BLUE HYENAS (now known as River Devils)

After almost 15 years of continuous gigging The Blue Hyenas can claim to be one of Scotland’s premier blues bands. They are heading to Tyneside once again to play at The Maggie Bank. Fronted by Sandy Tweeddale, whose incendiary guitar playing never fails to amaze, the trio has played festivals as far apart as Orkney and Colne. Over the past year they have headlined at both the Edinburgh and Leith International jazz and Blues Festivals, played four venues in two days at the Dundee Blues Bonanza and fulfilled successful booking the length and breadth of the country. In the Summer of 2001 they played the newly established Rocking The Garden concert which was screened live from Edinburgh’s Princess Street Gardens to London’s Convent Garden and New York’s Times Square as well as going out simultaneously on the internet. As well as a blistering guitar style Sandy boasts a fine blues voice, which has matured to reach a new peak in recent years. He has worked with some of the biggest names in blues, including the legendary Buddy Guy, Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green and Scottish stalwarts Blues in Trouble. With Angus McCurrach punching out a solid backbeat on drums and Russell Clink providing a growling bass sound, the ingredients are in place for a first class blues fest. However the Hyenas are no mere boogie outfit, they are a collection of musical pranksters. What other blues band would open their set at a major festival with a startling rendition of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band just for the fun of it? Mixing the sounds of country blues from Doc Watson with a funky reworking of BB Kings classic including The Thrill is gone, the boys consider it a personal mission to surprise and entertain. http://www.myspace.com/bluehyenas

The Blue Hyenas are changing. A bigger band and a new name:

The River Devils are a new blues band, comprising road-tested veterans of the UK and international blues scene, fronted by widely respected singer, guitarist and songwriter Sandy Tweeddale. Edinburgh based, Sandy has forged a reputation as one of the UKs top performers on the global blues and roots scene, travelling through Europe and Australia as a soloist, touring and recording as songwriter and guitarist with BB King-endorsed blues legends Blues ’n’ Trouble, with Louisiana bluesman Lazy Lester, and with his own band, the Blue Hyenas. Drawing inspiration from his deep knowledge and appreciation of the blues masters, as likely to be seen picking ragtime on a battered resonator guitar at a folk festival as rocking a rabid crowd in a blues club or concert hall, Sandy’s emotive singing and guitar playing have won him fans all over the world.

Keyboard player Angus Rose has written, arranged, produced and played for many successful acts in South Africa, enjoying No 1 chart success, before recent relocation to Scotland, continuing his production and session work while touring the blues festival circuit with Stevey Hay & the RayVons, Main Street Blues, and the Blue Hyenas.

In a professional career encompassing more twists than Chubby Checker, bass player Rod Kennard has played sessions, produced, and toured all over Europe and Scandinavia with a variety of bands and ensembles. He has performed with a bluegrass trio at the express invitation of the President of Switzerland, as part of the house band of an Irish dance hall, and in soul, reggae, folk, funk, country, blues, and rock bands, backing a vast diversity of artists. Currently based in Edinburgh, Rod has most recently been working with, among others, reclusive blues guitar genius Stevey Hay, jazz singer Todd Gordon, reggae band Kool Vibration, master of the Telecaster Jerry Donahue, the Timo Gross Band, Main Street Blues, the Blue Hyenas, and Blues ‘n’ Trouble.

Drummer Andrew Samson worked with Angus and Rod in Stevey Hay & the RayVons, and is currently a member of Scottish singer/songwriter Horse MacDonald’s backing band. Recently returned from 3 months teaching drums in the US, he supplies the essential rhythmic element in the driving, funky sound of the River Devils.

Sandy’s blues drenched guitar and vocals lead a band that’ll play the blues, but with a gutsy Hammond B3 organ sound. This band’s influences range from from Bo Diddley to Booker T and the MGs, by way of Big Bill Broonzy and JB Hutto. There’ll be some BB King type blues, swamp slide guitar, T-Bone Walker and other classic blues styles – not forgetting the gutbucket, rocking blues that Elmore James and Houndog Taylor were revered for - all reflected in the band’s own fiery, original material.

Already gaining plaudits from audiences across the UK, with sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival & the Lockerbie Jazz Festival 2009 (as the Blue Hyenas), the River Devils are planning a busy year ahead, both in the UK and further afield.

“Rarely has a dose of the blues felt so good… cool, talented guitar slinger Sandy Tweeddale and his driving rhythm section are a tight, frisky, jiving outfit…really got the crowd going. Blues-tastic”. Barry Gordon, Daily Record.

“Sandy Tweeddale… put on one of the best displays we have ever heard at Hookers. Whether he was playing straight twelve bar Chicago style or screaming Hound Dog Taylor or Li’l Ed slide, he was the complete master.”

Pete Evans – Blues In The North West.

“There just ain’t a pigeon hole big enough to fit the variety of styles these guys have mastered."

The Orcadian