Bryan Thomson  Lead Vocals and Guitar Bryan was born on 8 March 1955 in Farsley, Yorkshire. He and Stu Page go way back, having attended- the same school in their home town. They heard music on records and wanted to play like that, learning their instruments purely by ear. Bryan's main musical influences are The Hollies, The Beatles, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Simon and Garfunkel (His favourite song being "Bridge Over Troubled Water") and of course The Eagles, who he has admired since 1976. He enjoys listening to and singing any music involving harmony vocals - from The Everly Brothers to The Kings Singers and choirs! Bryan recalls the first song he ever performed - "Call Up the Groups"! He has appeared on Yorkshire TV in 1979 with acoustic outfit Steamboat. Bryan joined the original Remuda, back again with his old pal Stu, and then started a twelve-year stint in bluegrass band Hired Hands. Bryan reliably informs us that "Remuda" is a term for the change of horses on a cattle ride - well, we learn something every day! Which brings me neatly to the fact that although originally trained as an engineer, Bryan has worked most of his adult life as a teacher. He was amused recently at a B'EAGLES gig when two of the lads he used to teach turned up out of curiosity. 'They were gobsmacked - they just couldn't picture a teacher doing this - they must think we were locked away in a closet after school hours are over!" Outside of music his strengths and interests hark back to his engineering past. Bryan is considered good at building things - renovating cars, houses etc. He has a particular interest in steam locomotives. He still lives in Yorkshire with his wife Christine and has a son, Iain.

Andy Whelan  Lead guitar and harmony vocals Born of high-achieving parents (ex- European Champions in roller skating, no less!) Andy is an experienced professional musician whose association with Stu Page (both in the Stu Page Band and duo work) is well-known on the British country music circuit. Throughout his life he has also enjoyed a close musical association with his brother Shaun, who now manages the B 'EAGLES. In fact at the age often it was his admiration and envy of Shaun's playing which prompted Andy to pick up a guitar and learn it. Together Andy and Shaun formed a band. Prairie Wind, which stayed together for five years. At the tender ages of 12 and 14 they were opening for famous artists such as The Stylistics at the legendary Batley Variety Club, and The Dooleys at The Theatre Club, Wakefield. The group eventually folded because Shaun joined a rock outfit whereas Andy pursued his love of country music, forming his own band. He joined rockabillies The Reverbs in 1983, which changed its name to Toy Box. In late 1985 Andy joined Stu Page's Remuda and thus began the stunning musical marriage of these two sublimely skilled lead guitarists, soon to front The Stu Page Band and the B'Eagles. Andy's recording credits are many, having played on tracks and albums by Suzi Quatro, Cynthia Lennon, Julie Matthews, The Dean Brothers, and Smokie singers Chris Norman and Al Barton. It is Andy's voice you hear shouting "Who the**** is Alice" on the recent Smokie re-make, and serious music buffs may also be surprised to hear that he has played on every hit by Black Lace\ He has appeared on CMTV on video's with Stu and also with Chris Norman. When asked about life on the road, Andy responds "It's all I've ever done, I don't know anything else" but his major interest outside music is "being a Dad" to his two small girls Erin and Ebony.

Colin Gibb Bass guitar &  harmony vocals on 'Unplugged'  Born in Leeds on 8 December 1953, Colin attended Moor Grange School, where he first started playing music "to get out of going outside when it was raining!" at the age of 14. Originally playing tambourine (he liked the drums but couldn't afford a drum kit!) he then took two strings off 'an electric guitar to play bass! Colin's main claim to (real) fame is that he is one half of the duo Black Lace, who (then a four-piece) represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with a song called "Mary Ann". They went on as a duo to have major party hits with classics such as "Superman", "Agadoo" "Do the Conga", "Hokey Cokey" and "Music Man" to name but a few! Colin takes up the story: "When we first started recording, like most people we wanted to release a "classic" record. We didn't know then the type of classic we would have on our hands with "Agadoo", but there you go! I've been in Black Lace for the past 24 years. Did you know that in the UK our biggest- selling album "Party Party" sold 600,000 in four weeks and went double platinum - it sold more than any Oasis album!" Colin first met Stu and Bryan in the early '70s and played in Stu's first band Grit. He met Shaun and Andy Whelan in the mid-'70s and Shaun became sound engineer for Black Lace in the 1980's. In Black Lace Colin plays lead guitar, and says he hasn't actually played bass live (his first love, instrumentally speaking) for thirteen years! However, having heard his work with the B'EAGLES Unplugged I simply think he must be having us all on! Musical snobs might be inclined to dismiss the unashamed bubble-gum party pop Colin has performed for most of his life, but this is one ace musician-just listen to his intricate bass lines accompanying the classic guitar duet on "Hotel California" - this guy can really play! When asked about hobbies, Colin tells me he has a considerable collection of guitars. He also has two children - Chelsea is eight, and Tony was born on 9 April 1999! "You could say they're my hobby at the moment!"

Ian Hawkins  Bass and Harmony Vocals Ian was born on 17 May 1966 in Newport (which he asserts was not in Wales at the time!) He has enjoyed a lifelong interest in music starting with piano lessons at the age of seven, although he lost interest a little when puberty raised it's confusing head! When Ian was fourteen John Lennon was tragically shot in New York and as a tribute to him, "Help" was shown on TV. lan, who hadn't really heard a lot of The Beatles before, was suddenly hooked - and once he worked out what a bass guitar did, it took off from there! He saved his pocket money and bought his first bass at the age of seventeen. After some lessons his first gig was at nineteen. "We did two or three heavy rock songs with no drummer - well, they were rock ballads and the only songs we knew - three of us at a county fair playing on the grass". The trio gigged a little and were almost signed to MCA. Then lan attended Leeds Music College on a jazz and contemporary music course, eventually gaining a First in his chosen subjects! It was at music college that he also learned drums ("I've always been a bit obsessed with percussion") and lead guitar. A spell with a band called Big J and the Piccolo Chickens was followed by some time as a roadie, some sound engineering, teaching music workshops and work with songwriters. lan finally "got serious" in 1996, joining the Musicians Union and becoming a professional freelance musician. lan is still single and his main interest (nay, obsession, apparently!) outside of music is motor racing. He also enjoys cooking Chinese, Indian and Italian food. One of the oddest things he has ever done is to cart a heap of wood to London on a lorry, take it to a giant basin on the River Thames, build it into an Eagle-like bird shape, pack it with fireworks and set it alight! When asked why, he's not really sure! But he was paid for it

 

Stu Page  Lead Guitars and vocals A legendary guitarist famed on the British and international country music scene for many years, Stu brings to the band a wealth of experience, breathtaking guitar playing and superb vocals. Born 12 May 1954, Stuart Page started playing guitar at the age of 10 along with his long-time friend Bryan Thomson. They started out at school and formed rock 'n' roll band Grit. "We played universities, working men's' clubs, everything. The material was '50s and early '60s rock and roll - but then we got too clever, trying to be Pink Floyd - that probably killed it! At one point we must have sounded like the first punk band!" In 1973 Stu emigrated to the USA. He played one year with a country act. The Warren Wilkinson Band, playing the college circuit, but they came across the major drawback of the long summer vacation when work was scarce. Next, Stu played in a soul band on the NY Eastern seaboard, along with some famous musicians including the keyboard player from Vanilla Fudge. Performing in US nightclubs and discos was a great learning experience, but he was obliged to return to the UK in 1976 after work permit problems. He worked with the band Midnight Flyer for two years, playing rock music. Back home, the new wave/punk movement was all the rage, but Stu decided to go back to country music and formed his own band Remuda, early incarnation of The Stu Page Band, legends of the British country circuit. Many will remember Stu's appearances on CMTV (Country Music Television), with such numbers as "Can't Sing the Blues" and "Pickin" at the Speed of Light", accompanied by the band including Andy Whelan and Pete Shand. "It was quite a good time for us" Stu continues, "We'd won best band awards three or four times, and countless awards around Europe. But more recently the market changed, original song writing was no longer in fashion in this country". Stu's track record as a musician is long and distinguished. To name but a few, he and the Stu Page band have worked with Ricky Scaggs, Kris Kristofferson, James House, Jim Glaser, Bobby Bare, Billie Jo Spears, Gail Davies and Carl Perkins. In British Country he has produced albums for lona & Andy and The Haleys. He composed the music for "A Brush With Ashley" on Yorkshire TV, and also plays mandolin and "a bit of fiddle". He is learning the piano "picking it up as I go". When asked about his experiences over the years as a guitarist and singer, like many full-time musicians Stu reckons he could write a book! His favourite quotation comes from the British Country Music Awards ceremony at Pebble Mill Studios a couple of years ago which he and Andy attended due to their nomination in five categories. David Allen of the BBC had been chatting to Martina McBride from the States about her new baby, followed by a satellite-linked interview with Willie Nelson in Nashville. After this David turned to his co-presenter and said "Well Martina, I bet you like Willie, don't you?"

 

Shaun Whelan  Manager, sound, lights and show production Although not an actual player in this band, Shaun definitely warrants a mention for the hard work he puts into promotion, sound quality, and ensuring THE B'EAGLE stage presentation is absolutely spot-on. It was Shaun who lured his brother Andy into playing guitar (and look how that turned out!) and played in their first band Prairie Wind. A bass player, Shaun also was in an outfit named Whitticombe Fair which actually won on the TV talent show "Opportunity Knocks"! Educated mainly at The University of Life, Shaun then went into tour management and concert production, for a diverse cross-section of Northern bands. When asked if he's ever been on TV, Shaun gets very sheepish - farther interrogation reveals that he appears on Top of The Pops with party pop band Black Lace - disguised as a pineapple!

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