Tim Hall (1968-  )

BORN in Nottingham, Tim’s early years were spent in Sutton-on-Trent where he went to the Sutton-on-Trent primary school.

He then went to Wellow House School before going to the Kings School in Grantham when the family moved to Long Bennington.

His Grandma was a pianist in her own ragtime band, and his father could play and showed Tim a few tunes that he would relentlessly bash out on the piano at home.

His parents signed him up for piano lessons at Wellow House School and Tim took to it like the proverbial fish to water – you couldn’t get him off the piano (to the extent that if we went away on holiday he would play air-piano the back seat of the bus, window sills, absolutely anything he could get his hands on!)

The first musical inspiration was the music teacher at Wellow, Mr Kay, but the main playing inspiration was at Kings School where he continued lessons with music teacher and St Wulfram’s organist, Nick Kerrison.

At that time he was playing mostly Bach and Beethoven, but listening to the burgeoning New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Tim joined his first band, Drainpipe, playing keyboards aged around 15, and did a gig at Ropsley with them.

Since then he has played in Bopping Bertram and the Legless Tortoise band, Money From America, Durban Poison, Cliff Rescue and The Helicopters, Nervus Rex.

Nervus Rex was his main band for about 15 years still does the very occasional gig, doing cabaret across the country.

As work with the band got less and less, and was wanting to play original material again, Tim was invited to join Overdrive who had recently had some success with the resurgence of Heavy Metal in Europe but had lost the keyboard player with whom they had just recorded the On Wizard’s Ridge album.

He also joined other bands, including the Thieves, Bluphunk, and generally put himself about to try and play as much as possible.

He currently plays in Aonia (an Operatic metal band playing their own songs), Overdrive (Grantham rockers extraordinaire), The Spinal Taps (a tribute to the film This is Spinal Tap and one of the funniest, craziest gigs you’ll ever go to!!) The Beautiful Sound (a tribute to the Beautiful South and a great sounding nine-piece band complete with brass section), The Bluesbursters (The legendary Grantham blues/covers band) and The Thieves (Classic rock covers band).

He is currently recording his latest EP with Aonia, the Overdrive album has been recorded and is being produced by the legend that is Mr Chris Tsangarides, The Beautiful South has a number of gigs coming up across the country but nothing local at present, and the Bluesbursters and The Thieves are busy rehearsing and learning new songs to hopefully gig shortly.

Tim said: “The Spinal Taps is by far the most fun I have though – it is the most original concept for a band I’ve ever been in and the mayhem on stage is only matched by the musicianship involved in playing the songs.

“It’s hard to get across to people just how refreshing and funny the show is, but hopefully little by little we will convince people and once they’ve seen the show, they will agree!

“I wholeheartedly believe in the band – not only because it is a good sounding band but because I love the concept and the fact it is not just music but a show, with sketches, props, arguments, all sorts to entertain!!”

Out of bands his main passion is his family –  four children, two of whom are adults – and cricket. He enjoy cooking – though not with any great skill – and reading.

He has his own Property Management and estate Agency business – Pigott and Hall – and has been in the profession for more than 20 years now.

Tim said:  “If people ask though, I tell them I’m a musician.”