Our man Jacko to hit top note at old Best, Styles and Corrie cast haunt
A rock band fronted by TheBusinessDesk deputy editor Nick Jackson is to perform at an iconic Salford pub once frequented by George Best, England World Cup winner Nobby Styles and the cast of Coronation Street.
Jackson, who has had a parallel career as a songwriter and musician alongside journalism for more than 30 years, leads the newly-badged band That Brother Thing which will perform at The Egerton Arms, next to Salford Central railway station on Saturday, March 4.
Nick and his drummer brother Ben were part of the 80s and 90s band Mirrors Over Kiev which enjoyed critical acclaim and played alongside other legendary bands like the Stone Roses, Mock Turtles, Inspiral Carpets during the rise of the ‘Manchester sound’.
At the critical time, however, the Mirrors turned towards a less trendy acoustic sound, leaving other bands to specialise in the ‘baggy’ Manchester beat.
“We sounded more like Bob Dylan or the Waterboys than a Manchester band,” explained Jackson. “But we never regretted playing the style of music we loved, regardless of the commercial side.
“But fair play to those highly successful Mancunian bands – they really put the city on the map and created a great vibe. Looking back, it was a great time.”
His later incarnation, The Nick Jackson Band, self-produced four albums in the 2000s, after the Mirrors members went their separate ways and carved out a significant following in Germany and the Italian capital Rome, where the they have performed regularly for the last 10 years.
Now Nick and his cohorts have rebadged the band following the introduction of talented keys man Bill Boyd, who joins Ben Jackson on drums and John Wilkinson on bass.
The musical offering will include an eclectic mix of originals and some cover versions, including tracks by Joy Division, James, Coldplay, ELO, Neil Young, Roxy Music and many more.
The Egerton Arms is one of a group of pubs run by Phil Entwistle, boss of the eight-pub Special Ale Service pub company, which specialises in offering a wide selection of real ales.
Entwistle and business partner Michael Taylor-Waring are currently also involved in attempting to turn the Chapel Street area of Salford into a vibrant area for people keen on the authentic pub experience.
