“One of the great blues men of our time” Jools Holland, BBC

 

“Bloater is a phenomenal guitarist!” Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2

 

“I love this guy…he has a voice that sounds like it’s been soaked in turpentine for the last decade!” Craig Charles, BBC 6 Music

 

“I’m a massive fan of Big Boy Bloater, he’s a charismatic boy with a big voice” Imelda May

 

“The best R&B guitarist and singer in the UK”  The Blues Magazine

 

Big Boy Bloater is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, presenter and entertainer of the highest order.  His take on roots and R&B has impressed many people within the genre, from the original greats of Blues & roots to modern aficionados, and beyond.  He is regularly asked to play guitar for legends of R&B, roots and blues and he takes his own band - the LiMiTs - on tours around the globe as well as working his own One Man Show and stepping in as a special guest or session player.  

 

Bloater has played at many major festivals across the US and Europe, including Cognac Blues Passions, Ribs & Blues, Latitude, Secret Garden Party, Ramblin' Man Fair, Hop Farm Festival, BluesFest, The Great British R&B Festival, Burnley Blues, Viva Las Vegas and more.  His shows are always impressive, energetic and fun, without losing any musical integrity.  His upbeat songs belie their dark lyrics and intricate arrangements.  His voice has been compared to Howlin' Wolf crossed with Tom Waits – indeed he was voted #87 in the top 100 'Best Blues Voices of All Time' by the readers and writers of the Blues Magazine in 2016.  The most recent album 'PILLS' released in 2018 was voted #2 in Classic Rock Magazine's Blues Albums of the Year.

 

He was the former presenter of The Blues Magazine Show on Team Rock Radio (sadly no longer) and also compiled and presented a 3 hour BB King special for KLM Airline, as well as presenting the 'Twentieth Century Blues' radio documentary.  He is the presenter and interviewer on the BLUES PODCAST series, featuring some of the greats of the modern Blues world and has previously presented radio shows on Team Rock Radio and Feedback Radio.

 

Bloater has  played for many icons of music and has played guitar behind Imelda May and Paloma Faith as well as once being asked by Sir Paul McCartney to record with him at Abbey Road.  He has been interviewed and played sessions on many radio shows including:

 

BBC Radio 2:  Jools Holland Show
BBC Radio 2:  Jo Whiley Show

BBC Radio 2:  Paul Jones Show

BBC Radio 2:  Mark Lamarr's God's Jukebox
BBC 6 Music:  Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show

BBC 6 Music:  Gideon Coe Show

 

as well as appearing in many National/International magazines and on TV shows around the world.

 

He has also been immortalised in the 'R&B Guitar Icons' sections of publications:

 

'Rock & Pop: The Complete Story'  (ISBN 978-1844513956)

'The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Music' (ISBN 978-1904041702)

'Blues: The Complete History' (ISBN 978-1844518128)

 

"Bloater has always had a passionate love of music, particularly roots music,

and it shows in his work.  He gives old music new life, he twists it into

something unique and fun, whilst still having depth and great musicality.  

He never feels the need to show off his musical skills because they are

there for the world to see, he is without doubt one of the finest guitarists in the UK today."  

 

Big Boy Bloater signed to the prestigious Mascot Label Group under their Provogue Label  in 2015 (home of Joe Bonamassa, Beth Hart, Robert Cray and many more) and released two albums with them:

​

Luxury Hobo - Feb 2016
Pills - June 2018

 

Bloater says "the guys at Mascot have been a perfect fit for me, I got on really well with them on every level, they always 'got' what I do and where I wanted to take it and they gave me so much support, I am really proud of what we achieved together".