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EL: Through busking, it has helped me
fund putting albums out over the years.
And obviously once you’ve got the album,
then that funds keeping the band on the
road and stuff like that. I mean, without
merchandise I'd never have been
continually playing. The most we were, I
think, was a seven-piece. We had two
guitars, Tyrone on percussion, double-bass,
guitar, piano. This was about a seven-piece.
BiTS: That's a big band.
EL: Yeah, it was in 1997 when we recorded
the “Vibin’ It” album.
BiTS: Wow!
EL: A seven-piece. It didn't last because I
think the band had broken up by 2001.
After the second album, 2001, the band
kind of shrivelled down to just a four-piece. It worked like that for quite a while. But it's hard
running a band. I was just saying, I should be going off to Ireland next year and I'm saying to
this Irish fellow I met yesterday playing a gig, and I said, well, the first time I went to Ireland it
was punts, working for 40 punts a night sitting on amplifiers in the back of a van going around
Ireland. We did Ireland in the 90s, a lot in the 90s before they turned around to be Euro, you
know what I mean?
BiTS: You are the winner of the UK Blues Federation - Blues Challenge to go to Memphis. How
do you feel about that?
EL: It's good to be included [chuckling]. It was nice to be included, but we’ve still got to raise
the money. So we’ve got a crowdfunding page because we’ve got to raise money for airfares
and hotel fees, and we've got to hire a double-bass while we're out there. So that’s the main
achievement at the moment is the crowdfunding thing, but I’m proud to be part of it, yeah.
BiTS: That's part of the reason why I wanted to talk to you, because I want to know how I can
help. Is there any way that I can do anything for you to help you get some money?
EL: I don't know. I don't know how big your reach is on your magazine. I don't know.
BiTS: You're right. Well, certainly that.
EL: You could mention it in the magazine about the crowdfunding because that's the main
thing, really. We've got about 20 days. I suppose it is the worst time of year to be asking people
for money.
BiTS: Have you got a website, Errol, for collecting money?
EL: Yeah, it's a crowdfunding site on Facebook.
BiTS: On Facebook, okay. So people can find that.
EL: Yeah, you should be able to find it, yes. I think it's something like Help The Errol Linton
Band Go to Memphis. CLICK THE LINK TO DONATE (Ed).
