Joni Mitchell, Ralph McTell. Jack Kerouac, Jacques Brel, Martin guitars, Nic Jones, JS Bach, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, Alain Fournier, Tony Benn, Westmalle Triple, Bob Dylan and a few others.
A finger-picking guitarist in the old style, songwriter and singer, with what was once described as a dark-brown voice (I took it as a compliment). I love gigging and touring, especially places where I haven’t been, so I can get to know new areas. I particularly like travelling in Scotland, France and Germany. Oh and Wales of course, where pride of place goes to the fabulous Cwmaman Festival and Acoustic Lounge.
I’ve done radio and TV and supported many great and famous people, but so has everyone, so I won’t go into that too much. I must say I’m struggling a bit to find much sense in these modern times of bigging yourself up (not one of my specialist activities, unfortunately) and shameless self promotion. The world seems to be drowning in a tide of banal popular culture, promoted by global, profit-making enterprises and sadly for my bank balance and my self-esteem, songs about Ofsted inspections, the fast world and little guitar instrumentals don’t seem to have much global scope. Trying to be serious and meaningful doesn’t seem to work anymore. Bring on the old days of youthful faces, listening intently in dark cellars, clutching mugs of coffee. Good old BBC 4.
I’ve just discovered Rob Ellen’s House Concert Hub. House concerts really seem to me to be the way to go. Let’s hope that lots of people agree with me, especially music lovers with houses.
I’ve got a smashing band in Germany, The Class, with whom I gig two or three times a year, a great record company in the form of Reinhard Finke’s Valve Records in Solingen, and a great desire to find another musician to make live playing more interesting and touring less lonely, which I haven’t had since I stopped gigging regularly with Al Richardson, the magnificent harmonica player.
My friend Hilary says I’m about as rhythmic of a ragtime/blues guitarist as there is at the moment, so I try to remember that when I’m on gigs being shouted at by drunken Norwegian football supporters, who want to hear just about anything (they say) apart from the thing I’m playing.
Toodle pip.
i..m late but i don..t want forget to thank you for the gig last Sunday in Solingen. It was nice to meet you again. Here some few pic in b/w (you know because of the red light) ;-))
