One of the biggest shames of 80s rock n roll was The Quireboys losing Guy Bailey after their second album. The guy (no pun intended) oozed Rock n Roll it was coursing through his veins and a massive part of the bands sound was shaped by the guys touch and tone on all those early records and after signing with ms Osbourne they took forever to make a follow up to ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ and Guy was done and with him left a big part of that rock n roll soul. After stints making noise with the Peckham Cowboys, it wasn’t until Thirsty that Guy reappeared on my radar for sure, and when he made the first record, I was lucky enough to interview the fella, and what a joy it was to chat about the scene of the early Quireboys and what influenced them and him through our mutual love of all things Keith Richards but it wasn’t until SPike and Guy were on stage in the borderline with Tyla that I next had a brief chat with Guy about Thirsty and what next.

Fast forward to 2026, and the way too early passing of Guy and then this record appears out of the ether with Spike’s voice filling the air over these slices of 3D cinematic rock n roll that Guy had previously released. Having Guy Spike and original Quireboy Chris also hopping on board is a real bittersweet moment. Turning the speakers up and the lights low, it’s drop the needle in the groove and immerse oneself into this record, and it begins with the awesome ‘1-10 7 and possibly 6’ I dunno what it means, but I do know it captures the attention and kicks your backside in classic Guy Bailey way. The overdriven tele rings out and the drums kick in before Spike joins the party and we’re away. What a wonderful song, all Keith Richards meets Chuck Prophet and dripping with coolness.

I can remember having to give Thirsty time to seep into your head, and once you familiarised yourself with the vibe, you were locked in, and what a rewarding listen it was. The main thing I take away is how fucking good Guys playing is. It’s not technical nor is it note perfect, but it’s full to bursting with emotion, and the heart and soul flowing through his fingers is a joy to hear.

‘Flawless’, then the title track, are majestic with wonderful performances from Spike. Fans of the Quireboys and Rock n Roll will love this album and enjoy every second of it from the cool storytelling of ‘Donnie To Sonny’ to the honking fuzz of ‘Orlando’, it’s a thunderous-sounding record that’s got that sparse production that lets everything breathe and lets the songs and the stories to be told in true rock n roll fashion. Closing the record off with the beautiful and dark ‘Black’ is haunting and soulful, and a perfect way to close off a wonderful record from some wonderfully talented people. Rest In Peace, Guy. Your legacy is in safe hands.

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Author: Dom Daley