A LEGEND of the Wyre Forest music scene has been tempted to take to the stage again during Kidderminster Music Festival.

Kevyn Gammond will perform at Kidderminster Town Hall on Saturday under the stage name Carlisle Egypt, joined by Verden Allen, original keyboardist with 1970s superstars, Mott the Hoople.

The pair first played together with influential Jamaican reggae artist, Jimmy Cliff, in the late 1960s and have stayed friends ever since.

Verden went on to join Mott the Hoople, while Kevyn played in Band of Joy with Robert Plant and John Bonham, in their pre-Led Zeppelin days.

Kevyn said: “Band of Joy are always mentioned in the Led Zeppelin biographies and it’s great to have been a part of such an important group.

“I think it’s nice that we have all moved on now though and we are doing totally different things musically.

“Me and Verden are trying to keep one foot in the musical future and we are looking forward to playing with some great bands from the area at the festival.”

In the early 1970s, Kevyn played in a band called Bronco with Robbie Blunt, before taking the name Carlisle Egypt and performing sporadically over the years.

He explained: “Carlisle Egypt is mainly me, with some guests helping out from time to time.

“The name came from the nickname Robert Plant gave me in Band of Joy and it stuck.

“Who knows, if Saturday’s gig goes well, maybe I will carry on with Carlisle Egypt again.”

Kevyn is now actively involved in promoting new bands in the area as creative director of MAS Records, which is based at Kidderminster College.

“We try to give new up-and-coming bands a chance to make it,” he added. “We hold auditions and take on 40-odd bands a year.”

Tickets for Saturday’s gig are available from the town hall or Mister Tee’s in Blackwell Street, Kidderminster.