Les Wilson & The Mighty Houserockers - On The Loose (1997)

b. 10 September 1955, Willenhall, Staffordshire, England. Wilson began playing guitar at the age of 15 and by 1974 was performing professionally. He studied at Humberside College for a degree in Food Science and Microbiology, later teaching food hygiene/microbiology. He continued to play guitar and, influenced by contemporary electric blues players, he formed his own blues-based band, the Mighty Houserockers in 1981. Wilson developed a good local following in the Midlands region and over subsequent years played at numerous UK and European blues festivals, including Colne, Luxembourg, Cork, Geithoorn and Oudenaarde. He has performed extensively on the blues circuits in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. A strikingly effective slide guitarist, Wilson’s live performances are exciting affairs. Among his influences are George Thorogood and Son Seals, heard live, and, heard on records, Jimi Hendrix, Hound Dog Taylor, Elmore James, B.B. King, Albert King and Buddy Guy.

Wilson’s sidemen over the years have included Chris Lomas (bass), Dave Sutherland (bass, percussion, vocals), Fred Skidmore (keyboards), and Tony Baylis, Phil Guest and Micky Barker (drums), some of whom have been around since the early days. In the early 00s, Wilson was composing a large part of his current repertoire. Although rooted in traditional blues, much of his latter-day composing displays manifold musical influences that have shaped his career and his off-stage life; since 1997 he has lived in the far west of Eire. Among Wilson’s compositions are ‘Guitar Man’, ‘Fuelled Up’, ‘She’s My Baby’, ‘I’m A Fool’, ‘Blue Light’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me’.