BIOGRAPHY
"THE MUSTANGS are a breath of fresh air on the British blues scene"
THE MUSTANGS are one of the most established and critically-acclaimed blues rock bands in the UK, with a reputation for blistering live shows and ground-breaking original albums. The band has been nominated for four British Blues Awards.
Regarded as a breath of fresh air on the UK blues scene, the London band combines the power and punch of traditional R’n’B with great original songs and a show-stopping stage set. They have forged a formidable reputation as one of the most enjoyable and charismatic bands in British blues.
The Mustangs are led by the stunning voice and slashing guitar of livewire frontman Adam Norsworthy. The razor-sharp rhythm section of Jon Bartley (drums) and Ben McKeown (bass) is one of the tightest on the circuit. The line-up is completed by the brilliant blues harp of Nigel Feist, a well-known figure on the South East Coast British Blues circuit and one of the organisers of the Broadstairs Blues Bash.
The Mustangs were formed in Hampshire in 2001 by Adam and the band's former Blues Harp player Derek Kingaby. They immediately started gaining rave reviews in the blues press, with writers hailing the band as the country’s brightest new blues talent. They soon won the Eel Pie Club's Search for New Blues Talent, and news of their deft song-writing and hunger for playing live soon spread. They released two albums - Let it Roll and Rocking Horse independently, til they signed a deal with the Blues Matters label for their third album Split Decision, before moving to Trapeze Records in 2008. Since then the Mustangs have headlined stages all over the UK and Northern Europe. In 2017 they played the legendary Glastonbury Festival.
Now in their 25th year and with eight critically acclaimed albums under their belt, as well as a Best Of and a live album, the band’s eleventh and most recent album WATERTOWN was released to glowing critical acclaim in 2019, with many reviews hailing it a "modern classic' and "as good as songwriting gets".
The band’s drummer Jon was an active political campaigner, and in September 2016 was elected joint-leader of the National Green Party of England & Wales. Singer/guitarist Adam is also the guitarist in acclaimed band The Milk Men. Adam is also the organiser of Milkfest - an annual one-day music festival at the O2 in London to raise money for various charities.
In December 2022 Derek Kingaby decided to step back from the band, after 22 years with The Mustangs. he remains a pivotal and fondly remembered part of the Mustangs story.
“Just Passing Through is an eclectic masterpiece” - Firebrand Magazine
“This outfit has the potential to change how British blues is perceived and received” Blues Matters Magazine
“In a genre so dominated by predictable cover bands, the Mustangs have broken free…sheer balls tempered by plenty of heart and soul” Record Collector
“Truly storming, ferocious…the very definition of blues rock” Rock’n’Reel mag
"Blistering musicianship" Music Eye magazine
“Split Decision is a compulsory purchase for British blues rock fans” The Musician magazine
“Musical depth, sheer balls and plenty of heart and soul” Record Collector
“Skill, flair, and a true feeling for the music they so clearly love” BluesMatters.com
“Infectiously funky..and downright beautiful” – R2 Magazine
“As a songwriter, Adam Norsworthy is one of the blues world’s best-kept secrets” – R2 Magazine
“Seriously good blues music – colossal” – Firebrand Magazine
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