Crossfire....
Hi Guys, Come on in !
CrossFire has been performing on the local Torbay circuit for roughly 3 - 4yrs now. Occasionally keyboard player Paul can't make the gigs for other commitments, so Crossfire performs as a 3 piece band but, CrossFire has been a great successful 4 piece rock band. Again available for all sorts of occasions with a ever expanding set list. So here's how the band came to be !!
Just when Jai was enjoying the success of Rockology and a well deserved break from playing drums, E.j's Bar decided they wanted a Monday night Jam Nite. Who did they ask ? .... ROCKOLOGY !!!!!
So Jai straight away enlisted the Bass talents of good friend, Mr Nigel Pike. Nigel has been a loyal and close friend of Jai & rod's for many years. Since playing from the age of 14, with many great bands over the years, including a period of living and performing in London, Nigel had been in many bands and projects with jai & rod. Bands such as The Machine(pink Floyd tribute), Stimulator, Somethin' Else and also the Hot Rock 'n' Blues Jam nite, which Nigel ran for 8 years and still remembered as the most successful Jam Night in Torbay !!! But the slightly older people may remember Nigel mostly for 80's band "The Hot Rats" and later "Major Tom".
So as a trio, they took on the Jam Night at E.j's Bar and were labeled "E.J's House Band". It ran successfully for roughly 6 months, but became more of a chore than a bit of fun. So to try and raise their spirits, rather than folding the band, Jai decided to get the band a proper gig. After talking material, Jai booked the band into "The Spinning Wheel" - Paignton, under the name "PULSE". Playing material from Deep Purple, Cream, Bad Company, Eagles, Queen but mostly Pink Floyd. After only a couple of successful shows, "PULSE" were approached by the BMAD Bikers to headline one of their summer outdoor charity events on Paignton green. But 3 had become 4 for this show !!!!
Hearing a conversation at one of Jaime's uncles gigs (Drew Millin & Friends), Drew's friend and keyboard player (Paul Matthews) heard Jai telling Drew about the Paignton Green gig. He immediately wanted IN, mainly cause the material Jai mentioned was the sort of stuff Paul hadn't played in many years but wanted the chance to do so again ! Just to explain about Mr Paul Matthews. Paul was classically trained on the piano from the age of 5. He is a very experienced musician, covering many styles but including favorite influences such as Genesis, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. He formed his 1st band 'Blue Spectacle' at the age of 14 with friend Kim Turner (later management of Police & Sting fame). He also went on to have bands on the local scene such as' Matt Black' and 'Street Scene' in the 1980's.
Paul has had a close working relationship with DREW MILLIN, spanning over a 20 year period from being a duo to a 8 piece band for bigger gigs, including two recent (2004/2005) highly acclaimed nights at Torquay's Babbacombe Theatre, of which NIGEL and JAI were involved ! But with DREW MILLIN, Paul has also supported several famous acts including Level 42, Sad Cafe, Freddie Starr, Lenny Henry and Torquay's favorite .... Jim Davidson ! He was the In - House Musical Director at the Babbacombe Theatre - Torquay for 10 years til he decided to take things a little easier.... Until that fateful night he and Jai started talking about him being a member of Crossfire ( Damn that bottle of Jack Daniels !)
Paul says:' I’m returning back to my earliest and favorite rock roots with CROSSFIRE and I'm really enjoying the experience again '. And it's worth mentioning that through jai, Paul is now the Keyboard player with Pink Floyd Tribute Band "The New Machine" of which NIGEL & Jai are also a part of. So Mr Paul Matthews was welcomed into "PULSE" with open arms. The Band had become a 4 piece and went on to have a superb 1st gig on Paignton green and a packed Spinning Wheel crowd welcomed Paul into the band the following week.
Although, after a couple of rammed gigs at the Spinning Wheel, a couple months into the new line up, the band were approached to change its name. So a new name was needed ! After playing around with a couple and a few silly ones from Nigel ( The Muff Divers comes to mind Nigel ). Jai had come up with the name and so they became....."CROSSFIRE" !!!! On here you'll find all the latest gig guide for the band and also please feel free to download their 1st ever demo recorded back in summer 2006 at APPLESTONE MUSIC - TORQUAY. For Booking Crossfire for Birthdays, weddings, funerals etc......Please contact ROCKOLOGY. And finally if you have any pics of crossfire , please send them onto us via the ROCKOLOGY Email address See You Out There......................... Crossfire !