Meet Rough Diamonds

Rough Diamonds are a local Shropshire band that honour the music of Free, Bad Company and Paul Rodgers.

Rough Diamonds play all over the West Midlands and have recently been busy performing at festivals and charity events. The band were proud to headline the Newport Blues and Rock Festival to a capacity crowd and are also signed up to perform “Glastonbudget” – described as the world’s best tribute festival ever.

If you remember the No 1 smash hit ‘Alright Now’ or the rhythmic ‘Can’t Get Enough of your Love’ then these are just two of the well known songs they perform generating energy and excitement everywhere they perform with their hard driving rock beat.

The founder of the band is Ian Law. Playing Bass Guitars, Rhythm Guitars and Vocals in the band now, he spent most of his youth around the local music scene in South Shropshire and was influenced by local band ‘The Maniacs’ which featured Royston Jones, Alan Williams and Simon Kirke (who was born in Shrewsbury and went on to play drums for Free and Bad Company).

The other band members are:

Jon Main: Lead Vocals
Jon appeared on Stars in their Eyes as ‘Jon Bon Jovi’ in the early 1990’s.This is his first gigging band, as up to now he has done solo work. The music of Free and Bad Company obviously suit his rock voice with a distinctive high end vibrato.

Mike Bristow: Drums, Percussion and Vocals
Mike is a very experienced semi-professional drummer, percussionist and vocalist with history stretching back to The Beatles….. in fact he played in a band that supported them in the early ’60’s.

Peter Catchpole: Guitars
Peter has been playing guitar since since he was 14 and counts Paul Kossoff, Jimmy Page, Andy Powell and Jimmy Hendrix amongst his key influences. Peter has always been a big fan of the music of Free and Bad Company and has recently been tempted back out of “retirement” to help form the honours band Rough Diamonds. 

Shrewsbury Rock and Blues festival

Next year they are lined up to play at the first Shrewsbury Rock and Blues festival’, taking place at The Lord Hill Hotel on May 1st 2011 in aid of ORCHID.

The band have been actively supporting ORCHID, a UK cancer charity devoted to research and treatment in men’s cancers.

Throughout 2010 Rough Diamonds have also been performing free gigs and selling band T Shirts as well as CD’s with all profits going to the charity. You can find out more about the charity at http://www.orchid-cancer.org.uk/Home

Read more about the band by visting The Rough Diamonds website