You might think that after releasing 39 albums, Dennis Siggery would have run out of things to say, but far from it. The frontman of The Eric Street Band is discussing Home Territory, a Reading-inspired collection of tracks that peel back the layers of heavy blues-rock to reveal something far more atmospheric and intimate.

It is an album that trades high-octane guitar riffs for a more nuanced approach, while remaining very Reading in its outlook. Dennis is Newtown born and bred, and his memories from growing up, his life and the town itself are something that runs strongly through his work. But don’t expect more of the same old, same old.

"This is completely different because we didn't want to follow the traditional blues albums,  with the heavy guitar riffs and all that. With this, we just get a softer sound for it," Dennis explains.

The shift in direction was entirely intentional, created from a desire to create a soundtrack for those quiet, reflective moments at the end of a difficult shift in the office. 

"There are times when you get a really bad day and things are going really wrong. You want to put on some nice music, pour a glass of wine and just chill out. I wanted to make an album like that," he says adding that it was a co-creation with long-time collaborator Gordon Vaughan. "We’re both songwriters and we put our heads together to write this album. It’s really a very different album and I didn't want to follow other blues albums - they basically sound just the same. This is still blues-based, but it's got a different feel to it.”

The process was a patient one, spanning roughly a year. The pair were prolific, originally penning 17 songs before whittling them down to the 10 that best fit the new, soulful vision they had for the band. They’re based on things that Dennis recalls.

“It took us about a year to do this. We may have written 17 songs, but we only put 10 on there, so there are seven we didn’t use as they didn’t fit in with what we’re trying to do,” he continues.

A Reading boy through and through

While the musical influences on Home Territory lean into modern jazz and the soul-searching style of John Coltrane, the lyrical heart of the album is firmly rooted in the streets of Reading. Dennis, who was born just after the Second World War, in 1946, has used this record to document a world that has largely vanished, and yet traces of which are still visible, particularly in the part of Newtown where he spent his formative years. The track 12 Sun Street is a recollection of a childhood spent without electricity, where gas lamps flickered, and the modern comforts we take for granted were non-existent.

 

"I was born just after the war, we lived in Newtown, and we didn't have electricity until I was about five," Dennis recalls. "We had gas lamps and a coal fire, and the toilet was down the garden. Sun Street was a very working-class sort of area, but nice people – really nice kind people. If you had a problem, a door was always open and you weren't turned away.

“It was a great, every close neighbourhood where everybody knew each other. It was a great place to live as a kid.”

He admits Newtown could be "a bit rough" and that he "was rough" himself, but he maintains a deep respect for his roots: “I respect where I came from because that’s why I am. I had to write that song (12 Sun Street) because it meant so much to me. It's about life, just how it was then," he says. “My mum brought up us four kids, it was quite tough – she had to work as well. But that was just the way it was, we didn’t know any different.”

This connection to the town is even reflected in the album's cover: Dennis was thrilled to find an old picture of Jackson’s Corner - a real Reading landmark that evokes the "good old days" of Reading. Even though the Ding has changed significantly - becoming a "huge place" that lacks the old "feel" - his loyalty to his home remains. 

He is still a dedicated follower of Reading FC, having attended his first game seven decades ago.

Legacy over luxury

Despite his extensive career, which included a stint as a DJ in an R&B club and years spent playing the pub circuit, Dennis has never been motivated by the traditional markers of success. He walked away from a steady job years ago to pursue music, a decision that meant giving up financial security for a life he actually wanted to lead.

He is candid about the reality of the modern music industry, noting that while his music is played worldwide, the financial rewards are often secondary to the creative satisfaction. For Dennis, the true value lies in the permanence of the work.

"I'm not gonna leave a big house, and I'm not gonna leave loads of money, but I am gonna leave my music behind, because it's being played worldwide," Dennis says. "And that was my aim: to leave something behind that other people can't. That's why I've done it. I didn't do it to get famous. I didn't do it to get rich; I just wanted people to hear my songs and the stories that I got to tell. When I die, I’m not going to leave a big house or loads of money, but I am going to leave my music behind: it’s being played worldwide. That’s been my aim: to leave something behind that other people aren’t doing. I’ve given up a lot to do it, but the songs just keep coming to me. Where from, I don’t know, but I’ve just got a gift for writing songs.”

There is a sense of immense pride when he discusses the reception of Home Territory, particularly from fans who find a deep emotional connection to the music. He refuses to copy others, fronting an original sound that is purely his own.

"Every song I listen to, one of my songs, you know, and I listen to my voice and I think, yeah, that's a unique voice," he says. "I haven't gone out to copy anybody. I haven't gone out to be in a tribute band. It's just me. And when you hear the album for the first time, you get a buzz that you can't buy, you know, because you know, you put all that hard work in, and then when it's all finished, and you listen to it, you just think, yeah, that was worth it.”

And while this is number 39, Dennis feels the best could still be yet to come. 

I want to make an album I feel is my best one. I’ve made so many, but I haven’t made one yet that I felt was my Dark Side of the Moon, my top album. This is very close it – and it could be my last, I don’t know yet. It’s the best one I’ve ever made.”

How can I listen to Home Territory? 

Home Territory is a Southside Music production, recorded by Matt Bew at Whitehouse Studios in Reading and mastered by Henry Smithson. The album features the full Eric Street Band line-up: Dennis on lead vocals, Gordon Vaughan on acoustic guitars, Henry Smithson on bass, and Julian Bown on drums. They are supported by guest musicians Dave Raphael on harmonica, Andy (Drew) Taylor on violin, and Gillian Tunley on backing vocals.

While Dennis has left the hard graft of the pub circuit behind, he remains open to larger local performances. The band may return to the Wokingham Festival in the future, an event Dennis describes as a highlight of the local calendar.

"There's a possibility that we might get a gig there," Dennis says. "It's great playing there, because I do love the festival. You know, I just think it's one of the best things that ever happened in the town.”

For those looking to hear the new material immediately, the album is available for download on Bandcamp and can be streamed on YouTube. Physical CDs can also be purchased directly through the official website.

To stay updated on live dates and to purchase the album, visit: https://ericstreetband.com