Mike Crawford Mike Crawford the Bristol singer, songwriter, musician and producer originally moved to Bristol from Glasgow at the time Punk Rock hit the UK. Mike has become one of the key figures in the ever-changing Bristol music scene having played with some of the most diverse and exciting talent from the city.

The first band Mike worked with was a 9 piece soul band called The Spics who included such luminaries as Nick Sheppard formerly of The Cortinas, The Clash and Head they also included Wendy and Sarah Partridge who went on to perform with Shreikback and The Electric Guitars. The Spics released one single for Bristol's Wavelength Records entitled You and Me.

The Spics split and The Viceroys were formed who recorded for the legendary Fried Egg Records who released such fine Bristol bands as Shoes for Industry, Various Artists, Art Objects, The Stingrays, The Untouchables, The Fans and The Electric Guitars. The label eventually folded as did the Viceroys and Mike decided to concentrate on the jazzier end of soul by Taking up the Tenor saxophone and forming The Nitecaps.

The Nitecaps played a mixture of Jazz influenced R & B and through the band Mike was offered the opportunity to take the group to Los Angeles and record an album with soul legend Booker T. Jones. Booker T famous for Green Onions, Booker T and the MG's and that amazing Hammond organ sound! The album 'King of Tears' was recorded with some of LA's premier session musicians has finally seen the light of day via Sugar Shack Records.

KING OF TEARS TRACKS... 1  DRIVE SHE SAID 2  NIGHT BY NIGHT 3  KING OF TEARS 4  GROSVENOR ROAD 5  I WILL WAIT 6  SOLID GROUND 7  LIFE OF CRIME 8  STAY TOGETHER 9  NEW PAIR OF SHOES 10  ALMOST SUMMERTIME 11  DRIVING SUGAR SHACK RECORDS UK FOD 010  CD LP

Mike returned from LA to his roots and joined The Crazy Trains a Punk, R & B band who had just finished with Spellbound Records, a subsidiary of CBS. The Crazy Trains are still around having renamed themselves as the Crazy Bones and are still pulling large audiences with their hard-edged, intoxicating, punk, R & B sounds. Another of Mike's projects - The Apache Dropout album is about to be released on Swarffinger Records. Apache Dropout is in fact a songwriting partnership of Mike and Rich Beale, later of Head and Pregnant. The album features such Bristol musicians as Angelo Bruscini now with Massive Attack and Bob Lock of The Startled Insects. Mike can also be found playing guitar and bass on 'drum and bass' artist Krust's new album 'Coded Language'. Mikes influences are evident on the album 'King of Tears' and include such artists as Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Tim Buckley, The Rolling Stones and the obvious legends of Stax and Motown.