SPOTLIGHT: DES TONG

BASSIST FOR

LEGENDARY

BAND

SAD

CAFE

BIO:

With a career spanning over five decades, Des Tong is a true renaissance figure in the world of entertainment. As the bassist for the legendary band Sad Café, Des has toured extensively and helped shape the sound of this amazing British band. His talents extend beyond the stage, he’s produced a top-ten hit and fronted his own television shows, amassing over 750,000 views on YouTube and earning a loyal following for his candid storytelling and charismatic presence.

When the world paused during lockdown, Des seized the moment to explore a new creative frontier: writing. Drawing on his rich experiences in the music and entertainment industry—and his lifelong love of crime fiction, he penned his debut novel, Whatever It Takes Babe, published by APS Books in May 2023. The book quickly garnered glowing five-star reviews, marking the beginning of a thrilling new chapter in his career. Not one to rest on his laurels, Des has since released five gripping instalments in his acclaimed crime series, The Pete Peterson Tapes, with book six set to launch in Autumn 2025. His storytelling is as dynamic and compelling as his music—proof that Des Tong’s creative journey is far from over.

SUMMARY:

Des Tong is a respected figure in British music, best known as the bassist for the legendary rock band Sad Café from the 80s to the present day. Des Tong has lived and breathed music for over 50 years. From his early days inspired by his pianist father to producing chart hits and hosting music TV shows, Des’s journey has been rich, varied, and full of rhythm. Today, he’s still rocking stages and sharing stories—keeping the music alive for fans old and new. 

Q&AS

DG Q: When and how did you become a bass guitarist?

DES: My dad bought me a double-bass when I was 13 and by the time I was 14 I was playing with him in his trio. It was a great experience for me being so young. I attended Audenshaw Grammar School in Manchester, and one lunchtime, I was late for registration because I had been having a double bass lesson in the cricket pavilion. The school didn’t have a music

policy back then and the only place they would allow me to use was a small room where they stored the stumps and pads. (No heating either). My teacher pulled me out in front of the class and asked me why I was late. When I apologised, and explained what I’d been doing, he said,“When will you realise you will never make a living from playing music!” Haha, challenge accepted!

Round about this time, I was beginning to listen to the modern sounds of popular music, and realised playing the bass guitar was the next step in my musical journey. In 1969, I bought a brand-new Fender Precision bass guitar which I still have and play today.

DG Q: Could you offer a thoughtful reflection on your extensive musical journey that spans decades, along with your long-standing band ‘Sad Café?

DES: Playing and creating music has given me so many opportunities; to work, play, travel and meet people. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but I’m happy to say I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I’ve worked in the USA, toured all over Europe and played such prestigious gigs as Glastonbury, Reading Festival, and The Royal Albert Hall. I’ve worked in the computer-games industry writing music for #1 games, and been part of a local television channel, all through using my musical talent and experience.

DG Q: In the dynamic of your band, each individual carries their own strengths and vulnerabilities. How would you describe yours, both musically and personally?

DES: As the bassist, I work closely with the drummer to create the strong rhythmic foundation of the band. I’ve always been interested in how songs are constructed which automatically led me into the art of production.

Having been thrust into the position of band leader, and musical director, my personality has developed from being a shy, reserved character at the back, to being the spokesperson who now does the interviews. I can vividly remember the first time I did a radio interview and being petrified! Now it’s second nature, and something I love.

DG Q: You’ve collaborated with some incredible people over the years: Brian and Michael (Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs), Lisa Stansfield, and Engelbert Humperdinck, to name a few. Can you share a memorable story or two from those experiences?

DES: BRIAN AND MICHAEL

An old friend of mine called me to play on a session which was a song written around a poem about the artist LS Lowry. That song was ‘Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs’ which reached #1 in April 1978. It was a simple session that took about an hour. Who knew it would be so successful.

LISA STANSFIELD

In 1983 I got a call to play on a song with a new young singer called Lisa Stansfield. It was at a studio in Oldham called Pennine Studios. When I arrived, I was asked, did I mind that instead of just playing the session, Granada TV were filming how the song was being created for a documentary and wanted to include me recording the bass part. I had just finished a tour with Sad Café and by chance was wearing one of our tour sweatshirts which looked great. So not only did I have to learn the song in double-quick time, I had to get it right because I was being filmed playing it live! (But being the ultimate professional, I did it in one take! Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).

However, what they didn’t tell me was there had already been another bass player on the track the previous day, but the producer didn’t like what he did and so I got the call. I won’t name him, but we were great friends. So imagine his surprise when he sat down with his family to watch the programme and not only wasn’t his part on the track, but there I am, playing my part, and on camera! Thankfully he saw the funny side, and we had a laugh about it. Plus he’d already been paid!

ENGELBURT HUMPERDINCK

My great friend Paul Burgess, drummer with 10CC, and I received a call one day in 1988 asking us if we would play with Engelburt Humperdinck at the NEC in Birmingham. He was doing a one-off concert and wanted a rock rhythm section as opposed to his usual cabaret style band. It was also being recorded live by the BBC for a special show. We accepted.

Thought it would be a cool show to do, playing ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘Please Release Me’ and similar songs. What we weren’t expecting when we arrived at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham to rehearse, was a 32-piece orchestra and half of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. We were presented with a giant book of the music, which even though I am reasonably proficient at reading music was daunting to say the least. After 2 days rehearsals we were still running through things on the night of the show, with the audience of about 15,000 mostly women of my mum’s age clamouring to be let in. To add to the pressure, my amplifier had to be set up under the stage directly beneath me, because 'Enge’ had had a special stage designed in pink velvet and didn’t want amplifiers spoiling the look! Oh, and I was standing right in the middle directly behind him.

That’s me with the dickie-bow and dinner suit on the right!

DG Q: You’ve also worked with Simply Red in the past (producing) how did the collaboration come about, what were they like to work with?

DES: In 1985 I was approached by two guys called John Leonard and Dave Shannon who ran the Radio One and Radio Two departments in Manchester asking me if I would be interested in some freelance production. The first session I worked on was Simply Red which was also their first radio session. The problem they and most of the other bands had, was the fact they’d just spent a year recording their new album, but they only had from 10am-5pm to record 3 finished songs which we mixed the following morning. They would then be played on the Janice Long show the following Friday evening.

Simply Red apart, I worked with some amazing bands. Erasure in particular were fantastic, Richard Thompson and Spear of Destiny also spring to mind.

I also produced Wally Whyton’s Country Club and Radio 2 Big Band Special.

DG Q: Who were the pivotal figures or moments that sparked your musical journey, and what influences have most profoundly shaped your artistic direction?

DES: Obviously my dad played a big part in my early development. To be playing at such a young age was incredible even though my fingers were wrecked on a Monday morning at school. I was lucky to be asked to join a local band called Henderson Chambers

who were all older than me and much more experienced. I learned an awful lot which stood me in good stead

when I joined The Chants; 5 black singers from Liverpool with whom I played all over the UK and Europe. I’ve taken experiences from every situation I’ve found myself in. Working with the wonderful soul singer Jimmy Helms who became a great friend, and The Real Thing in the 70s. Joining Sad Café in the 80s was a pivotal moment in my career. I had met Paul Young on many occasions whilst doing sessions and so when he called me to play on one of his songs I assumed it was for one of his many side projects. However, to my surprise when I turned up at Strawberry Studios in Stockport later that evening, there in the control room was the whole of Sad Café.

It turned out the original bass player was moving into management and Paul wanted me in the band. That session turned into the album called Olé followed by the tour in 1981. I was suddenly propelled from being a faceless session player and a member of many small bands playing in pubs and bars, into ‘Des Tong from Sad Café’, playing huge ‘SOLD OUT’ theatres and festivals with my photo in the brochure and people wanting my time. A serious culture shock. Blond streaked hair and leather trousers followed, but we won’t go into that here!!! And 45 years later I’m the sole remaining member from back then, about to release new material and play a tour next year.

DG Q: Your band aside, you also collaborate with the amazing and soulful singer, Cissy Stone. Can you expand on this and how it came about?

DES: I met Cissy Stone at a small club in Manchester called Napoleons in 1987. We immediately became great friends. I was looking for a singer to record a version of an old

Motown song called ‘Should’ve Been Me’ and Cissy was perfect. We decided we should try writing together and ended up recording a whole album of our songs which through no fault of our own didn’t get released. But we continued to work together on various projects. We’ve performed at the Royal Albert Hall and even wrote a song for Roy Castle’s last show on Record Breakers. And proving that despite everything, you should never give up. In 2019 a label in the US heard our songs from the album which was still sitting at the bottom of the wardrobe, and signed us just before Lockdown. Stonewall was released worldwide in 2020

and as their core business is TV and film sync, to date we have had songs from the album in 3 US TV dramas. ‘Work In Progress’, ‘Good Trouble’ and ‘The Drew Carey Show’.

Recently, we released Cissy’s album ‘Fulfilment Of Dreams’ on our own Westoria Records label and have had 3 songs, ‘Guilty’, ‘Dignity’ and ‘Havana’

remixed, and all have featured in the Top Ten of the worldwide ‘House Music DJ chart’. We regularly receive emails from DJs in Tokyo, Miami, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York and right across Europe telling us how much they like the tracks and that they’re playing them in their shows.

DG Q: What current musical projects are you working on that you’re able to share?

DES: I’m writing and producing 3 new tracks with Cissy Stone, and I’m writing with singer and guitarist from Sad Café towards a new album (the first in 35 years).

I’m also creating an animated video with my friend, author Lee Benson for one of his children’s books called ‘The Adventures of Alien Egg: The Eggstraterrestrial’.

DG Q: Your talents led you to @Destongtv: Life stories with Des Tong on YouTube. Where you sat down with legends like Brian Travers, Robin Campbell, Jasper Carrott, Albert Chapman, Clem Cattini, Tony Christie, Bev Bevan and many more. What was the driving force behind the creation of Life Stories and the most unpredictable interview that you never expected?

DES: I was working at Big Centre TV, the local TV channel for Birmingham, as a producer and editor. Mike Prince was presenting a show called ‘Life Stories’ and had had an Auschwitz survivor, a 90-year-old wing-walker and a blind marathon runner as guests on the show when someone asked if we could have a bit of entertainment as well. Mike asked me who I knew, and I immediately suggested Jim Simpson who runs the annual Birmingham International Jazz Festival and was Black Sabbath’s first manager. I booked

Jim for the following day and arrived at the office to find Mike pacing up and down looking bothered. “I can’t do it. I don’t know him, but you do. You do it!”

Now presenting was never on my to-do list, but I went down to M&S and bought a shirt and razor, and 30 minutes later sat in front of the cameras and presented my first ever show. The reaction from everyone was “Amazing! Do another one!” So I got out my little black book and called an old friend, Brian Travers RIP from UB40 and suddenly my own series was under way.

I went on to record 25 shows which have currently racked up almost ¾ million views on my YouTube channel.

It was amazing to be able to sit and chat to my many friends in the music and entertainment world. I had always loved watching ‘Parkinson’ but NEVER imagined I would do something like it myself. One night I was out interviewing Brian Travers and Robin Campbell from UB40 at a charity event where they were playing. (Anything Brian was involved in was usually chaotic, and this was no exception.)

After the recording finished Robin turned and politely asked if he could come on my Life Stories show!!!

DG Q: I absolutely loved ‘The Streets of Birmingham’ with you and Bev Bevan cruising through the city, retracing its rich musical history and sharing unforgettable stories. It’s a must-watch for any music lover, especially hearing it all from two legends who lived it. The chemistry between you and Bev is pure gold. Can you tell us more about how this collaboration came to be, and maybe share a behind-the-scenes moment that gave you both a good laugh?

DES: I’d had this idea of driving around Birmingham talking about all the old venues, clubs and bars where we used to play, and I asked Bev Bevan if he’d join me. I’d known Bev for a few years and thought he’d be perfect as my co-pilot. I’d planned the route and drove, but there was no script as such. We’d previously had a look through some of Bev’s scrapbooks and had a few ideas about what we could say, but the rest was literally made up as we went

along. We actually recorded all three episodes one after another, which ended up taking about 6 hours altogether. The funniest thing was, the producer had spoken to a car-hire company and they had agreed to supply us with a really nice SUV. However, on the day they informed us that it had been rented out and they only had a small saloon. We’re both really tall and it was a bit of a squeeze!

But the strangest thing of all was when we found out the vehicle we had been promised had been rented out by someone called Khalid Mahsood, who turned out to be the London Bridge bomber!!!

DG Q: Back in the day, you shared a dressing room with none other than The Jacksons while supporting them on their UK tour. What was that moment like, and can you share more about what went on behind the scenes?

DES:

Back in the 70s, I played with a soul singer called Dougie James. (His sons are twins Adam and Ryan Thomas from Emmerdale and Coronation Street). As the Dougie James Soul Train we worked all over the country and were asked to support The Jacksons on their 1979 Destiny tour.

The first show of the tour was at Brighton Conference Centre, and they had brought over a huge stage which consisted of Perspex panels with lights underneath. The drummer was on a small platform over where they entered, and two roadies were charged with working the dry-ice machine which fed out through a huge pipe in the entrance where the Jacksons came onto the stage. But they didn’t know how many of the blocks of CO2 to use and overfilled the machine which caused the whole stage to be covered in a dense fog of dry-ice, and the drummer to completely disappear.

When we reached Birmingham we played at the old Bingley Hall which only had one dressing room. But the guys, and especially Michael weren’t precious and said we could share theirs. It was huge and we were in one corner laughing and drinking whilst Michael and his brothers were in the other corner having a prayer meeting before the show! Rock & Roll!!!

By the time the tour was half-way through, most of the Perspex sheets had warped and the Jacksons kept tripping over them as they attempted to dance. By the time we reached Manchester Apollo they’d ditched the stage!

DG Q: You gigged at Barbarella’s supporting the Four Tops. A great band that I loved and was fortunate to see them live in Southport. Do you have any behind the scenes stories that you can share that probably most have never heard?

DES:

In 1971, The Chants arrived at Barbarella’s in Birmingham to play a week supporting The Four Tops, (Yes 7 nights!) to discover we had no keyboard player due to illness. Fortunately there was a small room in the club called Take 2 where an amazing piano resident player called

Mike Alexander, was resident. (Mike later became Shirley Bassey’s Musical Director). Luckily we had music parts for the whole show and with a quick run-through and a palm being crossed with silver, Mike took off his bow-tie and jacket and became one of the Chants’ band. It was an amazing week with the original Four Tops performing to a full club every night.

I went to see the current Four Tops show in Florida in 2023 which included Duke, the one remaining member. Sadly he died in 2024.

DG Q: At the heart of your sound and storytelling over the years, what core message defines your identity and creative mission?

DES: Ooh, that’s a tough one!

I’m assuming by sound you mean my personal bass sound. If so, I think it’s all down to my approach. I play in a very percussive and rhythmical style which is helped by my choice of guitars. I use an original MusicMan Stingray bass I bought in 1981 which has a very powerful sound. I use that with Cissy and Sad Café.

My first guitar, the Fender Precision is more suited to old soul which I occasionally get chance to play with a local band I know. It takes me back to 1969 in Rebecca’s in Birmingham when I worked with Fontella Bass who recorded Rescue Me, and Inez and Charlie Foxx who had a hit with Mockingbird.

 As for my storytelling, I read lots of crime and love authors like Michael Connelly who writes the Bosch series and Peter James who writes the Grace series. I also love Jo Nesbo who is very dark and gritty. I enjoy shocking the reader and regularly receive messages saying, ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting that!’

A friend who does some proof reading for me was shocked at how I’d just killed one of her favourite characters. But for me I don’t bother with long drawn-out passages. I’ve always loved the scene in Indiana Jones where Harrison Ford runs into a market in Morrocco and the crowd parts revealing the guy swirling two long knives. Indiana just shrugs, pulls out his revolver and shoots him. Perfect!

DG Q: As if your résumé wasn’t impressive enough, you've penned a fantastic five-part series—The Pete Peterson Tapes—with book six on the horizon. For those who haven’t yet dived in, could you give us an overview of what the series is all about?

DES: So after we finished the Streets of Birmingham – Music series both Bev and I were constantly being stopped in the street by random people telling us how they had met their wife in that club we’d mentioned, or how a group of mates used to drink in that bar we’d pointed out, and I suddenly realised the importance of nostalgia. It was Cissy who said to me why don’t you write a book about it.

Now, firstly, writing a book was another ‘never on my to-do-list’ and I thought to do a factual book would take massive amounts of research, and you can guarantee someone will always tell you “it was a Monday, not Tuesday that so-and-so played there!” So I took all of the 5 decades of experiences, anecdotes, urban myths and memories, mixed them up, turned them upside down and created 3 characters; a club owner, his wife and a rock star and wrote a story that involves all three and how their lives intertwine. In 2020 when I’d finished it, I met a friend who I knew from Social Media at a Sad Café gig, and she told me how she was a proof reader and would be happy to read my book! Days later, she called me and told me she absolutely loved it and encouraged me to write more, and as we were then hit by Lockdown that’s exactly what I did. I would spend every day writing, and by 2022 I’d written 4 more books.

Book #1 is called ‘Whatever It Takes Babe’ which was the club owner’s catch phrase.

It’s based in the late 60s and early 70s, a time when I first went professional. The stories follow on from each other with #2 ‘In Flames’ based in America, #3 ‘One last Encore’ split between the two countries and contains an interesting interactive concept. #4 ‘We All Love The Winner’ is full of political intrigue and #5 ‘That Day The Earth Moved’ travels to the Far East.

They are about Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, Violence and Terrorism but not necessarily in that order, and if you think you know where a certain club is or who a specific person is, you’re wrong!

They are all available on Amazon in paperback, hardback, and Kindle under Des Tong: The Pete Peterson Tapes. I’m humbled by the wonderful comments I’ve had and the fantastic readers who’ve taken my books on holiday and sent me photos back from where they are.

My website is: www.destongbooks.com which contains lots of information, videos and a discography of tracks I’ve played on.

DG Q: Once your book series is completed, what’s next for your writing journey?

DES: I’m currently working on a spin-off, following the other characters I’ve created and what they’re doing. One of my favourites is Vonda Statzler who is a high-powered Californian lawyer who loves Martinis and wears rock and roll T-shirts and jeans to the office, with a different T-shirt each day. They are referenced in the books with sometimes a reason why she’s wearing one particular design and are featured in her own section on the website.

 And I would love Guy Richie to read my books.

DG Q: Is there a lesser-known facet of your life or personality that you’d be willing to reveal, something fans might be surprised to learn?"

DES: In 1999 I discovered a lump in one of my testicles, and despite being well out of the age range was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. Within a week I had a successful procedure at the Churchill in Oxford, and after 3 years of regular blood tests, x-rays and check-ups was finally signed off in 2002. I’m happy to say I have not had any further problems, and I now share the title of Monorchid along with Bobby Moore, Nigel Farage and reputedly Adolf Hitler.

 On the brighter side; I produced ‘The Time Warp’ for Damian.

“It’s just a jump to the left..."

DG Q: If you could offer one brutally, raw and unfiltered, honest piece of advice to emerging artists walking the same path, what would it be?

DES: In this business you only get out what you put in.

DG Q: What’s one ‘no-BS’ truth you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out as an artist?

DES: Talent doesn’t guarantee success.

DG Q: As technology continues to blur the lines between human and machine creativity, what do you think the future holds for music in an AI-driven world?

DES: I’m not a fan of AI, but I recognise I have to accept it’s here and therefore understand how I can use it for myself. Two of my books have been done as audiobooks using it, but I’m not impressed. I’m sure it will improve, but right now I find it devoid of feeling. I was considering recording them myself, but when I saw that each one was over 8 hours long I thought I’d wait a bit. I did think about trying to record it like a radio play with a few friends, but I’ve not made up my mind yet.

I remember in the 80s when musicians used computers to write and record songs. I was one of them, BUT, I could still play what I was programming. Now we’re back to musicians playing instruments again, but along has come AI and everybody wants to use it. The same thing will happen. Eventually they will realise the human version is the best. Well that’s my opinion!

DG Q: Let’s finish strong: what’s one quote that hits you right in the soul and says, “This is me”?

DES: “I will never resist a challenge.”

LINKS:

www.destongbooks.com 

https://youtube.com/@destongtv?si=912_fyVfRp4ef34d

Amazon.co.uk: Des Tong: books, biography, latest update