8:00am Friday 30th July 2010
By James Kershaw
AN almost-forgotten folk rocker is making a rare appearance in Southend tonight.
Scottish singer-songwriter Brian Friel will be performing at the Railway Hotel after being brought out of retirement by Southend fan Paul Wohl.
Brian had enjoyed success in the early Seventies, selling half-a-million records in America, one of which was hailed Billboard Album of the Month, in 1975.
But the singer disappeared into obscurity for more than 35 years until Paul, the owner of Westcliff toy shop Argosy, tracked him down.
Paul had originally got into Brian’s music in the late Eighties, but grew increasingly baffled over the years when he couldn’t track down his work on CD or MP3.
After getting in touch with the musician, Paul persuaded him to re-record some of his classic tracks that couldn’t be released due to copyright issues.
As a result, Brian, now 65, is enjoying a renewed career, and is preparing to put out the re-recorded material.
“I’m really glad, and so is Brian, that I brought him out of the wilderness,” says Paul.
“It’s his second revival gig at the Railway, but this time he’s backed by a full band.”
Doors to the pub, in Clifftown Road, open at 8pm.
Tickets are £5.
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