Boat to Bolivia - Martin Stephenson & The Daintees

One of the advantage of growing up with a Dad who was as keen on music as I was is that there was an almost constant stream of new music coming into the house. Not only did this save a whole load of dosh, but it also meant that I was able to sample music that I wouldn't normally have considered.

So apart from the obvious music from the 60s and 70s I was also able to browse through tapes, records and later CDs of people I'd quite frankly not heard of. Well let's face it, if it wasn't in Smash Hits, or in later times NME, it didn't exist. Except it did. Thankfully I soon learnt that there was a much wider world of music than that printed in the pages of weekly magazines.

So in this fashion I listened to Paul Brady, Willy DeVille, Tom Waits, Paul Simon and Roxy Music amongst others. I'd like to claim that I liked everything but I didn't so I won't. But it was a great opportunity to audition things that otherwise would've passed me by. One such tape was 'Boat to Bolivia' by Martin Stephenson & The Daintees.

'Boat to Bolivia' is a folk album at heart, but please don't let that put you off as the folk-tendancies are more than offset by rockabilly backing track, some great tunes and accomplished musicianship.

Since leaving home many years ago I'm still at it - it's not unusual for me to leave my parents home with a bag bursting with CDs ready for audition. Well it's still cheaper than buying them for yourself!