Mark begun his drumming career on the UK rockabilly scene in the late 80s with Birmingham based trio Wicked Whiskey before joining the Big Town Playboys in 1993. Mark has worked with Mike ever since those days while also being involved with other big names on the live rock'n'roll/blues circuit including tours with James Hunter, Paul Ansell's No.9, The Jive Romero's (backing artists such as Charlie Gracie) and Ian Parker/Parkers Alibi. He currently also performs with rockabilly trio the Drugstore Cowboys.

During his years with the Big Town Playboys, Mark was involved in many festivals and tours throughout Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway sometimes backing artists like the legendary Little Willie Littlefield. Back in England Mark was also the drummer on most of the support slots during Eric Claptons Royal Albert Hall blues nights. Studio work has included sessions for Jeff Beck and Chrissie Hynde and Indi-roots rock project Mitzi as well as several albums with different bands most notably nearly all of Mike's previous albums since 1993.

Click here to visit Mark on MySpace!

Twenty five year-old Oliver Darling first picked up the guitar at the age of 10. His family played a major role in influencing young Oli-- his father was heavily into blues music, and his uncle was a drummer. Ol' Uncle knew a lot of musicians in the area, which lead to Darling forming bands with the said musicians!

Darling first learnt of Mike Sanchez and the Big Town Playboys when he was just 15 years old.
Darling says, "He [Mike] always sounded and looked great, completely different from all the other guys around."

Darling kept playing with his own band, the Bluetits, and ended up supporting Elecric Leg, which was made up of Ex-King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boys, and also Portions' bass player, Al Gare. He also did a year with The Cadillac Kings. A couple of years later, Gare formed a band called Palookaville!, a trashy instrumental outfit, in which Darling still plays guitar.

Click here to visit Oli on MySpace!

The Late 80's were spent cutting his teeth on the visionary Band "Sgt Bilkos Crazy Combo" with whom he cut a track for the "Stompin at the Klubfoot " series No 5.
departing Al spent the nineties touring the world, recording, and making several TV and radio appearances with the highly acclaimed rhythm and blues band King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys. After performing with them on over 1,500 occasions and recording several studio and live albums he finally called it a day and decided to go freelance in February 2001. Al's travels have taken him from the West Coast of the States to the northern tip of Russia, playing most major cities in Europe and headlining top festivals at home and abroad. Trips to America have included a university tour of New York state, Dan Ackroyd's House of Blues Club in Boston, The Brown Derby in Hollywood, shows in San Jose, San Francisco and Scottsdale, Arizona.

Frequent tours of central Europe have seen him playing hundreds of gigs at major venues and festivals in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Holland (the North Sea Festival along side a host of top American artists and The Paradiso Club), Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland (with Ray Charles) and Ireland (eight years at the Cork Festival). The early nineties saw him cross the border from a tour of Norway into (pre-breakup) Russia where he headlined the Arctic Blues Festival, which was broadcast live on Russian TV.

Back home Al has performed virtually everywhere in the British Isles! Highlights have been hometown gigs at the Symphony Hall, (support to BB King), The Alexandra Theatre (support act to the late Cab Calloway) and the NEC main arena. Ronnie Scott's club in London and Birmingham, regular appearances at top London venues; The 100 Club, The Mean Fiddler, The Dublin Castle and The Jazz Cafe', The 1994 Brit Awards at The Alexandra Palace, two appearances at the Reading Festival; the SECC in Glasgow; headlining various festivals and supporting the likes of Jools Holland, Georgie Fame and Alan Price; two major concerts sharing the bill with the original Blues Brothers Band and several Theatre tours of the UK.

BACKIN' THE STARS! Al has also joined various 'stars' on stage including the Guitar Legend Bobby Parker, Roy Wood and Steve Gibbons, and one memorable night in Newport, Wales, the legendary Van Morrison appeared with the band for a couple of songs. Al is also the Bass player for the Rhythm Riot Kings of Rhythm who back US stars when playing in the UK. These include: Chuck Rio; The Bobettes; The Medallions; Jimmy McCracklin; Big Jay McNeeley; The 5 Keys; Wanda Jackson; H-Bomb Ferguson; Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Roddy Jackson, Hank Thompson, Joe Houston, Jimmy Cavello; Frankie Ford; Lazy Lester; Hardrock Gunter; Frankie Miller; Big Al Downing; Billy Lee Riley; Shirley Gunter, Roy Gaines, Warren Storm, Little Willie Littlefield, Young Jessie, The Cleftones and Louis Lymon and The Teenagers.

Al is also the Bass player with Bands such as Palookaville ( late 50s - early 60s trashy RnR instrumentals with Al on Bass Guitar!)The Giant Killers ( Blues Guitarist James O?Hara), Basehart (Pete Williams ex Dexy?s Midnight Runners) He did a brief stint in the Internationally known British Blues band The Nightporters playing festivals all over europe until finally settling into The Wonderful Imelda May Band and The Mike Sanchez Band (The Rhythm Kings/Big Town Playboys) with whom he has travelled extensively throughout, and was joined on stage by Bill Wyman to play four numbers early 2002 .

Recording-wise, Al has appeared on several albums with the Biscuit Boys and also recorded tracks with the late blues legend Charles Brown. More recently he has recorded the highly acclaimed Blue Boy album with Mike Sanchez. another with the Giant Killers and a mini Album with Basehart,not to mention the best selling Album by "PALOOKAVILLE!" Radio appearances have included sessions for the Paul Jones show and live gigs broadcast on BBC Radio 2 & 3 and various American, French and Dutch stations.

http://www.algare.moonfruit.com
or check out his ass kickin' new band at:
http://www.palookavillehq.com