 
For the last decade and a half Dominic Finley has
successfully adapted to various different styles of
music. He has moved though Brit-pop, Motown and jazz, to
more recently doing session work and playing progressive
rock with Combination Head and classic pop-rock with the
recently reformed Cutting Crew.
Currently he is working on his first solo album which is
due out at the end of 2008.

 
Dom's Diary >>>>>>
APRIL/MAY …… Posted
11th April 2008
Working hard on my solo
stuff in my studio both recording new songs and
practicing the old ones, that’s were I’m at.
Hopefully by summer my CD will have had a few reviews
and a bit of airplay here and there. It’s a start. Also
looking forward to having a promo video filmed of
acoustic performances, just me and my top piano player
and harmony singer; Chris Stewart.
I’ve been playing bass with Combination Head in the
studio…. Album 3 has started.
While you’re here, have a browse around the website,
it’s getting more informative and you can now view
sample pages from my books and listen to snippets from
their accompanying CD’s
Thanks
for stopping by -
Cheers - D.F
DEBUT ‘SOLO’ RELEASE &
MORE...... Posted 11th February 2008
Firstly,
Happy New Year, even though it’s February! Secondly,
thanks for all your support last year. Our ‘Combination
Head’ album: ‘Progress?’ Is out now, has been receiving
fantastic reviews, and is doing well, hopefully you’ll
catch us on tour soon if you haven’t done so already.
My ‘solo’ E.P ‘Avalon’ will be released on the S.A.M
Troubadour label on June 2nd.
I’m also meeting the demands of this website by
continuing to do private tuition when the diary allows.
I’ll be doing a bi-monthly diary entry from now on and
will keep you posted on the projects I’m working on.
Thanks for visiting and check
back soon.
Best Wishes
- D.F
NOVEMBER UPDATE......
Posted 9th November 2007
Thank
you for visiting my website!
It has been a while since
my last posting, recent activities have basically consisted
of U.S and U.K dates with ‘Cutting Crew’, sessions for
‘Heather Small’, workshops and working on my own songs in my
studio.
Current happenings: My bass books are now available to
buy through this site. Two new releases ‘Groundwork for
Bass’ and the second edition of ‘Secrets’. Check out the new
‘books’ page (other site updates soon to take place).
Our ‘Combination Head’ album ‘Progress?’ is now
complete and a release date for Jan/Feb 2008 is to
be announced, we are also on the road this month. I
will be releasing solo material in 2008, probably an
E.P to begin with.
Have a good Christmas and all the best for 2008 D.F
SOLO ALBUM… …Posted – 16th May 2007
The
Cutting Crew UK tour is over, it was great! Also
been over to Germany where we played the Hamburg
festival and we return in June. I have started
recording my solo album, 10 songs have been selected
and I’ve been recording in my private studio with
Tom Arnold (the drummer with Cutting Crew)! His role
is to arrange the music with me and play various
instruments on the record. The tracks are sounding
really cool. See ‘Mr T’ in action below.
I will continue working on the album in-between my
other projects and would like to see it being
released by December 2008! Time will tell. Tom was
disappointed that he didn’t see the ‘Chorley
Pelican’ whilst working with me up north, since his
finding from the book ‘From A Saint To A King’ that
it was a regular on a typical shopping list in 1572
(priced at: 2s 0d) along with Stork priced at: 4s
0d, and Lark at 8d per dozen. Strange but true! D.F.





ALMOST THERE!… …Posted – 1st March 2007
I will be playing live dates with CUTTING CREW this
month in the UK, we are revving up as we speak! The
long awaited new COMBINATION HEAD album has now
entered its mixing process (almost there), I’ve
co-written a few of the tracks with Hammond God Paul
Birchall and the album features some special guests
from your turntable!! My book ‘Groundwork for Bass’
is scheduled for release at the end of April, check
back soon…. In closing, forgive me whilst I bore the
pants of you with some snaps of my ‘Dalmedo’
custom bass (in the making) … …. All the best,
D.F.
TRAVELS Posted
- 1st January 2007 (Happy New Year!!!!)
Since my last posting tour dates have included
Barnsley and Dubai…. Quite a contrast! Now back in
the UK via Melbourne, and next week, I hit Eastern
Canada with Cutting Crew. I wish you all a happy and
peaceful new year. My new book ‘GROUNDWORK FOR BASS’
is pending and looking good, watch this space, All
the best, D.F
P.S. Better late than never….
www.myspace.com/dominicfinleymusic
WDR2 RADIO SHOW Posted
- 2nd December 2006
Hear the CUTTING CREW performance from the legendary
'Rockpalast' show on Germany's biggest radio station
WDR2 Sunday 3rd of December 23:00 CET. Listen
on-line www.wdr2.de
LEVEL 42, MIDGE URE, CUTTING CREW Posted -
20th November 2006
I'm back from my overseas stint of concerts and
promo work with CUTTING CREW, a particular highlight
being the 'Rockpalast' event as televised in
Germany…A triple header with LEVEL 42 and MIDGE URE.
A real buzz hanging with Mark King!!! More news
anon. D.F.
ITALIAN PROG AWARDS Posted -
20th November 2006
COMBINATION HEAD (my collaboration with Paul
Birchall and Gareth Moulton) have been nominated for
an Italian music award, 'best foreign prog record',
there is stiff competition such as DAVE GILMOUR and
TOTO but it's nice to be nominated. Check out
www.combinationhead.com and
www.myspace.com/combinationheaduk to hear tunes,
look out for up-coming shows, and watch a video.
Cheers, D.F.
GROUNDWORK FOR BASS Posted -
20th November 2006
I'm well on the way with my new book Groundwork For
Bass with a tentative release date scheduled for
April 2007. Watch this space….
SECRETS Posted -
20th November 2006
As well as being available through my website,
Secrets of a Professional Bass player is also
available through the U.S website www.bassbooks.com,
and UK site www.booksforguitar.com as well as music
stores throughout the land. Thanks again to those
who have purchased the book so far, and thanks for
all your emails, all the best, D.F.
NEWS FROM THE ROMAN CALENDAR-
Posted 1st October 2006
A big thank you to all who purchased 'Secrets Of A
Professional Bass Player - Volume One' so far. It's
proving to be a success and it has a lot of content,
a handy tool for bassists! Although it hasn't quite
out sold 'Harry Potter' just yet, CUTTING CREW is
growing from strength to strength and since my last
news posting we've clocked up a number of euro
trips. November and December will see us back on the
road, preparing for new releases, filming a DVD, and
other cool stuff soon to be revealed. COMBINATION
HEAD (my collaboration with Paul Birchall and Gareth
Moulton) now has an official web site (see the links
page). Watch out for my next book being released in
2007 along with the long awaited Combination Head
album 'Songs for the New World'. We are spending
this month tidying up the tracks, and I'm doing a
few private bass lessons due to recent demand via
the web site...Although October is the tenth month
of the year, in the Roman calendar it's the Eighth,
hence 'OCTO'…Just thought I'd end on a totally
useless fact. Thanks again---More news coming
soon---Best Wishes, D.F.
WEATHER REPORT AND TOUR REPORT -
Posted 1st September 2006
CUTTING CREW, VICTOR BAILEY (Weather Report Bass
God…After Jaco left…), BOBBY KIMBALL (TOTO Front
man) TONY CAREY (Rainbow), ROGER HODGSON (Supertramp),
CHRIS THOMSON (Manfred Mann's Earth Band), ALANNAH
MYLES and MIDGE URE. Hell of line up! We performed a
concert together in Berlin (Spree Radio) to
thousands of people over the weekend! My role as the
new CUTTING CREW bass player is proving to be a
great experience. VICTOR BAILEY and TONY CAREY are
part of the 'Soul Mates' line up, they provided the
explosive musical accompaniment for the above
mentioned solo performers. ROGER HODGSON (Supertramp)
performed a set, as did CUTTING CREW, a most
enjoyable highlight of our current tour.

Left to right - Cutting Crew - Midge Ure - Alannah
Myles - Victor Bailey - Tony Carey - Chris Thompson
(Manfred Mann's Earth Band) - Bobby Kimball (Toto)
SNAP SHOTS -
Posted 1st September 2006
My new gallery is now open -
CLICK HERE
CUTTING CREW ON TOUR -
Posted 26th July 2006
Had a busy time over the last few months with
CUTTING CREW, during the tour we played some big
festivals over in Germany… A few more coming up in
August and September!. A real thrill to play the
classic C.C songs as well as the new stuff! the band
is awesome!!!! More news and photos coming soon.
TOO MANY NOTES!!! -
Posted 26th July 2006
In the midst of my CUTTING here are some UK summer
tour dates with COMBINATION HEAD – The prog rock
super-group!!! As we don’t have an official
COMBINATION HEAD web site as yet, here is a sneaky
plug for some of the dates.....
July 26 Hexagon Theatre, Lancaster
August 10 Chorley Little Theatre
August 11 Play House 2, Shaw
August 12 The Gregson, Lancaster
August 25 Stokesley Town Hall
We have had some really good press and come highly
recommended for lovers of ‘Yes’ and ‘E.L.P’. Work
continues on our album… ‘Songs for the new world’
THE BAND WITH NO NAME -
Posted 26th July 2006
Following a six hour wait at Frankfurt airport I
arrived home late from playing to thousands of
people at a festival with Cutting Crew, after hardly
any sleep I was rehearsing in the upstairs of a
smelly pub with my prog band Combination Head! Well…
We needed a run through having not played together
live since Christmas… Found it hilarious to see this
in a Lancaster newspaper......
The band with no name
To enhance your enjoyment of this week's
column, you'd be advised to read adopting a
hardboiled Chandler-esque voice and putting the
Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 soundtrack on your
stereo. Because, folks, it's whodunit time. The
setting is Regent Road in Morecambe's West End –
doubling up as the Lower East Side in New York
City…
Man weaves towards the Co-op through the
bohemian slice-of-life past pushers, pimps, and
tinkers who eek a living from Morecambe's mean
streets. He returns with newspapers and new
season lamb from Easton's Butcher and hurries
homeward through the midsummer fug. The noise of
the crosstown traffic gives way to the sound of
musicians jamming from the rooms above The
Imperial – the colossal gin palace that wards
off rather than tempts curiosity.
Sharp piano stabs punctuate a raw funk
drum beat grabs him by the lapels and draws him
inside:
Man: Who's playing upstairs?
Barmaid: Dunno, they haven't got a name.
The landlord just lets them practice here.
Drinker: He's gone to Ireland for a few
days, he'll be back next week.
The scene replays over the next few days,
without the mystery musicians, but with no clues
to their identity, except for one. One band
member has let it slip that they may be called
Combination Head.
So there we have it, the thing that's been
eating me up all week – arguably area's
biggest but most nebulous talent still go
undiscovered. If any of you snitches out has
any info on them, I'd be glad to hear it. |
Cutting Crew -
Posted 26th May 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed my CUTTING CREW debut earlier
this month when we played a festival over in
Hamburg. I'm now looking forward to the June tour!
Loads more dates happening throughout the year.
Combination Head - Posted 26th May 2006
Our album 'Songs For The New World' is in production
and there are live dates scheduled for August.
Cutting Crew -
Posted 13th April 2006
I'll be playing bass with Cutting Crew on the new
tour. Founder singer and writer Nick van Eede
released the great new album ‘Grinning Souls’
earlier this year and under the bands original name,
Cutting Crew. I’m looking forward to touring with
Nick and the band throughout the summer. Loads of
exiting things happening, more details coming soon.
Secrets of a Professional Bass Player -
Posted 3rd April 2006
Just finished writing my first book, ‘Secrets of a
Professional Bass Player’. It's being published by
‘Bandini Publishing’ and will be in print by the end
of June this year. It’s an electric bass tutor book
containing exercises to help develop different
techniques and fret board knowledge. I've also
recorded a CD which will be included with the book
featuring 14 different playing styles. I recorded
the CD with Paul Burgess; Top session drummer whose
credits include 10cc, Camel, Jethro Tull and of
course… Combination Head.
Happy Easter!
Songs For The New World -
Posted 17th March 2006
This week I’ve been in the studio with Combination
Head putting the finishing touches on our album
‘Song’s The New World’ to be released in August on
S.A.M Records. Listen to the rough mixes on the
site! As well as other tracks including a recent
session I did featuring Rosie Gains (former backing
singer and keyboard player for Prince).
Hope you like the new
website, visuals coming soon…
Cheers
Dom
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