Rebel Company are a five piece outfit with Paul on bass guitar. Bassist Paul played with cult Middlesbrough based ‘Into Exile’ for a number of years before playing the north east club scene.

Steve on lead vocals also began his musical journey with ‘Into Exile’
and has had stints with ‘Sweet Sanity’ a Teesside based jazz funk outfit that were signed to a minor label. Steve also experienced the north east club circuit as well as other local rock bands.

Guitarist and backing vocalist Simon, spent 5 years as guitarist with north east club band 'Insider' before joining Rebel Company.

Lead guitarist Craig, played with Teesside based blues band ‘Skinny Legs’ and Indeep, where drummer Phil later joined.

Drummer Phil hails from Coventry where he performed in a number of bands including ‘Jonis Butterfly’ where they released several EPs with Circus records.

Phil Drum Kit

I started drumming in 1981 aged 11 and my initial influences were...Neil Mason (my teacher), Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Rick Buckler, Steve White, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr and Dave Hassell but to name a few. In recent years Ive broadened my drummer knowledge through magazines CDs and DVDs and newer influences include Simon Kirke, Thomas Lang, Neil Peart, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Clive Stubblefield and more.

I use a Mapex Pro-M Maple Cherry Fade kit.(www.mydrumkit.co.uk) and I can't stop adding to it... 20" Bass Drum, 8, 10, 10,12,14,16 toms, 14"x5 matching maple snare (x2) and occasionally a 12"x7" Black Panther cherry wood snare instead. I vary between 2 sets of cymbals, Sabian HHX with 13" hihats and Zildjian KZ 14" hihats with a 20" Zildjian china boy, 18" K crash ride, 16" Z heavy raw crash and Sabian 20" metal ride. (what a heavy PING SOUND that ride makes, with a clear and loud BELL projection!) I have a Tama Iron Cobra Pedal (chrome special edition) and use Ahead 5B aluminium sticks, although I also have as backup, Regal Tip 5B E and Zildjian 5B dipped. I sit on a pearl roadster throne with back rest, but I might go back to using a Gibraltar Seat (the backrest is much much bigger) and I use a metronome with Vic Firth isolation headphones.)although Ive just bought isolation headphones with a built in metronome and LED screen called METROPHONES. I record the band rehearsals using a Zoom H2.

My favourite drum gadget is my drumometer, which measures how many beats you can play within a set amount of time, and also my Drum Dial, for precise tuning of my kit.

At home I used to use a Yamaha electronic kit for practicing and recording MIDI. but Ive just bought a Roland TD6 to replace it.

My favourite Rebels song is usually the most current one we happen to be learning.

The best advice I could give to any drummer would be...practice everyday and record yourself, as you will be your own best critic.

Ive just bought some Superlux drum mics for the live work, particularly for the kick and snare, and added to that, a Yamaha 16/4/2 mixing desk. Recording tip of the day... simplify your parts for the studio and tune your kit UP when recording.

DAILY PRACTICE ROUTINE...
Tappyitis. Percussionitis. Singles and paradiddles.
Mike Mangini Limb Warm-up -
Alternate sticking without stopping, then unison without stopping. Constant 16ths tempo.
As fast as you can play, even and controlled strokes. Accuracy over speed.
Right + Left, Right + Hihat, Right + Kick, Left + Hihat, Left + Kick, Left + Right
Hihat + Kick, HIhat + Right, Hihat and Left, Kick + Right, Kick + Left, Kick + Hihat.

I spent 13 years taking classical lessons, latterly from the best guitarist I have ever heard, Mr Craig Grosvenor. Then in 2003 I met Philip Bage and joined his Blues and Performance Guitar lessons. Philip gave me the confidence to stand up and play for an audience, and generously let me join his own band, Skinny Legs. I played many pub gigs with them over the following few years. At the same time I joined a Thornaby based band called The Flames, which then turned into InDeep, doing mainly private party gigs, weddings etc.

Since October 2007 I have concentrated entirely on Rebel Company, and haven't looked back. It's very exciting to be in a band where we all love the same music.

I suffer from chronic GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). I currently have two main guitars & amp setups to choose from: My main amp is a Line6 Vetta combo with 2x12 extension cab, plus FBX floor controller. I also have a more esoteric one which I rarely use because of the hassle of using separate effects pedals, it's a Mesa Boogie Mark IV short combo plus a bunch of effects pedals - Vox wah, MXR super-comp, Ibanez FL9 flanger, digitech X-delay, Fuzzy Gypsy octaver, Hughes & kettner Rotosphere, and I'm still on the lookout for a nice floor tuner and a noise gate and a midi switcher etc etc…..

My main guitar is a Naturalburst Gibson SG robot, and I also use a Line6 Variax or a Gordon Smith Graduate (British Les-Paul-a-like).

I also look after the light show, such as it is. I'm currently learning the intricacies of dmx and midi signalling to control LED light fixtures, controlling the lights with the same pedals I use to control my sound. I love gear and find it a big distraction from actually practising. Don't be like me kids - do your practice!

My biggest headache is looking after my nails! After so many years of classical I still play fingerstyle (although Craig Grosvenor would scream if he saw my technique now). Steel strings are not the same as the nylon ones on a classical guitar. They smash my nails to pieces.

Simon
Guitar, Backing Vocals

When I went to St Mary's 6th Form College in 1992, I continued with 'TBC' and performed with them at many function nights for the college. I also joined the college Jazz band on the side and was introduced to the world of improvisation from this experience.

After college I hung up my guitar for a few years and practiced instead on girls and partying. As a consequence of this and my new employer (the MoD!), I moved to Bristol (a very lively music scene) and in 1997 joined a 'Brit Rock' (Oasis, Blur etc) covers band playing both rhythm and lead guitar around small venues in Bristol and Chippenham. I had a few gigs with this line up but, as a result of meeting my wife when visiting Teesside, came back to the North East.

In 2001 I was asked to join a new band, 'Insider', as guitarist/vocalist. This band had a female lead singer and was covering everything from 60s to present. The band really took off and with a few good studio demos of original tracks and covers, we played the club and wedding circuit around the country (through 'Blair Events' agency) and did so solidly for five years. We were flying high and were even interviewed on BBC Radio Cleveland and had our original tracks played. Unfortunately, as a result of band members relocating to southern parts for personal reasons, the gigs and rehearsals became more and more infrequent. I still do the odd gig with Insider ( the website is still going!) and I am still close to all the members of the band, but I am concentrating now on making a go of things with 'Rebels'.

I have never been overly obsessed with equipment other than guitars themselves. I have owned numerous guitars over the years and have fond memories of them all. I have settled on two that I love and sold the rest! I have a Fender USA Stratocaster in Olympic White which I love for the ease of playing and it's jangly, versatile tone. However, my number one guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Standard (limited edition) in Manhattan Midnight blue. I love this one for its vintage, rocky growl. I have only recently replaced the stock Gibson pickups with Seymour Duncan high output humbuckers. I play through a simple Korg FX pedal to an old Marshall 100 watt Valvestate amp that I purchased from a previous collaborator. I reckon I get a good sound with this set up.

I was first introduced to the music of Free and Bad Company at about the age of 13 and I was immediately awestruck by Paul Rodgers unique, powerful & soulful voice. His music and voice have influenced me greatly over the years and I never tired of listening to his music. Rodgers is rock icon, undoubtedly the most talented singer of his type and I am proud to say, a son of my home town of Middlesbrough.

I started singing at the age of 16 when I teamed up with a school friend of mine who I knew played keyboards and guitar. We co-wrote some songs together. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to audition for a Middlesbrough based band calling them selves 'Into Exile'. I had heard about the band through my brother in law who encouraged me to go for it. I was a nervous wreck and the whole thing was a bit of a leap of faith for me as I wasn't sure what kind of a reaction I would get, but I made it through and will never forget the elation I felt being accepted as a lead singer. The truth is the band had no idea what my voice sounded like until we recorded our first demo on a mobile studio. Then they were like, wow you can sing and I was accepted. Up until then we had rehearsed in an upstairs room of a pub and all I had was a tape recorder microphone plugged into an amp. The whole sound was so badly distorted and fed back so much that I took to singing in the lavatory adjacent to the room. Bizarre beginnings I know but everyone has to start some where, right? The band performed original material and as well as covering U2 and Cult numbers. We performed locally for a few years but despite attracting some interest and having potential it was never truly realised. Following a number of line up changes the band eventually split. I was 21 at the time and my voice had matured in those few years and I had become accustomed to the live scene and felt at home performing on stage.

I later joined 'Sweet Sanity' again performing original material but this time singing a soul / blues style that suited my voice a little more, even if it was in a jazz funk outfit loosely based upon the music of Jamiroquai. The band enjoyed some success but was moving in a musical direction that I couldn't wear, so having completed a gig at the Orange club in London I bid them farewell. They went on to win a minor record deal but faded away and never went on to achieve what I felt they could have.

In between all of this I had experienced the north east club circuit and what an experience it was. I spent a number of years hurtling up and down the north east playing clubs and I have always believed that if nothing else, the club scene provides musicians and performers with an education and exposure to large audiences. It was toward the end of my time performing at clubs when I performed at a private function in Middlesbrough. Following the gig the bass player informed me that Paul Rodgers sister had been present and gave him a glowing report of my vocal to 'Alright Now'. To say that I was humbled is an under statement and that one moment of praise has meant more to me over the years than anything else.

Aside from this I had a close encounter that could have led to bigger things which I will not bore you with, suffice to say I made a wrong call and didn't make the most of an opportunity that came to me unexpectedly. Opportunity never knocks twice.

In late 2007 the lure of performing live, and performing the music which first captured my imagination and inspired me led me to join Rebel Company. In doing so I am satisfying a personal goal that I have held in abeyance for some time, which is to play in a great band and sing songs that I truly love.

Final words of thanks to all of those who have helped shape me and make me what I am, you know who you are and without your support I may never have taken those first steps.