Biographies
Dennis Streatfield – Piano, organ, synthesizers
Dennis is a local piano/keyboard teacher based in the Wokingham area and has been teaching for over 15 years.
Coming from a musical family Dennis started learning learning the piano at age 7 and has been playing ever since.
Learning music such as Bach, Beethoven , Kabalevsky and Mozart from an early age helped him cope with the technical demands of playing the piano, synthesizer and keyboard parts of LZ and DP.
Over the years Dennis has played in many bands namely "The Doors Experience", "The Bottom Line" and "Silhouette" playing music as varied as The Doors, Van Halen, Rainbow, Robert Cray and Eric Clapton.
With the Purple Zeppelins Dennis has found the ideal band with which to improvise and to play off a first rate guitarist. Together with a great drummer and bass player, every show is spontaneous with new riffs and scale patterns being introduced, all great fun really!
Equipment
2X Roland 100W keyboard amps
Hammond Organ XB1
Roland VK 7
Roland D5
Roland Juno G
Volume pedal
3 Tier Quiklock keyboard stand
Kurzweil Piano Module
Fave Zep song: No Quarter
Fave DP song: Lazy
Fave Whitesnake song: Here
I Go Again ( 1981 version)
Fave Rainbow song: All Night Long
Led Zeppelin gigs attended: Knebworth 1979
Robert Plant solo Sydney, Australia 1984 Principle of Moments tour
Brixton Academy July 1993 Fate of Nations Tour
Deep Purple gigs: Reading Rivermead centre 2001.
Other bands that Dennis likes: Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, The Doors, Santana, Peter Frampton and many others.
Ashley Streatfield – Drums and percussion
Ashley has been with the Purple Zeppelins since 2004. Coming from a musical family, he started playing the piano at 4 and then the trumpet at 12.
He found his true passion, drumming, as a late teen. He likes all type of music and has played in several bands over the years. With Purple Zeppelins he has found his niche.
Equipment
Pearl Export kit – 5 piece in black
22” bass drum with pearl eliminator pedal
12” and 13” toms with an 18” X 16” floor tom
Ian Paice signature series snare with a Ludwig 402 back up.
Cymbals
14” Paiste rock heavy hi-hat
16” Zildjian rock crash
18” Zildjian crash
20” Zildjian heavy ride
Hardware Remo pinstripe heads and uses Zildjian 5B sticks.
Zeppelin gigs attended: Knebworth 1979
Deep Purple gigs attended: Rivermead, Reading 2001
Fave Zep song: The Ocean
Fave DP song: Smoke on the water
Fave Whitesnake: Fool for your Loving
Fave Rainbow: Catch the Rainbow
Ashley also likes: Wishbone Ash, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, The Average White Band, The Pussycat Dolls, Huh!? And many others.
Elvin Cole – Electric and acoustic guitars and backing vocals
Elvin is a stalwart of the band, having been with PZ for 3 and a half years. He started playing guitar when he was 12 and now has a collection of over 10 guitars! Elvin is also in another band (Shinfield) and, if they are playing near you, check them out as they are well worth a look.
Equipment
Gibson Les Paul
Fender Stratocaster
Marshall stack
Tanglewood acoustic guitar
Boss effects unit
Gibson Epiphone
Fave Zep song: Stairway
Fave DP song: Highway Star
Fave Rainbow song: Since You`ve Been Gone
Fave Whitesnake: Fool for Your Loving
Other bands Elvin likes are Gary Moore, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Jimi Hendrix, Shinfield, Sugababes and Cheryl Cole (?)
Elvin is also available for guitar lessons - you can contact him via the Links Page.
Ed Hook – Bass guitar
Ed’s father was a double bass player with a dance band in Chatham in the 1940’s. The family moved to Scotland in 1962. Ed started playing the guitar with his mates in 1964 and the first gig was a talent contest in Dunfermline. They came second. Next was a group playing Stones, Kinks, Beatles, Little Richard covers. A few gigs; then joined a band called Company, playing in local halls, clubs and pubs. This evolved into a cabaret band called Carousel. Played a lot in East Central Scotland.
While at University, 1972, became a member of Harris Falls, a band writing own material; Coliseum, Spirit, Yes influences. Then to a funk-jazz band called Sierra-Bonde – pubs in Edinburgh & Fife. Then joined a dance band called Freeman. Then worked extensively with a cabaret / dance band in Dundee & Edinburgh clubs, until moving to Newbury in 1987.
After a few years without gigs, worked with a few musicians until 2005, joined with Gregg Allen, excellent blues guitarist. Played a number of shows in theatres on the South Coast and an album called Looking Back. Next was Blue Sunset, covers & Eagles, Clapton, Weller. Local pubs & functions.
"Putting my name on the Berkshire Live web site for musicians led me to a blues band called Jukes Blues, and now also to Purple Zeppelins. This combines my passion for blues and of course rock. I feel I have gone through the entire range of live music styles and come home. It is like playing “air guitar” but I am plugged in and make real sounds. The Purple Zeppelins are getting better with each gig. Look out – we ROCK."
Equipment
Rickenbacker 4001 Stereo jetglo bass (1980)
Fender Precision bass (1975)
Yamaha 4 string bass (2005)
Carvin (Cyclops) BiAmp Combo – 600W with 400W
Extension speaker cab
Shure SM58 mic
Fave Zep song: Good Times Bad Times
Fave DP song: Highway Star
Fave Rainbow song: Since You`ve Been Gone
Fave Whitesnake: Fool for Your Loving
Other bands that Ed likes: Clapton, Yes, Queen, Stevie-Ray Vaughn, Stevie Wonder, Joe Satriani.
Joe Valdes - Lead vocals
Joe’s passion for music started in his early years. At the age of 18 he learned to play the guitar. “I learned to play a few songs, and before you know, I was playing in local pubs and bars in my hometown”. Joe made friends with a few Americans stationed in the local USAF base in Madrid, Spain. He got hired to play at the local NCO club.
His next break was to play at the Atwood Bluegrass and Country Music Festival in Mississippi, the year was 1983. Introduction to Zeppelin, Purple and other kings of rock came through his brother, a DJ in the local disco. In 1985 went back to the US and spent a year touring with a local rock band.
In 1998 Joe moved to England where he would continue playing at every opportunity. In 2008 he joined The Elusive Teeth, a local band playing mostly their own material. In February 2010, Joe was approached by Dennis to fill in the departure of Purple Zep’s front man. “I am really happy having joined this group of highly talented musicians; we really get a buzz playing together for friends, fans and all. We want to enjoy ourselves but most importantly, we want to give people a real good time.”
Equipment
Shure mic
Yamaha semi-acoustic guitar
Tambourine
Thank God - a good pair of vocal chords
Fave Zep songs: Immigrant Song and Living Loving Maid (She’s just a Woman)
Fave DP songs: Soldier of Fortune and Burn
Fave Rainbow songs: Man on the Silver Mountain and Stone Cold
Fave Whitesnake song: Here I Go Again
Other bands that Joe likes: Where do I start? Besides Led and Deep, The James Gang (with Tommy Bolin), REO Speedwagon, John Mellencamp, Bad Company, The Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Robin Trower, April Wine (fine Canadian Band), Yes, Pink Floyd, Night Ranger, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, New Grass Revival, Nickel Creek, Johan Sebastian Bach, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, Pure Prairie League, Prince, The Police, Poco, Emylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Parliament, Eric Clapton, etc…
