March 2022: Taking the Lead (aka To Shred or Not To Shred)

Well then. Here’s my round-up of my musical exploits in March.

SESSION WORK:

• I’ve played many instruments and had many roles in many bands. One I don’t frequent is one I found myself at the helm of this month…LEAD GUITAR. Gasp. I’d never considered myself a lead guitarist, I tend to leave that to the real shredders. I’m a rhythm guy first and foremost, but here I am, doing THAT solo with no one to hide behind. Did I survive? Just about. Thanks in no small part to the power of the mini-board – one I built for my guitar tenure in the SMC. 

• It doesn’t look like much, but it has a surprising level of firepower for one so small. The Fender Bassman was kindly loaned by a bandmate. There’s nothing hidden about the firepower on that one! As the mini-board reaches its second birthday, it’s about to be getting a bit of a level-up. If you’re a gear aficionado, stay tuned, as there will inevitably be pedalboard photos on the way!

SONGWRITING:

• Have I been writing new songs this month? Full disclosure: not really…I’m recrafting some of my original tunes for my live show coming out later this year. I’ll be performing a selection of my songs on guitar, bass, keyboards, with one of my older collaborators on the drums – the one and only Jon Buxton. He is what I refer to as a ‘drummer’s drummer’ – more about him another month. 

• I’m currently busy working out what will go on track, and how many instruments I can get away with playing at once! I’ve done multi-instrument setups on stage before but this will be a whole new level! I’ll be posting some updates with little snippets online to socials, with some deeper dives available later too – watch this space! 
• Working on my chops for As Yet Unnameable New Funk Project. There’s a whole lot of 16th-notes, and I’m busting out my old trusty Music Man bass for it – it hasn’t seen much light since the Fender Jazz growled into my life, but I’m loving how responsive it is, and of course, that trademark Music Man HONK. 

ON REPEAT THIS MONTH:

• Play by Dave Grohl. Unsurprisingly, the idea of being let loose in a studio full of instruments is most musicians’ idea of heaven. This instrumental track is 27 minutes of Dave Grohl just being in his element, on a journey through musical textures and moods aplenty. Every section, and indeed every second of it, is involving and exciting – and it just makes you want to get behind an instrument and, funnily enough…

CHECK THIS OUT:

Bill Wurtz is a criminally unrecognised jazz artist – the songs are so catchy you feel like you’ve known them all your life. On the surface they sound simple and instinctive, but there’s gold in them there chords. His instrumentation is mighty, but his vocals are totally unassuming and easy going. Like Jacob Collier, but under several duvets (a metaphor, not a production strategy).

See you next month. Stay funky.