in Canada.
High Society performs 30's style Hudson/Ford/Cassidy songs.
Turkey Leg Johnson was formed to keep the London Strawbs (Hud, Chris, Rod and me) together when the Strawbs are not playing. We wrote a lot of material and toured the clubs for three years and were very successful. We split up when we as individuals began to get other offers.
Jamming: Do you make a living out of these bands?
Brian Willoughby: No! Lots of fame but no money! I've had the chance to work with many people and had lots of opportunities:- working with the Monty Python team on their "Contractual Obligation Album" - as an extra in the film "Time Bandits" - playing on a number one record (Sal Solo's "San Damiano") - writing the opening chords of "Lay Down" .
Jamming: What are the plans for the Demick, Hudson and Willoughby song writing team?
Brian Willoughby: It's a great team! I have loads of instrumentals, so I pick one, play it to them and they put words to it. Rod is one of the most inspired lyricists I have ever come across - like Dave but coming from a different angle. Hud is great on melodies.
Jamming: Do you find it difficult to get your material on to Strawbs albums?
Brian Willoughby: No, not really, it's just that Dave has such a backlog of material and the Strawbs is really his band. His own songs suit his voice better than anyone else's. He had a go at singing "Afraid to Let You Go" but it is easier for the band to learn his stuff than the other way round.
Jamming: Who has influenced your playing?
Brian Willoughby: Well, I was very green at the start of my career, and Tony Visconti was very demanding of me - I really had to pull my socks up. He is a consummate musician and is almost totally responsible for my development. I was always able to do the twiddly bits - the Chuck Berry licks, etc., but TV made me realise that I had to improve to survive professionally. Maureen Kennedy-Martin's gift of a book containing 2000 chords was, I thought, something of a hint, and now I am much more proud of my chords than of my twiddly bits. Jeff Beck is a real hero of mine. Hud and I saw him play recently and I watched with tears in my eyes! I'm also a Clapton fan, and loved Cream (Ginger Baker once stood on my foot!) but I see Clapton more as a great songwriter now. Red Shea, Gordon Lightfoot's guitarist has been a great influence, also George Harrison's slide guitar playing, Keith Richards - the greatest riff-maker of them all - Eddie Van Halen, Pete Townsend, and Mike Taylor (who played with John Denver(!))
Jamming: What are your favourite Strawbs songs?
Brian Willoughby: "Josephine For Better or for Worse". From a playing point of view I like "The River" and "Down by the Sea". On record I like "Don't Say Goodbye" and "Evergreen" and from the new album "Forever Ocean Blue". From the Strawberry Hill Boys era I love "We'll Meet Again Sometime". My favourite from "Old School Songs" is "The Battle" but my all time favourite is "Ringing Down the Years" it is great to play but brings a lump to my throat.
Jamming: Are you a record collector?
Brian Willoughby: No, nor do I listen to much music, although my wife does. I am aware of what is going on because it is impossible to avoid it at home. The only one in the band who would know what is at Number One would be Dave, through his radio work.
Jamming: How has your involvement with theStrawbs affected your musical life?
Brian Willoughby: As I have been involved with the band for fourteen years, I have obviously enjoyed working with all the Strawbs line ups I have been involved with. Dave's songs are always a challenge, and I have great respect for all my co-members. Each line up has brought different musical influences and it has always been a very satisfying team to work with.