Suburban life often cited as being in a rut rather than ploughing our own furrow, gave the lie to that when aficionado of the stinging guitar Leigh Heggarty Ruts DC guitarist, landed on an auspicious day for live music in Woking to join the Fiery Bird Show. Maybe the luck of having a Rut in Woking got us out of ours as we signed the lease on our non profit live music venue, the only one in our town, the one whose name I have been nicking too lazy to think of another for the radio show, and it has been non stop since trying to get it ready to open its doors to touring bands, local bands, artists, writers, community and get going. If he bestowed luck upon live music I would avoid him if you want fine weather, the second go at the show after the snow debacle last month, still a freezing rainy evening as the train from Waterloo delivered our fine, unabashed by Woking in the rain, guest.

Ruts DC are in everyone’s hearts and ears at the moment, supporting The Stranglers on tour last year, and again this year in Australia and New Zealand, Stiff Little Fingers and touring themselves in Japan most recently. Reports from all the gigs and the attitude of the headliners they support is that they are special guests giving audiences a double header night out. The sharpness of The Ruts classics never blunted by time, alongside their recent tracks that pierce the shadows of nostalgia throwing our current climate under sharp glare. Of this band of three, affable conversationalist Leigh joined me on the Fiery Bird Show to talk about music that has inspired him and play an eclectic selection of his choices sharing stories of his first forays into music, his work with Ruts DC and the many other projects he writes and plays for. His enthusiasm for bands who in turn support them or are at gigs and festivals he attends is warm and it is nice to see that people retain the wonder of discovering new music and new ideas no matter where from or how high risen and, without cynicism are there behind the grassroots scene willing its music and practitioners on to the greater glory of artistic acclaim and integrity.

Leigh keeps a blog of what he is working on and can be accessed here and to find out more about what is going on with his work and check what is going on with Ruts DC – their site gives all the details of upcoming gigs.

You can listen again here to Leigh Heggarty on the Fiery Bird Show

Playlist

Psychic Attack – Ruts DC

Mighty Soldier – Ruts DC feat Tenor Fly

Paperback Writer – The Beatles

I Can See For Miles – The Who

Jean Genie – David Bowie

Metal Guru – TRex

Roxette – Dr Feelgood

West One (Shine On Me) The Ruts

Suspect Device – Stiff Little Fingers

So What About Love – The Price

Til Victory – Patti Smith

Pigeons – Phoenix Chroi

Finish – Mega City Four

Babylon’s Burning – The Ruts

Stay With Me – The Faces

Shake Some Action – The Flaming Groovies