I started playing in 1969 , aged 14 - a good year . I was already inspired by the Kings - BB , Freddie and Albert . Buddy Guy , Chuck Berry and of course Jimi . I learnt to play by listening to the 3 John Mayall albums - the ones with Peter Green , Mick Taylor , and the ' Beano ' album with Eric . Over and over and over and over went the record arm - and scratch after scratch went on the vinyl . I loved Rory Gallagher - and saw him several times in the 70's , he was a great inspiration for how to perform , though I never acquired any of his riffs . George Thorogood was a big turning point . I saw him at Barbarella's in Birmingham in 1978 - and I immediately started playing slide . Thorogood led to Hound Dog Taylor , and both added on to my long time love of Elmore James . My first proper band was 1972 , playing the social clubs - good training . I formed my first blues band in 1978 , and The Mighty Houserockers in 1981 . It took a while for the first album , when I got lucky and was signed to the penurious but prestigious world-wide blues label ' Red Lightnin , led by the mercurial and one and only Peter Shertser .

On Red Lightnin records .......................

1988 - Fine Looking Woman - vinyl

1992 - Fuelled Up

1997 - On The Loose - all originals - big band

1998 - On The Road - live

2001 - A Ton Of Red Lightnin

2004 - Slide It On Over

2006 - Rock Away Those Blues - live , recorded for my 50th birthday present !

and on New Mountain Music records .........

2009 - Blue Highway

2011 - 30th Anniversary



for more details - look at

www.mightyhouserockers.co.uk

Right from the beginning I built a great live reputation , which got me one of the very early sessions on the BBC Paul Jones blues show in 1987 . I got booked for most of the big blues festivals in the 90's and noughties , such as the first Burnley National blues festival , playing the main stage and getting to meet Buddy Guy . I played the headline spot on the British stage no less than 3 times at the UK's Colne blues festival , and headlined with Magic Slim at Gloucester festival . Over the years the Houserockers did many short tours of Europe - playing lotsa club and festival dates , especially in Holland and Belgium . The Luxembourg jazz & Blues is one big festival I remember well . And a little blues club in Balegem , Belgium - De Klokke has to be my favourite club date . I played it 5 times - the 2008 show was an incredible memory I will always have . Overall 3013 gigs in 40 years .

There are loads of videos on youtube - just take a look at my channel , including a whole live show from 2010 .

At present I am taking a break from live shows for the first time in 40 years . But I am still recording . Most recently I have done ' solo ' singer-songwriter albums with the aid of the wonderfully talented Eddy Morton of New Mountain Music records .

2009 - Broken Hearts

2012 - A Soft Place To Fall - all originals

I have a separate page for this side of my music - just click on Leslie Wilson on the friends list on this website , or whatever they call it now .

If you have a gig to tempt me with - then please give me a call or email . And likewise , if you want a Cd - just email me first .

God Bless

Les Wilson