PJ Wright, Phil Bond, Gerry Conway, Steve Gibbons and Dave Pegg
Take four of Britain's most talented folkrock musicians and a unique singer, add the repertoire of a genius, and you've got the recipe for a dream band.
The musicians in question are PJ Wright (slide and electric guitars, pedal steel), Gerry Conway (drums and percussion), Phil Bond (piano, organ, accordion), Dave Pegg (bass) and the singer is Steve Gibbons. As The Dylan Project, they present an exhilarating tribute to the work of arguably the greatest postwar songwriter in the English language.
Don't be misled by the word 'tribute'. Although the phrase "tribute band" can mean a slavish facsimile or a big-name cash-in, The Dylan Project is far more than a mere copycat act. The members bring their own distinctive take on the music, Steve Gibbons interprets the lyrics with stylish individuality and, above all, respect for a master writer and performer shines through every word, every note. As Mojo's reviewer said: "The Dylan Project is a tribute in the best possible sense. Touching and deftly handled, it makes you marvel, once again, at the scope and majesty of this singular writer's work."
There is so much to relish in the Dylan Project. For a start there's the laconic and charismatic Steve Gibbons, sounding uncannily like Dylan while retaining his own inimitable vocal style. As well as Steve's homage to Dylan himself, the Project's musicians are equally fine interpreters of the virtuosity of The Band. There's PJ's blasting slide and haunting pedal steel; Phil Bond, the Steve Gibbons Band's long-standing keyboard player; Dave Pegg bringing his beautifully subtle and powerful bass lines, and Gerry Conway holding the whole groove with a tour de force on drums and percussion. As a bonus on Dylan Project Live At Cropredy Festival (the second album) John 'Rabbit' Bundrick's keyboards commemorate the characteristic quality which Garth Hudson's organ brought to Dylan's mid-period.
The Project originated from an after-gig chat between Steve Gibbons and Dave Pegg when the conversation turned to Dylan. "One thing led to another," recalls Steve, "and Bob's your uncle –Peggy's offer of his services was just the spur I needed to do what I had long been considering, an album of Bob Dylan songs."
That album, The Dylan Project, was recorded at Woodworm's studio in Oxfordshire, produced by Peggy and released in 1998. As well as Steve, PJ, Peggy, Simon Nicol and Gerry, there are guest contributions from Chris Leslie, Ric Sanders, Maartin Allcock, Ben Bennion, and Mick Bullard.
But The Dylan Project is more than a studio ensemble. Since its inception, the band has been entertaining audiences with an electrifying stage show. As well as touring UK arts centres, concert halls and theatres, The Dylan Project has played in Europe and appeared at festivals large and small – including Cropredy of course.
The Dylan Project's repertoire spans the whole of Dylan's ouvre – from "Freewheelin'" to "Modern Times" – and new material is frequently brought into the setlist. Whether you are a diehard Dylan fan or just enjoy great songs performed with flair and brio, The Dylan Project will take your breath away. Go and see them or buy one of the albums – you won't be disappointed.
The Dylan Project – Biographies
PJ Wright
Steve Gibbons first leapt to prominence as leader of The Uglys, a band at the forefront of Birmingham's 1960s music boom.
It was while The Uglys were playing a residency at a club in Germany that Steve first heard Bob Dylan: "The voice made me tingle, the song made me shiver, the moment is frozen," he recalls.
By 1970 the Uglys had disbanded, and Steve released a solo album, Short Stories. In 1972 he formed the Steve Gibbons Band. In 1975 the band released Any Road Up (the first of many Steve Gibbons Band albums) and went on to success in the album and singles charts.
The Steve Gibbons Band was invited to support The Who on European and world tours and Steve penned "One Of The Boys" for Roger Daltry. The band went through various line-up changes down the years but remained perennially popular, partly because Steve not only has one of the greatest rock voices in the UK but is also an inspired songwriter.
There is more to Steve than rock 'n' roll, however. For example, the trio he formed at the end of the 1990s innovatively uses fretless bass, guitars, accordion and piano to perform classic songs as well as his own material.
Dave Pegg threw himself into Birmingham's vibrant 60s rock scene and soon found himself gigging most evenings with one or other of the city's young bands.
Dave heard that the Uglys was auditioning for a lead guitarist and went along. He didn't get the job but Steve Gibbons suggested he try his hand on bass guitarist and he has played the instrument ever since.
Dave joined the Ian Campbell Folk Group on double bass where he met fiddle maestro Dave Swarbrick. It was through Swarb that Peggy was introduced to Fairport Convention: little did he know the association would last over 35 years.
After founder-bassist Ashley Hutchings left Fairport in 1970, Dave took over on bass and backing vocals, a role he has fulfilled ever since. In fact, it was Peggy who kept the band together through the hassles and line-up changes of the 1970s.
By the 1980s, Dave had joined Jethro Tull as bass player. As if playing in two bands was not enough, he set up Woodworm Records to produce and market Fairport's albums.
Dave and his ex-wife Christine founded Cropredy Festival in 1980 and he has been a key organiser ever since. The event started as a small reunion concert and has now grown into a major festival.
Gerry Conway got his first drumkit at the age of 11. By the time he left school, his vocation was clear and he went to work at EMI hoping for a chance to audition.
The chance came and Gerry found himself the drummer with The Jet Set, playing ska and soul. His next move was to blues legend Alexis Korner's band. After a year with Korner, Gerry joined Trevor Lucas in Eclection.
By the time Eclection folded in the early 1970s, Trevor's partner Sandy Denny had left Fairport Convention and Gerry was invited to join them in a newly-formed folkrock outfit, Fotheringhay. Though creative and greatly respected, the band was shortlived.
Next, Gerry played a studio session with Cat Stevens and was invited to join the band. After six years touring the world with Stevens, Gerry found himself back in London and in demand as a session man. However, in 1979 he went to live in the USA for a few years, working mainly with Jerry Donahue.
During the 1980s, Gerry returned to the UK and spent a year or so on the road with Jethro Tull. This was followed by a stint with Richard Thompson's band.
In 1985, Gerry joined Jacqui McShee's Pentangle and has been with the band ever since. He has also played drums and percussion for Fairport Convention and The Dylan Project since 1998.
Touring Nov/Dec 2010 for booking enquiries click
