The Southend-based country-rock quintet & weatherbeaten peddlers of British Appalachian style Americana, THE UGLY GUYS have released a new three track EP titled ‘Rolling in the Deep’ on the Conquest Music label.
The EP’s impressive title track, a masterful country-tinged rendition of Adele’s celebrated 2011 international chart-topper, has been given a video release from The Ugly Guys. Listening to it will make you believe the song is wholewise a heartland country-bred number!
Paul Shuttleworth and Vic Collins (later of the Kursaal Flyers,1972) are the two founding members of The Ugly Guys but have been creating music together since they started Cow Pie, one of the first country rock bands in England, back in ’69. Their early sounds were reminiscent of the country-rock offered by The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Paul and Vic went on to form The Kursaal Flyers, an outfit that became an integral part of the ‘Pub Rock’ scene that flourished in London. The Kusrsaals might be best-known for their charting pop… but at heart they were always a country rock outfit.
Journey through time to 2003, when Paul and Vic determined to explore the potential of starting a new band to play the amalgamation of country, soul, and rock they had both always cherished. The core of this new band, which they had dubbed The Ugly Guys, would come together after guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Oliver from Ipsissimus (which subsequently evolved into Jerry The Ferret: another element of pub rock’s backbone) was approached. They selected the band name from a beloved Kursaal Flyers song.
Southend stalwart Bob Clouter (who had played with Mickey Jupp in both The Oriels and Legend, with the Lew Lewis Band and Stan Webb’s Chicken Shack) became their drummer. The bass guitar position was initially held by Mike Steed, then Andy Farrell until 2018 when Nevil Kiddier (formerly of bassist hit makers The Pinkees and Glyder) took up the position.
The band’s current line-up is: Paul Shuttleworth, vocals; Vic Collins, guitar, pedal steel, dobro and vox; Steve Oliver, guitar, mandolin, banjo, keys, and vox; Bob Clouter, drums; Nevil Kiddier, bass and vox.
The Ugly Guys, who are marking their 20th anniversary as a band this year, continue to support country music in all of its forms, much to the delight of their devoted fans in the UK and throughout the world.
Their latest EP shows The Ugly Guys’ decades-honed skill creating Country, Country Rock and Americana. A true delight!
File alongside: Dillard & Clark
Rolling In The Deep EP now available on all digital platforms:
https://slinky.to/RollingInTheDeepEP
Photo Credit: Nick Oliver
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