About John – The Singing Landlord
John Luce has been a musician and entertainer since leaving school at the age of sixteen and spent some 35 years as a performer traveling the world.
Between 1974 and 1986 John was bass player with the hugely successful Welsh entertainer Max Boyce. During this time John gained extensive experience in Radio and Television taking part in several of Max’s TV series and also 3 series of 
the then popular “Poems and Pints”, an evening of entertainment set in local pubs all over wales. John also recorded over 10 albums with Max including the number 1 album “The Incredible Plan”. As a team they travelled the world and toured extensively in the UK. World tours including, Australia, the Middle East, and ex-pat communities through out the world including royal performances and this gave John a wealth of experience in the entertainment industry where his duties were organisational as well as performing.
In 1977 John secured a record deal with EMI and released a comedy single ”Packer of the Leads” a parody of “Leader of the Pack” with his then partner and fellow band member Neil Lewis. The record was voted Comedy record of the week on Radio 1 and has achieved infamy in folk circles throughout the UK.
John also presented his own BBC Wales television series alongside partner Neil Lewis called “Folk Club”. Between tours with Max, John and Neil played extensively on the university circuit all over the UK and became well known for their unique interpretation of traditional folk. During this time they supported many well known folk artists including Loudon Wainwright III, Steeleye span and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah band. John also found time to tour his own comedy show band Firebrigade taking in pubs and social clubs throughout Britain.
In 1982 John was invited by Carrere records in France to take part in a Beatles project “20 Years After” and create a Beatles mix in the popular 80’s style. Along with fellow performer Lee Curtis, John and Lee arranged and recorded the vocal performance for the project. This was hugely successful in Europe and sadly never released in the UK.
In 2000 John and Patricia decided to move to France and John spent 4 years working with 2 top Rock Orchestra’s in southern France, Test and Paris Texas. During this time John was lead singer and regularly played to 10,000 plus venues.
In 1996 John was head hunted by a Spanish company who invited him to work in Spain as Entertainment manager and performer in a busy English Bar Complex in Salou, Spain throughout the summer and entertainment manager and performer for the Sport Hotel Complex in Soldeu, Andorra where he was responsible for 3 venues at the popular ski resort.
In 2000 John and Pat moved back to the UK and John formed his web design business. His contacts have allowed him to stay connected with the music industry and as such he has created websites for high profile artists such as Max Boyce, Jasper Carrott and Chubby Brown and still continues to work with production and management companies.
Hi John, We came to your pub on Saturday 29th and had a fantastic meal. we were a group of walkers! Anyway we got talking about Chillies and your jam which i brought. nearly finished it!! Excellent. I told you about the Chillie farm here in suffolk. Hope you get some time to visit it. the purpose of my e-mail is – you said the recipe is on your web site, I cant find it!! its so good I’d like to have a go at making some.
Cheers a very satified customer Chris.
PS We came back for a meal sunday 6th Feb to have another meal but arrived at 3.15 and noticed you stopped meals at 3.00pm so we didn’t stop. maybe another time.
Chris,
I am sorry you missed our Sunday Lunch and thank you for the kind comments.
I will be uploading the full chilli jam recipe soon along with my chilli and Onion marmalade recipe. But if you want to have a go, here is an abridged version that, if you have made jam before, you will find very easy: Blend a quantity of, very fresh and well washed, red or green chillis in a food processor. Cover them with water and cook for about half an hour. Add double the weight of the chillis in jam sugar and cook until you reach the setting consistency, (could take as much as an hour). If after an hour the setting consistency is not reached then add more sugar and keep on cooking.
Happy cooking!
Look forward to seeing you in the pub soon, kindest, Pat
Found you. How are you keeping?
Love
Kate (Wales)
Hi Kate nice to hear from you.
Hi John… Good to see you on tv again… Seems such a long way since the old school days of Windsor Clive and living in Ely… Good memories!
Geoff, great to hear from you too!
Was just watching four in bed and recognised face thought I had seen before so gooogled and was right remember seeing you supporting max on tour many happy memories
Hi John, just seen ’4 in a bed. You look well hope your b&b is going well now I know where your Place is. Will try too visit I new year when I get some free time. Tony
Would love to see you Tony.
Hi to you both.
I have been watching 4 in a bed here in Spain and seeing the Fox and Duck again bought back some good memories. Back in 1977/78 I was a free trade rep for Benskins Brewery in Watford and I opened up an account with the Fox and Duck to sell Ind Coope KK cask mild. We actually got the sales up to 3 x 18′s a week, delivered out of the Bishop Stortford Depot. Unfortunately, my memory is not what is was and I cannot remember the name of the publican. I think he may have been in the RAF.
If on one our trips over, we might see if we can pop up as we normally stay around the Potters Bar area. Good luck and best wishes, Graham
Graham, we’d love to see you one day, Pat xx
hi both watching four in a bed and promptly said to my wife guitarist max boyce bindles barry
Oh Bindles, those were the days eh!
John , we’ve been watching 4 in a bed and I kept was saying to the wife …’ I’m sure I’ve seen him around the pubs in South Wales ‘ …now due to a bit of Google Schooling I’ve found the answer .
Poems & Pints was always popular with our family , Valley Boys and always up for a pint and a sing song .
Good luck to you both with all your future projects .
Mark – Caerphilly but now in Newtown ,Powys .
Mark, thank you so much for your comments, glad you managed to find John, he wants me to mention that he was with Max Boyce’s band for 14 years as well. It was a long time ago but I think he secretly misses it, thanks again, Pat xxx
hi john worked in saloo 96 lost contact with garry your bro
any chance phone number for garry and your self
saw you on 4 in a bed tonight you havent changed a bit
hope to here from you pj
phone 00353599724694 ireland kilkenny
Gudday Boyo, long time no see, I hope you remember me have not seen you since the 80′s when you last toured Australia with Max and did me a big favour by bringing my bass guitar over for me. Rob Kellerher who Nee and I worked with in Kolbs told me about the 4 in a bed show so just about to have a look but cant get it from Australia, so much for the internet eh!
Glad to hear you are doing well I have told Nee about the show so expect an email from him soon Take care and Iechiedda mate. Phill