BAND

JOE ELLIOTT : LEAD VOCALS & GUITARS

Previous/other bands: Def Leppard, Cybernauts

Musical influences: Mott the Hoople, David Bowie, T.Rex, SAHB,AC/DC, Thin Lizzy

Gear used: Normandy Union Jack and Maltese Cross guitars

Started playing: My Mum showed me my first three chords when I was 8 and I never looked back! I wrote my first song six months later, subconsciously figuring out I would never be able/want to play widdly-widdly-woo type lead guitar, I was more than happy to have the limited ability just to have backing to my voice, which I've since learned is what all classic songwriters do! I've always enjoyed the writing process most of all.....

PAUL GUERIN - GUITAR

Previous/other bands: Red Dogs, Michael Schenker, The Clan, Bap Kennedy, Eartha Kitt, Tom Jones, The King, Cooley High, The Quireboys

Musical influences: Slade, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Rick Richards, UFO, Warner Hodges, Rod Stewart

Gear used: Marshall TSL 2000 head, Marshall 50w 900 Head, Marshall Vintage cabs, Blackstar Heads and cabs. Gibson Les Paul Customs, Gibson Les Paul Heritage 80 Series, Yamaha xp1500, Vintage V100MRPGM Lemon Drop, Vintage V52MRBS, Fender 77 Tele, Peavey Wolfgang, Bare Knuckle pick ups, MXR+Boss Pedals, Jim Dunlop 1mm picks, Scott Dixon cases, fingers 'n thumbs.

Started playing: 12 years old

GUY GRIFFIN - GUITAR

Previous/other bands: Feline Groove, Glimmer, The Quireboys

Musical influences: Stones, Beatles, Bowie, Mott, T-Rex, AC/DC, Queen, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders, NY Dolls, Iggy Pop

Gear used: Zemaitis, Gibson, Yamaha, Tokai guitars...amplify them with Blackstar, Orange Rocker 30, Hughes & Kettner Duotone, Peavey, Budda...but you can almost never go wrong with a Marshall!

Started playing: I started strumming on an acoustic when I was about 12...then really started with a band with friends at school at about 14.

DOWN 'N' OUTZ - THE BAND

Sometimes, the most interesting of projects arise from the most unusual of circumstances. So it is that the Down 'N Outz is a project fronted by Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, backed by The Quireboys and playing rare tracks connected only by Mott The Hoople....

Joe Elliott takes up the story, "When Mott The Hoople announced they were reforming for a week's worth of shows at the Hammersmith Odeon I was asked that I participate in some capacity. They've always been my favourite band and it's nice to see the rest of the rock world finally catch up and give them their due."

"But, what was I to do? It was suggested to me that the Quireboys would be up for offering their services. This was perfect! A fan since their first album, I loved the idea of working with a band as enthusiastic to do this as I was. I decided that the thing to do was play some songs that like-minded people thought they would never hear live again, if ever, songs by spin offs of Mott the Hoople - songs by Mott, Ian Hunter and British Lions. Songs that are close to my heart, songs that I've played every week for the best part of 35 years on record, cassette, CD, iPod and now live."

The Down 'N Outz supported Mott The Hoople at one of their legendary 2009 reformation shows at Hammersmith Odeon. In addition to Joe Elliott (Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards), the band featured The Quireboys' Paul Guerin (Guitar), Guy Griffin (Guitar), Keith Weir (keyboards) and Phil Martini (drums) and finally bassist Ronnie Garrity (Raw Glory) - who has since been replaced by Snake. Following a rapturous reception, the one night project took on a life and energy of its own and an album project was born.

Down 'N Outz then set about recording an album's worth of material. The album was produced by Joe Elliott with co-production by Ronan McHugh, and recorded at Joe Elliott's own studio, Joe's Garage, and Moor Hall studio in Bedfordshire.

The result, "MY RE-GENERATION", is the first part in a series of projects by the Down 'N Outz, including a forthcoming DVD of the Hammersmith Apollo performance.

SNAKE - BASS GUITAR

Previous/other bands: Owen Paul, The March Violets, Thunder, Coverdale/Page (albeit for 5 Minutes), John Fiddlers Medicine Head. Blues Rock Bands too numerous to mention.

Musical influences: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Free, Bob Dylan, Bad Co, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Boston, The Sex Pistols, Billy Idol to name a few. Almost anything from the seventies/eighties with a guitar in it is fair game for me. Its all about the songs as far as I'm concerned, I'm not interested in how many notes someone can play in ten seconds. I would rather listen to BB King play one!

Equipment: Aha, the technical bit! Right here goes. Ampeg SVT VR Head, Ampeg SVT 8x10 Cabinet, Bergantino 4x12 Cabinet, Samson Powerbrite PRO10, Line 6 G90 Wireless System, Korg DTR1000 Tuner, Marcus Miller M2 Preamp. 1963 Fender Precision Bass, 1960 Fender Jazz Bass, 1989 Gibson Thunderbirds (yes birds, I have two customised exactly the same, unlikely to be used in anger with The Down 'n' Outz though).

Started playing: I started playing guitar in 1975, started out on guitar as most bass players do, then swapped to bass around 1977, I remember it was Silver Jubilee year (God Save The Queen)! My first band covered everything from Supertramp and Genesis, to Eddie and the Hot Rods and The Pistols and most things in between. It was an enjoyable, yet steep learning curve.

KEITH WEIR - KEYBOARDS

Previous/other bands: The Quireboys, Spike and Friends, Bap Kennedy (Ex-Energy Orchard), The King and lots of session work over the years.

Musical influences: The Rolling Stones, The Faces, Mott The Hoople, Ian Hunter, Slade, Queen, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Elton John, The Georgia Satellites, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, AC/DC, Def Leppard...way too many to mention!!

Equipment: Clavia Nord, Korg, Yamaha and Roland digital pianos, Peavey amps.

Started playing: I started playing piano at the age of six, been in bands since I was about thirteen and turned professional when I was 21. Paul and myself have been in various bands together for over 16 years.

PHIL MARTINI - DRUMS

Previous/other bands: Tokyo Dragons, Quireboys / The Union

Musical influences: Early Eighties Rock/Pop, 70's Heavy Rock/Blues/Punk, Eddie Cochran, savage Drummers

Gear used: BIG drums! BIG Paiste cymbals! Aquarian heads, Vic Firth sticks, Cowbells and.....fuzzy dice

Started playing: around the age of 6, I made a drum kit from stuff around the house. Armed with a cassette/radio player, I drummed away to the Top 40 and any records I had. Started lessons shortly before 10th birthday. My first concert was the Buddy Rich Big Band, at the Royal Festival Hall.