You start small...
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You drive your neighbour to a guitar club because he doesn't like the dark. You end up running the club, and two more like it.
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You meet somebody at the club and form a duo to get gigs in just one local pub, and you kind of end up playing everywhere.
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You start an open mic night, and fifteen years later you've played 1200 shows. You form bands. You join a tribute band and play theatres and festivals. You meet your guitar hero, he gives you his blessing.
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You ditch your day job. You teach, run workshops, you blog. You meet like-minded souls and form bonds and then one day, you give yourself permission to write your own songs.
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And then it gets interesting.
I'm a self taught D.I.Y. artist with influences mainly drawn from Americana and Alternative Country Rock, including Wilco, R.E.M. Grant Lee Phillips, The Record Company, Neil Young, NEEDTOBREATHE, Chris Stapleton, Calexico, Jason Isbell, Counting Crows and the many incarnations of Jack White. If I at any point manage to sound anything like any of these people, I'll be a happy man, but I'm not trying to specifically be like anyone else.
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I don't set out to write about anything in particular. Songs come, or they don't, but I try everyday, in one form or another. Most times I don't really understand what I'm writing about until well after the fact, but all the old suspects are there... the human condition, humour and fear, nature and the universe, love and heart break. I'm not ruling anything out though. I try to be emotionally honest, and I try to be positive, but it's not all about me, and some stories are just stories. Right now my mission is to try and present a selection of material that shows the range of my writing, whilst hopefully learning more about the recording process.
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I've been a guitarist, bassist, vocalist, casual mandolinist, and a few other 'ists' since becoming a full time musician in my mid thirties. I've played in all sorts of bands, but my current projects feel the most natural. REMbrandt, one of the U.K.s only R.E.M. tribute bands, and a country inspired covers band, The Alabama Stills, which has in turn spawned some other side projects, including collaboration with the country artist Kate Harding. I've been pretty lucky with whom I've get to play music with. Long may it continue!
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Without Whom... etc...
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This music wouldn't get anywhere without Jeff Clark. He's like a silent partner... who's rarely very silent. He didn't want a mention. Tough luck, Jethro. Any and all good things should go Jeff's way.
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I'd also like to thank Steve Twinley from 'Learn To Drive'... a brilliant musician and a constant source of knowledge and enthusiasm in the field of home recording.
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And to my ever understanding family and friends, who might not really understand everything I do, but generally let me do it anyway. You are appreciated.