JAMES OLIVER with NORMAN WATT-ROY

Event information

“James is a passionate roots rocker loaded with guitar firepower.”
- Bill Kirchen – guitar legend

“He’s the man with the face, from outer space, on his faith and grace” Ian Dury describing bassist Norman Watt-Roy.

“I am not easily impressed by guitarists, but this guy is definitely a comer.”
- John Drumbo, (Drummer for Captain Beefheart)

Next year will see the pairing up of the irrepressible guitar talent of Wales’s very own James Oliver and the bass legend that is Norman Watt Roy (Ian Dury and the Blockheads/Wilko Johnson et al). Fresh from a killer show at the Half Moon in Putney in March, James and Norman alongside drummer, Mark Kemlo, will be fully unleashed to tour across the UK and beyond in 2025.


James Oliver – guitar and vocals

James Oliver is one of the UK’s busiest acts playing over 300 gigs a year all over the UK, Europe, and the USA!

He has performed over 3000 gigs and shared the stage with many acts including Albert Lee, Bill Kirchen, Deke Leonard, Greg Koch, Walter Trout, Steve Gibbons, Billy Bremner, Geraint Watkins, and many others. In 2020 James won the UK Blues Awards Emerging Artist of the Year and has since been nominated 3 additional times. James Oliver released 2 studio albums 3 live albums and his album Twang was #1 on Amazon Blues Charts for 3 weeks. James is currently working on a new record with legendary producer, John Leckie. James’ YouTube channel has over 20,000 subscribers with over 10 million views.


Norman Watt Roy - bass

Norman kept busy with session work throughout the '70s, and appeared on such albums as Rachel Sweet's Fool Around and Nick Lowe's Jesus of Cool, and Jona Lewie's number one single "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties." He and his brother, along with Turnbull, later joined up with Mick Gallagher (guitar) and Charlie Charles (drums), working under the name Loving Awareness -- that outfit, in turn, was engaged for a session with Chaz Jankel and Ian Dury which led to their work on Dury's New Boots and Panties!! LP, and eventually became the Blockheads, Dury's band.

They hit the top of the charts in 1979 with "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick." Norman Watt-Roy was now one of the most visible bassists working in England. His time with the Blockheads allowed him to cross paths with Dr. Feelgood's Wilko Johnson, which led to his joining Johnson's own group in the mid-'80s. In between, he played with the Selecter on Celebrate the Bullet and the Clash on Sandinista!, with Wreckless Eric's Captains of Industry, and he played the original bass part on Frankie Goes to Hollywood's single "Relax." During the 21st century, he has kept busy working with Nick Cave, in addition to his continued performances with Johnson.