AS a teenager Jawbone frontman Giles Gooden can remember discussing with his friend how they should get tickets to see rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry because “he could die soon”.

Over a decade later, not only is Chuck still going strong but the Leytonstone-based singer and his band, comprising of Giles on guitar and vocals, Simon Brown on bass and Rob Bartolomei on drums, are preparing to support the 83-year-old Hall of Famer on his UK tour.

“Anyone who plays a guitar, from Led Zeppelin to AC/DC, all those guys, as much as they won’t admit it, owe it all Chuck Berry,” the 30-year-old affable musician enthuses. “He was the dude who invented rock ‘n’ roll.”

With a sound and look rooted in the smoky nostalgia of the 70s (check out the facial hair), it’s small wonder why Jawbone’s golden brand of country, Americana and rock hasn’t enjoyed a larger stage before, especially when there is so much “terrible music in the charts”.

Taking a philosophical approach to this conundrum, Giles, who first picked up a guitar at 16, tells me: “I was just watching Nick Hornby on TV and he didn’t get his first book published until 35, which got me thinking. We don’t look like a pop band, we play country and Americana, it’s ageless, and the people who listen to our music don’t care if we are 30 or 50.”

Still, Giles, who is speaking to me while simultaneously taking care of his poorly almost one-year-old, is optimistic the Chuck Berry tour (which kicks off at The Troxy, Limehouse, on November 28) will be “the spring board we deserve”.

But, if you can’t wait until then, the boys will be performing on home turf at The Sheepwalk this Saturday. You can expect Neil Young-evoking songs that subtly reference Giles’ girlfriend Dina, who he describes as an “inspirational character”, his two brothers “who are completely barking mad,” and, of course, his daughter Willow.

With songs such as The Thing (I’m obsessed with Kurt Russell) and Hot Rod dedicated to his baby, it’s clear Giles doesn’t take himself too seriously and it’s this warm sense of humour that makes him so endearing to his audience and his “two girls”.

As for how becoming a father changed him, he offers: “As a songwriter I pour my heart out and I used to be completely self-indulgent, but now Willow is the centre focus and I have to put her first. She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Jawbone perform at The Sheepwalk, Leytonstone on Saturday, October 31 and Wednesdsay, November 18. For more details visit www.myspace.com/thejawboneband