Interview conducted by Anselm Anderson
Thank you very much for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts with your readers!
The edition to release 'A Thousand Snakes Deluxe Version' is stylized and presented musically in the way I initially intended the song to sound and feel. Drastic changes were happening in my life, which directly influenced the recording process and release schedule of this body of songs (which all belong to an upcoming compilation/album called The Blood & The Blues). With this rendition, I really wanted to get into my more direct blues influences, paying homage to the genre, and of course, using my own darker stylistic approach to create something that I hadn’t really recorded or presented artistically in the past.
I’ve been obsessed with the blues for many years, and this song was a more direct ode to the blues genre, possibly than I’ve done before. I didn’t hold back on anything in this rendition. In a way, recording my heavier, hard rock blues style has become a safe approach to my art, because I’ve become proficient in that. So using slide guitar, resonators, and instruments that are more ‘bare’ took more of me, artistically, and forced me to understand a different side of the music. I must be honest, it’s one of the songs I am most proud of in my career so far.
I could write a book at this point. But to be vague, I think the last five or so years have been very evolutionary. I’ve been influenced by music, the guitar itself, lifestyle, philosophy, parenthood, immigration, and many other things that I believe do impact my music ultimately.
As mentioned, the old blues, from Robert Johnson, all the way through to BB King, Howlin’ Wolf, and modern cats like Joe Bonamassa and Gary Clark Jr. Rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. I love 70’s rock generally. And people who know me already, know I’ve been heavily influenced by Chris Cornell and Soundgarden. There are of course many others, this being a broad scope.
Some influences that may not be obvious include classical music, especially Beethoven’s piano works. Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” as it’s come to be known is one of my beloved compositions of all time. And then bands like Kings of Leon, Metallica, Opeth and Mastodon have all influenced me. It’s a wide variety.
Absolutely.
You have just announced dates for a 2024/25 UK Tour. What can attendees expect from the shows?
There are essentially three formats of performances. Essentially, as a solo artist, with an “unplugged’’ band, and with an electric band.
First of all, as a solo artist, where I use various acoustic guitars with alternate tunings, slide guitar, effects pedals, loopers, and other devices to really create an atmospheric experience for audiences. This show is a more intimate and atmospheric environment, where I think the emotiveness of the music is portrayed in a way that only acoustic instrumentation can do.
Secondly, with my band in an “unplugged” setting. Think 90’s “MTV Unplugged”. An acoustic approach to the music, where I have rearranged songs to give them a totally different music presentation. I love this because it showcases songs that were written in this style, and the depth and emotion of those songs are really captured.
Thirdly, with my band in an electric setting. This is a rock & roll experience. Loud electric guitars, high energy, heavy blues rock music. You’d be surprised how acoustic songs done in this style take on a whole other feel.
Well, those are two very different settings. Referring to what I mentioned above will give people an insight into what those performances would feel like from an audience point of view. And then, of course, touring is all about building audiences and community. Whether doing a support show or headline, the goal for me is always to serve the audience, bring my a-game, and deliver the best possible musical experience I can.
Honestly, I just love performing my music to people. I take that mindset with me to all my performances. Hence, I am always looking forward to being on the stage to do what I believe I was born to do.
The UK music industry is massive, so the scope of reach and audience for my sound is just much bigger. I’ve seen that already. In fact, folks in the UK have been really welcoming, and the response to my music has been fantastic. No doubt the culture, art and history will influence me in some ways, all of which I am excited about.
For the solo and unplugged shows, I have two Yamaha acoustic guitars.“Transacoustic” models. One is tuned to D standard, and the other to an Open C-type tuning for slide guitar. Then there’s a Sigma dreadnaught that’s also tuned to Open E, also for slide.
I’m using various pedals for these shows including a Boss DD3 delay, Boss Super Octave, TC Electronics Sky Surfer Reverb, and my trusty old Boss RC-3 looper. For the electric shows, I am using a Tokai Les Paul-style guitar, and Epiphone Les Paul Custom and a heavily modified Epiphone Dot (that I resprayed myself). The guitars are also tuned essentially D standard, Open C and Open E. My guitars and pedals go through a Marshall Origin 50 Head and Origin 2x12 cabinet.
Gear List:
Guitars
· Yamaha Transacoustic x 2
· Sigma GMC-STE Dreadnaught
· Tokai “Black Beauty” Les Paul-style
· Epiphone Les Paul Custom
· Epiphone Dot
· TC Electronics Sky Surfer
· MXR Line Boost
· Mooer Blues Crab
Amplifier
· Marshall Origin 50 Head & 2x12 Cabinet
There are a lot of talented blues players coming through, including yourself. What are your thoughts on the blues scene at the moment?
There is a vibrant blues community in the UK, and there are fans. I’ve never really considered myself as being part of any “scene” because I do my own thing. However, I’ve seen some great blues players in the UK, including Troy Redfern, Jack Hutchinson, and Chris Buck. I’ve been watching Chris Buck for a few years. He’s an insanely good guitarist and I’ve just seen him go from strength to strength. Apparently, Slash wrote his band’s letter of recommendation for their US visas. Speaking of Slash, I think his recent blues album and festivals have helped put the blues more forward into the mainstream line of sight again.
Keep writing, recording, performing, and growing!
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