Honky tonk pairing in sellout Carling show

May 17 2008 by David Whetstone, The Journal

IF there was a rock and roll bill made in heaven, then the pairing of North East favourites The Quireboys and former Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird would come close.

Two of the most talented purveyors of honky tonk bar room classics join forces at Newcastle’s Carling Academy tonight and a sellout show should provide a unique glimpse of a brace of bands heading back to the big time.

2008 promises to be the biggest year yet for Geordie Spike and his Quireboys cohorts with two new records hitting the shelves in the next month and a series of high-profile festival slots following May’s UK tour.

And it so happens that the band’s latest disc of original material, Homewreckers and Heartbreakers, is released on the same Jerkin Crocus label which is home to Mr Baird.

Quireboys’ Blyth-born guitarist Paul Guerin picks up the story.

“Dan saw me playing in London last year and invited me to play the first half of his latest European tour,” explained the axe maestro.

“During that time The Quireboys were looking for a new label and so I had a pretty close look at what Jerkin Crocus were doing for Dan and his band.

“They seemed like great guys and we ended up working with the same label.

“In the meantime, I became good mates with Dan and we were exchanging emails pretty regularly.

“Both of us wanted to do a full UK tour and it just made more sense going out together and giving fans full value for their £14.

“We’ve thrown in the Diamond Dogs as a bonus, so I don’t think you’ll get many better rock and roll deals this summer!”

Guerin is no longer the new boy in a Quireboys’ line-up which said goodbye to long-time bass favourite and founding member Nigel Mogg earlier this year.

And his style is stamped right across Homewreckers and Heartbreakers as sleazy hooks litter a genuine tour de force.