Biographies

The Delray Rockets Are:

Gaz Le Bass
Dr Croc
J.D Davies

Gaz Le Bass

I first started playing the upright bass at the age of 15. I really wanted to play the guitar but couldn't afford a Gretsch 6120 which was my one desire back then. It was n't until a Double Bass turned up at a T-shirt shop where a bunch of spotty Punks, Grebos, Rudeboys, Mods and a handful of Rock'a'billys used to hang out that I even considered playing that huge thing.

I enquired about the price, £5!!!! And that was it, bought with a loan from my parents (I paid them back in just 2 weeks with my £2.50 Paper round money) Me and my buddies carried it the 3 miles it took to walk home. I had a few basic lessons off a guitarist friend of mine and the rest I learnt listening to Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Bill Haley and of course Stray Cats records I had around the house, not to mention raiding my parents Rock 'n' Roll collection for even more inspiration.

It was n't until my neighbour offered me a job playing bass in his 12 piece big band, "The Ken Bruno Big Band", did I really take it seriously, I, being the youngest member by 40 years, used to sit and listen in awe at their tales of being on the road and the antics they got up to all those years ago.

That was it. I was hooked and used to carry that £5 bass to every music bar there was, badgering the other musicians to let me join in, more than often being refused as they did n't want an "out of date" double bass in their band. But I was n't deterred, from there I went on to play in various Jazz, Blues, Swing, Country, Even American Rock bands and of course Rock'n'Roll & Rock’a’Billy bands. Where I feel at home..

I’ve played with a host of great musicians, Darrel Higham, Robert Plant, Dave Edmunds, Charlie Gracie just to name a few, as well as touring with lots of equally great bands, the list far to long to even start.. You guys know who you are and I have great memories of all those great gigs and places we've been..

I have an extensive touring and recording history, taking me all over the UK, Europe and the U.S.A. Not to mention Orchestral and Theatre work. In October 2010 I had the great pleasure of going to Memphis, TN to record an Album with a band, "Sgt. Bilko’s Crazy Combo", spending 6 incredible nights recording at the legendary Sun Studios.(one off the bucket list!!!)

My Moto is… ”If It's Rockin' Then Let It Rock!!”

Dr Croc

I started playing guitar when I was around 11 years old. I did my first performance to my classmates in primary school, as all beginners do.

I quickly progressed to becoming a lead guitarist in a couple of bands at secondary school.

My first serious band the ‘Jolly Roger Blues Band’ of which I was a founder member was in the early 80’s. It ran for 6 years gigging around the UK and producing 4 albums. Only available on cassette at that time. All material was written and composed by us.

After 6 years on the road, I left the band to pursue a different direction in music. I ended up playing for quite a few covers bands and also took up playing bass guitar with bands too.

I moved into teaching all styles of guitar and bass and lectured at Worcester College for a couple of years. I became a guitar and bass tutor at King’s School Worcester and also travelled to other schools in the area to enhance my teaching profession.

My next original band was in the early 2000’s. A complete genre change this time to ‘Industrial Metal’. The band was call ‘The Brethren’ which released it’s debut album on the 6.6.2006 called ‘Holier Than Thou’, along with DVD that was all filmed at the BBC. Again, after about the 6-year period we lost the drummer and never really reformed.

I reverted into teaching and depping for other bands as a working musician and then joined another covers band ‘Hump De Bump’. It was gigging with this band I became good friends with Gaz Le Bass and Oz as we shared the same stage on many occasions at festivals and events.

It was Oz leaving the Delray’s in 2019 that led to me becoming the new guitarist in early 2020. The rest my friends is to unfold in front of your very eyes.

‘Rock n’ Roll’

Dr Croc

J.D Davies

From an early age I was always tapping on things much to my parent’s annoyance, this prompted them to get me the drumkit for the Nintendo Wii where I learnt to play basic beats and fills and I was hooked.

Playing this, I discovered a lot of music from the Ramones to Metallica with the former quickly becoming my first favourite band. I was then delighted when I got an electronic drumkit for my birthday. A few years later and developed my skills even further.

When I got to secondary school was where I first experienced being in a band through the Rock Academy where we got into bands and played a gig at the end of each term. When I was 14, I started gigging with a duo from the local pub on a Cajon playing acoustic tunes around the local area which taught me a lot about gigging in the real world outside of school. In 2016, I joined a band called Surge however I played bass initially as they already had a drummer. We played all over, even supporting “Terry and Gerry” in Liverpool.

Not long after, the drummer left and I moved onto drums, much to my pleasure. I gigged with them for a few years gaining lots of experience going all over the country, that’s when I got a message from the Delrays and the rest is to be decided…