Martin Scutt – Harmonica and Vocals Studied diatonic harmonica at the Brillo factory on the North Circular Road and song-writing at the Bardney sugar factory, Lincoln. Moved to Germany where harmonicas are cheaper and audiences less critical. Gigged with a blues band there for several years; acquired a suitcase full of harps, including chromatics, in a multitude of keys. Itchy Fingers is his latest attempt to evade obscurity.

By the time he was thirteen rhythm-King Nigel Hole was convinced that he was going to be a rock star, his parents on the other-hand had their doubts. Creating complex and driving sounds with Itchy Fingers has turned his Heavy Metal dreams into a corrugated zinc reality. He now agrees with Mum and Dad.

Jake ‘Slap’ Smith took up the double bass because playing the spoons was a bit too complicated (he now plays something smaller that fits through the pub door.) In the search for lower and yet lower bass notes he recently broke through the earth’s crust into hot liquid magma. Slap-Smith and Nigel make up Itchy Fingers’ youth wing. Their duties include keeping time, laying down a fat bass groove, making the tea, and remembering where we parked the van.

Paul H Thought to be a child prodigy at the age of 4 until a piano lid slammed on his fingers. All the more tragic as his family didn’t own a piano. Not dissuaded by the tragedy he took up Mandolin, the tiny scale and frets more suited to his diminished digits. He has never looked back.

Pete For some it was Elvis in 1956. For me it was Big Bill Broonzy in 1962, four years after he had sadly passed away. I formed Itchy Fingers in 2012 before it was too late.