Mike Sanchez: Big Town Playboy

by Michael Anthony Madden, Robert Plant (Foreword)

The compelling story of one of the foremost exponents of authentic rhythm & blues and rock n roll in the world today. Michael Madden has been given full access to a vast archive of material charting Mike Sanchez's journey from his Spanish roots through an eventful 35 year musical career that has seen him progress through the ranks of the Rockets, the Big Town Playboys and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings to fronting his own band and performing with some of the biggest names of the rock world including Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and Jeff Beck. The text is illuminated with comments from many friends, fans and fellow musicians, and generously illustrated with many rare / previously unseen photographs.

314 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Michael Madden is a child of the 1960s and 1970s. Too young to remember the early days of Elvis Presley, but old enough to be an impressionable 15 year old when The King passed away. His influences gathered themselves in the glam rock era of Marc Bolan and Suzi Quatro, and blossomed into the halcyon punk days of The Stranglers, The Rezillos and countless bands that came and went with barely a murmur.

And yet rock and roll was always there. His parents passed on their records by Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley, and it was an obscure Kings Of Rockabilly cassette tape featuring Sleepy LaBeef that led to one of Michael’s previously published books Mike Sanchez Big Town Playboy.

He has published a total of 5 titles, and he adapted Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven for a youth theatre production at the Buxton Festival Fringe. His home is in the village of Whaley Bridge in the Peak District where he lives with his wife and 2 youngest children, playing cricket, writing books and songs, and striving to pass on his musical legacy to all 3 of his children and his granddaughter with varying degrees of success.