![\"Third](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/VIMO6ICD2M1GXKP8STKM.jpg\")
Third Degree to play New Milton’s Forest Arts<\/p>\nTwo former members of ABB have joined forces with other musical friends to launch a new band called Third Degree.<\/p>\n
On their retirement in 2025, after 37 years together, ABB founder member John Holmes teamed up with ex-Manhattan Slide keyboard player John Ackroyd, ABB drummer Brian Heeley, former Paul Weller bassist Paul Francis, and award-winning harmonica player Hugh Budden, to launch Third Degree.<\/p>\n
Third Degree to play New Milton’s Forest Arts<\/p>\n
Performing at Forest Arts on Friday 5th June, Third Degree will play a mix of blues, R&B, jump jive and boogie, with the addition of some modern soul.<\/p>\n
Founder member John Holmes said: \u201cIn less than a year together we have delighted audiences in arts centres, theatres and village halls across the south and west of England. This is a band you can listen to or dance to \u2013 or both!\u201d<\/p>\n
John added: \u201cThose in the know will be aware that Third Degree is the name of a famous, and much covered, blues standard. It is also the name of a band formed after the 37 year history of ABB came to a close last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
ABB started life in 1988 as The Average Blues Band, but was later abbreviated. Over the years the band released five acclaimed albums of original songs, and nearly hit the top 30 in 2000 with their single You Ran My Heart Away, after extensive UK-wide play, including from Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce.<\/p>\n
However, when two of the four members of ABB retired last year after a prominent farewell show, Third Degree was formed.<\/p>\n
John said: \u201cThird Degree are not just a blues band, since they include jump jive and boogie, old school R&B, and a sprinkling of soul based music alongside their blues roots. This is music you can listen to in a concert atmosphere, or dance to \u2013 either way, it\u2019s fun!\u201d<\/p>\n
Third Degree will be at Forest Arts on Friday 5th June at 6.30pm. Tickets are \u00a310. To find out more and book visit forest-arts.co.uk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two former members of ABB have joined forces with other musical friends to launch a new band called…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":73274,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[130],"tags":[232,19609,32676,3663,38746,5686,27397,38745],"class_list":["post-73273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-abb","tag-abb","tag-arts-and-entertainment","tag-days-out","tag-music","tag-new-forest","tag-new-milton","tag-stage","tag-whats-on-news"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ch\/116650432531508707","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73273\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}