UK rock'n'rollers The Quireboys have evolved into the Black Eyed Sons for a new album entitled Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits that arrives via Off Yer Rocka Recordings on January 28, 2025. The revised moniker is a nod to the 2014 Quireboys album of the same name.
The move ends a dispute with Spike, the co-founding singer that the long-running British group controversially sacked in March 2022. In the wake of the fallout, guitarist Guy Griffin stepped up to assume vocal responsibilities as the band continued as a five-piece.
With Spike claiming ownership of the Quireboys name, reuniting with bassist Nigel Mogg, keyboardist Chris Johnstone and drummer Rudy Richman, and also recruiting Thunder guitarist Luke Morley for touring and recording purposes, a war of words ensued. But now Griffin insists his own band – still completed by guitarist Paul Guerin, keyboard player Keith Weir and the rhythm section of Nick Malling (bass) and his brother Pip (drums) – just want to get on with making music again.
"People will have opinions on who was wrong and who was right, and social media makes things even more tribal still because nobody backs down anymore," Griffin tells Classic Rock. "As much as I'm proud of my own history with The Quireboys, and I was a part of that from the very first record [A Bit Of What You Fancy, 1990], it was time for some changes.
"That was then, this is now. It's onwards and upwards. The rules have changed. I could write a song today and the way things are now, we could release it tomorrow. We want to be judged on our music rather than the squabbling and silliness of the past couple of years."
"We're taking a step back from the soap opera. Quite honestly, the resolution of all this has been a huge weight off my shoulders. When all's said and done, both sides are probably much happier with the way things have turned out. It [the parting of the ways] should have happened a long, long time ago, but unfortunately it didn't."
Now that the dust has settled a little, nobody is using the word ‘peacefully' but from Griffin and company's end there's a silent agreement to coexist.
"Exactly," he nods. "We are not pretending that it's all water under the bridge because it's been a trying couple of years. My brother died as all the bullshit was going on and then last year we lost Guy Bailey [the band's original lead guitarist]. Those things make you revaluate what's important."
Very slowly the wounds are healing. Griffin was a pallbearer at Bailey's funeral and Chris Johnston, who is a part of the ‘other' camp, appears on Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits. "He isn't even on their album," Griff observes with a laugh, "I talked to Chris yesterday. The tangled webs we weave, eh?"
The guitarist introduces himself as the group's new singer on Cowboys…, but its 11 selections feature a smorgasbord of special guests that includes Joe Elliott on the title track, plus Josh Todd and Stevie D from Buckcherry, Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr, Skid Row guitarist Scotti Hill, Dan Reed, former White Lion frontman Mike Tramp, Chip Z'Nuff, Dirty Strangers leader Alan Clayton and Ryan Roxie from the Alice Cooper band. Def Leppard singer Elliott has strong ties to the Quireboys, having featured Griffin, Guerin, Weir and former drummer Phil Martini in his sideband the Down ‘N' Outz.
Right now, nobody knows whether or not the Black Eyed Sons will be quite so guest-friendly going forward. "I won't tie us down to that," Griffin insists. "The whole point of this new project is to leave all possibilities open."
An album launch party takes place at London's The Lexington on December 16, with a tour being lined up for the following year.
In conclusion, Griffin emphasizes that whilst he and the Black Eyed Sons have moved on via the name change and the forthcoming release of new music, their connection to The Quireboys is not entirely relinquished. Outside of the new songs they aim to represent material from outside the first pair of studio records that in recent years has been rarely performed.
"We're talking about a catalogue of ten albums," he explains. "There will be in-their-entirety tours, and maybe also re-recordings and live albums."
As an unforeseen bonus, the group's new identity allows them to integrate material from the three Down ‘N' Outz albums into their live repertoire.
"A whole realm of possibilities exists," Griffin observes. "It's not like we can no longer use the Quireboys name. I know that we can because we still pay the bills for that every month.
"What we are doing," he concludes, "is to no longer allow the name to define us. Regardless of who's right and who's wrong, now you have two different bands and two very different albums. It's win-win for everybody."
Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits is available to pre-order now.
Black Eyed Sons: Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits tracklist
1. Lie To Me
2. Medicine - with Josh Todd, Stevie D (Buckcherry)
3. Foolin' Yourself - with Steve Conte (New York Dolls, Michael Monroe), Kyf Brewer (Company Of Wolves/Barley Juice)
4. Autumn Reigns - with Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke)
5. Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits - with Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper), Chip Z’Nuff (Enuff Z’Nuff)
6. Don't Throw Me In The Corner - with Chip Z’Nuff (Enuff Z’Nuff)
7. Your True Colours - with Mike Tramp (White Lion)
8. Savoir Faire - with Alan Clayton (Dirty Strangers), Steve Conte (New York Dolls, Michael Monroe), Chris Johnstone (Quireboys)
9. Dig Me Out Of This Hole - with Scotti Hill (Skid Row)
10. So Glorious - with Dan Reed (Dan Reed Network)
11. Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory - with Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper)
