“This is an engaging and highly energetic band…the audience was wowed by the sheer personality of Fiona as a performer, the artistry of Mal on guitar and the musical excellence of the rest of the band.”
Bill Smith, Blues in Britain
Fronted by Irish woman, Fiona McElroy, for 2 years, Big Mamma’s Door have been whipping audiences into a frenzy in England, Wales and Ireland
Fiona McElroy (vocals) has been singing as long as she can remember. But she got distracted my the bright lights of the theatre, moving to Dublin from Laois to train at the Gaiety School of Acting, and then working as a theatre professional until 2003, when she decided she’d had enough of the persistent internal whisper wishing she was singing. So, she produced her own show,’ The Memory of All That’, a tribute to the Gershwin brothers, which sold out in Dublin (Bewleys Café, Theatre) and Limerick. And that was that! No more theatre! It’s been all about the singing since Fiona moved to London in January 2004
Fiona hooked up with the rest of BMD by hanging out and jamming at a blues bar. Of course, it isn’t just any ole blues bar, it’s Ain’t Nothin’ But in Soho, where on a good Monday night, you can see just about the best blues musicians jamming together on stage.
And that’s where Big Mamma’s Door opened a chink, when Fiona met Mal Barclay (guitar) and they thought about jamming on a more regular basis. Then the rockin Rob Pokorny (Drums) joined the equation and finally Big Mamma’s Door was open for business. The wonderful Joe Glossop was also part of the equation until recently, but has been replaced by the ever so wonderful Henri Herbert. The other new addition to the line would is the lovely John Culleton, or Cully to his friends, on bass, making the new line up very interesting and exciting indeed
So just what is BMD’s business…Real Blues, Real Soul, and just a little bit dirty!
So, what about the boys:
Mal Barclay (guitar): Mal moved back to the city of his birth (London!) in 2002. At a loose end, music-wise, he discovered the Monday night Blues Jam at the Ain’t Nothin’ But bar in Kingly Street, which both reignited a life-long passion for the blues and roots music. Since then, he has played with a whole mess of people.
Rob Pokorny (Drums) Rob has been playing drums for around 5 years, and moved back to his birthplace of London in 2005, where he landed his first gig with Gentleman Tim & The Contenders. In between practising as much as possible, he currently plays with Jules & The Gamblers and jazz/funk quintet D’Funked. Rob is endorsed by Del Monte Bananas and Evian Mineral Water; the vital ingredients to get through any rehearsal.
Henri Herbert (Piano) was born in France in 1986. His piano playing is influenced by Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard and then by blues pianists Champion Jack Dupree, Otis Spann and Memphis Slim as well as boogie masters Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson. He also likes to listen to Jazz pianists, especially Oscar Peterson. Henri began gigging at age 19 with a brief spell in Tommy Allen’s Trafficker, before forming Laura B and The Moonlighters and is also the pianist with The Cadillac Kings. Sometimes, he even performs solo.
John Culleton (Bass) started playin Bass in 1964 with schoolmates and formed first band ‘The Originals’. He got into yer Blues around 1967 inspired by seeing John Mayalls Bluesbreakers and Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac at Cooks Ferry Inn and Ramblin Jacks Blues Club in Bishops Stortford. Toured and recorded with White Mule 1969-71 with John Mayo on guitar. Played with the late Alan Gowan for a short time around 1972, Lin Dobson and Jamie Muir were also in the band. John then spent a couple of years with Cambridge folk band Baby Whale and more recently is a regular on the London and South East Blues scene, can always be found at his spiritual home… The Bishops Blues Club, Half Moon Bishops Stortford
Between them, the members of BMD have played at most of the top Blues festivals in Europe, including Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival Antwerpen, The Great British RnB, Colne, Rock & Blues Weekend, Skegness, Burnley Blues Festival, and Bestival, They have toured UK and European Clubs, with some of the best Blues and Rhythm & Blues bands on the scene at the moment:
‘Fiona McElroy whipped the crazy crowd into a clamour’ ‘Her gutsy vocals were matched by playful Irish banter between numbers and she ably fronts the band and engages the crowd. Sharing a few songs with Malcolm gives BMD breadth and interest and the crowd had no choice but to enjoy things enormously’
Mal Barclay’s ‘great combination of taste, touch, and tone lift tunes out of the ordinary and imbue a solid rectitude to proceedings despite looking like he’s just cutting loose and having enormous fun. When combined with the consistently great piano and organ of Joe Glossop the rhythms are blooming marvellous and the solos marvellously bloom.’ (From Blues in London 2008)
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