About The Handsome Beasts

The Band Today

The Handsome Beasts are a five piece rock band based in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Drums - Mick Roobottom

Bass Guitar - MaxMckee

Guitar - Alan Nyland

Guitar - Mark Boreland

Vocals - Ian Hooley

Mick Roobottom

I started playing drums in a cadet band when i was a kid.
My first drum kit cost me £30, it had a 20’’ bass drum with a real pigskin head lol.
When i was 17 i formed my first band with some mates from school jamming to songs by bands as far apart as Deep Purple and The Velvet Underground, I’ve always been very eclectic with my musical tastes.
Over the next few years I mostly played in a covers band (since 1996 I’ve been the drummer in "Free at Last" the UK’s No1 tribute to Free and Bad Company)
One night in 2004 my tribute band were playing a gig at The Chestnut Tree in Birmingham (referred to by the locals as The Nutz) where Garry and Alan were the sound engineers.
After the gig Alan came to me and asked if i would like to come and jam with the Beasts which i gratefully accepted.
It was such an honour to work with Garry for the last couple of years before he died and play drums on his last album Rock And A Hard Place.
Looking to the future i can’t wait to get out there gigging with the new Beasts line up, Max and Ian are awesome.
See you on the road \m/

Max Mckee

Max is a truly great Bass player, (which is just as well as this bio will explore a whole host of reasons he shouldn't be allowed out in the wider society).

Having played in bands as varied as Warning and Screemer, Max has been causing buildings to crumble with his bass rigs around the circuit for many years. Some even claim his bass guitar sound is responsible for global warming!

Being around Max after "curry night" is like volunteering to get high by sniffing the mens latrine.

Back in the 80's and 90's there we're many more live venues for bands to play in but unfortunately far too many of them offered the band Max was playing in a "free bar", (that's right, the general economy has nothing to do with the rate of pub closures, it was all down to Max).

So to sum up... a brilliant bass player and showman, steer clear after a curry, don't let him behind the bar!

Alan Nyland

I've been playing guitar since I was an embryo. My musical influences came from my mother, she washed the gowns for the church choir.

I've been in and around the music biz since I was 15, and part of the Beasts from the 80's.

From fan to roadie to sound engineer, lighting, guitar tec. ect.

Its been a roller coaster of a ride...

The band and fans are family to me and always will be.

So, to all my brethren out there see ya all soon for a family reunion.

Mark Boreland

I'm 37 and from Birmingham. I was born in Handsworth and grew up there during the riots but also Aston and the surrounding areas.
I started playing seriously at the age of 18. I couldn't afford a guitar of my own before I got a "real job", so went to friends houses who had one so I could practice.
My musical tastes are so varied you would raise an eyebrow, my dad being from Jamaica and my mum from the UK. My musical diet growing up was ninety percent reggae. My dad also loved jazz and played sax. My nan and aunts all played piano and I wanted to play piano also but, once I saw Faith No More (epic) on MTV I was hooked on rock and Metal.
I played in a punk tribute band which was fun and jamming with friends but I've mainly been with The Beasts since 2002. When Garry Dalaway, Alan Nyland, Vic Fincher and Ray Richmond were doing a charity gig I was asked by somebody to fill in, as myself and Alan were already friends and jammed together. I asked Al, and Garry agreed to an audition. I learned the set in a week or so and Garry's invitation was "you're as shit as the rest of 'em, you're in".
It's been an emotional roller coaster ride and I've loved every moment of it. I got to work with, co-write and learned a lot from Garry and miss him dearly.
There have been some line up changes over the years and I've got to work with Rocky Shades (Wrathchild), Simon "Mongo" Hall (Beholder), John "Wardi" Ward (Oliver Dawsons' Saxon) (Hootie and The Blowfish).
Just kidding and that's just the singers. I'm happy doing what I enjoy with people I enjoy doing it with and, pleasing our fans and supporters in the process.
Phew... Rant Over!

Ian Hooley

I've played in bands for what feels like my whole life. I've always been a singer but have played guitar in most of the bands too, something which makes giving a great vocal performace harder so I'm glad to be in a band with Alan and Mark who both make it pointless me picking up my guitar,(though that by no means I promise to be great).

A massive Springsteen fan, I also love WASP and a whole host of other rock bands but to be honest my band knowledge stops at around 1985 which is kinda funny as I was born in 1972 (work it out for yourselves).

The one comment I've heard more than any other about my singing over the years is, "I thought you'd be a lot bigger" so you can draw from that what you will.

I'm very excited and happy to have become a member of this fantastic band which are a part of the history of British rock music, and an all round great bunch of guys.

I hope to meet you all on the road.