The Sharpeez

Band Biography:

The Sharpeez is a London based band, formed from the ashes of the 70s band Rebel, who mostly played in and around the London and Kent areas. At this time the Sharpees were Bill Mead, Pete Goodey and John Smith until the band suspended activities in nineteen eighty four, which wen on to be a twenty year resting period.
Bill reconvened the band in two thousand and three, but this time with Baz Payne on bass, Spencer Blackledge on drums and of course Bill Mead playing guitar and lead vocals. This is the current band line-up with the exception that Brendan O’Neill (Rory Gallagher/9 Below Zero) is now the permanent drummer. The core of the band is sometimes augmented during live performance and/or recording by Brian Willoughby (Strawbs), Richard Hayes (Bad Influence) and Roger Cotton (Pete Green’s Splinter Group).

The band enjoys an extremely busy touring schedule throughout the UK and Europe and is frequently described by Pete Feenstra as “the busiest touring band in Europe”.
The Album 'Mississippi Thrill' is ranked at No 9 on June 2014 chart for the most played tracks by the Independent British Blues Broadcasters Association.

Musical Influences: Rory Gallagher / Tom Petty / Robert Plant / Dr Feelgood / George Thorogood / Free / Bad Company

Band Members:

Bill Mead (lead guitar, vocals): Bill Mead has a long history of writing and recording music.
He released his first single ‘Rocka Shocka’ with a band called Rebel who played at most of the prestigious venues around Kent and London during the late 70′s and early 80′s.
After reforming the Sharpees in1980 he was signed by Fischer Z Management and he wrote and recorded an album called Strangers in New York, which was released by Red Admiral Records. His next album called ‘Open for Surgery’ was recorded in 2011 and the latest album called ‘Mississippi Thrill, which was recorded and released during 2014.


Brendan O'Neil (drums): Brendan was Rory Gallagher's longest standing drummer from 1981 to 1991. Also drummer for Nine Below Zero from 1991 to 2014. Brendan has toured with Chuck Berry, James Brown and Eric Clapton among many others and recorded 3 albums with Rory Gallagher.

Baz Payne (bass): Baz has played in many bands in and around London. Most recently he has toured with Phil Smith’s Headsmith band and recorded an album in 2008 called ‘Ain’t Done Yet’, released by Blueriff Records and has played and recorded an album called ‘Shake it Just a Little’ with Debbie Giles and subsequently with Midnight Train.