Darrel Higham

Higham started playing lead guitar with UK Rockabilly bands in the late 80s. By the middle part of the next decade he had created the band that would become his main gigging and recording project - Darrel Higham & The Enforcers. Although The Enforcers would go on to become one of the most popular UK Rockabilly bands of their time, it was Higham's solo projects that would get him far greater recognition: Session work as guitarist with the likes of Chrissie Hynde, Jeff Beck, Rocky Burnette, Billy Lee Riley, Shakin' Stevens (on the 1999 UK tour). Eddie Cochran's last road band - The Kelly Four - employed Higham as their front man for a 6 month period in 1992 for gigs and recordings in the US. In 1996, he also appeared in London's Prince Of Wales Theatre playing the role of Scotty Moore and Eddie Cochran for 8 months in a revival of Jack Good's Elvis: The Musical. This would lead to further roles as Eddie Cochran in touring theatre shows around the UK for a couple of years afterwards.

He also co-designed The Rockingham semi-acoustic guitar for the giant Peavey company (that also endorsed him and the band). Higham is widely regarded in Rockabilly circles around the world as one of the finest and most original guitarists of his generation.

Higham and author Julie Mundy co-wrote the first biography ever released on Higham's main musical inspiration and influence - Eddie Cochran. "Don't Forget Me - The Eddie Cochran Story" was published through Mainstream Publications in 2000. In 2002 he started a long-running working relationship with UK Rock 'n' Roll indie record label, Foot Tapping Records. This saw numerous releases from an already prolific recording band. Higham would often release up to three CDs a year, as either solo or Enforcer CDs. His work as a session guitarist on other artists releases is far too numerous to mention, but probably goes into a three-figure number!

This partnership would see the creation of Embassy Studios, a 16 track analogue recording studio near Basingstoke. Higham now spends most of his time working there as in-house producer/session guitarist/engineer. Often recording all the instruments for artists such as Carlos Mejuto, Colin Evans, Alan Mills, etc, to simply record their vocals onto the finished tracks.

He branched out into the world of record labels back in the late 90s with his solo CD, Ghost Of Love - a 12 track CD of all self composed tunes - that was released on his own label, Hunka Burnin'. This short-lived label was in partnership with Julie Mundy. In 2007, along with Foot Tapping Records boss, Clive Duffin, Higham set up Ambassador Records. The purpose of this label was to encourage young and established UK Rockabilly artists that were wanting to experiment with modernising the music.

In 2005, Higham began working with legendary Stray Cats drummer, Slim Jim Phantom. This pairing would arguably create Higham's finest work - the 12 track CD Kat Men. A powerful and modern-sounding release, the Stray Cats influence is surprisingly not to the fore, however - it is all Higham. Showing where previous CDs had almost in proving he was up for the task of creating moments of Rockabilly genius, this CD, out of everything he has recorded, perfectly sums up Higham's apparent Rockabilly philosophy: A perfect blend of old and new influences; Aggression by the bucketful and containing some of the best songs Higham has written to date. The following is just one of the many excellent reviews it received: Stray Cat stand-up drummer (super) Slim Jim and UK Rockabilly hero Darrel Higham unite their considerable powers and rustle up some good old Rockin' for you to enjoy tonight and many a night after. Mixing classics ('Domino', 'C'mon Everybody', 'Big River') with Higham originals (including 'Jumpin’ With Gene', a younger brother to the Cats earlier 'Gene And Eddie') it follows a similar template to Sergeant Setzer’s mob, namely trad 'Billy that's been brought up streetwise and so roars right into the modern age with the bhp of a Sherman tank in the sleek body of a T-Bird. Jim’s kit is as slim as the man himself, yet you'd never tell. Directly opposite, Higham’s guitar is exquisite, busy but not intrusive, and could easily sheer the sheen from Setzer's strings, solid silver and good as gold as they are. On 'A Heartache I Can't Bare' his lingering licks are like Salma Hayek mixing cocktails in a dimly lit Palm Springs lounge and on the sun-burning swing of 'You Shouldn't Have Said That' even the biggest 'Billy hater would be barn dancing 'n' boppin'. Bring it on. Right on. Stu Gibson

The CD was self-released and recorded at Guns 'n' Roses guitarist, Gilby Clarke's studio in Los Angeles (Clarke also produced the CD) in early 2006. It deserved a major label release, but had significant impact on the worldwide Rockabilly scene to bolster Higham's already huge reputation. The pair continue to sporadically tour the UK and Europe.

An overview of Higham's career is difficult mainly due to his constant desire to push boundaries in a small musical genre. Some recording collaborations have worked wonderfully well: His four CDs with Welsh Rockabilly hero, John Lewis, under the guise of Johnny Bach & The Moonshine Boozers are incredible fun and rock like the clappers! His late 90s release with Johnny Burnette's son, Rocky, for the UK label Rockstar (entitled Hip Shakin' Baby) was sublime. Of course, he has released many of his own fine Rockabilly recordings - Ghost Of Love, High Class Baby, Urban Jamboree, A Monochrome Dream, Kat Men - but has been involved with some truly awful CDs along the way as well. Not everything works, however his desire to experiment has led him to cover almost every aspect of his chosen genre, be it modern-sounding or authentic 50s, and makes his continued efforts always more than worthy of a listen. He has rarely dabbled with other forms of music, preferring to stay faithful to Rockabilly, and in doing so has doomed himself to commercial failure. But his massive contribution to Rockabilly will arguably be seen in years to come as one of the most outstanding efforts this music has ever seen.

DARREL HIGHAM TRIVIA:

He is married to Dublin songstress, Imelda May, and plays lead guitar in her band.

Higham is a massive supporter of Sunderland football club.

His Border Collie, Alfie apparently goes to every recording session!

In 2007 he played lead guitar on 60s actress Fenella Fielding's CD for Savoy Records. Probably the most bizarre recording session Higham has ever done, he put Rockabilly licks into surreal choices such as Robbie Williams Angels and New Order's Blue Monday, not to mention other tracks originally recorded by the likes of The White Strips, Radiohead and Tom Waits.

Higham uses Dean Markley 11-52 gauge strings and 2 mm plectrums.

Website: Darrel Higham & The Enforcers

{{sources {http://www.darrelhigham.co.uk} {http://www.myspace.com/darrelhighamandenforcers1}}

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