Greg Kaye
Greg was born in Hackney, East London, and soon moved to Edmonton in North London. His early school years were marked by disinterest, but his musical journey began at the age of ten when his parents gave him a Spanish guitar and enrolled him in lessons with a local teacher. Though he initially learned classical guitar, the arrival of Marc Bolan on the music scene in 1970 shifted his focus. Inspired by T. Rex, Greg began miming to songs like Hot Love using a tennis racquet, effectively abandoning formal lessons.
In 1972, David Bowie’s performance of “Starman” on Top of the Pops was a pivotal moment. Enthralled by Bowie's guitarist Mick Ronson, Greg wanted to play electric guitar but no longer had access to one, as his Spanish guitar had been taken away. Eventually, he convinced his parents to buy him a £15 second-hand Stratocaster copy, though his skills had grown rusty. His passion was reignited in 1973 when he met Geoff Simpson, a singer-songwriter from the 60s band West Coast Consortium. Over the next three years, Geoff mentored Greg, teaching him rock standards and keeping him engaged.
Greg cites major musical influences including David Bowie, The Spiders from Mars, especially Mick Ronson and Trevor Bolder, and The Eagles. He played guitar in various local cover bands until age 24, when he transitioned to bass out of necessity. After a break from music, Greg returned in 2004 and successfully auditioned in 2007 to play bass for Bob Newman’s band, Dirty Little Secret. He brought in his school friend Zo Brown to provide additional breadth as lead vocalist and additional guitars and keyboards, but the band struggled to continue after Zo’s tragic and untimely death in 2011.
In 2016, Greg met drummer Andy Demetriou and formed Drive-In-Saturday, a David Bowie tribute band (later renamed Bowie’s Heroes). Although Greg briefly returned to guitar, internal band issues led to his departure. Now, he’s back on bass with The cRockofdaisies, alongside Bob, Andy, and Adam. He is particularly enthusiastic about the band's collaboration with producer Joe Corben and the recording of original material. Feeling a renewed sense of excitement and camaraderie, Greg has also embarked on a solo project—a David Bowie covers album begun in March 2025, enlisting his bandmates’ support in its creation.