Charlie Ainley, Rick Worthy, Simon Fraser and Lucy Forwood are an updated version of Charlie and The Wideboys - fondly remembered today by attentive ‘pub rock’ scholars - but now with an added extra wideness.….

Stripped down to an acoustic unplugged trio, they are still making arresting and vital music with the same personal touch they had as the classic guitar based English rock & roll band which arrived in London during the summer 1973. They have influences from the blues with a hefty nod to traditional Country and Western music and originally pioneered what has since become the archetypal power pop image of skinny ties and tight trousers - with a bunch of good songs.

Loads of new songs now litter their present repertoire and their inevitable maturity brings a more considered dimension to the sound. All the good tracks through the years can still be found on You Tube, together with the newer unplugged stuff and now’s the time to catch this seminal band and  hear their upfront, passionate music.

    And Then

Charlie and The Wideboys were formed in St.Keyne, Liskeard in 1973 and became one the best known ambassadors for Cornish rock’n’roll to emerge in the flurry of ‘Pub Rock.’ This dodgy term for English guitar based music of that era hid loads of original talent and great songwriting by a band that’s only now being appreciated for the many levels of musicality and influence they had between them.

Fronted by Charlie Ainley they were given extra width by the twin guitars of Simon Fraser and Richard Worthy, both of whom had previously been part of Footsbarn Theatre. In fact the band spent time rehearsing in the very barn used by the actors before they left for ten years of roaming the world bringing original theatre to all five continents.

Charlie and The Wideboys were signed to Anchor Records in 1974 and went on to tour the UK supporting bands such as  Shaking Steven and the Sunsets, Sqeeze, Dr Feelgood, Slade and many others.

Driven by the rhythm section of Nigel Chappell and Angus ‘Foxy’ Fox and augmented by the harmony vocals of Greg Phillips, the Wideboys were the first band to cut records in the legendary Sawmills Studios at Golant, produced by Tony Cox, and played regular rockin’ gigs at Liskeard Public Hall and Tideford Legion Hall that are still talked about by the hundreds who saw them in their wild and youthful early days.

After Angus Fox left, the drum stool was taken over by Andy MacDonald and later, Guy Evans.

Now they have regrouped and are back to four members with an ‘unplugged' style that brings life and maturity to material that still captures the romance and humour of their past.