DJ Interviews Portobello Express

Hey there guys DJ Dizzy here & I met a band who call themselves Portobello Express as they share their musical beginnings.

How'd you get started in music?

 

Happy Betty: I come from a family where music always played a huge role. At 8 I started studying piano and I officially joined my first band at 16 as backing vocalist. At 20 I had my own soul band; meanwhile I started playing bass in other bands. I never stopped since then. I don’t even remember in how many bands I played in, both as singer and as bassist.

 Special thanks to them for doing this interview & much luck in their musical career. So until then I'll catch you on the flipside! Stay awesome & rock n roll!

Patrick Slowhand: I started playing guitar at the age of 14. I was driven by the idea of playing in a band like The Who, the Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones. At 17 I joined a local sixties R’N’B band called The Jaybirds. The rest is history you will find on Wikipedia!

 

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

 

HB: as singer, Gospel, Blues and Soul are my musical background. My vocal coach for 5 years long was an Afro-American gospel singer from Chicago. But I am very much into the West Coast psychedelic sound,too. My inspirations: Grace Slick, Sandy Danny, Tina Turner just to name a few.  As bassist, I like it as hard & heavy as possible: from psych rock to proto metal I am always on board for it!

 

PS: I am influenced by the British R’n’B & Blues boom and by the British invasion; I’m also into psych and heavy rock.

 

 

What advice would offer aspiring performers?

 

It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. Nevermind if you don’t make a living with the music; be always highly professional, be straight, improve yourself every day. Don’t sell yourself short but also avoid becoming presumptuous. Stay committed to your decisions but stay flexible in your approach. And stay genuine!

 

 

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

 

We all come from different musical styles: psych & hard rock, R’n’B, sixties pop, garage. Portobello Express sound is a very special blend of all this. So, if you enjoy solid vintage and retro melodies, we are the band for you. In addition, the lyrics are peculiar: ironic- to some extent sarcastic- and no love songs in store for the moment.

 

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

 

Due to the world pandemic situation, we haven’t planned any future show yet. We will enter soon the recording studio for a couple of songs we wrote during the lockdown. If money allows, more tracks are to come.

 

Special thanks to them for this interview & lots of luck to them & his music so until then I'll catch you on The Flipside! Stay Awesome & rock n roll!