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In May 1998 Mike Sanchez and Frank Mead were interviewed by Catrina Skepper for the V.I.P. show of NBC Europe Television! One of the songs they played was broadcasted on Wednesday, May 27 (C.E.T. 18:30 - 19:00) and Thursday, May 28 (C.E.T. 14:30 - 15:00) and was great because you not often will get the chance to see Mike and Frank performing without the other Playboys! Encore: NBC promised to show the interview and "Part 2" of the songs on Monday, June 22 (C.E.T. 18:30 - 19:00) and repeat it on Tuesday, June 23 (C.E.T. 14:30 - 15:00) - but as far as I could see at these dates there was an interview with Cathleen McCullough (Author of "Thornbirds") and Carl Smith (Ex- Tears for Fears) broadcasted instead. If someone had "by accident" videoed the interview with Mike and Frank, I would be glad to get a copy!

On Friday May 1, 1998 the Big Town Playboys stormed the stage at Blues Og Festival, Bergen, Norway as only BTP's can do and the very next morning the producer named 'Per Ole Hagen' of Norway's number one radio the NRK station called the management in England, demanding that they be allowed to record the next show, after a little discussion they were allowed to record the show. At June 18, 1998 Robert Sætervik, producer of Norwegian Radio (NRK) told me this:
The Big Town Playboys concert at Bergen Blues & Roots Festival will be broadcasted in three parts (as part of a three-band - bill)
Fri June 19: B.T.P./Chris Rea/The Tramps (Norw. group plays own material in Irish style (Pogues/Dubliners)
Fri July 3: B.T.P./Chris Rea/Jools Holland (also from Bergen B & R festival)
Date t.b.c.: B.T.P. part three
All broadcasts at 8.p.m.! See Web-site http://www.nrk.no/p1/musikk/
Unfortunately over here in Germany (where I live) there is no chance to listen to NRK station - so if anyone out there wants to make me happy, please send me a tape (I tell you my snail mail address via email). Many Thanks in advance!

October 28, 1998: Release of a very special collectors item for all fans of the Big Town Playboys: The mini album "SIX PACK" (more info).

December 13, 1998: GERMAN GIGS CANCELLED!
Unfortunately Mike Sanchez became ill just when they arrived in Germany. Diagnosis, made by a doctor in Frankfurt, is: "acute Tracheolaryngitis Virusinfection". Mike is forbidden to sing until December 18th but hoping to be back on his feet (or better said "voice") earlier, so please keep an eye at the Tourdates.
The band is very sorry about this and sends their apologies to anyone who came to a show and found the doors closed - like me for example, who drove 330 kms to end up in a pub across the Logo in Hamburg, chatting with few other fans who came to see the Playboys (We will send you the bill, boys! - Just kidding...). In fact we all were worried about Mike and send him the very best wishes and hope he gets well soon!
By the way, a sign at the door of the venue in Hamburg said, all tickets will stay valid until the BTPs return. Please ask the venue in your town how they handle it. The tour is postponed to March 1999, that´s all info I got at the moment.

April 19, 1999: TREVOR BURTON is releasing his first studio album in 12 years titled 'Two Moons'. The release will be in June. Richard Tandy, former ELO keyboard player is Trevor's partner in crime and collaborator on this project. The recording of the album was done at the BBC studio's Birmingham, England and has caused a lot of interest through out the BBC.

December 1999: MIKE SANCHEZ's brandnew solo album "I Just Can't Afford It" (Red Lick Records) features "Playboy" Mark Morgan on drums, almost all other instruments were played by Mike himself (!!). Check the tracklist. To order "I Just Can't Afford It" please send a cheque/money order for £10.50 to: Mike Sanchez, P.O. Box 143, Kidderminster, Worcs. DY10 1YU, England. It seems the price is the same for all countries.

March 24, 2000: A brandnew website now is up now for Mike Sanchez. Of course you will crash into some stuff which already is to find here but the pages also offer new info and material.

During January and February 1998 the Big Town Playboys played various concerts in Belgium, Germany and parts of Scandinavia etc and returned back home to England at beginning of March, probably in need - and well deserved - a bit of time to chill out after having travelled lots of miles or kilometres. Just reminding the gig in Hamburg/Germany where the band after packing the gear straight drove to Goteborg in Sweden (where they had to play the following night) - it gave me the thought "Aha, THAT is the glamorous life in the Rock&Roll biz anyone dreams of!" - Just kidding! My Top 100 best memories are based on being on the road...
More gigs and tours are booked or in planning already. Keep an eye at the Tourdates!

Andy Fairweather Low took part in the recordings of the new Eric Clapton album "Pilgrim". They kicked off the "Lexus Presents Eric Clapton's 1998 U.S. Concert Tour" in St. Paul, Minneapolis, March 30 1998 in support of the upcoming album release. Slowhand's tour, which is hitting strictly arenas on the first leg, will feature a 20-piece orchestra on all of the dates. Last show will be in Miami Arena at April 26th. Maybe there will become more dates added. During the time Andy works with Clapton the BTPs have Trevor Burton (original member of the legandary The Move) as guest guitarist who is really great, as I could see and hear at a gig in Germany at 20th of February.

A new studio album is in the making, as Mike told me on May 11 1998. He works on writing new songs to be ready in June/July for getting the stuff recorded. The album is planned to be out in October 1998 or so. Probably a 25 dates tour of the UK will come with it. Watch this space to stay informed!

At June 19 1998 I had the pleasure to meet the BTPs in "complete" line-up at a "Private Party" (where Dr Feelgood played in a chapel!) one day before the official opening of the Bishopstock Blues Festival 1998 in Exeter, England. Even the Playboys did not play that day we took the chance to have a few drinks on my birthday. Some days later they "rocked the marquee" at the Blues On The Farm Festival in Chichester. Even Barrie Martin aka Slim, singer and guitarist of The Hamsters (who plaed before the BTPs) was spottet in front of the stage in the audience!

Nick Lunt also took "holidays" because he toured the States with his other band The Big Six. Till his return the Playboys played with another baritone sax player. In June 1998 Nick told me the tour was such a success, the Big 6 plan to return to the States for another tour in the near future.

At June 27 1998 I received following info via email from Norway:
The bands "Off The Clock" album has won the title Best UK Blues Album of 1998, also Ian Jennings was voted as the Best Bass Player of 1998!
I send my CONGRATULATIONS not just to the band but also the the ones who at last "opened their ears" to the ones who deserve recognition!

The Big Town Playboys played as support for Jeff Beck in July and August 1998 and had Darrel Higham on guitar for this tour and a few dates in England, Norway and Denmark. He is now touring in England with a theatre group doing a tribute to Eddie Cochran for a month.

At October 10 1998 I received following info from the management: "Its very sad but Nick Lunt has decided to leave the Big Town Playboys. The band wishes him every sucess in the future." - In fact, sad news this is, as the Playboys not just lose their baritone sax player but also a very nice chap, which Nick is. I will miss him and hope everything goes well for him.

October 20 1998: Ian Jennings told me the distribution company (whose address I had published in the messages section of this website earlier on) has no rights to produce, distribute and/or sell the BTPs "Playboy Boogie" album. The "re-issue CD" released in the UK some time ago is an illegal bootleg. The Big Town Playboys do not earn a single penny for it!! With every copy you buy you help ripping them off. All I can say now is: I am upset and very sad about the big mistake I made (without knowing) when publishing the address. I HATE to help people who exploit the work of artists and ignore their rights, especially of the people I really like and respect. Naturally, as a record collector, I do understand the reasons of anyone who wants to get hold of all the records of a band, nevertheless no one should support money- making bootleggers, thieves of products of others. It is not fair to the band(s) who have to earn a living, same like you and me. It would be a shame a band like the Big Town Playboys, who brings such a lot of fun to the audience at every gig, would lose their fun to play and to go on because of bad things happening like this. So please do not buy this cd! Many Thanks!

APRIL 20 1999: Tenor Sax and Harmonica player Frank Mead left the Big Town Playboys because he wants to persue a solo career doing some gigs on the Jazz circuit. He has been offered the Tenor job with Bill Wyman's band for the upcoming tour, after already having recorded and successfully toured with the Rhythm Kings in the past. Also Frank will work with Beverly Craven in the summer. Too much work for one man, so Frank's decision is sad but easily to understandable. All the Playboys wish him the best of luck.
At the moment Alan Nicholls is contacted to fill Frank's place. Alan has played on the Now Appearing album and the band enjoys to work with him again. After having Andy Silvester back in the band, who was founding member of the Big Town Playboys, it seems, they go "back to the roots" once more!

December 1999: Frontman Mike Sanchez has left the band. His brandnew album "I Just Can't Afford It" (Red Lick Records) features "Playboy" Mark Morgan on drums, almost all other instruments were played by Mike himself (!!). Check the tracklist. To order "I Just Can't Afford It" please send a cheque/money order for £10.50 to: Mike Sanchez, P.O. Box 143, Kidderminster, Worcs. DY10 1YU, England. It seems the price is the same for all countries.

March 24, 2000: A brandnew website now is up now for Mike Sanchez. Of course you will crash into some stuff which already is to find here but the pages also offer new info and material.

May 25, 2000: I received following info via e-mail:
"Have you heard the new Big Town Playboys recordings just hot out of the studio it's very serious."
Unfortunately there was no more info neither about the recordings nor the new frontman attached. I hope I'll get details soon and will add it here.

June 2, 2000: Seems the recordings were made for sending it out to promotors, radiostations etc., probably not for sale.

June 4, 2000: Just read at Susan Anderson's website, the Big Town Playboys are working on a new official website. Would have been nice to get to know about this directly from one of them or the management... Anyway, fingers crossed they'll make it in this or that way!

June 5, 2000: At least, here's an e-mail I received from Ian Jennings:
We've been working on a new album which is now half way though, and when we're not doing that we're working in the rehearsal studio to create a brand new set. It is very much the sort of material that the Playboys have always been associated with all along.
The Playboys have just done their first gigs as the new lineup. I see that you heard about the gig in Bradford. It was great fun. Some old friends of the Playboys came along and they were all impressed with the new material and with Big Joe Louis and Wes Weston.The Guitarist's name is Dave Wilson. We want to concentrate on finishing the new album so we will only be doing the occasional gig for a short while yet. That is until we have a brand new album to promote.
This brings me to the subject of the website itself.
First of all we would like to thank you for all your hard work and dedication in the past. We both know it is a very time consuming task to build and run a website. It is true we have just started work on our new website at www.bigtownplayboys.com. We want this to be our new official site, it will be different in content and style from yours so I don't think there should be any problem with you still running your own site but not as the official one. The new site will allow people to buy CDs and merchandise online. It will also contain information for promoters.

August 20, 2000: Eventually it's open for public - The new Official Big Town Playboys Website is up and running on the internet.

September 2000: The new album of the Big Town Playboys has had the (insider) working title 'King Slice' but will see release under the name 'Western World'. Movinmusic's website gots a page about the Big Town Playboys with sound files of "Don't know where she went", "Cry Hard Luck" and "Do what you wanna do" (no idea if those will be at the cd or not, we will see...)

October 2000: The new album is out! "Western World" is available to order from the Official WebSite of the Big Town Playboys where you also can check out some sound files.