NEIL SADLER, A BRIGHT FUTURE BECKONS

Neil Sadler might not be a household name, but his wealth of experience and talent are undeniable. With his partner Karen providing much of the impetus, the future is looking very bright indeed. His recent Past To Present album saw him reach the top spot in the IBBA charts, and his diary for 2025 is already starting to bulge. Without doubt, more blues followers will soon have him on their radar.

WORDS: STEVE YOURGLIVCH

Neil has certainly paid his blues dues. He’s been playing in bands since the early 80s, running his own successful studio, No Machine Studios in Wokingham, and gaining invaluable experience as a producer, sound engineer, songwriter, and collaborator. Add to this his triumphs over significant health challenges, and it’s clear Neil has lived the blues.

A Retrospective Journey

The album title, Past To Present, offers a clue to its theme — a retrospective look at Neil’s career. However, it’s not a tired compilation. These are spanking new recordings.

“Some new material and some old,” Neil says. “Everything is replayed, re-jigged if you like, to reflect the way I’m playing guitar now, so it sounds very contemporary. I play everything on the album.

“Throughout my career, I’ve amassed a huge amount of back catalogue — some recorded and released, some not. Running No Machine Studios for 30 years helped me hone my skills. I’ve learned to play resonator and acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, keyboards, and even drums. I’m not the best drummer, but I can hold a beat.

“When lockdown came along, it was an opportunity to shut down the rehearsal side of No Machine, which had become a drain. I’d be there until midnight, waiting for bands to pack up. The lease was up for renewal, and I was tired and drained. It felt like the right time to re-focus and move on.

“I’ve accumulated stacks of music I’ve recorded. I spent so much time tweaking and re-recording things. I’ve still got loads to go back and listen to. I’ve got a set of Robert Johnson songs that I’ll probably release, as well as some covers I’ve worked on for other people.”

Chart Success and Future Plans

Past To Present received widespread radio play, peaking at number one in the IBBA charts and staying there for several months. I asked Neil how he plans to follow this success.

“Most likely the Robert Johnson covers,” Neil reveals. “Obviously, they won’t be played exactly as he did. I’ve spent ages listening to his recordings, trying to get inside how he played and what he was feeling.

“I’ve recorded a lot of variations — some left as they were, others with added keyboards or drums. There’s probably 14 or 15 tracks so far, but I want to work on more. I’m mindful that some of the lyrics aren’t politically correct these days, so I need to decide whether to keep those or leave them out.”

I reminded Neil that he recorded an album of Robert Johnson songs in 2022 with the band Blue Touch.

“Yes, the lockdown material I worked on formed the foundation for that,” Neil explains. “The stuff I’m doing now is different. We tried to promote it live, but I don’t think the band was as into it as I was.”

Early Days: Sleeping Lions

Looking back, Neil recalls his first serious band, Sleeping Lions.

“That was right back in the 80s,” he says. “I’d always been in local bands, playing lots of gigs in London, but nothing came of it. Eventually, I joined my brother’s band, Sleeping Lions. We got signed by CBS Records and released a couple of albums and some singles. It was amazing being thrust into top-class recording studios, which is where I picked up a lot of my recording skills just by watching people.

“One of the things I had to do was play bass because my brother was the lead guitarist. After we were dropped by the label, I became disillusioned with the music business and went back to playing with old friends. Out of that, the UK Blues Project emerged. We were together for about ten years and recorded a couple of albums. There’s a track, No Rush, from that period on Past To Present, but I re-recorded the guitar part.”

A Live Band and a Loyal Following

Although Neil records most of his material himself, he also has a live band that’s steadily building a loyal following.

“Our band is a three-piece with Ray Barwell on drums and Kev Langman on bass,” Neil says. “We play all the tracks from the album and have even tried adding a keyboard player. Live, it’s going really well. We get repeat bookings and pick up new gigs on the back of shows.

“Next year, we’re moving further afield, out of Devon. We’ve got festivals booked, and we’re heading as far as Yorkshire. We’ve got about three hours’ worth of material, so we keep it fresh and vibrant.

“When I recorded Past To Present, I was in a reflective state of mind. I was going through cancer treatment and didn’t know if I’d make it. Songs like I Ain’t Gonna Cross That River reflect that period, as does No Love Left, No More. But it’s not a sad album. It’s upbeat, foot-stomping. At Swanage recently, everyone was on their feet.

“We often get young guitarists at shows who like to chat afterwards. In January, we’ve got a slot with Boogaloo Promotions at Church Crookham near Fleet.”

Collaborations with Blues Legends

Many Blues Matters readers may recognise Neil from his collaborations with Dennis Siggery.

“We worked together for about 15 years,” Neil recalls. “The most recent project was Justified in 2023. It was tough to put together a live band to play it. Dennis has since put together a new version of the Eric Street Band and released a new album. Having moved to Devon, it just wasn’t viable for us to keep working together.”

Neil also spent significant time with Larry Miller.

“Larry was a regular at No Machine Studios, and I played live with him in Ireland and France. Since his stroke, he’s unable to perform live, but we include a little tribute section to him in our shows. Larry was one of those people who encouraged me to form my own band. He’s very much missed.”

Discover More

To find out more about Neil Sadler’s music and history, or to keep up to date with his gigs, visit neil-sadler.com.