World-famous ska, rockabilly and country-skiffle band from SE London
2014 marked the 30th anniversary of The Forest Billies formation as a six-piece busking band at the 1984 Glastonbury Festival.
It was always a big debate in the band as to whether we should go out of our way to entertain the upper classes. After all, it was the 1980s and our thing was usually to support workers through benefit gigs – the miners, the ambulance workers, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, CND, Anti Apartheid, the Artificial…
Forest Hill Billies A-Z A for Amanda on washboard and vocals, Alan on drums, Albany Empire, Acoustic stage Glastonbury B for Bill on the bass, Britanny, ‘Bad to the Bone’, ‘Big Black Cat’, Brighton Busking Festival, Belgium tour, brass section, Bo on posters, Brest En Couleurs, busking, backdrop lost in France, and ‘Billies of course…
A memorable and thoroughly enjoyable gig for the The Forest Hill Billies was Gaz and Duke Vin’s Rockin’ Luxury Cruise to Amsterdam in 1986. The cruise was a mini floating festival of reggae, rock steady and ska music with a great mix of people and featuring some true legends of the Jamaican music scene. The…
Ska is the music from 1960’s Jamaica that preceded Reggae. In this piece, I want to talk about Ska. S-K-A … Ska. At 17 years of age, a friend told me that a friend of hers wanted me to join his band. Apparently they played Country music and Ska. She enthused, “Dave’s really excited about…
Transmusicales is an annual music festival held in Rennes, Britanny, with the final evening showcasing up-and-coming British talent. In December 1985 it was The Forest Hill Billies’ first gig in France. That year the line-up included Doctor And The Medics and The Fine Young Cannibals.