About Breathru

The Breakthu’ band enjoy playing music from the ‘50s and ‘60s, and providing an enjoyable and engaging experience for its audiences. It’s latest nine-track studio recorded album is BREAKTHRU’ and the Manresa Chamber Orchestra play The Shadow, which is available for sale at gigs.

Breakthru’ plays music by Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Tina Turner, Chubby Checker, The Beatles, The Searchers, and many more. The band is:

Paul first fell in love with the sound of the electric guitar and particularly instrumentals around 1960, listening to the guitar sounds of The Shadows, Duane Eddy, Al Caiola and Chet Atkins to name but a few and in fact listening to any record where there was a guitar solo!

At the age of 17, Paul started to teach himself to play the guitar with the aid of Bert Weedon’s now-famous “Play in a Day” book. Pau not sure if was a reflection on that book or not but he remembers his mother calling out to him “why don’t you give up playing that thing, you’ll never be able to play it”. That “thing” was his first guitar purchase of a Burns short scale jazz guitar from a second-hand shop in Guildford for £17.50 Some 10 years later his mother came to see him play that “thing” with his band in a talent competition for “Pub Entertainer of the Year” where the band came second, just missing out on a recording contract.

Over the years Paul has played in bands such as “The Contrast”, “Aquarius” “Shazam” The Silver Shadows”, all successful regionally, and now “Breakthru”, covering country music, rock and pop, as well as performing tributes to Cliff and the Shadows.

His collection of guitars has expanded to 7 (electric & acoustic) including the Burns Marvin a Fender Stratocaster as well as a Burns 12 string electric, which he uses for playing lead or rhythm guitar. Paul always uses a Vox AC30 amp to recreate those 60’s sounds. He also performs lead and backing vocals.

Recently, Paul worked with Breakthru’ on recording their CD of The Shadows titles which has now been released, following concerts with a 40 piece orchestra.

Steve joined his first group composed of school friends in the early days of Rock’n’Roll and has since played with different bands including stints in France and Germany. He started on bass then graduated to rhythm and lead guitar playing in duos, trios and various combinations up to a six-piece band, whilst singing either lead or harmony vocals.

Like most dedicated guitarists, Steve has built up a collection of guitars which currently stands at seven, plus several amplifiers. You can never have too many!

David started learning to play the classical piano from the age of 7 through to 16 and the guitar from 16 onwards. He has played lead guitar on Shadows instrumentals for a number of years and has been playing keyboards for Breakthru’ since joining them over a year ago, which he thoroughly enjoys.

John started playing Shadows music in his first band at the age of 12 and progressed on to jazz, pop, and rock in his teens as well as club and theatre work. He toured professionally with Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band in the 1970s as well as with rock bands High Brooms and Bram Stoker. Today he plays with Breakthu’, jazz big bands and several smaller jazz ensembles, as well as with contemporary Christian bands. He has recently been involved in recording two albums. John plays a classic vintage 1966 Premier blue pearl drum kit.