Mirage Music

31/05/2026

Heartbroken doesn’t really cover it, as words never really can. The tears flow for Tucker as we bid farewell.
Everyone who has visited the studio over the last eight years will have met him. He went from being a therapy dog at a drug rehabilitation centre in Bosnia, to being rescued by us and becoming head of security here at Mirage.
He has been the most wonderful, beautiful and dearest boy.
Goodnight sunshine 🐾 💔

09/05/2026

Long but worthwhile read. Mainly for those with an attention span longer than a social media minute.

A Decade of Live Music. Who knew? We made 10 years!

Ten years ago, we started a band called The Bootleggers. We had no grand plan, no expectations of where it might lead. We just loved music, loved playing, and hoped people might connect with what we did.

A decade later, we’re honestly overwhelmed by where this journey has taken us.From countless gigs across North Yorkshire and the North East, to recording 10 original songs at Mirage Music with the amazing Mr John P Taylor , to even brewing two beers with Hambleton Brewery it’s been a ride we could never have imagined.

But the biggest achievement has been the music, the venues, the people.

Over the years we’ve met so many incredible souls. We’ve shared songs, stories, laughs, hugs, tears, and moments that reminded us all that nobody truly stands alone. Music has helped us through our own struggles with depression and mental health, and if what we do has helped even one other person feel seen, understood, or hopeful, then every mile, every late night, and every gig has been worth it.

The joy we see when we play, the smiles in the crowd, the friendships made, and the love we receive is something we will never take for granted.

To every single person who has followed us, supported us, sung with us, bought us a drink, shared a post, invited us to a venue, booked us for a gig, or simply stood in front of us while we played... thank you.

And to every bar, club, venue, festival, landlord, sound engineer, and promoter who gave us a chance over the last ten years... thank you for believing in us.

And all the bands we've met along the way. The musicians. What a bunch of legends. Weekend warriors giving their time to live music to entertain the masses. We salute you 🙏 👏 🙌
The truth is simple: without all of you, there is no Bootleggers.

We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, but above all, we are grateful.

Here’s to the memories, the music, and whatever comes next.

A huge thank you to every single one of you for walking this road with us. Your support, kindness, friendship and belief in what we do has meant more than words could ever say.

All our love and endless gratitude,

Dave & Nath
The Bootleggers UK
2016–2026 (AND BEYOND!) X

07/05/2026

09/04/2026

Today, it’s the turn of ‘The Ringer’ to emanate his angelic larynx upon the new tracks! # Album 5

07/04/2026

Vocal duties today as we get back to working on album #5

21/02/2026

Our new single is out next Friday 27th. Available on all platforms.
Recorded and produced in Salisbury, UK.
Mastered by John P Taylor at Mirage Music

17/02/2026

03/02/2026

Nice new addition to the studio stockade this week with the
Nord Stage 4 88.
Very nice 😊

31/01/2026

🎶MOONSHINE TILL SUNSHINE🎶
Let us tell you a little tale…
Ten years ago, when we first set out to do this thing we call Bootlegging, and once we’d finally settled on the name The Bootleggers, we decided one day we’d release an album and call it “Moonshine Till Sunshine”.

Why?… Well because at the time we would often sit up all night in my pub drinking jars of Vardys Moonshine, and practice/listen to/talk about music. Many a time we would keep going till the sunshine arrived.

A year later, I thought we best have a song with that same title and so I wrote one. Then it kinda just sat on paper doing nothing for a few years.

Five years ago today, we finally sat down, learned it together, recorded a demo at Nath’s house, I told Nath the idea I had in my head when I wrote it… and I left that night thinking we had the beginnings of something special.

A few hours later, Nathan sent me what he had produced using the tracks we’d recorded and he’d nailed it! The exact sound and style I had in my head when I wrote the song years earlier… He’d smashed it and produced a great song.

So great in fact that in Feb 2024, we sent what Nath had produced to our usual production wizard, Mr John P Taylor, asked him to check it and master it for us, and we released “Moonshine Till Sunshine” as our tenth track!

The first song I wrote for The Bootleggers, long before we’d even stepped foot in a studio and started recording our own music… and the first song Nath produced at Bootleggers HQ and nailed it first time!

For that reason, this song is special for me.
It packs a lot of memories, time and friendship into a little 2min song…

Listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/track/6ndfAfrBZHd5NdHXF8HYzY?si=eGornt_pRF-KQI2XgTmw1w

Available on all platforms.