This is the first in a series of band member profiles. We’ve asked everybody to fill in the same questionnaire.
First up is our bone man Nick.
Name: Nick Richards
What instrument do you play? Trombone
Do you have any other role in the band? being late for photo sessions
Do you have a favourite tune in the Skamonics repertoire? Alley Cat Ska
What’s the best gig you’ve ever played with the Skamonics? with other bands? It was nice to play at the 100 Club a few years ago, but it was early days for the band, and I think musically we get better all the time so maybe our most recent gig is always the best!
How did you learn to play? Mainly self taught, with advice from Annie Whitehead and Rico Rodriguez, and some lessons from Malcolm Earle-Smith
What else do you do musically? Another ska band called The Apocryphalites and a jazz big band run by Cool Boy, an old Alpha School boy. Here’s a great vid about the Alpha Boys School – the Jamaican institution that educated a huge proportion of the early ska and reggae musicians.
Who are your musical influences on your instrument – and more generally? Don Drummond (Skatalites), Fred Wesley (James Brown), Glen Pine (The Slackers), Bill Harris (Woody Herman)
As well as ska, what other types of music do you like, and who are some ofyour favourite bands or musicians? Jazz trombonists- Robin Eubanks, Frank Rosolino, Urbie Green, Jack Teagarden. Classical composers- Wagner, Mahler, Schubert, Bach
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to (where you weren’t playing?) Maybe John Zorn at the Barbican in 2000, 3 sets the last of which was the Masada Quartet with Dave Douglas, Greg Cohen and Joey Baron. Blew my mind as to the amount of energy & inventiveness it can be possible to create and sustain with acoustic instruments.
What do you do when you are not playing music? Graphic Design is my day job, outside of that I do running, cycling, yoga, practising…
Who is the most famous person you’ve played with? The footballer Nobby Solano, I used to play in his salsa band a couple of years ago when he was playing for West Ham.
What about you would surprise other members of the band? I really want to SING!!!
Have you ever been described as a Renaissance Man? Yes
Are you the tallest trombonist in London? Probably!