MUSIC CENTRAL

Born 15 August 1953, Bradford, Yorkshire, England. Croker had studied sculpture at art school before becoming a British Rail guard, a refuse collector, and a theatre set designer. It was during the last job that he met fellow guitarist Steve Phillips, with whom he formed the duo Nev And Norris. During the early '80s, when Phillips temporarily retired from music to concentrate on his own art career, Croker set about assembling his own band - the 5 O'Clock Shadows. As well as Croker, the Shadows consisted of Marcus Cliffe (bass), and Mark Cresswell (guitar). Cresswell also played alongside Tanita Tikaram. The 5 O'Clock Shadows' debut, Close Shave, emerged on the Leeds independent label Unamerican Activities, and was promoted with the single That's The Way All My Money Goes in 1986. They moved to Red Rhino but released just one single before that company ceased trading. Croker gained a high profile for his work with Mark Knopfler, Guy Fletcher and Steve Phillips as the Notting Hillbillies and was signed to Andrew Lauder's Silvertone label. In 1989 they released a self-titled album which featured guest appearances by Tikaram, Eric Clapton, Steve Goulding and Katie Kisson (of Mac And Katie Kisson) amongst others. Croker and Cresswell also guested on Tikaram's Ancient Heart.

In a former life, Brendan Croker still was a part of Mark Knopfler's private-project The Notting Hillbillies. (The band doesn't make it any further than Missing... Presumed Having A Good Time.) But Brendan keeps collaborating with the superb 'Sultan Of Swing' and other Dire Straits veterans in other projects.

He played with two other musicians in a band called The Dynamite Twins. He becomes the singer in order to impress the girls.

(...)

After the Notting Hillbillies side-step Brendan Croker goes very distinctively solo. In Nashville he records The Great Indoors with legendary music-producer Barry Beckett and special guests Chet Atkins and (...) Mark Knopfler. In 1991 he starts a large (...) through Europe: Scandinavia, France, the Netherlands and Belgium. In our country he (...) and he (...) here. Here he finds three (...) the acoustic The Serious Offenders. Together they go on tour through Belgium prisons, resulting in the 1992 live recording Time Off, later followed by the CD Made In Europe. In '94 (...) he also writes for Wyonna Judd and John Mayall.

As to musical idols, Brendan refers back to Doc Watson, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Skip James, Blind Blake. (...).