From The Quireboys To The Black Eyed Sons; Guy Griffin On New Beginnings

Interview by: Mark Lacey

It’s been almost 3 years since the near fatal implosion of the Quireboys, with the band parting company with their charismatic singer, and founding member, Spike, following his non-appearance at the Monsters of Rock Cruise in February 2022. Events of the time have been argued, disputed, and argued some more. However, what is certain is that, whilst the group forged on without him, and with Guy Griffin taking up the reins on vocals, Spike would also go on to run his own parallel version of the band, having re-united with the majority of the founding members from their 1989 debut album. Much confusion would follow surrounding the ownership and rights to the name, and fans of all the musicians involved would be tested, as the extreme factions of both fan bases would pollute social media with vitriol at times, and despair at others. For a band known for bringing good time rock n roll, it was painful viewing, and devoid of any good times at all.

However, with Guy Griffin’s version of the band, deciding to adopt the new name ‘Black Eyed Sons’, the disagreements are seemingly now behind both parties, at least for now. And with an exceptional new album due in January 2025, fans can at last embrace the good times again.

MyGlobalMind.com talks to Guy Griffin of the Black Eyed Sons

MGM: You must be quite relieved that the whole band name thing has now been settled and you can galvanise around a positive message and a positive brand. Is that a relief?

Guy: Yeah, it’s a weight off the shoulders, really. It was the common-sense thing to do after this amount of time, and the things that have happened, and just the course the music was taking anyway. From the outside looking in, what people might come to a conclusion about, might not be what the actual reality is. We still have the rights to the name as such. I know that because I pay the bills on it every month as a company. There are things that might happen in the future as far as reissues, or maybe re-records of Quireboys stuff, or even just retrospective stuff; live recordings and things like that. We do have one live recording that we were going to put out at one point. But it just didn’t seem appropriate for where we’re at now, with a new record finished. And as a piece of work, I think it would have taken away from it if we had called it Quireboys, because it just plays into that whole conflict again. To me, I’m over all that. It doesn’t serve anybody very well. It’s three years ago that all that stuff happened.

MGM: At the time that everything blew up, the Quireboys had just successfully supported the Dead Daisies, and not long after that, it all fell apart. For some fans that junction saw people fall into either camp, either ‘Team Spike’ or ‘Team Everybody else’. For general music fans, that period just felt pretty uncomfortable. It’s good to hear that you want to just put that period behind you. But how do you reflect on it, looking back on it? Do you look at that as wasted years?

Guy: It was something that had to be done. Also, there were things we had to do and responsibilities that we had. We were going to fulfil the contractual gigs and tours, because tours are booked a year ahead. Then you put the COVID thing in the mix. We were doing a German and Swedish tour and stuff that was booked pre-COVID. There’s money involved, there’s contracts involved. From our side of things, we were going to honour what we said we were going to do. What happened, happened. My biggest regret is that it didn’t happen sooner and everyone would have moved on and we’d be in a different position now anyway. But c’est la vie, that’s what happened. To me, the whole thing just started to get farcical and the social media element of it was ridiculous. I’ve always hated social media anyway. It’s something you have to do as a band, but I never really did all that personally. But that’s how the world is now, and that’s what happened. But there’s a lot more important stuff to deal with. I had family issues. My brother had died around that time of the Dead Daisies tour. I did that tour because we were contracted to do that, and it would have been pretty damaging to the brand if we hadn’t fulfilled that tour. So, I did that. The guys in the band have also had their own personal issues, and there’s been divorces, there’s been deaths … it’s life. It does put things into perspective about a silly rock n roll spat. Let’s face it, it’s not like it’s Fleetwood Mac or something. It’s a medium-sized rock n roll band, having a public spat, and I just wanted to step out of it. It’s not a world I want to live in anyway. I want to move on.

MGM: You’ve decided to call the revitalised band ‘Black Eyed Sons’. That’s also the name of one of the Quireboys’ lesser-known albums, from 2014. Was that a dilemma for you, starting afresh, but still maintaining a connection with your past?

Guy: It was a Quireboys album, but as much as I’m proud of all the albums we’ve done over the years, it didn’t set the world on fire. To diehard fans, yeah, there’s a connection to the old band, but there’s nothing wrong with that, especially since all five of us were five sixths of the Quireboys. But it was more of a personal thing to me is because when we did that album, it was when my brother’s son was born. It was named after him because when he was born, he had very dark eyes, and so it was black eyed son. It’s maybe selfishly, more for me and what it means to me, rather than it being a Quireboys album or whatever. It’s a tribute to my brother in a roundabout way. Also, it doesn’t conjure up any particular style of music, which is good.

MGM: You’ve decided to call the album ‘Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits’ which perfectly sums up your image. What did you want this album to say?

Guy: The funny thing was that originally, it wasn’t even thought of as a title. It was just a line that I put into that song, and then that became the title of the song. Somebody suggested it’d be a great title for an album. Maybe it’s a nod to the past as well, acknowledging it, but moving on. But also, it was a little bit of a tribute to Guy Bailey, because even before I joined the band, and I first saw the Queer Boys, as it was called, Guy would have the cowboy hat on and he’d have the pinstripe suit on. It’s just acknowledging the history.

MGM: Guy Bailey was a great musician, and he was quite a bit older than you, wasn’t he?

Guy: When I joined, I was a lot younger than the rest of the band. Guy and Chris were nine years older than me. Spike and Nigel were about five years older. I learned a lot musically from Guy; more what not to play, and keeping things simple and stuff. He was the architect of the band at the beginning and the songwriter.

MGM: You’ve always looked young though Guy, but now you’re looking fresh and re-vitalised too.

Guy: I feel a lot better than I did a couple of years ago. I’ve definitely been through the worst times, and I’m coming out the other side. I gave up alcohol six months ago too, so that’s a constant journey, but It definitely helps with just getting things done and looking at things a bit differently, and looking forward with a clear head.

MGM: in the last few years, you’ve had to take on responsibility for the vocals through your touring commitments, but this will be the first time you’ve taken on that responsibility on an album? You’ve also had to take charge of the lyrics and vocal melodies here too. How did you find that process?

Guy: To be very honest and to be very blunt, it’s not a lot different because if you ask anybody involved with the band, me and Spike never sat down in a room and wrote together. He would finish off things that I would bring to the table, some more than others. And he’d come in and often I would have the whole framework of the song, the whole demo, some of the lyrics, the title of the song and the melody. And then he’d write some of the lyrics, and he would come up with some good lyrics. But it wasn’t like a thing where we would sit down together and write. It never was. It was never really like that with him and Guy either, really. So, the songwriting process hasn’t been any different. If anything, it’s been less pressure doing this because I’ve been more open to working with outside people. At this point in my life, I didn’t want to just do the same old method and the same way of doing things. It was a breath of fresh air working with other people, being open to different styles. Also, even doing a cover version song, or have someone else from the band come in and just write the whole song. I don’t need to get my name on somebody’s song just to get my name on there. Paul Guerin has come up with three fantastic songs on this album. Then I wrote some on my own, and then it was really cool to write with a couple of outside writers as well.

MGM: The cast list of musicians that you’re collaborating with on this album is both extensive and very impressive. That’s a statement that your peers across the rock music community are supportive of what you’re doing. However, some people might view the extent of the collaborations as being a distraction from the core five musicians in the band, and your identify as Black Eyed Sons.

Guy: I get that’s how it can be construed. People have different ways of looking at things. I just don’t feel that fussed about it because I’ve made many studio albums from the first Quireboys album, and from the second Quireboys album, I was writing songs. I don’t feel like I have any more to prove on that front, but it wasn’t an explicit plan to make an album and have other a lot of people on it. There were a couple of songs, and then it was like, this is a good idea. We played on the Monsters of Rock Cruise in the States. And that was when it all happened. I was there singing, because I had to, with no preparation or anything. We did the shows and we had Alice Cooper’s band, we had Buckcherry, we had Junkyard, the Electric Boys. We had all these bands in the audience and Enuff Z’Nuff, and Mike Tramp, and everything. After the show, people were just so supportive and complementary. After that, I just thought, all these musicians, they’re such amazing musicians, and they were really supportive. I thought, maybe if we do something, maybe we’ll work with them at some point or we’ll tour with them or something. It sowed a seed in a way. Obviously, I’m singing on every song, probably 60% of the song anyway. So, it’s not like we can’t do it live. And I think pretty much anyone with any common sense would know that we won’t be touring with all these people unless a super-rich promoter wants to come out of the woodwork and fund it. But as a musical piece of work standing on its own, which is all I care about, it’s just a testament to a moment in time. That’s what it is.

MGM: Hopefully if the Down N Outz ever play again, you might be able to play the title track, ‘Cowboys in pinstripe suits’ with Joe Elliott.

Guy: I speak to Joe quite regularly with texts going back and forth, and jokes and stupid stuff. But the Down N Outz was very close to his heart, especially that last album, which we’re really proud of. It’s just a shame that it happened in 2020, when everything went to shit with the COVID thing. Then after that, he had all the stuff with Def Leppard which blew up. They’re bigger than they ever were. But it’s definitely something we will do. We’ve spoken about it recently, but when it will happen, who knows? But everybody wants to do it again.

MGM: One song from the album that fans will really love is ‘Don’t Throw Me in a Corner’. What that was about? And how did you come up with that concept?

Guy: Well, that song is written by Paul Guerin. I wouldn’t want to speak explicitly for him, but it’s very personal to some of the situations that he’s been through in the last couple of years. That’s all I’d say about it. But I love that song. It’s so cleverly written and the way it’s put together. It’s one of my favourites on the album. It almost reminds me of something that Meatloaf could have done. But it also not a million miles off what we would have done with Down N Outz as well. It’s got that Mott the Hoople, British Lion, Mott thing to it, I think.

MGM: The lyrics on ‘Dig me out of a hole’ are also captivating, and the opening line ‘Dead man walking, choices I made’ draws you in.

Guy: That’s another one of Paul’s. I always really like Paul’s lyrics, and that song was actually meant for Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo. He was in the studio, then he had some health problems and it just didn’t happen. I was going back and forth with his manager, and his guitar player, and we’re still in contact, so it might still happen. But that’s what it was. It was originally with him in mind, and it had quite a lot of slide guitar on it. I saw something where Scotti Hill from Skid Row was saying how much he loved playing slide, but he doesn’t get to play slide very often. I approached him, and he played the solo on that. Then once Keith Weir got on the track and started playing the Wurlitzer, Clavinet thing on it, it took it into more of a groovy thing. We also had Chip Z’Nuff playing bass on it as well, Chip’s on a few tracks. He’s fantastic. He did two American tours with us and a Spanish tour. It’s great having that mix of his bass playing and also his backing vocals. It brings in a different influence.

MGM: You’ve finished the album with the Johnny Thunders track ‘Can’t put your arms around a memory’. What made you choose that cover version?

Guy: During lockdown, I’d done a version of it with Ryan Roxie and some Swedish musicians, and it was for a charity called ‘Doctors Without Borders’. It was a brainchild of Ryan, and he asked me to sing and play on it. I had the original thing of me and him playing and singing together. I asked him if he minded me having a go with it. I sent it over to Martin Ekelund, who’s also in that band, Bonafide, who’s mixed and mastered the album, and he’s played a few different instruments on it. He messed around with it, and sent it back to me with a different arrangement, and with a string arrangement on it. It almost reminded me of the Smashing Pumpkins. It had that uplifting string feel to it. My best friend Dan Cohen, who was in my first ever band called Feline Groove, sadly passed away the Christmas before last. When we were kids, we were both big Johnny Thunder fans. That original song that me and Ryan did was played at his funeral. So, it’s a tribute to him, and to Guy Bailey, really. It came out really nice, and it wasn’t a huge plan to cover that song. But happily it ended up on the album.

MGM: With a brand new album, but also so much legacy material to call on, it’ll be interesting to see how you decide to structure your live shows. You have an album launch show on 14th December at the Lexington in London, which is about a month before the album comes out. You’re also scheduled to play the Westworld Festival in May; hopefully they’ll be many more dates to follow.

Guy: We’ve got a few things that are starting to come in, but it’s still early days. The reaction to the album has been overwhelmingly positive, which is really heartwarming. It’s like a sigh of relief that we can move on and just keep making music and honour the music that we’ve made. Playing live, we’ve got twelve studio albums we can choose from. There might even be Down N Outz stuff. But we’re not sure yet, but I’m sure there’ll be some album track stuff and some Quireboys stuff. I’m not going to go back to the first album. If people want to hear those songs, there’s another band playing those songs. But there’s a huge amount of material that deserves to be heard as well. We’re proud of our history. I always say we’re a new band with a long history.

MGM: This new album marks a new era for the band. What’s your aspiration for the year ahead? And what would success look like for you?

Guy: It’s already a success to me that the album is coming out. It’s completed. It’s surpassed everything I thought it would be already. I’m just so happy with it. All the people that have helped on it, and have come and put their talent onto it; it’s just really humbling. I think it’s a success in that way, without sounding like a cliché. But obviously, we’re hoping to get out again and start playing some shows, which will happen next year. Then hopefully start building into doing a second album and then restart establishing it as a band on the circuit.