Biography
In the closing years of the 1990s and the opening years of the following decade, the tribute pop ensemble known as the Bootleg Beatles achieved significant popularity throughout the United Kingdom. The lineup featured Neil Harrison portraying John Lennon, Dave Catin-Birch—who was temporarily succeeded midway through by Paul Cooper—embodying Paul McCartney, André Barreau taking the role of George Harrison, and American Rick Rock assuming the position of Ringo Starr. At the same time, the musicians pursued additional projects by joining and establishing other groups that reflected their diverse musical preferences. Among these was Those Magnificent Men, the country rock outfit fronted by guitarist Barreau, which likewise found success on UK shores. Recordings by several of these ensembles appeared on Rock’s personal imprint, Way Out West Records. Those Magnificent Men’s song list encompasses ‘What Kind Of Country Is This?’, ‘Nine Miles High’, ‘Got A Thing About You’, ‘Looks Like Rain’, ‘It’s Women That’s Killing Me’, ‘I’m Smoking Again’, ‘Kissing In The Wind’, ‘Wrong Side Of The River’, and ‘This Land’. Tracks taken from the group’s inaugural 1999 release, What Kind Of Country Is This?, feature in the soundtrack to Peter Howitt’s Sliding Doors (1998). Barreau contributed further compositions, including the score for another Howitt film, Dangerous Parking (2007).
Albums