Old News.  There’s a good oxymoron for you. 

As I may be under the impression that you may be in any doubt about hearing a rumour somewhere dotted around this here Internet, notwithstanding that I also read about it dotted around this aforesaid Internet, but in case you don’t know by now, I have an album (an old-fashioned name for a CD) coming out this month on Edel, called IF LIFE WAS EASY.  I have explained in the liner notes that I am aware of the title being grammatically incorrect, but it’s my song and I can please myself, who ya gonna whine to?  It appeared that way and just sings better to my ears, that’s all.

There are sixteen songs on it and people are already asking me about the direction I’m taking.  I usually reply northeast, or occasionally ‘left a bit’.  The sadly missed Joe Strummer (an artist that I greatly admire) says it well in his song Bhindi Bhagee…

So anyway, I told him I was in a band
He said, “Oh yeah, oh yeah – what’s your music like?”
I said, “It’s um, um, well, it’s kinda like
You know, it’s got a bit of, um, you know.”

Could it be a journalistic urge to put everything in an easily digestible box (please, not literally)?  I guess it’s all about pigeonholes and I’m not particularly happy about being stuffed into one – it’s very dark in there.  How do you describe music that is at once, blues, ballads, greens, hard rock, salads, reggae, folk, un-Purple, home-made, orchestral, spotted, funky, eccentric, naïve, moist, jazz, singer-songwriter…?  Well, it’s like, um, um, you know, it’s got a bit of…. You know what I’m saying.  Categorization is for retail stores, if you’re old enough to remember them.  And radio, if you can remember that.

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, the variety act that is my SOLO PRODUCT.  At the risk of being accused of name-dropping, I once met Chevy Chase in Acme Studios – he was there doing a voice-over and he asked me what I was doing.  I said I was making a solo record (it was Snapshot).  “Does that mean you are doing it all on your own?” he asked, innocently.  A fair question I suppose, although he is serious jazz buff.  So, anyone labouring under the misapprehension that there are no other musicians involved in the making of IF LIFE WAS EASY, let me point out that there are indeed several other musicians on the record, and damn fine ones at that.

The Guilty Party is not a group that exists outside of me; it is merely a name that I have invented to fool myself into thinking that I am a member of a band – because I feel more comfortable in a band.  And, believe it or not, they, whomever they may be, feel comfortable too, being part of something as opposed to just playing a session (or so they say).   There are some familiar names from the Snapshot sessions – the multi-talented Randall Bramblett, the steadfast Joe Bonadio, the reliable Joe Mennonna, the tasteful Nicky Moroch and the imaginative and talented daughter that is Gillian Glover.  Oz Noy is a new name, an amazingly versatile and inventive guitarist. 

Due to underwhelming public demand, I am singing several songs myself.  Fortunately, there are others; Dan McCafferty and Pete Agnew (Nazareth), the aforesaid Gillian Glover, Walther Gallay (Café Bertrand), Mickey Lee Soule (Elf, Rainbow), Sahaj Ticoten, and musicians such as Sim Jones, Elliot Denenberg, Harvey Jones and my Deep mate, Don Airey.

Talking of my daughter (which we were), following on from her first album, Red Handed, Gillian Glover also has a new album about to be released, called STILL LIFE WITH MUSIC.  If anyone thinks a father can’t be impartial, think again; I speak as a fan.  It is a beautiful piece of music, revealing the depth of her passion and the talent and courage to be who she is – her own woman.  Is that the father or the fan talking?  (answer; both) 

My other band (sic) just finished touring North America with additional string, horn and percussion accompaniment and had a great time doing it.  I am under no delusion that but for them (the band, not the additional accompaniment, stupid) I would not be able to easily indulge the fantasy of recording my own album.   And I don’t let me forget it!

An honourable mention goes out to Ernie and The Automatics, who played with us every night on that tour.  A great band!  I watched them night after night because they rocked the groove so well, wonderful music.  And lovely people to boot.  Go and look for them.

Good luck,

RG  

July 2011