"Syd Barratt..what a genius! Then Jimmy Page, the nicest bloke, greatest guitar player in one of my favourite bands..."

What was the first record you bought? When, where and why? Where was it the last time you saw it?
Can’t remember. Either Last Train to San Fernando ( Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys) or Cliff Richard’s “Mean Streak” c/w Travelling Light (I Think) I loved Mean Streak for its overtly sexual innuendo, though at about 13 I didn’t fully recognize the sensual rumblings it fermented !! But I soon gave up buying in favour of an early form of “ripping/downloading”!! Returning from an overseas trip in the early 60’s, My dad bought me an early Sony mini reel to reel tape recorder (like the one on Mission Impossible) which I’d take into record shops, ask to hear a latest track, then record it secretly in the booth !! Very proud I was of my work too, despite the shit quality of the recording!

What was the first gig you remember going to?
Vaguely I remember at the local cinema in Dover when I was at school. Jet Harris really impressed me ! He was pretty out of it , playing with Tony Meehan ( Diamonds was their big hit)_ He was just so cool !! How naive I was. Believe it or not, the first big one, The Beatles, and Rolling Stones, on the same bill, at the Albert Hall London. Along with Shane Fenton and a few others, Like The Beat Merchants I think as one of the minor acts, who I loved because of their very long hair which at boarding school was out of the question.

What was the first band/solo artist you obsessed about?
Don and Phil Everly, the Everly brothers. Amazing harmonies, songs, and the guitar player, Chet Atkins did some brilliant stuff. This was the early 60’s, pre Beatles.

What was the first gig you played? what was the name of the band and what kind of stuff did you play?
The Kraal. Hazy memories…Dunnotter Girls School (Redhill, Surrey) for their annual ball. We weren’t allowed to come out of the kitchen all night, only to play (for fear of impregnating one of the gals, I presume!)
I was about 18. I had an amp, and succeeded in drowning out the rest of the band, including singer, with my Chuck berry riffs, which I was very proud of, and wanted everyone to hear. We played Chuck and all the other standards of the mid 60’s.
The first ‘real’ gig…those psychedelic dedicants Louise, complete with liquid light shows and throwing rice out from the darkness of the stage at the audience, which had astounding effects on some of the more ‘out of it’ punters!!

What was the name of the first song you wrote/recorded/released?
First song Rue Morgue, for Louise. (with Chris Cutler/Bob Chudley) It was never recorded.but Spinal Tap would have been keen to do it, given it’s lyrical content.( dark woodlands, devil worship, ghouls, unicorns !!)
First song of mine I recorded was the Fuchsia demos, Tiny Book, Rainbow Song (Shoes and Ships) etc. which reached Terry King at Kingdom Records who signed us. (Thanks Terry) Never did anything until 40 years later, and now it takes me to all manner of places and to play with wonderful musicians everywhere. How lucky am I!)

Other than the people you currently play with, describe your dream backing band
Too many to pick from, but Richard Thompson would certainly get a spot (rhythm guitar, well, he could do one solo maybe!) Yehudi Menuhin violin, ( I wonder what he’s have done with Nothing Song !) Jacqueline du Pre, cello, (I saw her once.. fabulous live performer, sadly missed)

If you were stranded on a desert island with a record-deck, which three albums would you want with you?
Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Sergeant Pepper, Blonde on Blonde (it’s a double too !!) If the Dylan double is not allowed, the recording of Brecht/Weill’s Threepenny opera, the one with Lotte Lenya singing the Jenny role.

What is your favourite era/genre of music?
I suppose has to be the 60’s/70’s as the music really defined who I am, and what I became. Music was so much more highly regarded then, not a wallpaper to decorate our lives, but a real influence on how we thought, what we thought about, and an instrument for social change. There was a political voice of change within much of the music. Interesting how many singer/songwriters today all seem to have this over exaggerated sense of emotion. , what New Faces/The Voice all look for ‘baring the soul in front of you all’, and songs attempt at having this totally visceral connection to the bared soul, as taught by music conservatoriums!! Very I’m being cynical.

...and your favourite band/artist/album of the last five years?
I liked Rage Against the Machine, but that was 15years ! To be honest, I don’t listen to that much music these days.

Who do you regret never seeing live?
Seen nearly all of them, except Bob Dylan in his early days. I’ve seen him recently, but the fire he delivered in the 60’s was something. A true artist, maybe worthy of a Nobel Prize perhaps ?! The Byrds I missed. Sex Pistols I’d like to have seen.

Which artists/labels have you collected over the years, if any?
I used to collect the Everly Brothers, and had all their vinyl till the mid 60’s when I gave them all away. Sad really.. Loved the song writing and their harmonies were peerless. Never been a great record collector. I listened to everything. Tended to write/ play, more than listen. My tastes constantly evolve/change.

Name three memorable album sleeves
Fuchsia of course! Very memorable . That’s why John O’Regan (Mojo mag noticed the Lady Fuchsia face in a 2nd hand vinyl record rack, and bought it !) and a few others bought the album. That lady’s face ! Helped me get going again with their noticing the record. Revolver, by Klaus Voorman was brilliant, and some of those 60s extreme art jobs…

Beatles or The Stones or Dylan or Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin? why?
Why? That’s like asking which child you love best !!! Can’t be done. Each has its own unique flavor which appeals . Dylan (his early stuff, Blond on Blond and before) has a unique way with words, his use of Surreal language to paint images in the mind of the listener. The Beatles, great melodies and lyrics, and experimentation around Revolver and Sergeant Pepper, the Stones..out and out blues based rock with its roots firmly in the USA masters. Pink Floyd..Syd Barratt..what a genius ! Then Jimmy Page, the nicest bloke, greatest guitar player in one of my favourite bands. No…can’t choose which child, Keith !! Love ‘em all.

the most embarrassing record in your collection? why is it there?
What is I thought it might be Charlie Drake or Chickory Tip, but can’t seem to find them now. Actually , most music, even ‘bad’, has something to offer, at least in the sense of a good chuckle. Take, “My Boomerang Won’t Come Back” as an example. My kids ( now in their 20’s ) couldn’t believe how a record of such political incorrectness could ever have been made! I find these albums accidently in amongst boxes of albums I’ve bought over the years. New discoveries all the time! Which do you prefer - on-stage or in the studio? and why?
I have come to really enjoy live performances in recent years, largely due to my own newly discovered sense of ease and confidence being in front of an audience. For a long time I had decided this wasn’t my thing, but with the re invention of Fuchsia, a new album, and encouragement from my band mates, there was no choice !! I now find I’m a reasonable raconteur …But I do love recording still. Going from a blank sheet of paper to a finished song is amazing. The creative process never ceases to amaze me.

Describe your current/typical recording set-up (where and what)
I have an old Cubase 5 system , running on a Macbook Pro laptop and seem to get pretty good results. A few journalists commented on the good sounding production on the Fuchsia II album. I use old guitars, all pre 1960s…Les Paul Junior, Gretch Chet Atkins, Pre CBS Strat., Fender deluxe Reverb amp, plus a 1953 Lea Paul Junior 6 watt amp. Also a Rode NT1A mic and a Pro Technics 797 pro audio mic. The key is in the mastering, a Sydney guy, Don Bartley, who’s worked with some very good people, and gets the sound up by 25% I reckon. Yamaha NS10s and a custom amp. I have a friend who’s not as deaf as me, who helps at the mixing stage !!

What are your recording/release/gig plans for the next six months?
I’ve just finished a season of Mahagonny-Behind innocent Eyes at the Perth Fringe festival which went amazingly well…..another project seeing the light of day after 40 years…. Very well received, and it will continue its journey, thanks to a fabulous group of young actors very dedicated to the project.. I am about to release a third Fuchsia album of new songs, some of which Keith has taken under his wing and we are set for a Fruits de Mer release later this year. ( Thanks Keith !) Any one out there know a good cellist and violin player for August?

Which one song do you wish you’d recorded?
‘Nature Boy’. By Eden Ahbez. The lyrics are amazing.
He wrote one song....what a guy. I LOVE this song. I should have written this. Its me!

How do you see the future?
I see Trump and Co. as a terrible threat to mankind, along with much that is happening politically in the world. We have really lost our way, and I see a despondence creeping into the minds of my young friends. We have to keep fighting. Meanwhile I continue to create music, which I have found renewed comfort in, and play it live with my friends. How lucky am I !