History of The Band
After an impressive two decades on the live music scene, Pure Floyd have earned a strong reputation as one of the most energetic, visually stunning and theatrical tributes to the legendary Pink Floyd. The 13-piece production takes the audience on an immersive musical journey featuring a spectacular set list of classic anthems (Comfortably Numb, Money, Brick in the Wall) and remarkable rarities (One of these days, Not now John, Keep Talking). From the psychedelic Syd Barrett years all the way through to the Division Bell, the band breathe life into each equally epic era. Performed by some of the UK’s most seasoned musicians, you can expect breath-taking lead guitar and vocals, atmospheric keys, a flavourful rhythm section and soaring sax solos. In addition to an authentic musical performance, you will be swept away by their staggering light and laser show!
Meet The Members
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Tony Edwards
Lead Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist
I'm a luthier and multi instrumentalist, based in Fakenham, Norfolk. I started out as a drummer in the late 1970's, and played big band and trad jazz before being transformed by seeing Gary Moore live in the mid 80's and becoming obsessed by the electric guitar.
After playing and teaching professionally for a few years in the early 90's, I returned to local bands and industry in the 90's until deciding to go back in to full time music in 2005. I opened a teaching business and guitar repair workshop, which eventually became a full custom luthierie in 2009.
In 2008 I formed Rory Gallagher revival band Secret Agent which heralded many gigs all over the UK and on the Continent. This led to the creation of my only solo album, Notebook, and then a live band to support it. However, this was prematurely ended by a hand injury which prompted a shift predominantly to Hammond Organ and Piano for the next few years.
I'm also involved in a local band 'Small Talk' as the keys/2nd guitarist and as guitarist/vocalist for Andy Cooper's 'Blues Barrel' and as a session player on various other artists recording projects over the last few years such as Diverse Roots and Alison Solo.
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Michael Cocksedge
Bassist & Vocals
After listening to the great sounds of Mr Jon Lord on my first Deep Purple record ‘Burn’ at age 10, luck walked straight through the door in the form of a Hammond organ. With some perseverance and tuition I slowly improved and started my music journey with small solo performances and eventually joining my first band at age 15. A fab time of my life just as the 80’s keyboard era exploded and synths became more affordable.
After several years of gigging, I sold up and moved to the USA for a brief time and on my return purchased a cheap bass to keep me entertained. A strange turn of events ended up with me joining a band the same very evening with one Pink Floyd song on the menu! The one song (Time) grew on me, which then turned to several songs and in short ….. The Pure Floyd Show evolved to what it is today.
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I was elated when my wife Kelly joined as a backing singer and in recent years our two children joined this amazing second family of ours.
I am getting a little older now and looking more and more like Roger Waters each day, but I’m enjoying every second with this wonderful band. I am truly honoured to perform with the nicest and most talented bunch of musicians and techs that anyone could dream of.
Look forward as always to those special moments with you all.
Andy McNally
Keyboard's and Vocals
I started with the drums at the age of 15 and used to practise in the spare room at home with my mates on their guitars (I had very understanding parents)! During 1970s-1980s I played drums in a few bands, but had the most success with ‘The Moths’. We performed at various venues in London; we wrote our own songs and made albums. We competed in ‘Battle of the Bands’ and came 2nd out of 40! When I moved up from London to Norfolk I couldn’t continue with them, as the commute was too much. I joined local bands in Thetford ‘Home Brew’ and then ‘Time Machine’, we did covers of various groups' songs and gigged locally.
Later in early 2000s, a couple of the guys from 'Time Machine' had got together to form a 'Pink Floyd' tribute band 'Practically Pink' and they invited me to join them. I felt like taking on a different challenge and switched to playing keyboards with them and we played in pubs and clubs. In time we morphed into ‘The Pure Floyd Show’.
In the beginning it was nothing like the production we have now, with just three guitarists a drummer and me playing keyboards on a blank stage. Since those early days we’ve upped our game vocally and visually; we try to provide more of a show and I've contributed to that by creating props and staging for the band.
Reuben Cocksedge
Drummer
Reubes is a young session drummer and original artist who plays with a number of the nation's top live acts (The Pure Floyd Show, The Brink, Light Skies Darken etc).
He has collaborated with members of Kasabian, Embrace and The Tornados in addition to opening stages for Nadine Coyle, Judge Jules, Praying Mantis and FM.
Despite spending a lot of his time on the stage, he has spent several years studying music technology and studio/ live sound and runs The Porridge Pot recording studio in Methwold, Norfolk.
In between his time performing and recording, he also works for the Music Arts Project and offers drum tuition.
Ruth Adams
Backing Vocalist
Like a lot of kids, I played a musical instrument at school, I had my own violin and was apparently very promising, a virtuoso (in my own head). I tried to play it again recently, but sadly made my ears bleed! Won’t do that again! That’s the extent of my playing abilities, apart from a few chords on the guitar, but I’ve always loved singing. I was in the school choir and we performed in various venues in London where I was brought up. Later I sang on the odd occasion in my brothers' bands and in the 1990s my mum and I joined a barbershop chorus where I sang tenor. We had ‘singouts’ in many different locations, including busking in the street, care homes, concert halls and competitions. I loved the four part harmonies of barbershop and the mix of traditional and contemporary arrangements of various songs.
When my brother Andy (who plays keyboards in 'The Pure Floyd Show') asked if I wanted to have a go at singing with the band in 2004, I was very flattered and keen to try. I didn’t know that many Pink Floyd songs and to be honest, I admired them but wasn’t really a devotee. However, since singing with the band, their music has really grown on me and I appreciate it a lot more now, especially the rockier edge the guys give it. There’s nothing like live music and being involved in performances, especially when the audience participates and sings along with us. I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to perform in such a talented and family orientated band, I also get to spend more time with my very busy bro.
Kelly Cocksedge
Backing Vocalist
My earliest memory of singing was to be woken by dad throwing open the curtains and singing to me. Dad could hold a mean tune and as so, I naturally followed suit. I joined the church choir at 8 after the school bus driver stopped and asked mum to get me involved, as I used to sing all the way home and drive him mad!
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Later I met my darling husband Mike through singing. He was helping a friend out with some music for a show at the high school I attended whilst I sang, our eyes met and so it was to be!
During our early years of marriage, Mike followed his heart in rock, whilst I went more stage theater, performing many shows at the Theater Royal in Bury St Edmunds.
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Pink Floyd came into our lives. Mike jumped into it first and although often saying that I wouldn't ever join a band with my husband, I gave in and joined Ruth, as the 'kickass girls' at the back.
I sing every week with 100 children at the primary school that I work in. I try to give the children the opportunity to experience the joy of using music and singing, to feel a multitude of emotions. I firmly believe that singing is the gateway to opening out and that everyone can enjoy this however bad you may think you are!
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As time and the band have moved on, our two beautiful and super talented children have now joined us on stage. Reuben on drums and Elizabeth' Rose with her awesome vocals. I could explode with pride as I look across the stage and see my whole family up there together.
What happened to the singing dad? He now is one of two that controls our light and laser show...and yes, he still sings!
Lizzy Cocksedge
Backing Vocalist
My love for Pink Floyd is one that developed from a very young age – Practically before I was even born! I was born 2 years into the band being formed. My parents (Michael & Kelly Cocksedge of the band) would take me to practically every gig and Thursday night practices. By age 4 I could sing along to most Floyd songs, including (naively) Young Lust, which looking back probably wasn’t the best song for a toddler to be rocking out to!
From age 11 I have been involved in a lot of bands, both covers and originals of all sorts of styles – Dad rock & 80’s Hits all the way to progressive & Classic Rock, The latter of which paved way for the originals band me and my brother (Reubes Cocksedge of the band) formed, called ‘Light Skies Darken’, with Reubes on drums and myself on Lead vocals and Bass.
I joined The Pure Floyd show in 2018 as a backing vocalist to support lead vocals and the existing backing vocalists, as well as taking some of the lead vocals in some of the tracks, to add a bit of variety for the audience.
I’m forever grateful for my parents giving me exposure from a young age, from setting up a summer show at age 8 in the garden with my brother, to performing with my own originals band and the amazing production of The Pure Floyd Show.
Two years on from joining the band, it is still part of my day to day living. Whether it’s my partner (Sam of the band), perfecting his guitar tones most days, having it blaring out of the hi-fi, or sitting down of an evening to watch one of the live performances from day’s gone by…
Vicky Cowles
Saxophonist
I first fell in love with Prog Rock and in particular Pink Floyd as a child listening to my aunt’s record collection including Dark Side of the Moon.
I had instrumental lessons at school and went on to study at the Royal College of Music. As a session musician I have had the immense privilege to share a stage with acts including Del Palmer and Preston Heyman (Kate Bush), Robbie Williams, UB40, Kool and the Gang and jazz greats including Barrie Forgie (BBC Big Band), Sheila Tracy, Bill Geldard and Don Lusher. I have performed around the world for clients including Bollywood stars, famous footballers and UK Royalty and performed in venues as diverse as local theatres, jazz clubs, London’s West End Theatres and the Royal Albert Hall.
I have appeared on BBC TV and radio as well as MTV and commercial and international channels. I also work regularly on musical theatre productions, perform with Progfathers on saxes, flute, piccolo and recorder, with 1920s Hot Jazz and Swing band The Swinging Magpies on bassoon and with This Sax Is On Fire which does what it says on the tin!
Ian Lancaster (right) & John Haste (left)
Laser, Lighting & Special Effects
The exceptional lighting and special effects show has been developed over several years and really does enhance the whole live experience. John joined when the band first formed and Ian, in 2010.
Since Ian joined, the lighting team have invested heavily in upgrading the lights to include 4 x 250w Krypton moving heads, 6 x Chauvet 60w LED moving heads and 8 x LED Par Cans operated via a fully computerized system. To complete the rig, in 2019 the team invested in 2 x 2700mW RGB lasers taking the shows to a whole new level. The lights are operated via a digital DMX system utilizing laptops, Quick DMX and Sweetlight control systems and software. The lasers are operated via a laptop using Pangolin software. This all combined, provides a much more enhanced show and experience. Add in the smoke machines and hazers and the audience is fully immersed in a true Pink Floyd style show.
John and Ian have programmed the lighting show with the audience in mind trying to match closely the shows in the 1970's/80's when Pink Floyd owned the stage and dazzled thousands of people with their lighting performances. They have a complete lighting rig with front and back gantries, ensuring that they can put on an excellent lighting show at any venue. You will normally find them huddled at the back of the room, feverishly pressing buttons on their laptops and generally heckling the band! Banter is always present and quite often you will hear the ‘lighties’ reminding the band just how important the lights really are!
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[The lighties are like big foot (in more ways than one) and are very hard to get a clear shot of, a less blurry photo will be uploaded ASAP]
Adam Seaman
Road Crew
I’ve been playing bass since I was 18 and dabbled in many other instruments thanks to inspirations from the band, such as keyboard and drums, occasionally learning the odd Floyd track to add to mostly pop-punk based repertoire.
Originally I joined the band as Reubes’ drum tech mainly focusing on setting his kit up.
When I first started I knew maybe 3 Pink Floyd songs, the most well known, now I know a lot more (and even like a few!)
Many years and long nights later I’m now roadie to the whole band helping each member where I can and during the show I look after the merch table.
