Rising from the ashes of young hopefuls Mercedes, Lady Mercedes were formed at the end of 2002, playing in & around Aberdeen and winning audiences over across the country. Life Long friends and founding members Brett McIntosh and Ray Evans have remained the core of one of the most exciting up and coming bands in the country. They have dabbled with several different line ups, and can include support slots for big names such as Ocean Colour Scene and The Bluetones in their long list of achievements. In 2003, the band - Brett McIntosh (vocals), Ray Evans (bass), Leigh Collingbourne (guitar) and Phil Collingbourne (drums), were fast becoming Aberdeen's most popular band, packing venues such as Cafe Drummonds and The Lemon Tree on each occasion.
With no great surprise, the band caught the eye of Aberdeen's "Fat Hippy Records" and by winning a local battle of the bands competition, they won the chance to cut their first album on the local independent label and "Red Light Fever" was released and sold around Aberdeen, resulting in minor success. The disc boasted the sinister voodoo swing of "The Rattlesnake and The Dragon", the heart attack grind of "Sounding Sweetly Evil" and the booze soaked country stomp "Hey Lady Hey". The boys took the album on the road in order to win over crowds around Britain. However, cracks began to appear as the four strong personalities took their toll on each other leading to a brief split.
During the split, Guitarist Kris Harris took over duties, along with a few different drummers, while Leigh & Phil formed the Money shot.
However in such a small town, and with such a unique energy, it was decided that these for were the only ones who could really work together and make something truly amazing happen whether they liked it or not & the band picked up were they left off with a very successful comeback show on New Years Eve 2005 then later in 2006; the guys were to be reunited with Kris, who rejoined the band.
With a hand picked line-up in place, the guys unveiled themselves at The Tunnels on an incredible Xmas show. In 2007, the band have already headlined shows in Camden town, including the well known "Purple Turtle" Bar, where they received a great response from all who attended, including impressive feedback from some major players in the music industry. As every show goes by, the local favourites rapidly increase their fan base, increase their reputation, and increase their drive for success.
You've all heard shameless self promotion stunts from local groups claiming to be "The best band in Aberdeen" - Well congratula; you’ve just stumbled upon 5 guys that have earned the right to this crown. In Comparison with drive, this title means very little to the guys - Lady Mercedes are a band who has a raw hunger to become the best band in Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, and The World.
Genre(s):
Rock, Blues
Influences:
Many bands/artists, spanning over the last 60-70 years, including The Rolling Stones, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Small Faces, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & The Family Stone, Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Guns n Roses, Booker T & The MGs, Canned Heat, Jimmy Miller, New York Dolls, Stone Roses, Oasis, Primal Scream...........................
Members:
Brett McIntosh - Vocals, Harmonica
Leigh Collingbourne - Guitar, Vocals
Ray Evans - Bass
Phil Collingbourne - Drums, Percussion
Kris Harris - Guitar, Mandolin
Website:
www.ladymercedes.co.uk
Page Manager(s):
ray evans
leigh collingbourne