Jamie was interviewed on Swindon 105.5 by Peggy Sue Ford on 7th April 2026
You can here it below and there is also a transcript
Radio Interview: Peggy Sue with Jamie (The Zoots)
Peggy:
Hello and good evening, and welcome to the Don’t Stop the Music Radio Show. My name is Peggy Sue and I’m your host.
Tonight, we’re doing things slightly differently. Instead of going straight into a song, I’m going to introduce my guest first. So, I’d like to welcome back to the studio — Jamie from The Zoots.
Hello, Jamie!
Jamie:
Hi Peggy, how are you?
Peggy:
I’m good, thank you. How are you?
Jamie:
I’m great — even better for being here!
Peggy:
Lovely to have you back in the studio. I think you’ve now been in Studio One, Studio Two… and this is Studio Three!
Jamie:
Yes, I haven’t been in this one before — it’s a very nice room.
Peggy:
It’s a bit bigger than the others, isn’t it?
Jamie:
Yes, and it sounds great too.
Peggy:
I do most of my shows in here now.
Jamie:
You’ve moved up in the world!
Peggy:
I have! You can even fit a band in here — I’ve had a five-piece band with a full drum kit playing live on air.
Jamie:
Wow, that’s impressive.
Peggy:
We’ll have to get the whole band in here one day.
Jamie:
Maybe… if we can afford them!
Touring & Upcoming Shows
Peggy:
So, how’s everything been going? You’ve been touring again and winning awards.
Jamie:
Yes, lots of gigs coming up. I’m really looking forward to RamsFest on 15th May — it’s near Swindon and feels like a local show for us.
We played there last year for the first time, and it’s such a great atmosphere. It’s in a beautiful part of the Marlborough Downs, with great beer, great food, and great music — including us, of course! My friends Lost Hills are playing too.
Peggy:
Sounds brilliant.
Jamie:
It really is. You can even camp there, although I’ll probably head home as I’ve got a gig in Devon the next day.
Peggy:
Oh wow — busy schedule!
Jamie:
Yes, I’m playing in Paignton on 16th May, the day after RamsFest.
Peggy:
That’s where I’ll be — North Devon before my holiday!
Jamie:
Perfect timing!
Festivals, Cruises & Bookings
Peggy:
It’s great to hear bookings are picking up again since lockdown.
Jamie:
Yes, but it’s taken a lot of work. I was touring Belgium in December, and we’ve got cruises booked this summer — Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Peggy:
Nice!
Jamie:
We’re doing both our 60s show and an 80s show onboard. It’s great because you get a bit of a holiday too — usually a day off to relax.
Peggy:
That sounds ideal.
Jamie:
Yes, and it’s a good excuse to switch off for a bit!
We also do a lot of private events — weddings, parties, and even 21st birthdays. Plus, theatre tours and festivals like Witney Music Festival in June.
Life After Lockdown
Peggy:
You mentioned last time we spoke that lockdown really affected bookings. Has it improved?
Jamie:
It has, but it’s taken time. I had hundreds of shows booked before lockdown — and they all got cancelled. It was heartbreaking.
Honestly, it feels like it’s only now — a few years later — that things are getting back to where they were in 2020.
Peggy:
That’s incredible.
Jamie:
It also changed how people buy tickets. They don’t book as far in advance anymore, so we’ve had to adapt with things like early bird tickets.
But we’ve been lucky this year — lots of shows and great support, including radio like this. Even one person hearing about us and looking us up makes a difference.
Live Music & Audience Interaction
Peggy:
We’ve had a message in from Chloe, who says she’s tuned in and enjoying the show!
Jamie:
That’s great — thanks Chloe!
Peggy:
So, requests are open!
Music Stories & Influences
Jamie:
It’s interesting how songs evolve over time. Some become more popular years later.
For example, Rod Stewart sang backing vocals on Hi Ho Silver Lining before he was famous. Little stories like that are great to include in our shows — people love the backstory.
Peggy:
Absolutely. And sometimes covers become more famous than the originals.
Performing Live & COVID Creativity
Peggy:
You mentioned playing Space Oddity earlier — didn’t you do something creative with that during lockdown?
Jamie:
Yes! I made a homemade space helmet out of a polystyrene box and performed it online. It worked visually — maybe less so on radio!
Acoustic Performances & Song Requests
Peggy:
Are there songs you particularly enjoy performing?
Jamie:
Yes — I love The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore by The Walker Brothers. I also enjoy Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones.
And recently I’ve been doing a challenge during shows — seeing how many songs I can fit into five minutes. It’s quite intense but really fun, and audiences love it.
Solo vs Band Performances
Peggy:
Do you still do solo gigs?
Jamie:
Occasionally, yes. I used to do a lot years ago, and during lockdown it was the only option. Now I’ll do smaller events like garden parties — more relaxed, acoustic-style performances.
But ideally, I prefer performing with the full band.
The Band & New Talent
Peggy:
How is the band at the moment?
Jamie:
Everyone’s doing really well. We’ve got a new drummer, Charlie Gregory, who’s only 22 and incredibly talented.
Having younger musicians brings great energy, and it helps the whole performance. From a business point of view, it’s important too — we want every part of the show to be exciting for the audience.
Closing
Peggy:
Well Jamie, thank you so much for coming in tonight. It’s been brilliant having you back.
Jamie:
Thanks for having me — it’s always a pleasure.
Peggy:
Good luck with the tours and the cruises!
Jamie:
Thank you — it’s going to be a lot of fun.
Peggy:
And if you want to find out more, just head to thezoots.com or find them on social media.
