Music > Interviews
Interview with Simon McBride
14/03/13
An American magazine recently said that you are on the verge of joining Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore as an icon of Irish rock ‘n roll. How does that make you feel?
Very flattered! Though, I think it’s perhaps a bit premature. I released my first album five years ago. Those guys have 40+ years behind them! And in the case of Van Morrison, the man is a songwriting mountain. I have a lot of work to do to match him.
Your latest album Crossing The Line has gained a lot of attention - what about the record do you think has resonated with critics and music fans?
It depends on whether you are listening to it as a lover of songs and melodies, or as a guitarist. I have been known as a guitarist but a lot of people have responded to the songs, their lyrics and melodies. I write what I feel and people seem to have picked up on this. Also, with this album I concentrated on my singing and delivery a lot more than in the past.
What was your main goal with this new album?
I wanted to do an album with a retro feel, taking influences from the great guitar & vocal-led bands of the late sixties such as Free and Led Zeppelin, and blending that vibe with song themes that are important to me. Plus I wanted to get some killer guitar tones down on tape – that’s the guitarist in me!
Is there one song off the album that is especially important to you?
“No Room To Breathe” was hugely emotional to record. It’s about being trapped in a house fire eight years ago with my girlfriend (now wife). We narrowly escaped with our lives and spent a lot of time in hospital. The song unlocked a lot of emotions about that experience and when my wife heard the song for the first time she burst into tears. I always get a lump in my throat when I perform it.
You started in the music professional at the age of sixteen as a guitarist for hire. Knowing what you do now, would you have done it any differently?
I don’t think so. I learnt a lot about being on the road and being in a band, which has proved invaluable. What I also learnt is that there is very little opportunity to be a solo artist simply as a guitarist, no matter how good you are. If you want to connect with more than just other guitarists, then you have to be able to sing and to deliver a song with power and emotion. It might seem like a statement of the obvious but there are a lot of wannabe young guitar slingers out there who need to figure that one out.
After this UK tour, where to next?
I have some shows to do in Holland, then Denmark, and then through the summer I will be doing a few festivals and shows in the UK and around Europe. Fatherhood beckons - my wife and I are expecting our first child in April (soon after the tour finishes!), so I am not taking on too many commitments. In terms of where I am aiming to be longer term, touring the USA is the next frontier! I have done some guest spots in the US with other bands but touring my own show is the plan.
Simon McBride comes to Norwich Arts Centre on March 19th. For tickets, go to www.norwichartscentre.co.uk
An American magazine recently said that you are on the verge of joining Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore as an icon of Irish rock ‘n roll. How does that make you feel?
Very flattered! Though, I think it’s perhaps a bit premature. I released my first album five years ago. Those guys have 40+ years behind them! And in the case of Van Morrison, the man is a songwriting mountain. I have a lot of work to do to match him.
Your latest album Crossing The Line has gained a lot of attention - what about the record do you think has resonated with critics and music fans?
It depends on whether you are listening to it as a lover of songs and melodies, or as a guitarist. I have been known as a guitarist but a lot of people have responded to the songs, their lyrics and melodies. I write what I feel and people seem to have picked up on this. Also, with this album I concentrated on my singing and delivery a lot more than in the past.
What was your main goal with this new album?
I wanted to do an album with a retro feel, taking influences from the great guitar & vocal-led bands of the late sixties such as Free and Led Zeppelin, and blending that vibe with song themes that are important to me. Plus I wanted to get some killer guitar tones down on tape – that’s the guitarist in me!
Is there one song off the album that is especially important to you?
“No Room To Breathe” was hugely emotional to record. It’s about being trapped in a house fire eight years ago with my girlfriend (now wife). We narrowly escaped with our lives and spent a lot of time in hospital. The song unlocked a lot of emotions about that experience and when my wife heard the song for the first time she burst into tears. I always get a lump in my throat when I perform it.
You started in the music professional at the age of sixteen as a guitarist for hire. Knowing what you do now, would you have done it any differently?
I don’t think so. I learnt a lot about being on the road and being in a band, which has proved invaluable. What I also learnt is that there is very little opportunity to be a solo artist simply as a guitarist, no matter how good you are. If you want to connect with more than just other guitarists, then you have to be able to sing and to deliver a song with power and emotion. It might seem like a statement of the obvious but there are a lot of wannabe young guitar slingers out there who need to figure that one out.
After this UK tour, where to next?
I have some shows to do in Holland, then Denmark, and then through the summer I will be doing a few festivals and shows in the UK and around Europe. Fatherhood beckons - my wife and I are expecting our first child in April (soon after the tour finishes!), so I am not taking on too many commitments. In terms of where I am aiming to be longer term, touring the USA is the next frontier! I have done some guest spots in the US with other bands but touring my own show is the plan.
Simon McBride comes to Norwich Arts Centre on March 19th. For tickets, go to www.norwichartscentre.co.uk