The Quireboys

The Quireboys
The Quireboys performing in the Hammersmith Odeon venue in London, 7 April 1993
Background information
Origin	London, England
Genres	Hard rock, blues rock, glam metal, glam punk
Years active	1984–1993, 1995, 2001–present
Labels	EMI (previous) Sanctuary (previous) Off Yer Rocka
Associated acts	Down 'n' Outz, Glimmer, Red Dogs, Dog Kennel Hill, Thirsty, Spike & Tyla's Hot Knives
Members	Spike Guy Griffin Paul Guerin Keith Weir
Past members	Nigel Mogg Guy Bailey Chris Johnstone Paul Hornby Nick Connel (Coze) Ginger Rudy Richman Luke Bossendorfer Martin Henderson Pip Mailing Phil Martini Jason Bonham Simon Hanson

The Quireboys are an English hard rock band formed in 1984 in London, with strong ties to Newcastle. When the band formed they were originally known as The Queerboys and later as the London Quireboys in the United States and Canada, settling at last with their current name.

The band were successful during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their debut album A Bit of What You Fancy reaching No. 2 on the UK charts. Their highest charting single was with the song "Hey You".

In 1993, the Quireboys broke up but briefly reformed live in 1995 with different members. A more permanent reformation came in 2001 when frontman Spike, guitarist Guy Griffin and bassist Nigel Mogg put together a new line-up. The band is still active, recording new material and playing live.

Vocalist Jonathan Gray (commonly referred to as just "Spike") moved from Newcastle upon Tyne to London when he was 17 years old. Spike met guitarist Guy Bailey in a bar, through his older sister Julie, the two moved in together as flatmates, but did not even discuss playing music until a year later when a friend brought a guitar round and they began playing Chuck Berry songs.

By the mid-1980s the two decided to form a rock and roll band, the name chosen for the group was originally "The Choirboys" taken from the 1977 movie of the same name, but they soon changed it to the Queerboys. Gray and Bailey were joined by bassist Nigel Mogg (nephew of UFO's Phil Mogg), Chris Johnstone on piano and Paul Hornby, who had previously played drums with The Dogs D'Amour and with Pete Burns in the Liverpool group Nightmares in Wax.