The Chicago Thieves
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The Chicago Thieves

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Blues Singer/Songwriter

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"The Hardest Hittin' Blues Outfit Around"

We are: Craig Giles (Vocals / sometimes Rhythm Guitar), Danny Giles (Lead Guitar, Harmonica, Backing Vocals), James Batchelar (Keyboards), Dave Searle (Bass) and Tony Still (Drums).
We are based: Sussex
We formed: 2003
We are influenced: Muddy Waters, B.B. King, John Mayall, Peter Green, William Clarke, Paul Lamb.
We can be heard: www.chicagothieves.co.uk
We aim: To get as good as we possibly can, and to entertain people at all the Blues clubs
and Festivals, where Blues fans come to see us. Mostly to have a ball doing it!
Sending out a Warning to all readers! Prepare for a Blues attack, from the hardest hittin' Blues outfit around.
Enough biggin' up I hear you say... Oh OK then!
Coming out of an all mates band, over the last ten years, the Chicago Thieves is truly what I have always thought, with hard work and love of Blues music, what it could be.
Going from a strictly covers band in the early days, to the quality 50/50 covers & originals Band we are today.
Extensive Live performance is where we have truly learnt our craft, honing an act to go with what we are told by our audience is a great night out. After all, this is our aim. We have always tried to extend our real enthusiasm and love of what we do to our audience. We strongly believe that this is where the success of a band lies, as well as to get as good as we can.
So where I hear you ask, came the name. Quite simple really, after deciding to go for a more Chicago Sound, and stealing covers from Big Bill and his even better known dad, (for those not following, Mr. Morganfield aka Waters) and such like, Chicago and Thieves seemed to go together well.
I myself write all the lyrics to our original material and in a rehearsal, come jam situation we put the music together. As for influences, the usual suspects, plus some not
specifically Chicago people. Big, Big Bill Clarke fans, Fabulous Thunderbirds, John Mayall and the Truly great Mr. Paul Lamb. They have all left their mark musically, but their stage presence is what we also aspire to.
So on to The Band. On Bass, the one and only, legendary, Mr. Dave Searle - You may have seem him with such bands as the pre Dammed, The Gutbuckets, or even Unkle Munkle. On Drums, the very steady Mr. Tony Still. On keys, the exuberant Mr. James Batchelar. On
Guitar, Danny "No. 1" Giles (there is no finer) and Vocals, The Very Big Man, Mr. Craig Giles.
So finally I say to all you out there, what we always say: Come on and see The Chicago Thieves!
IT'S SHOWTIME! - Blues Matters Magazine


"A Truly Professional Band"

A Truly Professional Band - B.B.C. Radio


"A REAL BLUES PERFORMANCE!"

"A real blues performance [by the Chicago Thieves] ... thank you for your opening act making it a great night for the Carvin Jones Band"
- Carvin Jones
http://www.carvinjones.com/

Carvin Jones voted into “The 50 greatest blues guitarists who ever walked the earth!” by Guitarist Magazine - Carvin Jones


"A Real HOT Band"

"A real hot band"
Pete Feenstra, Real Music Live
- Pete Feenstra, Real Music Live


"Really High-End"

"Well, doesn't that sound like a band that has been doin' it forever, and they REALLY like what they're doing! I just wanted to be there with them enjoying it, I really did. Yeah, that was pretty complete for me, I heard lots of nice features there from guitar, keyboards, piano - all kinds of stuff going on and I just thought it was just really high end. I really liked that - I'd go and see them if they were in the Brighton Center, let's put it that way."
Paul Rayner-Brown: managing director Rainbow Productions, Ltd & Rainbow Media Publishing. http://www.rainbowproductions.com/
Indie producer for major labels: EMI, BMG, Sanctuary Records. Worked with Sir Cliff, The Sugar Babes, Atomic Kittten, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lord Yehudi Mehnuin, 10cc, Charlotte Church, Dawn French, Eartha Kitt.
- Paul Rayner-Brown, Rainbow Productions, Ltd


"I'd BOOK them!"

"Really, really good. I felt these guys were enjoying what they were doing, playing with a smile on their face. I'd go and see them & I'd BOOK them!".
Tony Malloy: Blues specialist, runs the Crawley Blues Club in Susex, http://www.crawleyblues.co.uk/
advisor & promoter The Crawley Hawth Theatre . Works with The Elevators, The Spike Drivers, Brett Marvin & the Thunderbolts, Mike Dowling, Little Toby Walker, Dr. John, Catfish Keith.

- Tony Malloy, Blues Specialist


"They sound like they've been playing Blues forever"

"They sound like they've been playing Blues forever - a great feel. All good players, and I like the voice too, it worked. They sound like they've been gigging forever."
Al Scott: Al Scott Communications http://www.alscott.co.uk/
monitor man Little Feat, The Jam / Producer: The Asian Dove Foundation, Eliza Carthy, Bomb the Bass. Worked with Monty Python’s London based studio Redwood, Python’s ‘Meaning of Life’ movie, a musical with Tim Rice, & a musical with Eric Idle.
- Al Scott: Al Scott Communications


"The Chicago Thieves Get You Going"

"The Chicago Thieves get you going like the first time you ever saw the Blues Brothers."
Phil Jackson, Host, "South: Live" B.B.C. Radio - Phil Jackson, Host, "South: Live" B.B.C. Radio


"Thieves Fans Speak!"

"Sounding very cool." Marcy Levy, aka, Marcella Detroit / Marcy Levy Band - Thousand Oaks, California

"Um Um Ummmmmmmmmm. You are dripping soul and sweating out a fever frenzy of blues. I love your group name. You definitely stole my attention!" Patti - Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

"You sound very good, Thieves." Bona Fide - Paris, France

"Love your band. Really tight, funky sound." Jamie, Ionian - Maryport, England

"The songs on your site reeled me in like a love sick fish! Merciless Blues! Thanks for doin' what you do....... Oh NO ... Never Stop" Tory Stinnett - Norman, Oklahoma

"Tight! Enjoy the night! And the music goes good with Saturday Morning, too!!" Dennis - Celina, Ohio

"Luv That Blues, Dudes!" Anthony Bad-Apple - Gary, Indiana

"Right on, gentlemen. Very slick tunes." Coops - Melbourne, Australia

"Liking the new music video." Duke - Sussex, England

"Hey, You Chicago Thieves .You Cats sure have a Cool Sound." Guitar Mac - Sacramento, California

"WAAAAYYYYY love your tunes." Catalyst - United Kingdom

"The whole band sounds tight and you play the blues with energy ...The way it should be done!"
Soul Kitchen - London, UK

"Great! Hope you continue to write songs for us to enjoy." Bill Beaumont - Toronto, Canada

"Wow, what a groove !! You really got the blues - my shoes are tapping..." ORPLID - Germany
- Fans of The Chicago Thieves


Discography

Our 1st full Album was released on 17 Nov 2007. "In The Windy City" has 11 original tracks and 1 cover.
The album features one of the World's Top Harmonica Players, on 5 of the tracks....From Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes, Mr. Lamb himself.
There are 4 tracks in full to listen to here.
The album is having quite a bit of internet radio play already and receiving some excellent reviews.

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Bio

The Chicago Thieves were born just 3 years ago out of the band Unkle Munkle. From the outset, the band made a concerted effort to achieve a genuine Chicago type Blues sound.
The name of the band came to us via one of our Ladies, who said as we were to be Chicago in style, and that most of the original set was covers, "Chicago Thieves" would be appropriate.
The rest...... After a short while (and 2 or 3 drummers...yes, they are weird), we finally struck gold with our Tone, and proceeded to start writing in earnest. At the present time we are doing about 50/50 covers & originals.
As for the line up, in Dan we have what we and many others consider one of the Best Guitarists playing today in any type of band. A truly great musician.
James, over the years we have been together, has developed into an outstanding pianist, with a great feel for the music.
As for our legend on Bass, Mr. Searle's pedigree speaks for itself, a class act.
On the drums, a true exponent of versatility, 35 years on the skins brings you Tony Still.
As for myself, Craig Giles, a true Blues Shouter in the Old Tradition....well, if i don't blow it no one else will.
Our music is drawn from our heroes, such as the King, Mr. Morganfield (Muddy Waters) and really far too many others to list.
We are a very well-rehearsed, well turned out professional band, whose aim is to enjoy every aspect of performing. We believe that this is the secret to audiences enjoying it too, and surely that's why we do it.
Recently we have won The Blues Quest Comp, run by the World Famous Eel Pie Club for best unsigned Blues band in the London area. Also we went down extremely well at The Great British R&B Festival in Lancashire, and have been offered 2 recording deals since. We were featured in the December issue Of Blues Matters, the top British Blues Mag.

The Band Has just finished recording it's latest Album, "In The Windy City". Appearing on 5 of the 12 tracks (11 originals) is the one and only Mr Paul Lamb.
The album should be released early sept.