I was bought up listening to my mum and dad's old records and particularly my dad who's two favourites were Gene Vincent and the Everley brothers.

As I got older I listened too 50's & 60's music alongside the music of the day which was Glam Rock! The thing I thought strange was that they were all playing songs by Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, and Elvis, so it didn't seem strange for me too listen too this music as well as all the classic stuff that my parents had. It was easy to draw a line from say Gene Vincent in the late 50's Boy meets girl image etc... too say Alvin Stardust. I mean take a look at a picture of Alvin in the 70's and God bless him Gene would have slayed him, it was a direct copy.

So I was listening to all this stuff and then one of my mate's who I'd not seen over the summer holiday's comes to school with a DA, I mean what the hell! The next thing all the boys in school are either Ted's or Punks, and there was no way I wanted to look like a punk, so I was a TED and proud of it.

We spent about a year going to as may gigs as possible and also the Caister weekenders (which in my opinion are still the wildest that there have ever been). Then I started to think about playing guitar like Elvis! I thought if he could get all the girls in his film's by playing guitar maybe it could work for me! So with a load of nagging and pleading to my mum and dad, I got my first guitar for Christmas 1979. I think I also got the first Stray Cats single but I'm not sure, I know that I tried to play along to it that holiday and almost gave up there and then, but obviously I didn't and I'm still playing 26 years latter!!!!!!

I've always been more of a rhythm player than lead, but got fed up being let down by lead guitarist's in the past so learnt to pick a bit and now I get by doing that. I'll never be a great guitarist like say Eddie Cochran, Brian Setzer, Darrel Higham or Marco Di Maggio, but I can accompany myself and keep a strong thing going so that does for me.

We've been very lucky with the band over the year's and had the very great pleasure of working with some of my all time Rockabilly and Rock n Roll hero's including Gene Vincent's original Blue Caps, Jerry Merritt,

We've also had the pleasure of working with Graham Fenton, Darrel Higham, Steve Aynsley, Peter Davenport, Boz Borrer. and many others.

We have supported lots of top class acts all over the world including Bill Haily's Comets, Robert Gordon, Tenpole Tudor, The Pogues, The Housemartins (they supported us)!!!!!!! and many others.

My taste in music is very varied but I like anything that sounds real and honest. That's why I can never listen to this dance crap that's played all the time.

My favourites are all the greats like Elvis, Gene, Eddie & Buddy ect... I love all forms of Rock n Roll music weather it was recorded in the 50's or the present day. I will always be the biggest fan of Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats, The Jets, Polecats & of course Shakey. And all the other band's that got our music into the charts in the early 80's. I truly think for the last time.

Dave is the newest member of the band. I think he's about the 9th drummer that we have had! and no the others did not spontaneously combust, they just left! Dave's been playing drums for about 15 years now and started out with the band "The Untamed" and then took over drumming duties with the platinum selling, award winning "One track mind"! He's most recently just finished a stint with "The Night Shakers". A very popular band on the circuit. Dave brings to the band a vast knowledge of Rockabilly/Rock n Roll music and like us is an avid collector of records. He can now be heard with the Sundowners at all of our gig's and will be in the stuido soon recording our next album.

Brandon comes to us after a successful stint on drums with "Midnight Shift" a popular Rockin band from Hastings. We are very happy that he's chosen to join the band and brings with him a youthful enthusiasm that is much needed amongst us old lags!!! Welcome my friend!

"The Sundowners originally started life as a three piece rock n roll band playing anywhere and everywhere", "and not a lot has changed really"

Lee formed the Sundowners in 1988 after starting the very successful Neo Rockabilly band "The Rapids", after various members of this band either moved abroad or were looking in other musical directions, he decided to start a giging band with 2 mates from the same area Andy Bray on Bass, and Robin Scottow on Drums.

After my band "The Rapids" split in 86 I kinda left the band idea for a while although I was still writing songs and doing the odd gig I just never seemed to be able to get a band off the ground.

In 88 I was asked to play drums for a one off gig too back Ronnie Dawson with a mate's band "Dragstip Trio" that went well and I was asked to join as drummer! I had played drums as my instrument years before. It didn't take long too get back into the swing of it.

This was going well for about 6 months then that band folded and myself and the bass player (Andy Bray) found ourselves out of a job.

We needed a drummer and so we did a quick scout round of mates and 2 volunteers were found too audition. The first was Phil who was a great drummer but could only play on the on beat! This was not a good start!

So that's how the band was formed. This line up stayed together on and off for over 12 years, really with the only change being Andy left a couple of times due too his increasing family, and guitarist's again coming and going!

I then took over guitar playing duties with various band's including "Bob and the Bearcats" "One Track Mind" "The Riveras" and Good Rockin tonite.

After a while I was missing being my own boss and decided to start the band up again. Andy and Rob had now got family's and a life! so it meant finding new personnel.

I'd bumped into Nick Hoadly for years when he was in the succesfull band "Fractured" and I was with "the Rapids" we then played together when I joined Bob and the Bearcats and also in "One Track Mind" and we'd remained friends since, so I asked him too play bass which was a great start, but again it was the drummer situation.

I advertised and found a couple of guys that were keen, but they weren't really up too the challenge. One was a social club player, and the other was in to death metal!!!!!!

After what seemed like months of rehearsal we had our first gig down in Devon it went well and everybody seemed to enjoy it, it has really gone from strength too strength from there.

The sound has really evolved over the last 2 years for the better I hope, and were now approaching what I've always wanted "a band that can play too anybody".