ABOUT US
The Badgers are...
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Michael Gubbins - Lead Vocals, Guitar. Harmonica
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Playing guitar since the 1970s. Founding member of The Badgers. Also played some acoustic gigs with Chris Lilley.
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Guitars: Fender Telecaster, Taylor 320e, Godin Montreal
Favourite Badgers cover: Great Balls of Fire
Influences: Love 50s and Rock n roll and big fan of 70s punk, new wave and two-tone.
Desert Island Discs: Steely Dan Pretzel Logic; Gil Scott-Heron Lady Day and John Coltrane; Ian Dury and the Blockheads What A Waste.
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Chris Grimes - Lead Guitar
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Originally played in rock bands around Coventry in the 70s, until swept up by the two-tone sensation. Wanted to be a Badger for decades and the dream came true.
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Guitars: Vintage Gibsons – a ’62 Les Paul Junior and a ’63 SG Special.
Favourite Badgers cover: Virginia Plain
Influences: Mainly 70’s rock and punk but really, any music with attitude from any decade. Guitar players Mick Ronson, Robert Fripp, Frank Zappa; plus the usual suspects.
Desert Island Discs: Neil Young Harvest; David Bowie Ziggy and The Spiders; Steely Dan Can’t Buy A Thrill.
Chris Lilley - Drums and Vocals
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Founder member of The Badgers. More than a decade on the sticks but realised: "I needed a band, and The Badgers is it."
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Instruments: Three kits: a sweet Gretsch Catalina Club for gigging; a battered 1980s Pearl Export kit for rehearsing; and Yamaha DTXplorer electronic kit to preserve the neighbour's ears while practising.
Influences: Too many to name: Alan White/Bill Bruford, Mick Fleetwood, Jeff Porcaro, Phil Collins/Chester Thompson and John Bonham, alongside Ziggy Modeliste (the Meters), Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, Clyde Stubblefield, Chad Smith.
Favourite Badgers cover: My Generation. (Still in rehearsal but coming soon)
Desert Island Discs.: Led Zep 4, The Meters and Fragile Skeleton by Bloodhound (my son's band).
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Robin Lines - Bass
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Joined The Badgers in 2020. Former bands: The Dynamos Showband Scotland (‘Award Winning Band’ based on Irish Showband-Country/Scottish/Irish/Folk/ Fun/Rock and Roll with gigs all over Scotland. Then Edinburgh based Soft Rock Band Late Arrival.
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Instruments: Fender Jazz Bass (American) and Ibanez (Lawsuit-Rickenbacker Copy).
Favourite Badgers cover: Somethin' Else
Influences: Beatles, Beachboys, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Marc Bolan, 10cc, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Dr Feelgood, Garth Brooks, Paul Simon
Desert Island Discs: The Beach Boys Good Vibrations; Don Henley Boys of Summer; Lou Reed Walk on the Wild Side
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