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Jim Finn Lead vocals and drums.
Jim is truly the last of the ‘Aussie highwaymen, he is on the road 50 weeks of the year, travelling all round the world plying his trade, he began playing drums at age 5, first professional gig at 11.
Has been leading his own band ‘Finn’, singing, writing, playing drums and producing 7 studio cd’s and has taken the band to the US, playing in Memphis and San Francisco as well as Europe 4 times.
Performed with: - Phyllis Diller, Mick Taylor, Lucky Peterson, Charles and Cyril Nevil (Neville Bro), Robert Susz (Dynamic Hepnotics), Chris Turner, Dave Tice and Pete Wells (Buffalo, Rose Tattoo) whilst in Sydney.
Has recorded with Wendy Saddington, Kate Dunbar, Jeannie Lewis, Margaret Roadnight, Sally King, John Power, Don Hopkins, Dennis Aubrey, Al Britton and Mike Gubb, to name a few, performed at most major Australian Blues festivals, Cork Roots festival and the Blackstairs Blues festival in Ireland. Jim’s also produces music with his company ‘front room records’
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Finn's History 20 years in the making
September 99.
Band began rehearsal. Line up Jim Finn vocal, drums. Shayne Barry - Guitar / vocal. Simon Murray – guitars. Michael Lynch – Bass /mandolin.
2000.
First cd no relation recorded. The Band line up is as above additional musicians being, backing vocals, Cora James, Cathi LeHermia and Toni Swain, keys Carolyn Packer. Al Britton Bass. Rapper ‘Roams’ Warm Sydney Nites.
Launch of the 14 track CD “no relation” at the Bridge Hotel in Sydney.
August 02
Interim cd in "live at Helensburgh" Line up Jim Finn vox/ drums Shane Barry guitar/vox Gerry Holmgren guitar, Bill Crossland bass b/vox, Janet Levy - sax.
June 03
Released "that ain't the blues" and the single ‘live in fear’, which featured on Rage. This album was recorded by Jim and Shane in Smiths Lake NSW and mixed at A# Sharp with Jeff Cripps assisting.
November 03
The Band made the short list for the IBC awards NSW.
January 04
3rd studio album 'bush bashin' started, with Ross Ward. (Ross helped band out with tour in Jan. after Death of founding member Shayne Barry).
September 04
’Bush bashin’ released.
February ‘05
Winners of the SBS performers of the year went to Memphis to compete in the IBC.
January 06
Begin recording Stop Ya Bitchin’, it’s all too late
October 06
Release of SYB, Paul Surany joined band replacing Gerry.
October 08
Work started on Cd of covers under the name Flamin’ Beauties
August 09 and beyond
Pete 'Slinky' Solinsky joins band replaces Mick Lynch on bass
November 10
10 y/o finished. Handy man video shot.
August 2012
Tour Europe Ireland (North and South) Scotland, UK, Brussels, Holland, Germany. George Rigatos replaces Slinky on bass
December ‘12
“Bomb the world with Kindness” George Replaced by Bill Crossland
August 2013
Tour Ireland with Paul Duo gig and a couple with Ari Sheean
July ‘14
“3 to go” Bill replaced by Mike Bellamy, who comes to Ireland with the band in Aug. ‘14
August 2014
Tour Ireland and UK, Mike and Paul and 6 fans from Oz,
March 2015 Record tracks For Paul McQueen for Songwriters accross Australia TV Show which airs many more times than was scheduled.
Aug/Sept/Oct 2015 Jim Rerurns to Ireland and the UK and works with Irish players Dick Farrelly and Darragh Ryan, also performed a few shows with Dave McHugh, Brian Meakin and John Kearns.
Aug/Sept 2016 Promotional tour of Europe for 2017, met up with Gerry and Sharon Quigley did gigs with them plans for future.
July to September 2017 Tour Ireland playing 18 gigs with Gerry Qiugley Jim Finn band
November 2017 work begins on new CD 'Feck The Illusion' Completed January 2019
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Finn in Australia have had successful tours in NSW, SE Old. and the Eastern seaboard, including an occasional jaunt to South Australia.
Festivals:- Thredbo blues festival (and have been invited back for the 2018 season), the Bridgetown Blues festival in W.A, Bimbadgen Blues Festival, The Australian Blues Festival in Goulburn (3 times), Broadbeach blues Festival, Woodstock Festival plus South West Sydney Blues festival. Blues on the Lake Toronto,
In Ireland :-Crane Lane Roots festival Cork Ireland, Blackstairs Blues festival and The Rock and Roll Food festival in Enniscorthy Ire. and the Cobh Blues Festival where the band received a standing ovation.
Biographies
Hector Castillo Guitar and vocals
Hector Castillo (Mr. Castle) was born in Venezuela in 1979, his first incursion into music happened when he was 13 years old, thanks to the influence of his father (Hector Castillo), he showed interest in Rock, Blues and Latin music roots.
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In 1999, he founded his first band called “Horny Dogs Blues Band”
following in the footsteps of his first music influences Johnny Winter, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Page, B.B. King. In 2000, he founded his first band as a soloist, “Héctor Castillo Blues Band”,
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In 2001, he recorded his first live album “Koymbre En Concierto Afro-Caribe” with Koymbre. Also recieved second place for music composition in the Ateneo de Caracas theatre festival. (He received the first place in 1999 and 2000).
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In 2002, Eduardo Soto invited him to play with the most important Blues Band in Venezuela: “Soto´s Blues Band”. and recorded a live album with them in 2003
Also in 2003 he joined the band “Herencia” (Tambor Fusión-Patarrumba) and In 2005, went on tour withthem to Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Belgium) and Central America (Costa Rica, Panama).
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2005 until the beginning of 2006, Hector recorded an album with Barco Ebrio called “De luces”.
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In 2009, Hector started the Rock-blues trio called “Héctor Castillo trío”, which allowed Him to develop a more powerful and compact sound. In 2010, this Project also payed tribute to the legendary guitarist “Jimi Hendrix”.
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From 2010 to 2012, Hector recorded with artist with many of the top Venezuela performers. and participated in the most prestigious Jazz-Blues festivals in Venezuela. “Festival de Jazz y Blues de Mérida 2011” and “Caracas Jazz & Blues Fest” in 2011
In 2013 Hector Castillo finished his first solo EP recording called “Beyond the Blues”, he also finished the recording of the album “3 am” from “Los Sordos”.
In October 2013 Hector moved to Ireland.
He has been in Ireland 3 years and has had the opportunity to record along with Ed Deane (Irish Blues Living Legend) an EP called “At a Station”, among others.
"Stefano Ferrari is a Bass, Double Bass and Guitar player from Monza (Italy).His influences for blues, jazz and rock started in the early stage of his life when Stefano used to follow his father ( a jazz banjoist and guitarist) on his summer tours around Europe. The most relevant collaborations have been with Shamans of Rock in Barcelos (Portugal), with the his own blues trio in Milan (Italy) and with MR CASTLE BLUES BAND, the blues trio based in Dublin (Ireland) founded by Venezuelan guitarist Hector Castillo
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Shots from over the years
