There
has always been music in the family, my grandfather played accordion
in a dance band and my mother wrote music for piano. Music is such
a great joy to me, I really could never imagine not having an instrument
around. Someone said that the sign of a true guitar fanatic is when
you pass an instrument and can’t resist the urge to pick it
up, that’s me for sure. So here’s a wee run down on
what influenced me.
I first remember being pulled to the guitar in the early 60’s.
That would be when Dylan hit the scene, I got his first album, “The
Freewheelin” and played it to death, started going round the
many folk clubs that were around at that time and learned the basics
of finger picking from whoever would teach me. In retrospect, maybe
I made a bit of a pest of myself but it was a great time for new
music. Then James Taylor came along and he just knocked me out,
such control both of voice and instrument. So I spent the next year
or so trying to figure out how he got his incredibly clean sound
and in that period I discovered Ry Cooder and his more raunchy approach
and sound. So now I am reaching meltdown with sound and touch and
vocal approaches but it was great to find that it was possible to
pick bits from here and there and bolt them together in different
ways. My last big influence, Richard Thompson, sort of brings it
all together for me, he is the master of the guitar as far as I
am concerned, none better.
I
suppose that sounds as if it was a copycat exercise but I really
think that’s the most natural way to learn and expand, listen
to every thing. I would really recommend that approach, take in
everything, discount nothing, but be yourself in the end. Over the
last few years song writing has become an obsession, it doesn’t
come easy but I think it’s in there. Again as with guitar
playing I listen to every songwriter I can, it’s the only
way, there’s so much to learn. Listen to the sound bites and
let me know what you think.
John |
