Guy Garvey and Elbow start touring the UK in May and he looks back here at the first shows he saw growing up in Bury in the ’70s - when his five elders introduced him to punk, prog, folk, soul and Elton John - and proudly admits he still doesn’t know the names of the guitar strings. Look out for …

… the secrets of the “Vanity Thrust” and other 21st Century stagecraft.

… the time they supported the Stones.

… being with the same band members for 34 years and each “wanting to be a different member of Santana”.

… what he’s learnt about live performance - “never announce new material”.

 … his 6Music show, Guy Garvey’s Finest hour (“one hour too long” – Mrs Guy Garvey).  

 … the un-PC death of Roy Castle in the Peter Cushing movie Dr Terry’s House of Horrors.

… good things about Little Simz.

… the time a snowstorm doubled their audience.  

… working with the BBC Concert Orchestra – “if it’s Wagner you’ll miss two tea breaks”.

… when Paul McCartney turned “Partridge-esque”.

… and the possible ‘star guests’ on the upcoming tour.

Elbow tour dates …

https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/elbow-tickets/artist/886289

Guy Garvey’s Finest hour …

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072q60

Elbow are on Radio 2’s Piano Room with the BBC Concert Orchestra on Feb 21…

https://elbow.co.uk/bbc-radio-2-piano-room-month/

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