Imagine Tom Waits with a tenor and a trumpet and you're on the right track. This Australian joins grimy speakeasy swing with the knife-edged danger of a sawdust saloon. Musically, that means shambling horns, galloping bongos, and sweet, reedy vocal lines that tinge the country-gothic form with just a pinch of hope.

Randall-Blair blends old school country, blues & swing with the skewered sensibilities of a modern troubadour. At times shambolic, but always melodic, he weaves honest tales of love, drunkenness, poverty & desire. With the help of his backing band, The Wedded Bliss, he pays homage to the influences of Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt & Tom Waits whilst retaining a distinctly Australian feel. ?Tattoos & Tail-lights? is the band?s debut release, and features a beautiful country-soul rendition of Burning Spear?s ?The Sun? amongst a ten-track collection of bitter-sweet roots music. Raised in a tee-totalling Salvation Army Household, Randall-Blair (born Blair Randall) was indoctrinated into music at an earlier age. A shy and awkward child, he was nevertheless expected to learn trumpet and accompany his father?s small church brass band. As a youngster, he played concerts, fairs, carols Sunday morning services as soon as he could hold his own. His doting grandparents, Sally Ministers themselves, lauded blair as a future youth leader, perhaps even a minister. But something led him astray? Randall-Blair plays roots music from what he describes as the ?Holy Trinity? of sound ? blues, jazz and country. He has been playing in rock, metal and garage bands since his first gig at the age of 14. As an under ager, he cut his teeth singing blues at open mic nights. He spent several years refining his craft and playing in a variety of bands before forming 'Crumpet' in 1993. The days of playing in the Sally band were long gone?.. Crumpet spent several years playing a brand of folk/blues/rock to enthusiastic supporters across venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. The band independently released two CDs , appeared on Triple J?s ?Live at the Wireless? and supported a huge array of national and international acts ? most notably Rory Mcleod (U.K.), Corduroy (U.K.), Jad Fair (U.S.) and Australian acts Ed Kuepper, Dave Graney & Coral Snakes, Something for Kate, The Whitlams, Augie March and the Hoodoo Gurus. Now Randall-Blair and his mates, The Wedded Bliss, are looking forward to touring & recording their second full length release in 2005.