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Just up the road from Whisky
In May 2025 Bob Daisley appeared on The Jersey Guys Podcast. It is a very long conversation, so a lot of dirt had a chance to be overturned, including him delving into his stint with Rainbow in a bit more detail than usual. Warning: turn the volume down before hitting play — the podcast intro is obnoxious and head-splittingly loud. Rainbow-related bits of the interview start at around 10’40”.
Thanks to Uwe for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Bob sure did play with some outstanding bands and play on really great albums.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:16What does the headline refer to?
April 29th, 2026 at 18:00Thanks for the Bob Daisley interview. Nice to hear about the Eternal Idol album. An old favourite of mine. I will have to get hold of his For Facts Sake book. I can get it from a Sydney music store Utopia Records. I have now finished reading Ovais’ wonderful Jon Lord book, so I need another musical journey to travel on. Cheers.
April 29th, 2026 at 18:31Daniel @2:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WAMFbcQxYzAfEbBU9
April 29th, 2026 at 23:15@2
The RAINBOW Bar and Grill is just up the road (Sunset Boulevard) from the Whisky Club.
Mr Daisley found a lucky break in that very setting (unlike me who idiotically once lost my wallet there)
@3
It is a wonderful book and a lavishly presented one (hardcover, high quality laminated pages, colour photographs etc), to me it reads like a novel really, only just about actual events and characters instead of fiction 🙂
I bought Eternal Idol on release and loved it (my first Sabbath album), which I now rediscovered with the amazing Ray Gillen version on the deluxe reissue a few years ago.
Cheers, J
April 30th, 2026 at 02:30Am I really the only person here who saw Bob with Widowmaker?
As an opening act to Ted Nugent at Offenbach Stadthalle in March 1977
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6t4AAOSw3SBmiVHS/s-l1600.webp
around the time Nugent’s Free For All (his 2nd album after dropping the Amboy Dukes moniker) had come out and prior to Cat Scratch Fever (his 3rd album) …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTd2OQWg-yc
If you wonder who the (Steve Marriott’ish) singer in the Old Grey Whistle Test performance is…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaYTNsS_m2w
And when Steve Ellis left, John Butler (top right in the pic below) replaced him …
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/24/Widowmaker_the_band_UK.jpg
who after his (perhaps traumatic? 😎) hard rock experience became the leader of indie favorites Diesel Park West in an astonishing about-face …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9UFQBHv3DU
I must have seen the John Butler incarnation, Steve Ellis had left by late 1976. When I witnessed them, they were apparently already in their death throes, Luther Grosvenor aka Ariel Bender from Mott the Hoople was apparently not an easy band colleague (getting physical at times) and you could tell during their performance that all was not well in the band. Things were not helped by Ted Nugent mocking Ariel Bender later in his set by lampooning his licks.
April 30th, 2026 at 13:44Bob tried to think of the band John Downing looked after; it was Kingfish, who were reportedly given the support slot as recompense to Don Arden at Jet Records, for Rainbow pinching Bob from Widowmaker, another of Don’s bands.
April 30th, 2026 at 19:50Sudamerica confirmados ya DeepPurple 8 de diciembre en Chile 10 de Diciembre en Argentina…seguramente vayan a Brasil etc….
April 30th, 2026 at 21:52@ 5 – thanks J and I have just ordered Bob’s book via the Sydney music store. Looking forward to it and it has been something I have been meaning to pick up for years. Regarding the Eternal Idol re release. I have listened online to Ray Gillen’s original vocals. It takes a bit to get used to, being so familiar with Tony Martin’s singing since 1987. Cheers.
May 1st, 2026 at 00:30@6: Uwe – interesting.
Preferred the 2nd Widowmaker record over the first, never knew what John Butler got up to after that.
Thanks for Diesel Park West link.
May 1st, 2026 at 10:24I met Bob in 2014. He’s an absolute champ. We had a good chat, and I asked him if he would like to revive the “Living Loud” project he did with Steve Morse, Don Airey, Jimmy Barnes and Lee Kerslake one day. He said if they were all in the same place again they’d love too, but unfortunately now that Lee Kerslake passed away looks like it won’t happen. But still, it was a good memory. I was starting to play bass guitar back then and asked him for some advice on playing Bass. He said “Listen to Paul McCartney” so I did. He also signed the copy of his autobiography for me at the time.
May 1st, 2026 at 14:00PS Eternal Idol is criminally underrated…one of my favourite non-ozzy era Black Sabbath albums
@6
Wow!
Were they any good?
Indeed, Daisley’s book states their German tour started on 13th March 1977 with Mr. Butler on vocals, who a couple months later headbutted Luther giving him a big swollen eye.
Clearly singer and guitarist did not possess Purple’s more refined style of channeling aggression through song lyrics instead 🙂
Best, J.-
May 1st, 2026 at 16:23Far Away J: Widowmaker didn’t play bad, but they didn’t seem happy on stage and their sound wasn’t great – discourtesy of Ted Nugent. It was an NME scribe who remarked about Widowmaker live quite aptly: “Luther Grosvenor/Ariel Bender acts like he thinks he’s pretty much the star of the band, but doesn’t want to get beat up by the others in the dressing room for overdoing it.” 😂
Kingfish (largely known for their inital Grateful Dead connection via Bob Weir) were the opening act of Rainbow at that “Ritchie is freed from Austrian prison” 1977 Munich gig I saw at the time (with Bob Daisley on bass and David Stone on keyboards). I actually liked what Kingfish did, but their brand of laid-back, rootsy West Coast rock (expertly played)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpa_3jMSqQY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95NYkdNVb7k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7a-cGY-VGQ
fell on deaf to belligerent ears with the Rainbow crowd. I remember the bassist/singer being hit by a beer can on his forehead by some idiot, he continued playing without flinching which impressed me hugely at the time. They were the kind of band who would have made more sense opening for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Rainbow crowds were rowdy.
May 2nd, 2026 at 00:35@ 10- I met Bob Daisley after the Hoochie Coochie band gig at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast in Qld, February 2003. It was an outdoor Al Fresco dining gig, a wonderful smorgasbord set up with plenty of food and drink. Lucky it didn’t rain. Jon commented about the Australian outdoor aquatic concert experience. I have recently read, on the live QLD footage clip below, that the only two times he has ever performed poolside were both in Australia. The Perth Aquatic Centre being the first in 1971 with Deep Purple. Regarding Bob Daisley, he was standing on his lonesome after the Qld gig while everyone else, (including me) were attempting to talk to Jon Lord. Bob was very easy to chat to and as Jon was getting hammered by fanboys and fangirls, Daisley was up for a conversation. Jimmy Barnes who I am generally not a fan of but I am very familiar with Cold Chisel. I witnessed them in concert in the early 1980’s, a good gig it was. Barnes was a better singer back then. He did sing a song or two at the HC band gig, When a Blind Man Cries was one of them and I have to say he did quite well singing that. All round a memorable gig indeed. Regarding the mighty Eternal Idol album and it has quite a few classic heavy songs on it and a wonderful instrumental in Scarlet Pimpernel. An old favourite of mine that album, cranked loud, awesome riffs and songs from Iommi and company. Ancient Warrior, what a song that is and the title track plus The Shining and a few others. I await my Bob Daisley ‘For Facts Sake’ book arriving next week hopefully, in the mail. Cheers.
https://www.facebook.com/deeppurple6876/videos/jon-lord-the-hoochie-coochie-men-2003/251783459270518/
May 2nd, 2026 at 04:03Hello.
Now that was an interview. Did someone forget something : ) Maybe the other host of the podcast (on the left) should have kept his very eager comments a bit more to himself and let Mr. Daisley speak without interrupting?
Mac @3, 5,13. It surprised me a bit that you already didn´t own Mr. Daisley´s book. But better late than never : ) I purchased that 1st edition with Daisley´s autograph when it was published years ago. It sometimes feels a bit confusing, but purely in a positive way, how same you seem to think about these various things we discuss here. But if you like some bands, same music and things, there you go I think. I hope you know what I mean. (This peculiar flu or allergic pollen reaction I have right now really is annoying I have to say.)
It´s hard for one to think or come up with anyone that is more nice, polite and civilized musician than Mr. Daisley. I hastily met him after Dio gig he filled in, in 1998. It was at the sold out Tavastia club in Helsinki. I remember how confused I somehow was with Gus G´s peculiar playing, but to witness Dio and Daisley on the same stage was something else.
I have had the Eternal Idol LP for decades, but always liked The Seventh Star much more. Maybe I just have to give it a new chance. I might just have an “issue” with Tony Martin, I guess. I´m not putting him down, but… I think there´s a lack of charisma or he just ain´t on the same level as some other singers. Maybe it´s just me, sorry for that.
Mac @13. The HC dvd is indeed very entertaining. Mr. Lord and his hilarous comments between the songs. If one could only have been there. That intimate club! Wow. Agree with you when talking about Mr. Barnes. He´s trying to be something he obviously is not, but the version of the WTBMC is good.
The painkiller and warm mug of black grape juice this time.
Kippis.
May 3rd, 2026 at 12:56@ 14- yes indeed Hiza, better late than never. I have only in these last few years began reading a few ‘history’ books from a few musicians I am familiar with. Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and the Jon Lord recent release. I thought I had better make a move on Bob’s, otherwise it may not be available one day. I have tried with a few local book retailers, but obviously it is only available at one or two main suppliers and one of those larger international retailers I don’t have anything to do with if possible. I have read so many interviews with Bob and listened online also, so a lot of it I will be familiar with, that also has had me leaving it alone over the years. It is on its way and this week no doubt will be in my innocent hands. Hope you get better from that nasty ‘devil’ bug. Regarding Tony Martin, he was fine at the start of Sabbath, for a few albums, up to Cross Purposes. He soon started to lose that shine off his voice. In a live setting he was up against it big time. Having to sing all the different era’s of Sabbath, he did ok all things considered. Having to follow so many ‘iconic’ lead vocalists would be incredibly difficult in so many ways. I still enjoy the studio albums, well some of it, certain favourites, as we do with all our favourite musicians as time passes us by. Cheers.
May 3rd, 2026 at 22:46Would also like to read Bob’s book. However, if you’re living in Europe, postage is nearly the same as the book itself, so in the end it would be more than 50 €. That’s a bit above of what I would be willing to spend for it 🙁
May 4th, 2026 at 08:34Hello.
My unbelieveable mistake @14….what I meant was Tracy G…. Gee ! : )
Thank You very much Mac @15! That was kind of you. The “bug” is still alive and well, but I throw it with a drumstick, ha ha !
Kippis!
May 4th, 2026 at 14:21@ 16- regarding the postage, yes indeed it can be a deterrent as such. It cost me $40 Australian to get Ovais’s book on Jon Lord from the UK. I noticed a ‘glitch’ of sorts on Bob Daisley’s site when attempting to order his book. It listed $83 dollars postage, no matter where in Australian I was ordering it from. Surely a bug in the system there we would think. Unless Bob picked up a few ‘tips’ from Ritchie all those years ago, he he he. Cheers.
May 4th, 2026 at 22:21hooray, my Bob Daisley book has arrived. Now to sort out the Uwe Hornung character with some hard facts. A touch of realism too. FFS. Cheers.
May 6th, 2026 at 07:22I already had that book when you were still running circles ‘round the Christmas tree, banging your darn drum, Tasmanian! 🤣🥁
https://youtu.be/P7Tcggo45TQ
And I’ve seen Bob with Widowmaker, Rainbow, Ozzy and Gary Moore.
May 8th, 2026 at 14:45@21 – That is uncanny Uwe. I use to play my younger brother’s toy snare drum when I was very young. Little Drummer Boy was the first thing I learnt. Not that I knew at that stage I would take up the drums years later. My younger brother eventually took up electric guitar later on. Karin is probably reading this and thinking, “those two, Uwe and MacGregor, so innocent and good little Catholic boys way back then, what went wrong?” Regarding the Daisley book which I am enjoying immensely. I am at the Widowmaker era as we speak. Bob had a lot of ‘breaks’ back in the day when he landed in England, he was definitely in the right place at the right time. And meeting so many big names too after a little while, some of his contacts had really good connections in the English music scene during the 1970’s. Seeing Bob four times in concert and each time with a different band Uwe is pretty special. I have only witnessed him in action with the Hoochie Coochie Band. Better than not at all I suppose. Cheers.
May 9th, 2026 at 10:36@22
“those two, Uwe and MacGregor, so innocent and good little Catholic boys way back then, what went wrong?”
May 9th, 2026 at 12:30– 😂 EXACTLY my thoughts MacGregor, how did you know?
Do you wanna know what I’m thinking too re you and Uwe?
(Well better not, or else I will be expelled from these sanctuary halls of beautiful colours..)
But I envy you for having seen the Hoochie Coochie Band live!
And I really would have liked to see a Mother’s Army performance, but they were strictly a studio project. I’d describe their music as thinking man’s classic hard rock.
Apart from Widowmaker and Mother’s Army, Bob did his best and most expressive bass playing with Ozzy.
https://youtu.be/ofGP51Q4PRI
And while Randy Rhoads fans will certainly disagree, that Airey/Appice/Daisley/Lee line-up was for me the pinnacle of all Ozzy line-ups. That was actually a very good and cohesive rock band, not just a backing prop.
May 9th, 2026 at 13:19Hi guys and the occasional girl
I see a lot of new threads which I ll try to go in.
It has become a lot colder and a bit rainy here, I did try to do a lot of work and now taking a break.
NP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7IiZMVpiGw&list=RDU7IiZMVpiGw&start_radio=1
I will not cease to express my frustration that DUTCH RADIO BROADCASTING called VPRO never wanted to sell the tapes to whoever is in charge at a fair price.
Well, that s what I understood.
These historical gems, we re all getting older and some of us ll soon finish.
I know, I am realistic, that, so many is unearthed, somehow DEEP PURPLE itself doesnt care or maybe is not prioritising this.
Well, for now, happy, many things do surface for free on YT nowadays.
Cheers from Rotterdam
May 11th, 2026 at 11:54@25
Who is the “occasional girl”? Do you mean Karin or are you referring to Uwe when he’s feeling a little frisky and dresses up for a night out?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu6F-mMAQhk
May 12th, 2026 at 08:28@25 & 26
Or Beate 😊
We are at least two women who writes in here regularly! Nino also writes in here now and then, and according to my old math teacher that’ll be… (thinking hard, using fingers and some toes….😶) that’ll be 3!
May 12th, 2026 at 14:46Right?
Yes!
No pun intended towards anyone but it is just my idea that girls/women on THS are a minority.
Nino sounds like a man.
I used to have a Belgian friend of whom I dont know if she still is around here but she thought Andrea was a woman, I said I think its a name for an Italian man.
Beate, weird name but thats me.
Karin as a name is obvious, ofcourse.
And I m just a man with many nicks and had fun with putting 2 names of villages where I was raised into this one.
May 13th, 2026 at 17:42