The Russ Tippins Electric Band

The Russ Tippins Electric Band

The Russ Tippins Electric Band is a North East of England rock and blues trio formed in October 2009. The group begins by playing rock and blues covers on the bar and club circuit, then develops its own material and records its debut album, Electrickery, at Newcastle’s Cluny Studios in spring 2010.

Debut album and repertoire

Electrickery contains nine original songs and a version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Freedom”. The album receives strong press attention, including being named album of the month in Classic Rock, and “Little Josephine” appears on the magazine’s cover CD for an April 2012 issue. National distribution through Plastic Head/Code7 helps the band reach listeners beyond the North East.

Live work and recognition

During 2011, the band tours widely across the UK and also undertakes a short tour of the mid-western United States after the album gains airplay on blues radio stations in Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kansas. The group also receives invitations to blues festivals including Hebden Blues, Maryport Blues Festival and the Colne R&B Festival. Russ Tippins receives a first-round nomination for a Blues Music Award in Memphis in 2012.

Members and wider work

All three members are established professional musicians. Russ Tippins is a familiar performer on the North East live circuit and also performs solo and with the Led Zeppelin tribute band Zep3, which is later disbanded. John Dawson and Ian Halford work closely together, having played in two other bands over a five-year period, and both have theatre-circuit experience in productions including Footloose and Jesus Christ Superstar.