Biographies
Alan Myers - Keyboards
Band bio for ; Fingers Al
Star sign ; Pentangle
Musical influences ; Mrs Mills, Winifred Attwell, Harry Stoneham, Black Dyke Mills, Leftfield and the Chemical Brothers.
Favourite album ; The Nudists Holiday photo album
Favourite food ; Chocolate
Favourite film ; The Elephant Man
Favourite book ; Eon by Greg Bear
Favourite quote ; 'It's my round' Justin Green circa 2002
Equipment list; just the stuff I take out gigging: Roland JV80 keyboard linked to JV2080 expander, Hammond XB1 keyboard, Spirit mixing desk, Yamaha SPX unit, two Mackie SRM450 speakers, Peavey digital amp (for foldback), two 'splinter special' stage wedges, various bits of iron work to hold the whole lot up and a large box of cables. Finally a little binky torch to help me see to wire everything together.
Musical history ; It's rumoured to have all started when I was just 3 years of age and was racing around my Grandma's house (they had a pet greyhound and it was after my lucky rabbits foot). I tripped on the 5th lap and hit my head on her old Joanna knocking myself out in the process. Anyway they reckon a splinter from the old piano lodged itself in my bonce and from the moment I came to I could play the piano ... brilliantly (some say). Of course, being born deformed with two sets of arms and twenty fingers may also have something to do with it. When they found out about my skills with my fingers at school, they wouldn't leave me alone I can tell you. They insisted we form a band and me and my bestest mate Rob, plus Benny (roadie and amp fixer), Andy, Martin Goodey, Clive, Dave, Linda Went and various others formed 'Sons of Burt Weedon'. The band was legendary, musical quality second to none. Our first (and last) tour started one evening at the Castle pub in Brentwood .... and finished at the Essex Arms pub Brentwood the same evening. It was sad to cut the tour short but we soon realised that the wheels on the piano we were towing behind the old Austin A30 weren't really made for long term road usage and we couldn't have carried the piano much further. However, once we turned up at the Essex Arms, complete with our own piano, Harry (the landlord) welcomed us with open arms and gave us a residency. Good old Harry.
A slightly later incarnation of the band was called Janus We regularly played at the Essex Arms, Brentwood as well as many other venues.
Here's Janus, once again at the Essex Arms with me on the right playing my Hohner Pianet N, Ann Savage on lead vocals, Rob Pearson on lead, Brian on bass and his brother Bob on drums.
I always did pull funny faces when I played, even then.
Note the importance of beer, it's right up front (and that's just Ann's), and the lampshade half hanging off the wall!!
Here's me later in the same year, after my return from work experience at Chernobyl:
Here's the full line up of Janus. It was taken in Herongate village hall. I'm the one who looks like Alan Price!!!
Various revamps of the band were to follow over the years, all with those funny sounding names of yore: Sound Sensation, Orange Tangerine, and then into the jazz genre with The Alan Peterson Set.
I also joined another band called the Harvey Scott Four with me on Lowrey organ, Eric on sax, Dennis Vanhinesberg on rhythm guitar (brilliant he was I can tell you) and another who I can't remember the name of. Later on Ricky joined the band paying lead guitar (superb). Then I quit and joined Rickies band. Dog eat dog!! Running parallel to my music in bands was my solo work. My first solo performance was at a pub called The Charcoal Burner at Collier Row near Romford. The pub was just opened and I played the Hammond organ (with Leslie 145 speaker) to a packed pub. I often played the electronic organ in such places as The Lighthouse at Benfleet and numerous other venues. I ended up working for Yamaha music for a while. Marriage break up and divorce brought all this to an end. There was a gap of a number of years before Steve McWhirter contacted me and asked me to join a blues jam he was setting up. I was back again!! Thanks Steve, I owe you. Here I met Paul, Dave Edson, Charlie (brilliant blues singer and guitarist) and various others. We formed a band called Mrs Mopsies Blues Experience, later to become The Occasionals.
That's me on the right. I look as if I've been in the sun too long!! Eventually The Occasionals, after a brief spell as Rol'am, became Loaded Dice, definitely the best band of the lot!!
Well done guys!!
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Dave - Lead Guitar and Vocals
Band bio for ; Dave
Star sign ; Uranus
Musical influences ; Varied, really varied – Thin Lizzy, Be Bop Deluxe, Bowie, Van Morrison, U2, Lynrd Skynrd, The Who, Crowded House, The Faces & Rod the Mod, Clapton, Stones, Beatles, Dr Feelgood, Hawkwind, Steve Miller, Pink Floyd, Eagles, Deep Purple, Stevie Ray Vaughan and all things bluesey, early Roxy, Punk, Funk and some junk! - I tend to have one or two albums by lots of people rather than the entire collection of a few.
Favourite album ; Ziggy Stardust
Favourite food ; Italian
Favourite film ; Dr Strangelove
Favourite book ; Spike Milligan’s War Memoirs
Favourite quote ; You’re only young once but you can be immature all your life.
Equipment list; Fender Lonestar Strat, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Washburn EA20 Electro Acoustic, Fender Hotrod Deville valve amp, Boss GT6 MultiFX.
Musical history ; After touring the U.S. with Clapton for his comeback tour in 1973, I decided to take a break and try to get back to something approaching a normal life, after all I had my ‘O’ levels coming up and my school work had taken a bit of a back seat to the Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Here's me warming up backstage on the Clapton tour!! A couple of months after leaving school I found myself running errands for a group of solicitors in the King’s Cross area. Now I know that a lot of people study for years at Uni to become a solicitor, but these girls came straight from a council estate at 15 and pretty soon were earning around five hundred pounds a week doing soliciting, so it just shows that education isn’t everything. That stage of my working life finally of fizzled out when they started buying their own so I looked around for something else that I could turn my hand to. I answered an ad in the Wickford Bugle and found myself selling laxatives, it started off OK but after a couple of days the bottom sort of fell out. My next career move was as a sperm donor which I felt I was ideally suited to. I thought I was doing quite well but after a week the nurse said that they really didn’t need that much and could I not come in so many times a day.
Due to a hormone imbalance, by the early 1990's I'd grown to nearly eight feet tall!!! Things were getting desperate and just when I thought I would never work again a dream opportunity fell in my lap – I was offered the position of second rhythm guitar with Keith Harris and Orville’s backing band for the “I can’t” tour. They were great days and we took that song to kids and geriatrics up and down the country for the next six years. I could tell you a few things about those two, he actually goes to bed with his hand still in the duck’s arse, it must be a sort of comfort thing.
A number of painful orthopaedic procedures finally brought me back to normal height by 1997 With my reputation re-established I worked with the best that the UK pop industry had to offer and toured with names such as Joe Dulce, Rene and Renatta and Jive Bunny. Living out of a suitcase is bad enough but living in a suitcase is even worse so after twelve solid years on the road I decided it was time to settle down. The chance to play with the guys in Loaded Dice came up and I’ve never looked back. We have a great time and the guys always tell me I’ve played well, even when I haven’t – come to think of it they always tell me that . . . . .
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Paul - Drums
Band bio for - The skins.
Star sign – Aquarius
Musical Influences – Led Zeppelin, Level 42, Faith No More, Madness, Phil Collins/ Genesis, Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana, U2, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Radiohead, REM, Blur, Foo Fighters, Jamiroquai, Funk, Soul, The Wurzels, Black Lace, Bucks Fizz, Val Doonican.
Favourite food – Curry, Fish and Chips, Sunday Roast, Thai, Chinese.
Favourite films – Superman 1 - 3, Batman Begins, Any superhero basically, Hellboy, Starwars, Desperado, League Of Extraordinary Gentleman, Constantine, Indiana Jones, Good Will Hunting.
Favourite book – At the moment 'Grow Up' Keith Allen. Favourite Quote – You're only as old as the women you feel.
Equipment list – Yamaha/ Tama (starclassic maple) drums, Sabian cymbals, Vick Firth wood tip 'American Rock' sticks, Evans G2 coated toms heads, Genera SD dry snare head, Yamaha/ Gibraltar hardware, hardcase/ protection racket cases, Gimp mask, hand towel for all occasions (smells/ stains optional).
Bandography or Musical History – Wandered into my cousins bedroom (he was a punk) aged about 5, was instantly intrigued by these things set up called drums. Got my first snare drum at 10 years old, the rest is history. Bands - Made in the UK (1988/89), First ever gig playing at my school leaving assembly, the nightmares won't go away! Canvey Carnival 1989! Under the Influence (1989/1993) Proper grown up gig circuit, frequent attendees of The Esplanade in Southend (U2 meets psychadelic meets funk). Substance 4 (1994/2000 on and off) Bit brit pop, bit radiohead. Played locally mostly, plus Thurrock music festival (1997/98 ish), only London Gig in Fulham Palace Road with 'The Parents of God' interesting punk band! The Harmacy (2000 to present) Officially Chaos rock! Zeppelin meets The Pixies meets funk meets The Fall meets anything else we can throw in! Gig locally mostly, played Hoxton Square, London.
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Justin - Lead Vocals
Justin’s Biography
Star sign: ๘۵یฌฑỒ ~(complicated pictogram meaning), ‘last to arrive, first to leave, least to carry’
Musical Influences: Many and diverse, Marvin Gay to Papa Roach, paying attention to Steve Miller, Van the man, Yes and of course the king of Queens, Sir Elton (put those flowers over there) John. More traditional Blues influences such as Muddy Waters, Jonny Johnson and Buddy Guy and some Ray Charles’ stuff will get me nodding in appreciation. Newer bands that have caught my ear include, Reef, The Manics, Phonics, D12, and a local band called Fleet.
Favourite Albums: Van Morrison’s greatest hits and Evanescence’s ‘Fallen’
Favourite Films: ‘Shakespeare in love’, ‘revenge of the Killer bikini vampire beach babes’ and I thought the little dog in ‘Van Helsing’ was quite cute, mind you, so was Ms Beckinsale.
Favourite food: I would have to agree with Dave on that, Italian closely followed by Thai, French and Moroccan.
Favourite Book: Errrr promise you won’t laugh ?…. Anything by Terry Pratchett, Asimov, Steven King, Len Deighton. If you get time and have the inclination, get a hold of ‘BILLY’ by Pamela Stevenson, Billy Connollys’ Biography…’Fascinating’.
Favourite Quote: “I hear what you’re saying but it just sounds likes bla bla bla bla bla” For the Anoraks:
Equipment list, Sure SM58, Trantor wireless feedback monitor, Allum-mag high tensile tri-leg super adjustable microphone facilitator. Love egg, GT 2000 Turbo Tambourine, Honer blues harps.
Fantasy History: 1980 Having politely then not so politely refused to be introduced to Shane MaGowens’ dentist, the totally rat arsed but highly persuasive Pogues lead singer managed to entice me into ‘getting up’ and “doing dat fockin shite number, you know de one where it goes Shal a La la la la la in de Middle”…. So I got up and sang Brown Eyed Girl in front of 3 and half people in the Frog and Furkin Fulham, to rapturous applause. That was it, I was hooked, having women throw themselves and their knickers at you when you’re young and impressionable is a real eye opener, I soon realised however the ones that took a running jump were the ones to avoid as jealous boyfriends never seemed too far behind. After a brief spell in an experimental Boy-band ‘Take This’, I got thoroughly disenchanted by the ruthlessness of certain music industry fat cats who insisted on controlling virtually every aspect of the bands life, including having to hand over all the knickers that were thrown at me. The parting of the ways came as no surprise to some, they’d been planning for months to change the name of the group from This to That and I found my dressing room suddenly occupied by a self important, chubby and very gay twat from Stoke. “Rob you tuneless, talentless moron, I hope you fall on your wallet and dislocate your hip!!! I then hooked up with a few guys playing in bars, the Band was the ‘The Breakers’ and for nearly 6 years we toured, gigged and got laid, sometimes we even got paid. We rocked and my knickers collection grew exponentially. Then, like all good things, it ended. then it ended again, and then ended for the third and final time. (however, this time due to slight of hand and a false draw, it ended with me keeping all the knickers). The opportunity to join Loaded Dice came along and needing to express myself musically, vocally and underwear-illy I joined as singer to this talented band. So come and see us, ladies bring your knickers and remember, you can’t throw what you can’t get off…..Skirts rule!!!!
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Nick Tate - bass
Star sign : Pisces – dreamer, artistic, indecisive, vague – all perfect traits for an accountant!
Musical Influences : Everything from Albinoni to ZZ Top Favourite food : Sunday Roast, Italian, Chinese, French, Real Ale, Red Wine, Malt Scotch…………
Favourite films : Blues Brothers (I & II) Favourite book : Willian’s Tax Tables (Not a great read but I’ve bought it twice a year for more years that I care to remember so it can’t be too bad)
Favourite Quote : “I’m playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order” – Eric Morecombe
Equipment list : Iceni Zoot Boudicca 5 string bass, Yamaha BBG 5 sting Bass, Tokai Hard Puncher 4 string Bass,
Mark Bass Little Mark II Amp, Aguilar GS410 cab (this week, but bass players are prone to GAS).
Bandography or Musical History : Studied classical Cello and Piano from the age of 5. Took up the bass at school because nobody else played it (same story as every other bass player). Being the bass player my life is incredibly dull as I am destined to stand at the back and look very un-cool. Where ever possible we try to stand behind interesting people. Having auditioned for The Pussy Cat Dolls and Girls Aloud I ended up in Loaded Dice. Justin is interesting in his own way but somehow the appeal is not quite the same. I have shared a stage with all the great names in rock: Cream, Hendrix, Queen, Genesis, Bon Jovi, Elton John, etc. Unfortunately none of them were at the Albert Hall on the nights I played there!!!!!!
Nick in The Shadowkings 
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Paul - Rhythm Guitar
Band bio for - Paul, ( I saw them live once).
Star sign – Bad, (Been down since I began to crawl).
Musical Influences – Chamber music during potty training, followed during adolescence by Blues/Beatles/Stones/Steppenwolf/Neil Young/Family/Clapton and many others too numerous to mention.
Favourite Album – Herbal pipe music of brick lane Favourite food – Slug & lettuce, (Provided slug killed humanely due to being a vegetarian).
Favourite film – 1 flew over the cuckoo’s nest Favourite book – It – Stephen King
Favourite Quote – Work is for clocks, leisure should be timeless
Equipment list – US Fender strat/ Epiphone Sorrento/Marshall vs100 stack/Boss effects pedal/Spare strings & plectrums for Dave/ Occasional use of Justin’s love egg, (Strategically placed of course)! Also roadie for one of Alan’s wedges, (Preferably the one without the fucking great splinter)!
Musical History – picked up a guitar at 16 and never got bored with it since. First group orgasm with , “The Occasionals) , multi orgasms then with Loaded Dice, the best thing us lads ever created. Note to the punters: Please beware of Tony’s light of death, it has been known to cause strange spasms of a strobe like effect caused by intermittent reflections from the numerous wide partings on stage. (Excluding Justin, of course, from whom the inspiration came for the name “Loaded Dice”, as he was the only one loaded with hair follicles and Dice rhymed with lice)! Due to the passing of time however, we may have to revisit the name and become , “Unloaded Lice".
Here's me. I feel a right tit in this picture!!!!
Here's me again - on tour in Cape Town!!!!
On tour in Cuba!!
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Tony - Saxophone
Band bio for - Tony Ace Sax Player
Star sign – Sign of the Twin Saxes 
Musical Influences – Van der Graff Generator, Roxy Music, Burlesque, David Bowie, King Curtis and Split Enz.
Favourite food – Castle Mayne 30mm Kebab, Jamaican Breakfast
Favourite films – Great Race, Animal House Favourite book – Hayne's workshop manual
Favourite Quote – Would you like to blow on my big one?? mine's shinier than yours!!
Equipment list – Selmer SA80 mkIII Tenor Sax with Otto Link 8x metal Mouthpiece, BG Ligature, Rico Jazz select 2.5 reeds Yamaha 6Z Alto Sax with Otto Link 8x metal Mouthpiece, BG Ligature, Rico Jazz select 2.5 reeds SD sax mic - AKG radio link - Zoom effects unit
Bandography – Tokyo Rose, AWOL, Siren, Twin Red Line, Tear Fund, Shattered Hearts, Chain Gang, Occasionals, Rol'am, Loaded Dice
Here's some photo's: can you spot me??
