band memebers

BAND MEMBERS

John Burleigh	Jeff Jeffery	Roger Cover	Jeff Tuck
Lead Guitarist	Rhythm Guitarist	Bass Guitarist	Drummer

John Burleigh: Lead Guitarist

Born along time ago in Dereham, Norfolk one day before Eric Clapton
(no connection).

A keen interest in music in the mid-fifties was stimulated by the arrival of Lonnie Donegan and the Skiffle craze. John acquired a very cheap Spanish guitar
(which was impossible to play above the 7th fret)and learnt to play four chords. This one extra chord got him into the local Skiffle Group (plus the fact that he knew all the words to Lonnie Donegans records). His first public performance at the age of 12 followed within days.

Meanwhile Rock n' Roll had arrived. One day a friend played him a Buddy Holly record and John just knew that this was the right sound for him (Buddy played a Stratocaster). When a year or so later Cliff Richard and The Shadows arrived on the scene the die was definately cast. "We just waited with baited breath, for each new release from people like Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard, The Shad's and Johnny Kidd", John recalls, "each one was just like a giant step forward in guitar playing and sound".

John was now playing rhythm guitar in a local "electric" band. A year later he and the bass guitarist left to form their own band, 'The Black Knights' who gigged regularly in the Bromley area.

Music styles were just beginning to change however. John was forced to switch to bass when a member of the band left suddenly, John played bass through the Sixties playing Blues, Soul, Pop etc.. in various bands. Then in 1966 along with the keyboard player of the 'Pop' band decided to form a Progressive Rock band. "The line up changed constantly till we had all the right people" John recalls "and in 1968 John turned professional. "We appeared on the same bill as people such as Pink Floyd, John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Status Quo, Joe Cocker, Long John Bladry, The Birds and many more". In 1970 John decided that a lack of food and petrol for the van was a good enough reason to call it a day.

John did various 'stand in' gigs for a while but decided to pack it all in. However this was not meant to be.

A friend persuaded him to join a M.O.R. band as they were desperate for a bass player. John the spent the next ten years just busking around. In 1982 he was persuaded to play lead guitar in a M.O.R.band. This eventually led to him applying for the job of lead guitarist in a local Rock n' Roll band 'Return Flight', whom he played for four years.

During this time he met Roger Cover (then with 'The Rapiers'). Roger was on a point of leaving 'The Rapiers' and he and John got the idea of putting together a new band. Thus 'The Flames' were born.

After four years John had to leave because of other commitments, however in August 1994 John was invited to rejoin 'The Flames' as Paul Hanley was leaving. The rest as they say is History!

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