Brian Rochford: 'We're waiting for the final piece of the jigsaw'

We're putting a Rolling Stones tribute band together. We've got all the other members and we just need the front man. We're looking for a guy who can do it properly though ? a true Mick Jagger impersonator. He'll need to have great stage presence and that extra something to be able to carry off Jagger. It's more than just dressing up as him. There's a swagger and an attitude that's key. We want a front man who can mimic Jagger's moves and is able to talk to the audience, but he has to be able to sing as well. We don't want to be a tribute band that looks like the real thing and kind of sounds like the real thing but has a lead singer who just can't sing. There's no point in putting a tribute band on stage if you can't pull it off. So at the moment we're waiting for the final piece of the jigsaw.

I was brought up on the Rolling Stones and Thin Lizzy. Music is my life. I've been playing the guitar since I was 13 years of age. My brother actually looks like Jagger. If I could have him as the front man I would. But he works during the day so that's not a goer ? unfortunately. I've listened to the Stones all my life and know my stuff really well. My favourite one is Mick Taylor who was in the band from 1969-1974. I'll be impersonating him and hope to be pretty inconspicuous when I'm all dressed up! Outside of putting the tribute band together, I'm a full-time musician. I play the guitar and I'm a singer-songwriter. I usually do my own thing with the Brian Rochford Blues Band. The drummer, who plays in the blues band with me, is a big Stones fan as well and we noticed that people were always asking for songs by the Rolling Stones. So we had the tribute idea. I sing and perform as the front man when I play with my blues band but I'd rather have a proper Jagger out there for the Stones and concentrate on guitar duties.

We've had two auditions so far but they didn't cut the mustard, as they say. If all goes well and we manage to find the right guy, we should be up and running in a month and a half. There are a few tribute bands out there doing the circuit at the moment like the Complete Beatles, who are very good and do great business. If there's room for them, there's definitely room for us.

Once we've put the entire band together, we're not going to just do the greatest hits. We'll probably concentrate on one big album and perform all of that. I'm sure it will create a lot of interest. Being in a tribute band won't be too much of a stretch. Once you properly rehearse the set list of 18 or 20 songs and get into the character of whichever Stone you're posing as, there shouldn't be any problem. If you're playing music a long time on the scene, you can adapt to anything. It should be second nature. It's also just a bit of fun to me and the other lads. We won't be embarrassed because we don't take ourselves too seriously and just love the music.

I've seen the Stones tons of times. My brother got Jagger's autograph and met them a few times when they were over here. He actually got the autograph at Slane in 1982 and managed to get backstage. I don't know how he managed it. He must be their number one fan over here. There is no one who's a bigger fan. I guarantee if you ask anybody in Ballyfermot they will tell you that Sam Rochford is the number one Stones fan. And if he's number one, I suppose then I'd be the number two Stones fan.

As told to Claire Ryan