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20.03.2009 -
Boys & Girls!
- Sorry for the delay. I haven't abandoned you. Been really busy. A
lot to talk about since my last one. In no particular order, let me
start with a moving experience I had at Rick Wright's memorial service
(recently deceased keyboard player from Pink Floyd).
I was asked to play at this private event by his daughter Gala and her
husband Guy Pratt. The connection was made in the 90's when I played
on Rick's solo album "Broken China". Apparently he liked my playing
and listened to my album "Shapes". I would like to point out that Rick
was an incredible musician and without him Pink Floyd wouldn't have
been nearly as successful. He wasn't in the spotlight like Roger and
Dave (when you get as far as I am in the industry you call rock stars
by their first names... Elton, Bruce, Billy etc) but every bit as
important. His family asked me so obviously I jumped at the
opportunity. I arrived at the small venue in the trendy Westbourne
Grove area of London (near Notting Hill) and noticed there was some
gear set up onstage already. I enquired as to whom I would be sharing
the "bill" with and Guy said, "Oh, it's you, Jeff (as in Beck), and
the Floyd (as in Pink). I suddenly felt nauseous. Had to go outside
for two Marlboros. Then "Jeff" arrives, says Hi, and Gilmore does the
same. Two of my of all time heroes. I do my sound-check and they are
the audience. I then went outside and smoked three Marlboros. I think
this was perhaps the smallest gig the Floyd ever played. I was in the
privileged position being looked after by the band's crew and more
importantly of sharing the guitar rack (place for putting guitars)
with Jeff and Dave. The sight was like Photoshopping yourself onto
Mount Rushmore... Jeff's famous white Strat, Gilmore's legendary black
maple neck Fender, and Dominic Miller's (yes, THE Dominic Miller)
Yairi electro-acoustic nylon string. Let's play "spot the impostor".
Didn't quite look right.
The event: After some really moving speeches from friends of the
family, wives, ex-wives etc Jeff takes to the stage and plays. I hate
him. Most guitarists do. More speeches. I am then called to the stage
and somehow do my bit without totally fucking it up. More speeches,
and then the Floyd do a small set. Unbelievable. I then go outside and
total the remainder of the pack of reds. I come back in more relaxed
(yeah right...) and start taking in the whole experience without the
stress of having to play. Jeff comes up and says "nice one", Gilmore
says something similar. I feet better.
But the thing that really struck me though, and the whole point of
this, is seeing how these people behaved. We're talking the
aristocracy of Rock here. Not just the band, but all the people from
the movement: roadies, managers, tour managers, designers, friends,
girlfriends, wives, producers, retired drug dealers (put that next to
lawyers), even the guy who did the sax solo on "Darkside" (the band
call "Darkside" "Darkside"... they miss out "of the Moon"... now I
call it "Darkside"). How do they behave? With absolute class and
dignity. They weren't caught up in the celebrity world in those days.
They didn't need any of that shit. That came in the 80's when everyone
thought they were more important. The record speaks for itself really.
The 70's created some of the classiest albums of all time and The
Floyd were the best of the lot, and so were all the people around
them. Interesting seeing the wives and girlfriends. They were the
babes of the time, comparable to Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansen etc.
They still look great and are still classy. Thanks Guy and Gala.
I just read an amazing book. "Why we Suck" by Denis Leary. I have
never read any self -help book and I know I will never need to because
it's all there. I agree with everything he says. I urge you to read
it! I am not claiming to be like Oprah who just mentions a book and
then it becomes an American number 1, but trust me on this one.
I had a fantastic show with guitarist Antonio Forcione in London last
November. For anyone who doesn't know, he is one of the best acoustic
guitarists in the world. He asked me to join him for his show and we
did some duets. Check him out www.antonioforcione.com. Guy Pratt was
also on this show. Fantastic bass player. He's a really good friend
and is one of the funniest, smartest people I know. He wrote a book
called "My Bass and other Animals". Fantastic read.
My band and I did some shows in Germany the same month which were
great. I am very lucky to have this band (Mike Lindup piano and voice,
Rhani Krija percussion and Nicolas Fiszman bass). I let the guys play
what they want now without any real direction. Funny how it always
sounds best that way. It reminds me why I picked them. We had a
particularly good show in Aalen although I remember I was so in the
moment with one tune that I found myself dribbling during "Last Song".
There was nothing I could do about it at the time because I was coming
up to the chorus which was important so I had to let it do its thing.
It ended up on my guitar. The next day one of the guys bought me a
bib. Hilarious.
I went skiing earlier this month in the French Alps. I say skiing, but
I am useless. It's great to watch Pablo and Eva ski (5 and 3). They
ski like those little European brats we English have always hated.
Well. Fanny is a brilliant skier. Been doing it all her life. Having
said that, I can ski but can only turn left. I am very good at this
turn. It's kind of like a perpetual small case "m" shape. Quite
comical.
I heard the new Coldplay album. Asked by a friend of mine what I
thought of it I said it's kind of like going to McDonald's. You know
it will hit the spot and you might waft it down but afterwards you
will feel sick or contaminated and regret it. Make sense? I don't
usually like to diss other musicians, but there's something about this
band that I just don't get. The singer acts like he's saying something
really important but I just don't understand what it is. I have to
admit U2 have always had the same effect on me... "I still haven't
found what I'm looking for..." Nor have I mate although I did buy the
new ACDC album "Black Ice" which I do get and is the best thing I have
heard in years. Angus is truly a remarkable guitarist and the band are
super tight. I didn't buy it for the lyrics. I suppose it's hip to say
you like the Killers or the Fratellis but I am afraid I don't get that
either. People ask me and I go "Yeah, that's really cool stuff" but
the truth is I haven't really heard it. My problem is I am still stuck
between 1976 and 1983. My favourite albums happened in this period. I
was 16 to 23 at the time and this is when I decided to be a musician.
These albums have always sounded good and the result and influences
will be found in my new album "Electrica" which is fully recorded now
and will be out soon. I have made the album I always wanted to make.
It's instrumental and I am playing electric, hence the title. No more
of that girlie contemplative nylon-string moody shit. Put away those
scented candles and let's burn some kerosene. Yes it may sound
fusioney, but fuck it. I am not doing it for the sales. This is a
tribute to the albums I admire by bands like Return to Forever (and
all the preceding solo albums by Chick Corea, Stanley Clark, Al Di
Meola, and others), Mahavishnu Orchestra (and John McLaughlin's
albums, or should I say "John's"), Weather Report (and their
respective musicians), Alphonso Johnson, Jeff Beck, Lenny White and
others. Maybe some prog-rock influences from Brand X and even, dare I
say, Yes. Speaking of Al Di Meola, I think "Elegant Gipsy" is a
fantastic album with killer tunes. I think there is enough distance to
be able to warrant doing this now. Or I never had the nerve until now.
It is co-produced by Hugh Padgham who is a really good mate and the
guy who hooked me up with Phil Collins and Sting back in the 80's.
Thanks Hugh (or Huge as we call him). I have some great players on
this one. Mark King and Pino Palladino on bass, Jason Rebello, Yaron
Herman and Mike Lindup on keyboards, Ian Thomas on drums, and yours
truly mostly on the Les Paul. We recorded it in a matter of days. The
writing took a bit longer. I will keep you posted on release news. Oh,
you might find some Grateful Dead (or Jerry Garcia) influences in
there somewhere. I have always been a Dead Head. Always will be.
I have some interesting things coming up. I will be working with the
Cuban artist Manolito Simonet in Germany at the end of this month. I
continue to enjoy working with Sarah Jane Morris. We have Ronnie
Scott's in London next month, the Blue Note in Milan, and others. I
will be going to Kuwait in May to do some workshops and concerts. My
sister Julie lined this up. She lives there and was my first guitar
teacher and is still my hero. Most talented person I know. Just didn't
chose it as a career. Smart woman. I will be joining Sting for a few
bits and pieces the same month in the US. I am looking forward to
doing some solo shows in Canada in May. July I join Peter Kater for
some shows around the US. I am happy to say Harley will be joining me
for this. I am very excited to be going to Korea again in August. I
always love playing there and have made some good friends. I continue
to be doing concerts and recordings with Avitall (cantor from Berlin).
I will be doing some more concerts with Yaron Herman this year. The
guy is on fire now. There is no stopping him. There are other things
coming in all the time. Please check the site for updates.
So that's it for now. I really hope I see you at some of these shows.
I also hope you like the new album. I will keep you posted.
Love,
PS: I am in Italy now working with an old friend. Keep checking out
oldfriend.com for more details...
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