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The Riverhead Slide Story - Part 5

March 2013
Interview contributed by Steve Wigglesworth
Edited by Sean McCarthy
Part Five.

A wry comment in an Auckland Blues Club newsletter highlighted the fact that the upcoming gig at the Riverhead Pub was actually our fourth gig in as many months since we had played “Riverhead Slide’s absolutely last, final performance... ever!” at the Masonic Tavern in May 2012.

It was a great night at the Masonic with our loyal band of supporters and a good turnout of ex-sliders including Mike Richards and Darren Hogwood from Tasmania showing up.
Not many knew what was behind my decision to bring down the curtain on Riverhead Slide.

But there had been a pretty good reason for calling it quits.
My specialist had reminded me earlier in the year about impending internal things that hadn’t been dealt with and that now was the time.
He quietly mentioned to me that he thought - and this was confirmed by a CT scan - that I only had a matter of months to live.
And another operation may not even be possible.
This was confirmed by a second specialist at North Shore hospital.
But I had been in this position before and didn’t want to kick up too much of a fuss.
I wasn’t scared of dying (lots of people do it) but I was a bit scared of never playing my music again.

The Riverhead Slide Story - Part 4

March 2013
Interview contributed by Steve Wigglesworth
Edited by Sean McCarthy
Part Four.

I took some time out for work in England (and to recover from the DVD) returning to New Zealand in July 2009 to fulfill band bookings including the Bay of Islands and Waiheke Jazz & Blues festivals.
But I was sick.
I was dragged off to hospital in August and then in October 2009 for the surgery that put me out of action for weeks.

The band battled on bravely and played gigs without me including the Bay of Islands, even adding new material for Gael and replacing Richard Hall (who had quit the Slide ride) with Mike Jensen on keys.

My comeback gig was at the Whangamata Jazz & Blues Festival six weeks after my surgery, just a shadow of my former self and with the knowledge that I could look forward to more surgery further on up the road.
We played on.

The Riverhead Slide Story - Part 3

February 2013
Interview contributed by Steve Wigglesworth
Edited by Sean McCarthy
Part Three.

In 2001 we made “Slidin’ Blues” - our first serious recordings on tape in a remote Coromandel studio, with six originals included.
This recording is now thankfully, a collectors item and out of print.
All copies have been recalled with an amnesty still in force.

Riverhead Slide were beginning to enjoy a reasonable following as a result of Jazz and Blues Festivals which were starting to become popular around the country.
The four-piece received invitations to the Bay of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival (Riverhead Slide made eleven appearances from 2001 - 2012), Mission Bay Streetfest and Wine and Food festivals.
Trouble though, was again around the corner.

It was at the 2003 Bay of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival that Darren Hogwood spotted Kelly, the girl of his dreams, and immediately ran away to Tasmania with her - and Riverhead Slide became a three-piece.
Luckily we had already put down some tracks with Darren for a possible second CD. I was feeling particularly creative around this time and wrote more tunes - Married to the Blues, It Ain’t So Bad, So Over You, Naked Blues, Someone Else’s Baby, Midlife Crisis Blues, Te Arai Blues, Don’t Forget About him, Why Don’t You, Hush My Mouth.
And the album “Married to the Blues” was recorded with the help of Aron Neale out at at WildRecords, Howick, in June 2002.
Three original compositions featured.