... bringing rock classics to life!

Welcome to the Swallow website.  Choose one of the links below.

About Swallow         Band Bios        Picture Gallery         Current Set List

         Sample MP3s         Contact Us        Upcoming Gigs

About Swallow

Based in Reading, Berkshire, rock covers band Swallow started life as the brainchild of vocalist Jane 'Jetblack' Setter and bass player Diane 'Mistress Mercy' Fox. Old schoolfriends and best mates, Jane and Di had only had fleeting chances to play together (including gecko hunting in Thailand, carousing in Hong Kong and numerous parties in Thanet - centre of the universe!) until Jane moved to Reading. Guitarist Nick Martin and (very recently!) drummer Adrian Ogden joined us, and Swallow is the result. 
Our motto?  "We just like to ROCK!!!"

Members of the band have played events such as the Hong Kong 1997 Handover to China party at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Johnny Walker 1998 Golf Classic in Thailand, various Kent Beer Festivals, the 2003 Edinburgh Festival, and venues all over the Midlands, London and the South East. Swallow has most recently played venues around Reading such as  The Eldon Arms, The Red Lion and The Swan at Arborfield, and also appeared at the Reading Beer Festival in 2003 and 2004 and the Lion Rally in 2005 and 2006.  Click on our pictures link (soon to be updated!) for shots of the band in action!

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Band Bios

Jane 'Jetblack' Setter (vocals): Biker chick (I ride a Yamaha VS535 Virago), phonetician, sophisticate, babe, intellectual, natural wit, vocalist extraordinaire, and extremely modest to boot - Jane's got it all really. Described as an "exceptional  frontwoman", with a range and style which copes easily with the rigours of Robert Plant, the attitude of Deborah Harry, the range of Rainbow's various vocalists and the cool of Hendrix, it is Jane’s versatility and stage presence which make the Swallow experience one not to be missed.  Jane also sings for Run Like Hell, featuring the Pink Floyd Experience, and  even plays the tambourine ...  So come on down! 

Diane 'Mistress Mercy' Fox (bass and vocals): You'd never guess this gothic chick had a very strict upbringing … or would you? Dark horse Di's a bit of a celebrity on the Reading music scene; her activities range from bass-playing with Swallow, Aisle 22, Symphony of Pain and, formerly, the Jason Manners Blues Band, A F Harrold & his All Star Band, to working as a bass technician and merchandiser across Europe for the likes of John Wetton, It Bites, King's X, Arena, Pendragon and The Urbane.  She has jammed with no less than Filmore Slim, aka Clarence 'guitar' Sims, at a Jason Manners gig in Reading's Purple Turtle.  Di just can't stop herself from picking up her sexy little purple number … and how grateful are we for that??

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Nick Martin (guitar and vocals): Nick started playing guitar a long time ago and hasn't stopped yet.  His early obsession with Deep Purple gave way to forays into Fusion, Art Rock, Melodic Rock and eventually Prog (hurrah!).  He has plied his trade at shows up and down the land in bands such as Medicine Man and Merchant's Vice, sometimes even to an audience.  Nick suffers from GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and is never happier than when he has a new toy to play with.  Swallow are proud to say that his playing styles run the whole gamut from A to B (and back again).  That a new guitar, Nick ..?

Adrian Ogden (drums): Astronomer, zoologist, computer programmer, kung fu grand master, jetsetter, commando, novelist, Spiderman ... these were just a few of the things Adrian wanted to be when he grew up. Given that he became a drummer, they still are. A lifelong denizen of the Reading area (apart from a stint at college in Leeds), Adrian went through youthful flirtations with piano, violin and choral singing before finding his true calling on the drums. He played his first gigs at the age of 20 with local self-proclaimed legends Loose Tourniquet. Since then he has played pop, rock, blues and soul, and been a member of The Briefcase Blues Brothers, and XTC tribute X-sTatiC. He currently plays in Run Like Hell along with Jane. Influences: Rush, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, The Police, XTC, AC/DC. Likes: Odd time signatures, Doctor Who, Babylon 5, Firefly, Spaced, Terry Pratchett, feeding ducks, birds of prey, tea, pizza, dark chocolate, hugs, Tom Lehrer, the internet, hats. Dislikes: Scientific Creationism, parsnips.

Downloads

Upcoming Gigs

Saturday 20th February 2010
The Turks, London Road, Reading
From 9pm-ish
Click here for details

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Saturday 24th April 2010
The Eldon Arms, Eldon Terrace, Reading
From 9pm-ish
Click here for details

Saturday 8th May 2010
The Sun Inn, Hungerford
From 9pm-ish
Click here for details 

The Turks, London Road, Reading (tbc)
From 9pm-ish h
Click here for details

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Saturday 17th July 2010
The Eldon Arms, Eldon Terrace, Reading
From 9pm-ish
Click here for details