Local covers band Wired take the stage at Ricky Festival

5:12pm Friday 9th May 2008

THE JAM and James Brown through to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Razorlight all have a place in local covers band Wired's line-up of rock and roll numbers at this month's Rickmansworth Festival.

The band comprises Watford-based bassist Bob Shiels and Loz Farrelly on drums with lead singer Kev Parfitt from Aylesbury and Ray Sharman from Broxbourne on rhythm guitar, plus vocalists Lucy Shepherd and guitarist Sandie Michie. They recorded a five-track demo at Willesden Green Studios in 2005 and plan to record a further album later this year.

For the time being they're putting in plenty more practice in the run-up to the festival.

Bassist Bob Shiels says: "Rehearsals are always fun and these days we're doing things right - not like the early days when we couldn't get our levels right and ended up deaf for three days after a gig. But it takes effort to play well. We're sure lots of people think we can just turn up and make music.

"It's great to be making our first appearance at the festival. We've heard lots about its success and decided we didn't want to miss out."

The band members have been playing in one group or another since their teens and sing songs by bands that have inspired them. Bob grew up round the corner from Abbey Road Studios before moving to Watford.

His claim to fame is that his granddad appears on the background of the iconic Abbey Road album.

Alongside Wired's festival debut, visitors can enjoy music, canal trips, a boater's tug of war and a medieval living history display, plus a farm and miniature model canal network for young visitors.

This year there will be a flypast on Sunday afternoon by the Douglas Dakota parachute aircraft from the RAF Battle of Britain display team.

The festival takes place on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, at Rickmansworth Aquadrome and along the towpath between Batchworth Lock and Stockers Lock. Details: 01923 778382

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