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Brett Huckfield's Music Biography
I'm a music
fanatic - Always have been; I grew up in a house where music was
constantly played... I got my first guitar as a Christmas present at the age of
6, but by Christmas night my sister had accidentally broken the guitar in two -lol!!
I was 12 before my parents
would buy me another guitar. I learned to play in one day - (no really -lol!!) My fingers bled and
blistered - but I was in heaven!!! (and also in pain, for weeks :-)
By 13 I'd formed a band and started gigging (even skipped school
to appear on
the radio with local celebrity Malcolm Stent once) ...well, music was more fun than
lessons!!
Photo; Me being
an idiot....
At 16 I did my first recording
in a studio. My band won a competition to add a track to a compilation LP, that showcased the best local
music. As a result I got more gigs, and offers to
play/sing on other folks tracks too!! Sadly the album was never released because
the people financing it
fell out, and the studio closed -but it was good experience...
My band stayed
together until my
late teens... but after many great gigs and a few near misses at success
-we folded due to jobs/girlfriends/abduction by aliens (delete where applicable
-lol!!).
I spent my 20's
working in a guitar shop by day and gigging at night; (but this time in other
people's bands -lol!!). I got to play; universities, hotels, clubs, pubs,
conventions, outdoor/charity/acoustic gigs, town halls, a rich guy's back garden
and even a gig for prison warders once -lol!! ...and those are only the ones I
can remember :-)
Photo; Me still
being an idiot....
It
was in my early 30's that I stumbled into music publishing. I
happened to read about a publisher looking for songs... and decided to send a
demo. I wasn't in a band at the time so I recorded all the parts myself...
The publisher loved
the songs and signed them... They were recorded by Jordan Adams on his 2002 'Like a Lifetime'
album. I saw an Amazon review, naming one of my songs as the best
on the CD -lol!! Nothing against Jordan; he was a nice guy... But the
covers of my songs were, to my mind, watered down, overly 'poppy' versions of
what I'd really intended...
I entered the
2002 Plymouth Folk Songwriting Contest and I won it lol!!
The judges said my song was 'deeply moving and
quirkily original'. I also recorded 2 more songs, and was also offered a
publishing deal for them by music industry consultant Dennis Sinnott (once the
Head of Copyright at EMI Publishing who went on to set up Christel Music
Ltd).
Photo; Me n'
Marie -Remember to hug your band members if you want to get the best out of
them!! It's alright she's my girlfriend too!!!!....
Dennis wanted
promote my songs in the States -but he also loved my singing, playing and
arrangements; asking if I'd thought about pursuing a record deal too? -I was
knocked out!!
I'd thought that I
was too 'old' to be taken seriously as a singer/performer. The 'music biz'
seemed obsessed with youth, trends, and image; and that's why I concentrated
just on songwriting. But Dennis taught me that age doesn't matter if you truly
believe in your talent, (telling me about much older musicians who were still in
cutting edge bands!!).
I'm grateful to
Dennis for really opening my eyes; and even though I didn't sign my songs with
him - (after being advised not to unless I could get some of the clauses
amended)... I deeply appreciated the interest he took in my music!!
Photo; My 'Here
Again' Single - You haven't bought it as a download yet; and you said you loved
me!!!...Go on, support an independent musician, you know you want to -lol!!
2003 was full of
possibilities... I was still working in a guitar shop - but the rest of the
time I threw myself into writing new songs. I wasn't interested in getting my
songs recorded other people anymore... my plan was to record and release my own
album!! I happened to mention the idea to my first publisher, and he
offered to part finance the project - but I'd already decided not to sign away
anymore songs - they meant too much to me!!
I also had an invite
to do an interview and perform live (no pressure then -lol!!) on WCR Radio's
'The Gathering' program by co host Jan Brookfield. I was a little
nervous; it had been a while since I'd performed in front of any kind of audience - but as soon as I got into my stride, I
really enjoyed it.. Due to time constraints within
the program - not all of my interview was broadcast...(but the BBC later
re-broadcast my full length interview on WM Radio - so I guess they liked it too
:-). Jan became a great supporter of my music, and we've been very good friends
ever since!!!
Success and
recognition seemed just around the corner...but then out of the blue, my father
became ill -and was diagnosed with a rare lung disease. I put
everything on hold so I could be there to help him. Dad
was a real trooper - I'm so proud of him. Sadly he died due to a hospital oxygen
blunder in late 2005. My father was a real inspiration to me; even when he
was really ill in hospital he wouldn't complain - he'd just smile and ask when I
was going to get back into music again...
Photo; My
wonderful dad; even being on oxygen 24/7 couldn't dampen his spirits!!!
I returned to playing
live in 2006, after a drummer friend offered me the job of lead guitarist in a local
band. Being in someone else's band for a while was the perfect way for me
to ease back into music; and by 2007 I was writing and recording again..
I ended up making a 3
track EP, which I dedicated to my late father. It was only a small unofficial release; I hadn't tried to get a distributor or anything -
we just
printed some CD's up after I'd finished the recordings... and that was about as
far as the planning went -lol!!
...Even so, four
newspapers ran stories on the EP - one paper even put me on the front page,
along with a pic of my dad too -bless 'em!! Also, Jan Brookfield
(see above) invited me on to top WCR Radio DJ Jason Forest's show, to play my EP and
talk about the songs ...
Photo; at the
recording of my WCR Radio interview; Producer Jan Brookfield and DJ Jason Forest
doing a first class job, as always!!!
I was back -lol!!
...but where to begin? Jan said - 'what about starting a MySpace site?' ....so here I am :-)
2008 I spent working
on my forthcoming 'City Blue' Album, getting everything in place for my debut
single release 'Here Again', securing all the rights and gaining
membership to all the organisations I needed to manage and release my own music
(having decided to work independently in order to retain creative control).. I
also formed a new band - to perform my City Blue album songs live!!
2009 on Sunday 1st Feb
I released my 'Here Again' MP3 single - on iTunes, Napster, Amazon etc; which
was made 'Record Of The Week' by Global Radio 1. Presenter Richard J Hannah from
Global Radio 1 then interviewed me on his Sunday Supplement show - it was very
good of him to help promote my music; he's a great guy. Richard told me that
because GR1 is an Anglo/American station - they all assumed (cuz of my name)
that I was an American singer songwriter- until he was the first to noticed that
I had a UK phone number... I suppose Brett Huckfield does have a slight US
'twang' to it ;-) but no, it really is my own name -lol!!
Spring of 09
we were working on getting as many radio station's as possible
to add 'Here Again' to their playlist. (I've listed some of the station's on my
www.bretthuckfield.com website) -and that worked out well; with quite
a few internet stations around the world now supporting 'Here Again'... But
requests for more material are now coming in -lol!! So I'm going to try and get
another single out in early autumn called 'Be My Love'...
...And that's the
story so far -lol!!
Photo; This is my
dog Aldo !!I ... He sits on the armchair in the studio and gives me moral
support -lol!!
Thanks for taking the
time and trouble to read my biog - and for
all the positive comments and messages so many of you have been kind enough to
send me after listening to my songs!!! Just
scroll up to the 'Latest News' and my 'Current Releases' to see what's goin' on
at the moment - and please feel free to send me a comment/message....
All the best from me
and the members of my band/promo team!!!
Brett Huckfield,
Marie, Sam and Mike!!!
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