It’s not often you get records brought straight to your front door by the artists who made them. It’s happened to me a few times, but that’s when it’s from personal friends. Yet when Andy Sharrocks turned up at WriteWyattUK HQ clutching a hot-off-the-presses copy of his impressive new triple album, I was kind of caught out.

Andy could be perceived as an imposing figure when he crosses your path, my better half working in the garden on a scorching summer’s day when he introduced himself and was shown through, a mutual friend having helped seek me out, my unexpected visitor en route between deepest Cheshire and his current Fylde coast base at the time.

But I’m glad he made the effort, coming over from the outset as a really genuine bloke rather than someone just playing the PR game, and leaving me with 36 fine tracks on six sides of glorious vinyl.

If the name doesn’t ring a bell, I should tell you a bit more about my mystery caller. Andy goes back some way, it’s fair to say. He started playing in groups and writing songs in 1976, covering Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, Velvet Underground, Doors and Stooges numbers and ‘other preachers of the dark side of life.’

He soon created a band as a vehicle for his material, coinciding with the advent of punk, following that path, self-financed singles with Accident on the East Lancs, ‘We Want It Legalised’ / ’Tell Me What Ya Mean’ and ‘Back End Of Nowhere’ / ’Rat Race’ released on his Roach Records label, the Shotguns and Hotshots album following on Cargo Records, recorded at Rochdale’s famed studio of the same name, those songs holding up to this day, their Dolls meets the Stones with traces of early Clash feel there for all to hear.

Apparently, those singles are now ‘fetching stupid money on the collectors’ market’, as he put it, and have been re-released, as has the LP, numerous times on different labels (Record Collector’s list of the 100 most collectable punk singles included ‘We Want It Legalised’ at No.43). His band played many free festivals too, including three appearances at the legendary Deeply Vale, Andy’s friendship with organiser Chris Hewitt – who tipped him off as to my whereabouts – continuing to this day.

Accident on the East Lancs also supported The Fall, Tractor, Here and Now, and Crass, but by 1982, Andy felt he’d missed the boat and decided he should go it alone, two years later signing a one-single deal for London’s Vibes and Vibes Record, releasing ‘I Believe in Love’, a ‘funky Prince/Bo Diddly-type ditty’ in ‘85.

Refusing to compromise and settle for covers, he struggled to make a living doing his own material, soon moving on again, a new-found appreciation of alt country and Americana – inspired by Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett – convincing him where his heart and soul lay musically.

He went on the road as a tour manager, meeting Hilly Briggs, who went on to produce and co-write Andy’s first solo album in 2004, for Lanta Records, Walking in Familiar Footsteps featuring former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor (who co-wrote two songs), Manfreds frontman/harp player extraordinare Paul Jones (who co-wrote another track), and Jeff and Tommy Vee, sons of the late Bobby Vee.

By then London-based, Andy gigged regularly on his own or with a revolving circle of musicians, under the name Andy Sharrocks & the Smokin’ Jackets, going on to play more than 500 gigs across the capital and around the UK, including supports for Mick Taylor, Buddy Whittington, Steve Gibbons, The Strawbs, Curved Air and John Mayall, opening for the latter on a nationwide tour and twice playing Camden’s Jazz Café with the former Bluesbreakers frontman.

He also featured at the Hells Angels’ Bulldog Bash three times, Skegness’ Rock ’n’ Blues festival, Belgium’s Herelbeke Blues festival, and Colne Blues festival. And in 2009 he made a second record for Lanta, Dirt receiving plenty of acclaim.

Fast forward another 14 years and he’s back in the North West, many of those initial influences still floating his boat, adding to that list Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Warren Zevon, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Son House, Johnny Cash, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Johnny Thunders, having written more than 400 songs down the years, many yet to see the light of day.

Singing songs about ‘friends on the wrong side of the law, living and dying on drugs, child abuse, not being able to make ends meet, alcoholism, drug addiction, no-hope desperados fighting life and all that brings’ clearly still resonate, and ‘if he does write of love, it has usually gone wrong, although not always,’ forever drawing on his ‘life experience, and people who have passed through it.’

Latest Roach Records release Country Rock ’n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues is a prime example of that approach, its 36 original songs described as a UK Americana collection, but to these ears far more than that, developed at Shabby Road Studio, Whalley Range, Manchester, and recorded live at The Edge Studio in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, over eight days, with a few overdubs.

Andy’s in good company on the new record too, collaborating with Danny Bourassa (electric, slide, acoustic, Spanish and faux mandolin guitars, vibra-slap, whistle, tambourine) from Rhythm Conspiracy and Mentalist, having managed the former band in the mid-’90s, when he got to know how strong a player Danny was, his old pal co-writing nine of these songs here.

There’s also Phil Watts, who drummed with Manchester’s The Out and The Tunes and, going way back, featured on Graham Fellows’ self-titled ‘Jilted John’ single, and toured the world with Gloria Gaynor. And it turns out that Andy and Phil have known each other since childhood, albeit not featuring in the same band until now, other than Phil’s contributions to Andy’s Walking in Familiar Footsteps 19 years ago. And then there’s Phil Cawsey (electric and upright bass), recommended by the drummer, having played in many blues and folks combos over the years, the two Phils creating a powerful rhythm unit here, with accompaniment from Mr Wilson’s Second Liners brass section on four tracks, and strings on a few numbers too.

And the result? Well, Andy calls it’s ‘a smorgasbord of country blues, electric blues, alt country, cajun, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, and world music… unashamedly derivative… original unoriginal music… not groundbreaking… not at the cutting edge of new music’ nor ‘in the zeitgeist of some new musical movement’, instead ‘reaching out to an older demographic, the type of person who liked songs like these first time around, when they were possibly part of an exciting new counter-culture.’

Care to enlarge on any of that, Andy?

“I’m aware that some songs may borrow a swagger from the Stones, a pinch from Tom Waits, a sprinkling from Steve Earle, some crumbs from Bob Dylan, even some fairy dust from artists I possibly don’t even know about, having been a sponge for great music for the last 60 years… and this is the product of the sponge being wrung dry.”

I can concur from my own exposure to the new record, this scribe invested from the start through opening number ‘Little Boogaloo’, Andy channelling Lee Brilleaux and David Johansen, delivery-wise, a heady mix of ‘70s Stones, pub rock and punk fused together, a later guitar break capturing the spirit of the early Undertones as well as the Dolls and the Pistols. So it seems you can’t take the old punk out of the ‘durty blues’ player.

And across these six sides Andy and his collaborators explore many musical worlds, Helen Hill adding flute and Chris Hill cello on the pensive ‘Late September Night’, while ‘Muddy Waters Blues’, as the cover art of this fine record suggests, does what it says on the tin, the spirit of Mississippi’s bluesmen smoked, infused and transported to North-West England’s lesser-known delta regions (well, it sure does rain a lot up here).

As for ‘Demons’, there’s something of a Jagger delivery there, complemented by Henry Botham’s Hammond organ, that late-night blues number leading us to ‘Old Leather Coat’, Andy’s nod to Tom Waits, Henry’s piano and Chris Hill’s cello welcome additions, on a number carrying a little Springsteen spirit too.

As we turn over for the first time, ‘Christopher Cullingham’ has a Joe Strummer feel, somewhere between his 101’ers beginnings and late-door Mescaleros’ meanderings, while ‘Mississippi Beautiful’ is more Dylan meets Earle, Helen Hill’s trad folky vocal making it. And at times, with ‘How Could You Ever Marry An Actor’ a fine example, it’s like he’s got The Band back together, perhaps sharing studio space with Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance, with cameos from Dylan, Earle and Strummer.

More to the point, they sound like they had a lot of fun making this record, so by rights wouldn’t really bother what I might make of it. And ‘Work Work Work’ is arguably a celebration of that spirit, or at least the fact that Andy – seemingly happy low in the mix – has outlived both Elvis Presley and Brian Jones. And seeing as I mentioned Strummer, perhaps this is Andy’s own Sandinista. Like that triple LP, it will split listeners, but there’s a lot of great stuff here.

‘Storm Coming Down’ is almost Primal Scream reinventing the Stones and The Doors, Andy the actor out on loan, riding that storm on a track that builds, builds, builds. A showstopper if ever there was one. Like Sandinista, it could be cut back, a wonderful double-LP crafted from within, but I kind of like it as it is. Not everyone will dig Andy’s vocals, but he kind of lives inside these songs, every bit the soul of the music, ‘Demons’ and its gruff ‘No you ain’t!’ declarations a case in point. And then you get ‘Where You Gonna Run To’, straight-up ‘70s crossover pub pop rock, wondering if Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe have popped in to join this mighty jam. Another with ‘old school 45’ written large on it.

He’s certainly not tucked away all the best stuff on the first two sides either, ‘Deadman Walking’ providing a blistering start to record two, a punk rock ‘n’ roll gem that would have us draining pints and heading up the front to join the throng, Andy retaining that youthful vigour. And it’s timely that I’ve been listening to Wreckless Eric lately. I could see Andy on the Live Stiffs tour back in the day, arguably having little in common with many of that entourage, but part of the bigger picture.

He’s back in Springsteen meets Waits territory, with accompaniment from Henry on piano again, on ‘Jane’s Blues’, that title reminding me that Ian McNabb could have an interesting take on this number. Then comes the LP’s title song, evoking the spirit written across these 36 tracks. There’s no doubt that Andy’s lived that life, ‘travelling the world in his worn-out shoes, playing country rock’ n’ roll and dirty blues.’ And as mission statements go, that’s not a bad ‘un.

‘This Heart’s on Fire now’ offers breathing space, Danny’s slide guitar helping enable something of a ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35’ quality, albeit maybe more hungover, as Andy’s pared-back vocal suggests. And ‘You Gotta Get It While You Can’ carries Stones and late Beatles airs, its ‘gotta treat every day like it’s your last’ sentiment an antidote to Jagger and Richards’ ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’, tenor and bass sax, trombone piano, trumpet and Michelle Turnbull’s vocal bringing the party.

‘Hard Life’ offers a little contemplation before we turn over again, where we find ‘Crash and Burn’, another that bursts from the deck, a cracking punk rock guitar riff rather than owt overcomplicated, even if Danny’s slide six-string adds another dimension, the fourth side off to a fine start before ‘Get Some Distance’ and ‘Silver Tongued Phantom Lady’ give us chance to get our breath back, blues dripping off the frets.

There are echoes of the rock ‘n’ roll era on ‘Everytime I Get Drunk’, conjuring up for me the image of a band and their four-piece brass section travelling by bus between Stateside engagements, reaching another remote town on another sweltering night, tearing down the ‘Whites Only’ signs en route, Steve Earle then back in the room for ‘Cornbread and Wine’, banjo and extra voices well placed. And ‘Feel a Little Lowdown’ brings side four to a glorious finish, an out ‘n’ out rocker, almost AC/DC-like boogie-woogie in places. I can certainly imagine Bon Scott guesting, the ghost of Paul Kossoff rampant on the frets as we reach a blues-rock climax.

Then we’re on to record three, and ZZ Top would be proud of ‘Where’s All the Love Gone’, while Tim Marris’ fiddle carries the out West air (be that America, Ireland or Lancashire – you decide) of ‘George’s Blues’, while ‘Freeport’ is another great example of neatly constructed but deceptively simple crossover blues-pop Americana.

Danny’s Spanish guitar and Andy’s Waitsy menace then accentuate ‘Do You Still Think of Me’ as we enter a somewhat seedy saloon on our twist and crawl. And talking of twists, on ‘What Did You Say’ we have an off-the-chest, clear-the-air duet, Michelle Turnbull’s subtle vocal – bringing to mind Cornershop’s ‘Good to be Back on the Road Again’ – complementing Andy’s blues growl.

I mentioned Wreckless Eric, and he comes to mind as ‘Whole Wide World’-like chugging guitar underpins ‘You’re the Only One I Trust’. And Mr Goulden would be happy with that ‘Well, I left my car on the roadside, baby, it just broke down, like me’ opening line. Come to think of it, the song title makes me wonder if this is ‘You’re the One That I Want’ for modern times, John Travolta’s Danny left high and dry, 45 years on, soberly reminiscing about his Sandy.

Then we’re on for a ‘once more round’ lap of honour, ‘Soul Sister’ – the brass section on form on a Stax-like footstomper – setting us up neatly for ‘Oh Mama’, its beat dictated by Howard‘s darbuka, taking us to the mystical East (yes, even further west than Rochdale), and while Andy’s no Bob Plant, it kind of works, the ‘durt’ in those blues all-encompassing.  

The brass quartet return one more time for ‘Saucier Man’, and suddenly it’s mardi gras blues time, the carnival not quite over for Lancashire’s answer to Dr John (in equal parts Captain Beefheart at times), before more honest rock ‘n’ roll guitar blues on ‘Too Much Time’, the end in sight, Andy confessing ‘too much time propping up the bar.’

Then we’re back on the blues train for ‘Welcome to the Real World’, Dr Feelgood dispensing more down-to-earth wisdom, Danny letting loose on electric guitar, heart on his strings, before – another 12 bars ticked off – we’re away on ‘Lay Your Hands Off My Banjo’, final guest Nick Pimbert doing the honours on a lo-fi send-off, Andy adding guitar and washboard and Phil Cawsey’s plodding bass steadying us towards the exit, one final blues holler catching me out late doors.

But don’t take my word for it. Check Country Rock ’n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues out for yourself. I can’t promise Andy will hand-deliver your copy, but you’ll feel you know him by the time the tonearm returns six sides later.

Andy’s previous solo LPs, Walking in Familiar Footsteps and Dirt are available on CD and as downloads, while Shotguns and Hotshots is available on purple vinyl with a bonus live album via OzitMorpheus Records. For more details of those releases and new triple-album Country Rock ’n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues, head to www.andysharrocks.net. You can also follow Andy at https://www.facebook.com/andysharrocksmusic.