After the band I was in - Beyond the Bars - decided to call it a day some considerable time ago now, after five albums, appearances on TV and Radio, many festivals, I hung up my guitar and neglected my playing. Some years ago I bought a DIY guitar build kit 'for something to do'. Six builds later (and another in progress) I thought it would be a good idea to 're-learn' to play, (and play differently given I was only really the 'strummer' in the band), in order for them not to be just wall hangings! Oh and fashion a studio and then some fast-track learning how to use the GarageBand/Logic Pro and iMovie software on the mac!
'Shells' (Phil Davis)
'Hands Clean' (Alanis Morissette)
'Woodstock' (Matthews Southern Comfort)
'A Design for Life' (Manic Street Preachers)
'Hand in my pocket' (Alanis Morrisette)
'And your bird can sing' (The Beatles)
Free Fallin' (Tom Petty)
Going Home - Wild Theme (from the film Local Hero) by Mark Knopfler
More than a feeling (Boston) - instrumental cover
While my guitar gently weeps (The Beatles)
She said, she said (The Beatles)
Cover #11 Shells
Written by a friend of my former band, Phil Davis's song 'Shells' has long being a favourite of mine. Getting to grips with Logic Pro's 'virtual drummer' and software instruments! Vocals, acoustic guitar and bass me though!
Cover#10 Hands Clean
Thanks to Juliet Owen for the wonderful vocals. All guitars played by me. Keyboards from Jon Greening.
Cover #9 Woodstock
Thanks to Jaime once again for the awesome vocals with Jaime and Jon adding backing vocals. Given neither of them had heard this song before their performance is spot on!
The guy in the photo with me on the video cover image is actually Nicky Wire, the Manic's bass player who I bumped into in town one day!
OK! Cover number six comes in to land. 'And your bird can sing' © Lennon–McCartney 1966 Jaime on vocals (recorded by Jon). from the 1966 'Revolver' album. Again, me on guitars and bass. Drum track courtesy of Joe Montague. ↓
That was fun! 'Free Fallin' by Tom Petty Total of 12 guitar tracks - bass, 6-string electric, 12-string electric 6-string acoustic (all me!) 12 vocal tracks (sorry - all me) Recorded and mixed by me in Garageband except for recording of vocals and keyboards. ↓
Cover 4. 'Wild theme' by Mark Knopfler from the fill 'Local Hero' Not perfect by any means but I'm happy enough. One slight mess up but hopefully no one will notice! ;-) Played on my 'first born' (my first guitar build). ↓
After I finished building the electric 12-string, I messed about with playing along with the Boston track 'More than a feeling' that features a classic 12-string accompaniment, with the 12-string and the semi-hollow Les Paul copy I also built. I uploaded a video to facebook and YouTube. A fellow-guitarist friend mentioned - correctly - "There's something like 13 guitars on this song you'll have to make more lol" Never one to shy from a challenge, and wanting a chance to feature all the guitars I've built, (including one refurbished and rebuilt - the strat copy - and my original acoustic) I decided to give it a go! EVERYTHING you hear, apart from the drum track (I have my limits) is all me. Acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, three electrics and bass and a fair bit of guitar fills and harmonies. Days of Garageband recording (and re-recording) and a son-in-law Jon Greening who has expertly added a production value and mix in his home studio that I could only dream of, and it is finished. I would have liked to have added vocals but the range is far too high and would have seriously distracted from the rest of it. So you'll have to put up with a guitar instrumental instead of vocals. As someone who was pretty much 'carried' in his time with Beyond the Bars I have surprised myself. Wish I had put this effort in years ago! Well here is the result. ↓
OK. The second old man big kid cover attempt, this time with vocals (yes, sorry, I sing on this one as it's [just] within my range). 'While my guitar gently weeps' Again, all the guitar parts are me - electric guitars and bass I built plus the acoustic I didn't! Thanks again to Jon Greening who gave of his talent and production time to his FiL (and added keyboards!) despite being busy with his sterling work producing the sublime sounds coming from Katielou (who if you haven't yet heard you really really must). Drum track again courtesy of Joe Montague. ↓
Here we go! Third cover, (second Beatles cover) 'She said' this time with daughter Jaime singing (far more pleasant an experience than listening to me.). 'She said, she said' by The Beatles from the 1966 'Revolver' album. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by John Lennon with assistance from George Harrison. Mixed by me this time, with son-in-law Jon recording Jaime's vocals and adding nice Vox organ part. Guitar parts are the Rickenbacker copy (Hiltonbacker!) I built in addition to the jazzmaster bass built. Drum track again courtesy of Joe Montague. ↓
THE BAND DAYS
Beyond the Bars reformed to play 'Folk on the Lawn 2017' at the Abbey Mill, Tintern. First live performance in some 20 years! That's me on the far right. My daughter on vocals and her husband (my son-in-law on keyboard).