Band Biography:

Impure Thoughts is descended from the Purple Rizla Experience, a rock and roll band which terrorized Ireland, Scotland and other parts of Great Britain as well as continental Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Rizla sound was raw; Rizla energy anarchic; Rizla harmonies note-perfect; Rizla guitar solos blistering. On a good night, the Rizlas were among the most unforgettable live acts in Europe. But the Rizlas were a bunch of kids, and the Rizlas died as they lived: a knife fight broke up the band and sent its members into various states of flight, trauma and solo act.

Impure Thoughts is the Purple Rizla Experience reborn. Wiser, more mature and with a massive catalogue of songs born of a decade of working as musicians in the bars and cafes of continental Europe, Impure Thoughts is Rizla power and sound plus grizzled vision and vibrant personality:.

Joe Armstrong has been described as all of the Rolling Stones in one person. In high demand as among the best working bass players in Germany, Joe tours regularly with recording artists such as Nikki Sudden and The Methylated Spirits. But Joe’s musical home is Impure Thoughts. The golden voice sings lead as well as back-up harmony.

Mark Mulholland plays stinging lead guitar in a syncopated and staggered rhythm that has no comparison in contemporary rock and roll. A prolific singer-songwriter, he is the author of Rizla/Thoughts classics such as “Too Late”, “Bottle of Luck”, “Just Another Night” and “Sitting in a Bottle”, to name only a few. In recent years, he has featured on numerous solo and collaborative recordings, most notably the critically acclaimed 2001 solo disc On the Road that Brought Me Here.

Tony “T-Shakes” Rose is the spirit. He has been called the White Lightnin’ Hopkins and the Scottish Neil Young. As a songwriter, Tony has no living equal in contemporary Europe. He is the author of several hundred songs and regularly receives songwriting’s highest compliment: bands around the world play him. Tony’s steady rhythm guitar and meat-and-potatoes riff work provides Impure Thoughts with its delta blues anchor.

Stephane Doucerain is the most recent addition to the Impure Thoughts line-up. After trying out a number of drummers, Impure Thoughts finally added Stephane to the permanent roster because he combines uniquely Charlie Watts’ precision and strength with a diverse set of musical references – from drum-and-bass to musette: “He plays drums as if they were a string instrument,” said one astonished first observer. 

Impure Thoughts is an unforgettable live act and one of continental Europe’s most consistently excellent: few working bands deliver dynamic live rock and roll with the dependability of Impure Thoughts. Book them, buy them, break your legs getting there to see them: Impure Thoughts is a future rock and roll legend.

What they said:

“What music is really meant to be about” – Noel Maurice, Pirate Radio Berlin

“Impure Thoughts have a gift for the kind of gorgeous harmonies that will have you crowing along after just one listen … they rock!” – XL Music Magazine, Dublin

“These guys fucking rock!” – J. Mascis, Dinosaur Jr.