The Story of Steamroller

  The three members of Steamroller were already pro musicians in the 1960s, all touring the UK and Europe with various other bands. At the end of the decade - when marriage, 'proper' jobs and 'respectability'
became priorities - they all found themselves back in their native Oxford; settled, but still restless to make music.
  A chance meeting in a local pub in 1971 caused Robert Wakeley [lead guitar, vocals] to form Steamroller with Roger Warner [bass] and Larry Reddington [drums] and, throughout most of the '70s, the band reigned supreme in the Oxford area playing local venues and university campuses to a large and devoted following. Then in 1978 - after a couple of personnel changes - Robert finally broke up the band and threw away his guitar.
  And that would have appeared to be that.
  But then - over thirty years later in 2009 during another chance meeting at a blues jam at the Jack Russell pub, Oxford - they decided to do it all over again. The result was underwhelming to say the least. No one knew who the hell they were! But it didn't matter. They were back - and as loud as ever. And with a brand new set-list.
  Robert comes along with fresh and inventive new riffs, Larry writes all the lyrics [he's quite creative for a drummer] and Roger builds the foundations with the appropriate bass lines. They'll still play Stormy Monday Blues or a Hendrix classic if you ask them nicely, but these guys are not your average pub band. They write their own songs and perform them with drive, excitement and dynamics - arts which were all lost
during the shoe - gazing, indie - drone period which came after.
  The songs are sharp and insightful, sometimes cynical; but always layered with a degree of irony which reflects the rock'n'roll lifestyle which the band once lived to the full.
  Their pedigree is pretty impressive too. During their professional days they shared stages with '60s 'wannabes' like the Rolling Stones, the Animals, Dusty Springfield, Buddy Guy, Steve Winwood and, not forgetting, Tom Jones. Robert and Larry also made recordings with legendary producer Joe Meek in the early days so, who knows, they may feature in the infamous 'lost tea chest tapes' somewhere.