Simon RushworthBlack Eyed Sons call time on a successful 2025 this weekend with a year-ending show at London’s Underworld. Rushonrock caught the band having a blast on Tyneside…
A change is as good as a rest
Black Eyed Sons are a band revived, refreshed and in rude health right now. Time’s a great healer and Quireboys alumni Guy Griffin, Paul Guerin, Keith Weir and Pip Mailing have rarely sounded so compelling. With Guerin’s former Red Dogs buddy Mick Young drafted in on bass, five men on a mission ripped through a setlist featuring choice cuts from swaggering debut Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits, a nod to their days with Joe Elliott’s Down N Outz and a choice cover or two. Smiles as wide as the Tyne, new songs wrapped in 70s cool and a sense of freedom paced one of the shows of the year. Heading to The Underworld this weekend? You’re in for a treat!
Black Metal Eyed Sons…
What on earth do you do when you arrive in the North East and realise the tools of your trade are stuck hundreds of miles away? When it suddenly dawned on Weir that someone had forgotten to pack his keyboard essentials, the call went out to the region’s famously accommodating music community — and black metal royalty stepped in! Winterfylleth keysman, Arð founder and Rushonrock fave Mark Deeks came to the rescue with a full package of essential support and ‘Keeeeeeith’ was good to go. A vintage performance from the understated Ulsterman threatened to bring the house down — we can neither confirm nor deny that talks have taken place to record an Arð/Black Eyed Sons split flexi single. Watch this space.
This is how true rock and roll vets roll
It often gets lost in the mists of rock and roll time that Griffin, Guerin and Weir are cornerstones of Elliott’s much-missed glam rock side hustle Down N Outz. As Def Leppard continue to enjoy a stadium-busting Indian Summer, opportunities to revive their frontman’s favourite guilty pleasure are few and far between. That Griffin and co. have taken it upon themselves to revisit 2019’s This Is How We Roll is cause for considerable celebration — the title track from Down N Outz’ first record of originals was a true Cluny highlight. Here’s hoping Joe finds time for a fresh run of live shows with Down N Outz sometime soon. By the way, Rushonrock’s breakout star of 2025, Bobbie Dazzle, would be the perfect special guest. Just saying…
Rushonrock’s PG tip
Unsure where to stand at this weekend’s Underworld gig? We’d suggest bagging a space slap bang in front of fired-up six stringer Guerin. Perhaps it was the presence of fellow Red Dog Young, the sight of a bunch of friends and family out front or the chance to play a load of songs he’d written and recorded for Black Eyed Sons’ sparkling debut but there was something going on with the Blyth-born guitarist… in a good way. Guerin revelled in the heavy blues, glam and dirty rock and roll sound that’s become synonymous with the Sons — his slide was sensational on Louder and that solo on Your True Colours? Wow. Just wow. Could Guerin’s new lease of life be somehow linked to time spent back in the saddle? Unconfirmed sightings of him cycling along the banks of the Tyne were the talk of a sensational Cluny homecoming…Â
