MOare than an average pub singer

EIGHTIES heartthrob Paul Young will be there along with Chris Difford of Squeeze, Mike Scott of The Waterboys and harmonica genius Brendan Power.

They will be performing on a stage in the back garden of the Three Mariners pub, Oare, as part of the third mOare music festival– the brainchild of former Average White Band guitarist Hamish Stuart.

Angus said: "It's only a small festival. We are limited to 500 tickets so the performers tend to be my friends and their friends."

A special hydraulic stage is being used for the first time this year.

Glaswegian-born Hamish, 60, said: "As soon as we saw the Three Mariners we fell in love with the place."

The guitarist had just finished a world tour with Paul McCartney and wanted to move out of London to find a place in the country to write new songs.

He said: "I'd visited Kent in the past and loved it so Claire and I spent a day just driving around. We went to Deal, Margate and Ramsgate and even looked around Canterbury.

"On a whim we visited Faversham, found the Market Square, and decided it was the place for us. Within three weeks we had moved into a flat in the town centre."

Claire, a top cook, took her licensing exams and when Shepherd Neame advertised for tenants the pair leapt at the opportunity.

Angus said: "We immediately recognised the potential of the Three Mariners but it was quite dark and gloomy with lots of dark green paint.

"On the Monday we took over we repainted the whole place. The idea was to reopen on the Wednesday but we suddenly realised the quiz team were booked for a home match on the Tuesday. Somehow the paint dried just in time."

Angus was 13 when he began playing guitar.

He recalled: "A friend knew a handful of chords so we played after school.

"We picked up a few Chuck Berry numbers and tried to copy the Beatles' album. We worked out the chords as we went along.

"I remember that A Hard Day's Night was an important album. It was when I really started learning the guitar properly. There were chords I hadn't heard before. The Beatles were exploring and opened up new ground for me.

"We'd sit with two guitars and try to figure things out. Later we put together a little school band and played in the local church hall on Saturday nights."

Angus ended up moving to London and in June 1972 joined the Average White Band with fellow Scots drummer Robbie McIntosh, Malcolm "Mollie" Duncan on sax, Roger Ball on keyboards, Alan Gorie on bass and Owen McIntyre on guitar.

They turned heads with their new white funky soul sound and went down a storm in the USA.

Hamish recalled: "We did a week at the Troubador and we were the hot ticket. Stars like Jack Nicholson, Martha Reeves and Cher came to see us. Elton John took us out to dinner. It was a fantastic time."

But tragedy struck. At the end of the run the band went to a party to celebrate and drummer Robbie died from a drugs overdose.

Angus recalled: "It was on September 22. Robbie tried something he shouldn't have done and it killed him.

"I met him when he was 16. He was a boy genius, one of the best drummers I had ever met.

"The following March we went to number one with Pick Up The pieces. It was strange because without Robbie it felt so wrong."

The band spent two days auditioning for a replacement drummer. Angus added: "That made it seem all the worse."

Eventually they took on black Brighton drummer Steve Ferone. AWB ended in 1982 after a 10 year career.

Angus said: "We just ran out of steam and attitudes had changed. It was a big deal for me because it was the first time since 14 I hadn't been in a band. I had no idea what I would do.

"There was talk of a reunion in 1986 but I said 'thanks but no thanks'. I'd done it all and given away all the T-shirts."

In that same year Angus, who was then living in Los Angeles, received a call from his former PR man Richard Ogden asking if he'd like to work with his former hero, Paul McCartney.

"Of course I said yes," said Angus who flew back to Britain to have a trial "jam" in McCartney's studio in a converted mill house at Peasmarsh with Nicky Hopkins on keyboards and Chris Whitten on drums. A few days later he received a call saying he was in.

He helped record the album Flowers in the Dirt, toured in 1989, worked on the 1991 Unplugged album and then toured again in 1993.

He said: "It was brilliant. I could see the magic of Beatlemania even all those years later."

In 2006, Hamish toured with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band as bassist and joined Starr again for a 2008 tour.

Now a third generation of Stuart is taking up music. His youngest daughter 19, is studying music at Oregon University and flying back to Britain to join her dad on stage this weekend.

Angus, whose own parents were both singers said: "I never pushed my children into music but I made sure they were exposed to it.

"It became obvious at school that Emma had a good voice. I am really looking forward to singing with her."

Her sister Sarah is a fashion designer and brother Ian is teaching English in Bangkok. All three were brought up in California.

The third mOare music festival is held at Three Mariners pub, Oare, near Faversham, this Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 7pm. Free parking at Gist. Daily tickets are £22 (weekend pass £38) from 01795 533633. The festival also has a cheese and wine tent and tea and cakes.