Every powerhouse band needs a solid foundation to hold it all together. Richard is the anchor of the Chord-ially Invited sound, providing the driving basslines that link the kit to the guitars.

Richard’s playing is all about the groove. By locking in perfectly with Bella’s kick drum, he creates a tight, rhythmic pocket that allows the rest of the band to shine. Whether it's a driving rock anthem or a soulful pop classic, the energy starts from the floor up.

Every musician has an origin story...

Well, I've always had a thing for music. I'm told that when I was little, about 3 or 4, I'd run around the house singing lines from 'She Loves Me' by The Beatles, my mum always had the radio on so I was always singing. Then when I was about 12 a mate at school and his older brother both got guitars for Christmas, they wanted to form a band but were missing a bass player and a drummer, drums were expensive and cumbersome, so when my birthday came along I asked my parents for a bass guitar. I got a book and taught myself and we found another mate to play drums, and we were off. We were really quite good, but didn't realise it at the time or why because we were young and naive. Looking back I think it's just because we had a natural chemistry and we worked together to make each other sound better. We were together till I was about 18, then I went off to university so that was the end of that. At the time I was also in another band, a sort of punk band. I remember we had this female singer, but we got rid of her, and then found out years later she'd turned pro and was singing in Hong Kong. Someone gave us one of her flyers and we were like "Oops, we missed out there!"

Then while I was at university I didn't really play, because I was playing sports or drinking. I started working at a secondary school as a teacher and we had this new music teacher start who wanted to do something a bit different for the Christmas concert. Back then the kids didnt really play so I volunteered to play bass, and with a few other teachers we got a band together. Through them I met others and I started playing again but it pittered out. I was in a few bands over the years on an off, then I during Covid I couldn't work and set myself the goal of learning some Hendrix and Stones stuff. I then ended up in a band called Five O'clock Feeling, which is how I met Olli. Then Bella and I started playing together in another band, we all got on really well and sounded great, but never made it out of the practice room. So when Bella suggested what became Chord-ially Invited, I was really keen to be involved and suggested Olli for lead guitar. Bob joined us next, and then pretty quickly Louise after that, and then we were off!

That's been a real journey! Bella told us about a bassist who fell off the stage mid-set; do you have any equally memorable (or embarrassing) gig stories of your own?

Ha! No, that wasn't me! Funny you mention that though, my first ever gig was in a village hall in a Somerset village, Stogursey. I was about 14 or 15 at the time, we played really well, it was for like a kids disco-type of thing. Anyway we were a real hit and I remember all these kids asking us afterwards for our autographs, which felt really nice. The really strange thing is, when I was telling Bella the story she knew the place, because her in-laws live there! Apparently she sometimes goes to the same hall when she is visiting to practice her piano. She started asking me about the hall, but it's been a while since I was 14 so I don't really remember much of the details. But, that was a bit funny.

Wow! Small world I guess. Where are you coming from with your Bass philosophy? How do you approach your playing and your role in the band?

For me, the bass is all about the groove, and it goes back to style. I see the bass and the drums as the backbone of a band. We create the foundation for the guitars and singer to sound good, without that they can't do what they need to do, just like we can't do what we do without them. There's a quote I heard somewhere once "To play a bum note once in a while is understandable, but to lose the groove is unforgivable". It's about working with the drummer to create that.

That's a great quote! Let's talk influences and who's on your playlist at the moment?

Well, in my teens I was really a prog-rocker, I hated all that pop and disco stuff. Then as I've got older I've mellowed a little, and can appreciate a wider range of music for its musicality. But back then it was Genesis, and I remember my first gig was Mike Oldfield in about 1980 or 81 at Wembly Areana. Last year I took my wife to see Take That, and we're seeing them in Cardiff agian soon, so I got over my issues with pop. As for my playlists, right now I'm listening to Red Rum, Blossoms, Wolf Alice, Mumford & Sons, Haim, The Big Moon, Biffy Clyro. You know, feel good stuff.

That's a fantastic playlist! Finally, do you have any pre-gig rituals or routines to share?

Not really, I'll run though some of the songs the day before and I'll run to the loo about twenty times before the gig, but that's probably more my age than anything else. I don't really have any superstitions or rituals or anything like that. I just like to get out there, have a good time and make sure everyone else is having a good time too!