Caravan

Photo Juan L. Joy

How good are they live?

Comments made on the UK Autumn 2003 tour:

Andrew Steed, 'The band just seem to be getting better.'

Richard Aldridge, 'The show was just superb.'

Phil Halmshaw, 'The music left me uplifted and exhilerated.'

Peter Brown, 'The songwriting is just as good and different as it was way back when. Their performance was tight, totally professional and dynamic. Drumming genius Richard Coughlan combined with the sublime bass of Jim Leverton....Pye's rhythm guitar filled the spaces behind the unbelievably fine lead work of Doug Boyle....Geoffrey Richardson's violin was scorching hot....Jan Schelhaas' keyboards were awesome.'

Donna, 'Outstanding musical talent.'

Martin Milarky, 'An excllent show...a band who really enjoy what they do.'

Linda Allen, 'The sound was fantastic, the playing superb.'

Phil Leete, '...excellent show, great songs.'

Steve Suddens, 'The gig was truly awesome.'

Even worth flying in from Poland, as Jan Adamski did. 'It was so special; I am so glad I came. A fantastic gig.'

If you missed them this time, don't miss them next!

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Band Member Profiles

 Pye Hastings

Guitar, Vocals

Apart from a spell in The Wilde Flowers, Pye's only band has been Caravan and without his single mindedness, Caravan would undoubtedly have folded during the 1970's. He is the leader of the band and its main songwriter and it was his idea to name the band Caravan. He is a more than able guitarist, but prefers to play rhythm and stay out of the limelight: 'I'm more into a band playing together than performing as a soloist.'

Pye runs 'Molequip', a company which hires out giant mechanical moles for tunnelling purposes. He lives in Canterbury and has a recording studio in his basement. Son Julian is a recording engineer/ producer and is heavily involved in all Caravan recordings.

 

 

 Jan Schelhaas

Keyboards

Jan rejoined the band in the Autumn of 2002, after a spell out of the music business. Latterly he was working as a driving instructor in Canterbury for BSM! Jan grew up in 60's Liverpool, playing with a variety of bands, the best known being 'National Head Band'. When the group folded, Jan worked with a variety of musicians, such as Gary Moore and Phil Lynott, before answering an ad in Melody Maker in 1975 to audition for a band, which turned out to be Caravan.

Jan replaced Dave Sinclair and was part of Caravan's 'Startrucking' tour across Europe plus a lengthy tour of the US, both to promote the already recorded 'Cunning Stunts'. He took part in the recordings for Blind Dog at St Dunstans and Better By Far. Jan left in 1978, having recorded tracks for Cool Water, which of course was finally released many years later. After touring with Camel (playing keyboards alongside Dave Sinclair), Jan drifted out of the music business

His relationship with band members always remained strong, due very much to his cheerful nature and quick wit. The opportunity for him to rejoin Caravan was one he could not miss and it was apparently a popular choice, particularly amongst the stalwarts Pye, Richard and Geoffrey, who had played alongside him in the past.

 

 

 

 Richard Coughlan

Drums

Along with Pye, Richard has stayed loyal to Caravan right down the years. He owned his own drum kit at 16: 'All my mates were into scooters, but all I wanted to do was play my drum kit'. Richard is an accomplished drummer who lays the foundations for Caravan's style of playing. As far as he is concerned he has no yearnings to go off and play with anyone else: 'I enjoy playing with my mates!'

Richard runs the Sun Inn at Faversham and does occasionally play in other part time bands: he enjoys R & B material.

 

 

 Geoffrey Richardson

Viola, flute, clarinet, mandolin, guitar and spoons

Geoffrey joined Caravan in 1972 and his first gig with them was at Berne in Switzerland in October.While a member of Caravan, session work beckoned and he picked up work with, among others Kevin Ayres, Paul Brady, Chris De Burgh, Murray Head, Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The bulk of his time has been spent touring with a French 'superstar'- Renaud as well touring the world with Bob Geldof.

Geoffrey's love of Caravan - both the musicians and the music has drawn him back over time so that he is now fully reintegrated within the current line up. There is no finer sight than Geoffrey in full flight on his viola, although it must come a close second when he is out there playing the spoons on Hoedown!

 

 

 Simon Bentall

Percussion

Nicknamed 'Bongo Bentall' for obvious reasons, Simon is one of the recent additions to the Caravan camp. The link with the band came when he was going out with Jimmy Hasting's daughter. He studied Classical then Latin percussion at Royal Northern College in Manchester.He has played in a number of bands and done freelance work. He spent three years in Urban Cookie Collective and still has links with them, though most recently he has been involved with a band called Ella Caroo. 'I spend so much of my time with DAT machines so it is good playing with real musicians!'

 

 

 Doug Boyle

Guitar

Everyone who has seen the band in the last three years has been left spellbound by Doug's stunning guitar work and it is a measure of Pye's confidence in him that he sees Doug as an absolutely vital member of the band. During the early part of his career Doug worked in a camera shop in Bond Street London, while combining this with his music. At 23 he was picked out by Robert Plant to play with his band and stayed for five years. Pye spotted him playing with a group called 'Never the Bride' and asked him to join Caravan, which Doug combines with his other musical projects, including working and touring with Nigel Kennedy.

 

 

 Jim Leverton

Bass

Jim is one of the journeymen of rock, having played with a great variety of musicians down the years.In the early days he was in a band with Noel Redding and played with him again in Fat Mattress. He has also played with Juicy Lucy, Ellis, Hemlock, Henry McCullogh, Frankie Miller, Rory Gallacher, Steve Marriott, Blodwyn Pig, Joe Brown, Leo Sayer and most recently Slim Whitman!

He met up with Geoffrey Richardson when the latter was renovating musical instruments and they started playing pub dates together. Jim was therefore the natural choice to fill the vacant bass slot

A big thank you to - Simon & Ralph Cross of the official

Caravan Information Service

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