Flying the original rock 'n' roll flag higher than most is Craig Lee and his band The Humblebees, as Tameside Radio presenter Dave Sweetmore writes in his latest column...

Rock 'n' roll is the kingpin of music as we know it. It has developed, expanded and taken many twists and turns over the years, but the raw sound of the late '50s and early '60s from its earlier blues roots is what started guitar music as we know it. 

Flying the original rock 'n' roll flag higher than most is Craig Lee, the Middleton-born musician who wears his heart, and his roots, on his sleeve. 

With influences from back in the day such as Buddy Holly and Dion and The Belmonts, through The Stray Cats, Frank Turner and up to The Vaccines, Craig Lee's own material shouts out his influences loud and proud, with his own, loveable, rock 'n' roll sound. 

Catchy Choruses, upbeat tempos, clever lyrics and upbeat rhythms is what gives Craig and his band The Humblebees a seriously infectious sound. 

His singles so far include 'Simply Because', 'Tell Me Pretty Baby', 'Defamation Machine' and 'Haters Way' and his latest single 'He Can't Help Looking At The Time' is due out soon, with a follow up 'King For The Day' to follow in May. 

With his band The Humblebees consisting of respected local musicians Kris Perry and Rick Crossley, Craig Lee headlines brilliant new music venue Shure 5 Studios in Royton next Saturday (2 April). Tickets are £10 each and available from ticketbo.co.uk and support on the night comes from Phil McArdle and Dave Booker. 

Speaking about a busy few weeks ahead, Craig said: "This is a massive couple of weeks for us, with the release of our new single and a huge gig in a great new venue to celebrate it, we are starting to build a decent following and we can't thank those people enough. 

"In a world that is full of doom and gloom at the moment, we want our music and our gigs to bring fun and joy to everybody that listens to our tunes or comes to our show." 

That's exactly what Craig Lee and The Humblebees music brings fun and joy. No nonsense, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly with the ultimate feel-good factor. 

The band's gig will be a celebration of the band, and will no doubt have an unbelievable atmosphere. 

If you fancy a good night out with great music, I'd recommend going along. Before then though, check out their music. They really are a great band, with music you can't help but love. 

You can listen to Dave on Tameside Radio 103.6FM on Monday evenings from 7pm to 9pm. Click here to subscribe and catch up on previous shows.

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