Surprisingly enough, the Simon Nield band mainly comprises a smiley bloke called Simon, assisted by Eugene (a looping device). Occasionally, other restless souls join in, the smile grows wider, and a band (sometimes called The Beach) pops into existence.
Influences
The Beatles, Bruce Cockburn, Led Zeppelin, Shane Howard, Redgum, Cake, Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Louis Armstrong, JS Bach, Single Gun Theory, Carl Pannuzzo, Radiohead, Richard Pleasance, T Rex, Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Neil Finn, Beck, The Cruel Sea, Mal Webb, Michael Franti, Robert Johnson, Ben Lee, Stephen Taberner, Mal Webb, Jeff Lang, Doug deVries, Errol Tout, Cold Chisel, Skyhooks, Bernard Carney, Bernard Fanning, Eric Bogle, Paul Kelly, Andrew Clermont, Andrew Winton, Simon Fox, Marcus Sturrock, Pierre Bensusan, Gerry O'Beirne, Joni Mitchell, Andrew Clermont, Cat Stevens, Yousuf Islam...
Hang on, what about the BAD influences? There are just as many - supermarket muzak, traffic noise, air pollution, parental neglect (just kidding mum), decades of top 40 trash, and about 10,000 advertising jingles all jostling for attention in an overcrowded brain.
Sounds Like
Simon Nield (hopefully), Tommy Emmanuel, Ben Lee, Nick Drake, Bruce Cockburn, Michael Hedges, Bach on a bad day (again, hopefully)
Simon Nield is a beautiful acoustic guitar player with a distinctive Australian voice and a direct, heartfelt approach to performance. He has won numerous national songwriting awards, and is a regular performer at music festivals in WA and nationally. He has provided backing music for ABC Radio National radio drama and his original acoustic guitar instrumentals are used for movies, TV and radio in the USA, Canada, the UK, Japan, Europe and New Zealand.
Life-long passions for acoustic guitar, composition, and words have borne fruit in Simon's new solo album "Still", which will be launched at festivals and other gigs in 2008.
Here's an original tune for you - Barefoot Lunch (pause whatever is playing upstairs so you can hear it):
Simon's early exploits included stints in Adelaide original pop and cover bands, and in Perth acapella and world music groups. More recently he has played guitar for artists as diverse as Akhter Jahan (classical Indian-style singer), Dougal Adams and Ormonde Waters (traditional Irish music) and Stephen Taberner (moody jazz-pop).
Simon's first solo project was the 2002 release We're Mostly Water - a diverse album of songs which included the winning instrumental of the Australian National Songwriting Contest, and top-ten placings in categories of folk/world, lyrics, jazz/blues and gospel.
A subsequent instrumental album Resonance opened new doors, as a “very nice set of guitar pieces… ranging from flowing, lyrical tunes to complex polyrythms” (fRoots magazine, UK), which "stamps him as a player of genuine class and inventiveness" (Steve Barnes, artistic director of the Fairbridge Festival).
The new album Still combines the guitar elegance of Resonance with the eloquent poetry of We’re Mostly Water.
In closing, here's something rather old, intended for cello but still also seriously sublime on a guitar:
Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite 1, BWV 1007.
P.S. The absence of a friend's space below is an attempt to ward off random friend collectors - apologies if it seems - er - unfriendly. If you've got this far, then you're a friend.
Hey Simon, t'was great to meet up with you at the weekend ( its been toooo long)!
It will be an absolute pleasure to perform a number tomorrow night - quite excited! "My first acoustic tapping guitar introduction to the world" No better a place to introduce it to than at a Simon Nield concert, well... Except maybe at a Mr Hedges gig. But you come in a close second in my ranking. See you then me old chum.
Simon the CD is a MASTERPIECE. I listen to it over and over - you have been very generous. Lots of love, Lynne X PS Whale watching at Bashams Beach is lovely in July!
Hey Simon, Just listened to American Joy and Talk - Sensational! Getting really excited about the CD. Have a great holiday and all the best for Fairbridge. Love to you all, Lynne
Congratulations on "Our top Banana". I loved it when you played it in August. Now that it is recorded the whole family can enjoy. Amelia is particularly impressed! (Gough Whitlam is her hero). I think Kevin should insist it is played for the campaign! Best wishes, Lynne and the gang XXX
Hiya Simon, been wondering when to expect the next of the bach cello suites a la guitar? Come on you've got another 5 to go and we aren't talking just the preludes! Love your work!
Hi Simon, have just been listening to 'Resonance'. What an incredible album! It really touches my heart in a way that not much music seems to these days. You are a real talent! Love Melissa
