Steve Cradock on Ocean Colour Scene, Mod hair & the ghost of Ronnie Lane

Steve Cradock’s touring with Ocean Colour Scene in 2026 and in his own show, Travellers Tunes, with his wife and son Steve – “we’re like the Von Trapps!” This highly original night involves them “living like gypsies in the spirit of Ronnie Lane”. He looks back here, from his psychedelic Mod-shrine converted garage in Totnes, at the first shows he ever saw and played, which touches on …

…seeing UB40 at Birmingham Odeon, aged 13 – “I was bruised for days”

… an after-school Duran Duran video shoot

… “three 45-minute sets a night”: doing J Geils Band and Lennon covers pre-Bingo in working men’s clubs, aged 15

… playing Scooter Rallies in Gorleston-on-Sea in pilled-up homage to the Purple Hearts, the Jam and Secret Affair

… the imperishable sound of the early Small Faces – “the tone, the feedback, Plonk smashing his bass”

… an intense love of Northern Soul, Soft Cell, the Pretenders, Costello and the La’s

… the Stones Roses, “the most important show I ever saw – the hair, the clothes, the songs, the guitars”

… supporting Oasis at Knebworth

… “musicians’ books bore me”

…. three days in a pub with Chris Evans and regrets about “the double-edged sword” of the Riverboat Song on TGI Friday

… and Paul Weller with love beads

Buy Steve Cradock tickets here: https://www.stevecradock.com/tour/

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