Jeremy Spencer Still Has The Blues And Can't Hold Out : An Exclusive Conversation with Founding Fleetwood Mac Guitarist Jeremy Spencer

The British blues boom of the mid to late 1960's was a musical explosion which reverberated throughout the planet. Spearheaded initially on a global scale by The Rolling Stones and subsequent UK beat groups such as The Yardbirds and The Animals, blues rock as a genre was defined when John Mayall released the seminal album 'Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton' in 1966.

Clapton's playing on the release was revelatory, inspiring literally millions of young players to wear out their vinyl copies of the recordings, learning his at the time groundbreaking guitar licks. The then 21 year old guitarist was held in such awe at the time that graffiti started sprouting up around London with the slogan "Clapton is God" spray painted on walls.

When Clapton left John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers shortly after the release of the album to form Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce, he was replaced in Mayall's band by a young Londoner, 20 year old Peter Green.

While initially having to endure cries of "Where's Eric?" from punters at live shows, Green soon silenced them with his fiery playing, incredible tone and vibrato, going on to on to win the respect and admiration of fans and peers alike. Dubbed the "Green God", his incendiary fretwork went on to be an inspiration to Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, all the way to modern day disciples such as Joe Bonamassa.

In 1967, Green decided to form his own blues band and left the Bluesbreakers. That band was Fleetwood Mac.

One man who was there in the midst of it all was guitarist Jeremy Spencer.

Discovered while part of Lichfield, Staffordshire band The Levi Set Blues Band by  Mike Vernon,  the legendary producer soon brought Spencer to the attention of guitarist Peter Green. Upon hearing Jeremy for the first time, he immediately asked him to join the band he was forming, reportedly remarking to the guitarist that he was "the first guitarist to make him smile since Hendrix".

The new band, consisting of Green's ex bandmate from Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Mick Fleetwood on drums, and original bassist Bob Brunning, was initially called "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer".

Later condensed to the much shorter Fleetwood Mac the band's repertoire at the time was mainly straight ahead Chicago styled blues, with Spencer's Elmore James influenced slide guitar being as much of a contribution as Green's heavily B.B. King styled blues playing in the early years of the band. Soon bassist Brunning, who was only a temporary member from the beginning, was replaced by John McVie, who Green had wanted from the beginning, but whom was hesitant at first to leave Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

It was this incarnation of the band who scored  with their 1968 debut recording, simply entitled "Fleetwood Mac', also referred to as 'Dog & Dustbin' due to the album art, crashing into the top 5 of the Official U.K. Albums chart. The  record plateaued at # 4 during a four month chart residency. So authentic were the performances it led to Melody Maker to rave, calling it "The best English blues LP ever released here".
After the release of the first album, hailed as the new crusaders of the English blues movement, the band were on the fast track to success.

A few months after the release of the second LP, 'Mr. Wonderful', having added a third guitarist Danny Kirwan, they had huge commercial success with the Green penned instrumental 'Albatross' which hit #1 on the British singles charts, also having the distinction of being the inspiration for The Beatles' composition "The Sun King" on their classic 'Abbey Road' album'. According to some accounts a tribute to Peter Green, it serves as illustration the high regard they were accorded by rock royalty at the time.

Several more high charting singles in the form of "Man Of The World", "Oh Well" and "The Green Manalishi(With The Two-Prong Crown)" followed, all reaching the Top 10 of the UK charts, resulting in Fleetwood Mac, according to Melody Maker, outselling both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones during this time period.

However, at this time, which should have seen the band rise to international stardom, things began to irretrievably crumble. Green was becoming disillusioned and estranged from the music business. Like many of the time, the guitarist experimented with psychedelic drugs, which combined with the pressures of adulation and increasing fame, made him turn increasingly away from materialism and towards spirituality.

This new found mindset led him to resign from Fleetwood Mac in 1970 following a disagreement over his wish to donate the band's royalties to the fight against Third World starvation. A noble gesture, perhaps, but not one which was shared by the other members of the band.

The sudden departure of their most prominent songwriter certainly threw the band into despondency. However, with the addition of Chicken Shack's Christine Perfect (Later McVie) on keyboards and vocals, they soldiered on  for the sessions which were to become 1970's 'Kiln House'. Suddenly without Green, the band relied on the contributions of guitarists Spencer and Kirwan heavily, giving the recordings  a much different, more laid back feel than 'Then Play On' released only a year prior.

Fame, success and drugs,  the pressure of being thrust into the spotlight, and an increasing alienation in musical direction took their toll once again, this time on Jeremy Spencer.

During a US tour in 1971, Spencer left his hotel to visit a book shop and did not return. He was eventually tracked down and found to have joined the religious group Children of God, and declared that he no long wanted to be part of the band.

After leaving the band, Spencer spent the next two and half decades pursuing spiritual concerns. Travelling across the world, much of this time period is shrouded in mystery and myth. Little was heard from the guitarist in this period, although two albums were released in the 70's which had little commercial success.

In 1998, Spencer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a founding member of Fleetwood Mac.

In 2006 he released a new album, 'Precious Little' , which showed the guitarist returning to the slide guitar dominated blues he was renowned for while a member of Fleetwood Mac.  Recorded over five days in 2005 in a Norway studio during the Notodden Blues Festival, it was given universal critical acclaim as a return to form, with AllMusic calling it "Worth the wait".

2012's 'Bend In The Road', a similarly styled blues offering, recorded with Detroit based musicians  was given the same reception by fans and critics alike.

Now it's 2014, and Spencer not only has a new album, 'Coventry Blue' culled from the same Detroit sessions that produced 2012’s critically acclaimed “Bend in the Road”, due to be released early March via Propelz Records, but also is embarking on his first tour of the United States in 43 years.

Recently we had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Jeremy to discuss the new album, the tour, his days in Fleetwood Mac, and much more. Join us as we have an exclusive conversation with one of the world's premier slide guitarists, Jeremy Spencer.

Special thanks go to William James of Glass Onyon PR for coordinating, and especially to Jeremy Spencer for doing this interview for Nightwatcher's House Of Rock!


Interview and text by Keith Langerman © 2014 Nightwatcher's House Of Rock


"Jeremy Spencer was a chameleon in the best sense of the word. He acted the blues, lived the blues with the conviction that really matters in music" - Mick Fleetwood 


Nightwatcher's House Of Rock : First off Jeremy, I'd like to thank you for taking the time out to talk with me, it's truly a pleasure. You're embarking on your first tour of the United States in 43 years, the last since leaving Fleetwood Mac in February 1971. Several years back you said you didn't have the time or the desire to go back to the gigging grind. What has changed in the past several years to reconsider and undertake a considerable amount of dates?

Jeremy Spencer : Good question! Maybe I should qualify that and say that I love to play but I still don’t have the desire to return to a full time gigging grind. I need time to create, and use my other talents.

NHOR : You also have a new album, “Coventry Blue” coming out next month via Propelz along with a deferred release of 2012's 'Bend in the Road' to coincide with the tour. What can you tell us about the new album?

JS : When listening to ‘Bend in the Road’, especially the four-sided vinyl version, the listener may sense a musical moving forward and ‘Coventry Blue’ is a continuance of that journey. ‘Bend’ began with straightforward blues, dipping occasionally into my newer compositions, while ‘Coventry’ dips occasionally into blues.

It is interesting for me to discover that many younger listeners prefer my newer offerings, while many of those around my age prefer the older vintage!

Actually, hearing my instrumental demos sparked Brett Lucas’ interest in working with me.

NHOR : Who are the players on the new album? 'Bend in the Road' featured Detroit area musicians such as guitarist Brett Lucas (Betty Lavette) and drummer Todd Glass, who is also playing with The Muggs. Are the players the same on this album?

JS : Yes they are. The bass player, James Simonson is also playing with Betty. They are a tight, capable team, and the three of them play together as a trio called ‘Saint Cecilia’ named after the patron saint of music.

NHOR : What is the songwriting process you go through while making a new album? Has it changed at all throughout the years?

JS : It hasn't changed at the inception of an idea, which could be something bounced off a riff or chord sequence I get on the guitar or piano, along with a melody. I often get one line of lyric or theme, and then the disciplined ‘sit down and lean in on it’ work comes in! That’s when I need a push.

The advent of consumer available computerized recording techniques has facilitated that push and changed my method of going about finishing something (or at least getting it to demo form), and I love that: sequencing basic drum patterns, layering keyboard, bass and string lines etc. As well as tracking vocal harmonies and guitars! Ah, such bliss!

NHOR : Your playing on the last two albums has been particularly strong, in many ways even surpassing what you laid down on record over 40 years ago. How satisfied are you with your playing these days?

JS : When I compare it to years gone by when I was just starting, I am extremely happy with it, but I am not satisfied with it; I want to improve.

NHOR : Unlike many musicians who came up when you did, you've embraced the Internet quite wholeheartedly it would seem, even to the current (as of this writing) Kickstarter project to help fund the tour and new album. Do you feel that the Internet has helped with your career resurgence in a way which couldn't have happened before?

JS : Frankly, it was the record company (Propelz) and other enthusiasts involved that embraced this recent idea! But it’s true; the Internet has facilitated public attention to my recent musical endeavours.

NHOR : I'd like to go back to the beginning, if you don't mind ... What was the defining moment that made you decide to become a musician?

JS : I can’t think of a defining moment. I only know that since my early teen years, I wanted to play music in my spare time; one thing led to another and that spare time became almost full time.

NHOR : Were you from a musical family?

JS : My father played piano. In his youth, he played in a trio with drums and a trumpet player, and he entertained troops during WW2. His grandfather was a singer, his father was involved with music hall and someone back there on my mother’s side played violin. My sister sings part time in a church choir. So that’s a pretty musical heritage!

NHOR : What attracted you to the guitar?

JS : A distant lonely tone responding to the voice, to put it simply. An example was Big Jim Sullivan’s guitar on Marty Wilde’s British version of ‘Sea of Love’.

NHOR : Your love for Elmore James is very well documented, and it has manifested itself in your playing throughout your career. What was it about Elmore's music, and slide guitar which enchanted you so?

JS : I think it was hearing its consummate example of that emotional voice and guitar response, which I appreciated later when hearing Otis Rush, B. B. and Albert King.

NHOR : Do you recall what the first blues record was that you bought?

JS : In late 1964, a British PYE records compilation called ‘The Blues Volume 3’. I bought it for the one song by Elmore on it: ‘The Sun is Shining’.

NHOR : What was it about the blues that attracted you so? It wasn't a genre which was on the charts when you were growing up by any means, not until The Rolling Stones and Yardbirds and all the British beat groups exploded onto the scene in the early 60's...

JS : That is the history in a nutshell, Keith! I liked the Stones when they first came out, then I checked out their influences and liked some of them, particularly Otis Redding and Solomon Burke.

It was not until I heard Elmore and other guitar-oriented artists like Otis Rush and those mentioned earlier, that I became more fascinated with blues.

Then I got to listening to and liking country blues singers like Blind Willie McTell, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt and Sleepy John Estes.

NHOR : When you, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and then later, John McVie formed Fleetwood Mac, the first two albums, released in 1968 'Fleetwood Mac' and 'Mr. Wonderful' were fairly straight forward, faithful blues albums. Both of which featured your slide guitar work fairly prominently. By the time 'Then Play On' was released the following year, you were barely on the album. What happened in the interim to seemingly reduce your visibility within the band, at least in terms of recording sessions?

JS : It seemed I was considered necessary for the live shows, but I wasn't getting anything musically new, as hard as I tried. You can’t work that sort of thing up. Pete asked me if I had new stuff for a new album. I said no, just 50’s rock and roll and parody stuff, which wouldn't have fit in with the direction he and Danny were going.

NHOR : Around this time, the band played many of the underground venues of the time, such as San Francisco's The Fillmore, The Warehouse in New Orleans, and Boston's Boston Tea Party and the Roundhouse in London. Recordings from those shows show a markedly different band than the one who were on the first two albums, playing elongated, guitar heavy jams ala The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead, which often stretched past 20 minutes in length. Coming from your background in the music of Elmore James and Buddy Holly, and early American Rock & roll, it would seem that the band's approach during this time was completely at odds with the music that influenced you. Was that the case? 

JS : You have summed up my dilemma perfectly, Keith! Overdriven Les Pauls interminably riffing together on a minor seventh chord was not my taste. I felt so out of place when called up to jam; I couldn't get into it even if, and especially when, I was stoned!

Furthermore, out of all that was happening on the music scene back then, I was beginning to like country music of all things, (anathema to the hippy generation at that time! Especially in the US) so any shred of a musical idea I would get, would be along that line. I also appreciated the mature, tasteful playing of those older Nashville musicians compared to the experimental and largely discordant nature of contemporary younger bands.

Nowadays, though, I love to extemporize with like-minded musicians, such as the young trio I play with in France. The guitarist, Mick Ravassat and I enjoy trading licks and being able to take the tune somewhere else off the cuff, with the bass and drums following suit. However, it is warm and melodic, and I think it takes a special chemistry within the band to pull that off tastefully.

NHOR : What was your take on the whole San Francisco scene at that time? 

JS : I thought the love and peace thing was nice at the time, even though I was coming in on the tail end of it in 1968. The following year, it was obviously on its way down and out. The music and drugs were getting harder, and violence and cynicism was setting in, opening the door to scenarios like Altamont.

NHOR : You were heavily involved in the recording of the first two albums released by the band, yet by the time 'Then Play On' was released a year later, in 1969, you barely participated in the recording sessions for the album, reportedly only contributing piano to "Oh Well". What happened in the space of a year, which caused you to feel so alienated from what the band were coming up with musically that you declined to participate?

JS : I think I covered the answer to this in response to an earlier question. It is not as though Pete wasn't encouraging me to get more involved. He and Mick were always asking me if I had anything to contribute. I just didn't think I did, simple as that.

NHOR : In May of 1970, Peter Green left the band, leaving the guitar duties and the majority of the songwriting to you and Danny Kirwan. What was the mood within the band when Peter left? Was this something which had been anticipated for awhile before it actually happened?

JS : The mood was despondent to say the least! God bless Mick, he pulled us together many times and helped us all to keep a British ‘stiff upper lip’! To this day, I am not sure if Peter’s defection had been anticipated by anyone in the band. Maybe Mick had his premonitions, knowing him better in some ways!

NHOR : It's said that the infamous "Munich incident"(An LSD party at the Highfisch-Kommune in Munich, Germany, which band manager at the time Clifford Davis claims was the night that Peter Green and Danny Kirwan became ‘seriously mentally ill -Editor's Note)’ accelerated Peter's mental decline at the time. Since you were there, do you see that as being the case?

JS : It makes me chuckle to read so many blog speculations on this matter, but it seems as though the tabloids, media and the public prefer to stick with accepted theories and scapegoats!

Peter took acid with Rainer Langhans and Rainer’s girlfriend, Uschi Obermaier and others who were wanting to stage a massive Bavarian Woodstock. They were hoping that through Peter, they could get Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones to participate in the event. We were small fry!

As far as accelerating his mental decline, I believe it did. Yes, the atmosphere in that rich hippie mansion was undeniably weird by all other accounts, but in my opinion, Peter was heading in a certain direction whether he took another tab of acid or not. Besides, Peter liked those people and seemed to have enjoyed his experience there along with that horrendous musical ‘jam’.

Whatever the circumstances at the time, he had his wits about him enough to make his own choices, which was evident in his adamant decision to leave the band.

NHOR : Peter left right around the time a live album recorded at The Boston Tea Party was proposed to be released. By many accounts, and the recorded evidence supports this, that if it had been released at the time, it very well could have lifted that incarnation of the band into superstar status here in the U.S., given the musical climate of the times. That of course happened several years later for the band with the release of 'Fleetwood Mac'. But looking back now, do you feel that would have been the case, had Peter stayed with the band?

JS : It’s difficult for me to imagine such status being the result of releasing that material!

NHOR : 'Kiln House' was a much more relaxed album after the heaviness, lyrically and musically of 'Then Play On'. What do you recall about the sessions for that album?

JS : We were feeling a little directionless, but the result was an attractively hopeful product, which went over surprisingly well for us in the US. In retrospect, I think the timing of the album’s release was significant, as it came out during the wake of the youth’s disillusionment with fading flower power dreams. Neil Young seemed to be echoing this feeling in his ‘After the Gold Rush’ album, which I liked very much, and ‘Kiln House’ offered something positive in its musical vibe.

Anyway, it was a relief to embark on tour and find the American audiences, unlike those back home, were not hollering for our old stuff!

NHOR : Famously you left Fleetwood Mac in Los Angeles during the tour supporting 'Kiln House', which was the last time you toured the U.S., reportedly saying you were going out to "get a magazine", but never returned. What were the circumstances behind you leaving at that time? Were you not feeling it musically?

JS : If it is kosher, may I quote a fellow interviewer like yourself, Bill Wasserheir of Blues Revue, who asked me a similar question a few years back? He said:

‘You obviously went through a personal crisis in 1970-71. I assume part of it was professional – with Peter gone, the spotlight had to be filled, and you apparently doubts about your abilities – but more so it seems that you had doubts about the meaning and value of your career. Was it a case of “too much too soon” or that it just wasn't enough?’
I answered:
‘… you've summed it up for me right there. All of your above assumptions are right on. Do I need to answer this one further?’

NHOR : Throughout the years of Fleetwood Mac, there seems to be a lot of life challenges which have occurred to guitarists in the band, a phenomena Lindsey Buckingham recently dubbed 'The Curse of the Fleetwood Mac Guitarist'. What is your take on that? Would you say that the band's guitarists throughout the years have been in any way cursed?

JS : In some cases one could assume so.

I don’t understand the dynamics of this sort of phenomena, which manifests itself in artistic arenas other than bands and music, but I believe it is ultimately a spiritual thing, a mystery that we will understand more clearly one day.

NHOR : After you left the band, Danny Kirwan went downhill fast, both mentally and physically, which led him to being fired the following year after you left the band. Have you been in contact with Danny at all recently? If so, how is he doing these days?

JS : The last personal contact I had with him was about 13 years ago, when my wife and I, his former wife Clare and Danny’s son, Dominic had a meal with him one morning in London. It went okay, all things considered. I recently talked to Clare, and she said that he doesn't live like a down and out tramp (another favourite myth of the tabloids!) He picks up the guitar occasionally and reads a lot.

NHOR : In recent years there have been numerous rumours regarding you getting back with Peter, Mick and John in the studio for some new recordings. Is that something you have at any point seriously considered? Is it something you would even be interested in doing at this point, or is that pretty much flogging a dead horse?

JS : I think a reunion concert would be flogging a dead horse, but recording sounds interesting to me as it could give us all some space to try new material representative of where each of us are today and our capabilities without the pressure to perform old stuff.

NHOR : What five blues albums should everyone own in your opinion?

JS : Hard to think of five in their entirety, but I would recommend British Sue label’s ‘The Best of Elmore James’, B. B. King’s ‘Live at the Regal’, and Otis Rush’s Cobra label selection.

NHOR : Your life so far has seen a number of incredible successes both professionally and personally. Are there any goals either musically or personally that you'd still like to achieve?

JS : Musically, I would like to be involved in a film of some sort. Personally, I just want to continue working alongside musicians/songwriters/artists from whom I can learn and with whom I can share what I have gained!

NHOR : What advice would you give to a young player starting out that perhaps you wish you had known when you were starting out in the business?

JS : Always be willing to listen and learn, and most importantly, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you.’ A lifelong lesson.

NHOR : There are a lot of musicians from the late 60's, early 70's who aren't with us anymore. What do you attribute to you not only still being around, but making vital music when so many aren't here anymore?

JS : The grace and mercy of God, primarily, and the support of loved ones and friends.

NHOR : At the end of the day, how would you like to be remembered?

JS : Whoa! That is always a good question. But I suppose my answer is linked to the above: that any good I have done is by the mercy and grace of God and the support of loved ones and friends.


For more information on Jeremy Spencer go to http://jeremyspencer.com/ For a listing of tour dates go to http://www.jeremyspencertour.com/

Seeing It Through : An Exclusive Interview With Guitarist Matt Schofield

Born in Manchester, England in 1977, raised on a steady diet of his father's Muddy Waters and B.B. King records, it perhaps should not come as no surprise that Matt Schofield would grow up to become a world class blues guitarist.

 It was after seeing a video at the age of 16 of blues legends Albert King, Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan that the fledgling musician chose a path which during the course of four studio and two live albums has seen him garner many prestigious awards. Not least of which has been his being voted as the "Best British Blues Guitarist" at the inaugural 2010 British Blues Awards.

Now Schofield is back with what is being hailed as his most polished and accomplished effort yet with the release of 'Anything But Time'. Produced by the legendary John Porter, whose resume resembles a veritable who's who of rock and blues, having produced such legends as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker among many others - it showcases the guitarist's quite impressive blues and jazz influenced guitar work framed by extremely strong songwriting, which very well may see him picking up even more awards by the time next year rolls around.

Recently we had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Matt in California during a break in the tour by the Matt Schofield Trio to talk about the new album, his influences and inspiration, what he envisions for his future and much, much more. Come join us as we have an exclusive conversation with one of the leading purveyors of modern blues rock guitar, Mr. Matt Schofield.....


Interview and text by Nightwatcher for Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock : First off I'd like to talk about the new album 'Anything But Time' which was released in June via Nugene Records. Now that it's come out, how satisfied are you with the results this time around?

Matt Schofield : It's always hard for me to say, because as soon as I've done one I'm already thinking about the next. That's the way it goes with these things. But what I can tell you is it's certainly the most enjoyable experience I've had making a record. In retrospect, I always look back at my records as towards how did it feel. Having John Porter produce this album this time was a huge difference for me, having produced all of my own before. That was really a great experience and made it a lot of fun. It took a lot of stress away. So in that regard it's certainly my happiest of records. (Laughs)

NHOR : The album, as you mentioned was produced by John Porter, who has worked with so many incredible blues and rock artists in the past such as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall, Keb Mo'... Los Lonely Boys and so many more. How did you get hooked up with John, and what do you feel that he brought to this album which you hadn't previously had before in the studio?

MS : I got hooked up with John actually a long time ago. I was in a band with a singer from the U.K by the name of Dana Gillespie. She's known John since the late 60's. When I was in her band she would say, "Oh, you should work with John Porter one day". Of course I knew him from getting Buddy Guy's 'Damn Right I've Got The Blues', which was one of the first records I got for myself. Because it came out around the time I started playing. He gave me his phone number, but at the time I wasn't in a position to really make use of that for a very long time.

Then last year we were out at the NAMM show in Los Angeles, and went out to lunch with John. We hit it off. We had all the same reference points musically, even though we're a generation apart. He said, "I think we'd have a lot of fun making a record". That stayed with me. So when it came time to make the next one, it was, "Yeah, let's give John a call". It's the right time and we're in a situation where we can".

What John brings to it...Well, first of all some producers have a real sonic stamp that they put on everything. You can hear it. Like T Bone Burnette, who is the real go to guy for a lot of people. All the the records sound like T Bone Burnette records. John is the opposite of that. He makes you sound as much like you as he can. He doesn't insert himself on top of it, he's just there guiding it, so he's great. We worked on a lot of arrangements, trimming the fat really, going, "Well you don't need that really". He's also got a really great feel for knowing when you've got the right take.

Of course he's made something like 120 records. He's not even sure how many he's made. (Laughs) So I was just going to leave it to him this time. It was the most hands off I've ever been. My thought was if we were doing this, I was just playing guitar, singing and writing the songs. It was great. It was a lot of fun, with a lot of great conversations while making the record. It was all pleasure.

NHOR : So you felt it very liberating to be able to let go of the reigns a bit on this album.....

MS : Yeah. In a weird way having less control was more liberating. Exactly .Plus we were down in New Orleans. That was a real thrill. I'd never been there before. We love so much of the music from there. Just being there was a big part of it.

NHOR : What was it about the city of New Orleans that led you to want to record there, and how do you feel recording there contributed to the overall feel and vibe of the album?

MS : It's just its own place, New Orleans. It's not really like anywhere else in the U.S. Or like anywhere in Europe. It's its own thing. It's so, for a lack of a better term, a very soulful place. There's music everywhere. When you land at the airport there's a guy playing blues piano in the airport bar. It's so ingrained there. You walk down the street and there's music coming out of different places. The food is great, the people are really nice. It's just a very soulful place. We've always loved so much of the music that has come from there. I think the overall vibe of being there contributed to the relaxed feel that I had doing this record. I think that's reflected on it.

NHOR : Previously you have mentioned that coming into this record you had envisioned making an album somewhat along the lines of Albert King's late 60's albums which were on Stax Records. What was it about those albums which inspired you to feel you wanted to make a recording that way?

MS : In my mind it was. Of course it doesn't sound like that. (Laughs) What inspired me was because first of all, they're some of my most favorite recordings ever. There's a real strong sense of groove from the band, the MG's. Then Albert just kind of works his magic on top with his incredibly strong, unique sound of his guitar and great vocals. They're really groove based records. They aren't doing a lot of shuffles like a lot of blues bands do. They're well constructed grooves. They've got a certain feel that I find is different. I love so much other stuff just as much, but it's just very unique.

I had that in mind, plus with Kevin Hayes on drums, who has been with us for a year, who has always reminded me of coming from that Al Jackson school anyway...I used to go see Kevin all the time when he was playing with Robert Cray...it all came together in that way. It doesn't sound anything like that, but in my mind I was doing my version of it. 

NHOR : Kinda funny how things can end up totally different than what you originally envisioned....

MS : Yeah. As a matter of fact, that's not what I even wanted it to sound like, but it was what I kept in mind. As a matter of fact, we did record the Albert King track "Wrapped Up In Love Again" from his 'As The Years Go Passing By' album that had those players on it. Also the title track, "Anything But Time" is very much an MG's type groove. The groove is stripping out any unnecessary notes, and kind of making strength out of simplicity. It's a big thing that those guys did back then. Each guy picked one note to play and they got rid of all the others. Stripped down like that makes it very strong.

NHOR : Do you feel that the longer you are a musician that you are increasingly subscribing to the "Less is More" theory in regards to your music?

MS : Absolutely. For me, getting better as a guitarist now is about getting rid of stuff, not learning more stuff. Not that I want to be a different kind of player than I am, but now it's about refining it down to the essence of sounding like me. That's the goal these days.That usually involves getting rid of things, unnecessary stuff, like Albert King, B.B. or any of those guys. It's so distilled, so strong. We always say, "When I grow up I want to play like those guys". (Laughs)

NHOR : Do you feel like you're getting closer to having your own definitive style or sound as a guitarist?

MS : I do actually. It's a hard thing to hear in yourself actually. But I hear it in other people now. Younger guys that I know come up to me, and mention that they've listened and learned. And you go, "Wow, that sounds like me!" It's easier to hear from afar. So that's about the coolest thing for me. Obviously I'll always have my influences in there. That's something I'm proud of, and want to share with people. If we do an Albert King number, I want people to know about Albert King. Particularly on "Wrapped Up In Love Again", it was like how much can I filter through Albert and still put myself into it.

The other side of that is more and more I can't play like someone else. Twenty years ago, when I was a teenager, trying to learn stuff, I never learned everything note for note. I'd always jam along with the guys and pick up the essence of it. Now I can only pretty much do what I feel if you see what I mean.

NHOR : How satisfied are you of your playing at this point?

MS : I am satisfied with it. I can play what I want to hear, really. So if it pleases me...I mean, obviously every night I'm reaching for something else. This whole band, when we go out to play, every night we reach for something more. It's the way all three of us are. So usually we're not satisfied. But if we loved every note that we played there'd be no point in keeping on doing it. Every night is always reaching for more. But at the same time I'm pretty much at the point where I play how I want to play. Just getting rid of stuff now, whittling it down to the bare essence.

NHOR : Is there any area of your playing that you'd like to improve upon?

MS : You know what? I don't hardly think of things in terms of guitar playing at all anymore. That takes care of itself. For me, it's all about the songwriting and singing. The guitar...And I don't mean this in a great kind of way, but it's just been easy for me, since I started playing. It always was. I was gigging within six months of picking it up. I was out playing and improvising solos. The rest of it ,and what is most important now is finding a context in which to put your guitar work into. What music I want out around it, so it's not just guitar playing for the sake of it. I want great guitar playing, in a great song, played by a great band, and sung well. (Laughs)

NHOR : So it's more a means to an end rather than the end itself...

MS : Absolutely. These days it's the whole package. That's my concern. Again, going back to my heroes, if you look at B.B. or Albert King, or even later guys that I listen to, they're the whole package. Where B.B.'s vocals and guitar playing end there's no difference. He sings, then he plays a line on Lucille, and it's all coming from the same place. That's really where it's at now, trying to build the complete package. I think that goes for all of us in the band as well.

NHOR : What would you say are your favorite tracks on the album, and why?

MS : I'm very fond of, and my very favorite thing to play is a slow blues. Certainly "See Me Through", the slow blues that's on this record, is kinda cool because it's the night John Cleary came down to play piano. We just showed him the chord changes, because it has some slightly different chord changes in it. That's the first thing for me. Every time we go in to make a record, we try to write a slow blues that isn't a straight one. Like a new way to do a slow blues, with it still being a slow blues.So that was kind of the idea with that song. We showed John the changes, he's playing a real grand piano, in the room with my amps blaring. We did two takes. I can't remember which one we used, but we just played it twice. A lot of the record's like that actually. Straight off the floor just how we played it. I'm very proud of it.

The other slow blues on the record, "Where Do I Have To Stand", all of the elements of what we do are in that. It's a blues, but it's not a 12 bar shuffle. It's got a slightly extended harmony. The changes are a bit different than what you'd normally find in blues. It's also a song in its own right, it's not just a blues. The dynamics on that are as close as you can get to when you see us live. There's a big dynamic range with this band, and that's hard to get in the studio the same way. But I think we've got some of it on there, and the feeling is there as well. I'm pretty pleased with that one as well.

NHOR : What was your inspiration for beginning to play guitar?

MS : The real moment...I'd been listening to my dad's records for as far back as I can remember...So there was always a lot of Muddy Waters and B.B. King being played around the house as a kid...He moved out to California 22 years ago, so I'd spend my summers here from the time when I was 11. So I'd been getting into B.B. a little bit, and other stuff on a serious level. He showed me a video that he'd recorded off tv, back when MTV played music stuff. (Laughs) It was B.B. King, Albert Collins, and Stevie Ray Vaughan jamming together in New Orleans at a festival. That was it for me, when I saw that. I just wanted to be up there with them. The fourth guy sitting in. They all had such distinctive sounds, such unique approaches, but they sounded amazing together. It was like three guys conversing with each other via the guitar. That was it for me.

So within six months of that I was doing gigs. I went back home to the U.K after that summer and started a band with friends from school. That's been it ever since. That was the real catalyst. Of course from there I went on to listen to all the blues greats. When I was a teenager I heard guys like Robben Ford and John Scofield, who kind of brought more of a jazz element into it. That was an important point, because I thought, where are they getting this stuff from? I'm not familiar with this, because up til that point I'd been a pretty steady blues guy. Then it was checking out jazz and saxophone players and figuring out some of that on guitar as well.

NHOR : In terms of your development as a player and an overall artist, which albums do you feel have made the biggest impact on you?

MS : That's a tough question, because there were so many. Still, that video I mentioned, I have it on DVD, and you can watch it on YouTube now, has got so much of what I love about Albert, B.B. and Stevie's playing in it. I used to listen to that track over and over. (Laughs)

NHOR : Kind of abusing the replay button there....

MS : Yeah. (Laughs) So then it was getting stuff, back in the day on cassettes..it was like, okay if you like Stevie Ray, you've got to listen to Albert King. So my dad sent me cassettes from his vinyl versions of Albert King, all that Stax stuff. I was like, "Wow, this is all the raw essence of where Stevie's coming from". I got way into that, and it's still the stuff that I listen to now, actually. (Laughs)

Albert Collins' live album 'Live 92-93', that they released after he died, that's one of my favorites. Hendrix is very important to me. Then there's one song by Robben Ford that when I heard the guitar solo in it, it was kind of a life changing moment. Because I'd never heard anybody play like that over a blues before. That's the song "Misdirected Blues" from the album 'Mystic Mile'. The guitar solo in that was just like, "What is he doing there?!".(Laughs) It was unlike anything I'd heard before but it was still blues.

NHOR : Huge tone on the solo....

MS : Massive tone, exactly. Which is pretty much the first thing that draws me to anyone anymore is the tone for me. That's always been a big part of my thing as well. Even though it's not my favorite Robben record, hearing that particular solo was like, "There's something else here". All the Hendrix records, I still go back to those. There's so much stuff though.

NHOR : I didn't meant to put you on the spot... (Laughs)

MS : No, no, I could be here all day just thinking of different records. There's other stuff, like Oscar Peterson's records. There's an album called 'The Trio Live' with Joe Pass, and Niels Pederson, on bass. That was life changing as well hearing that because I'd never heard anyone play piano like that before. The Donnie Hathaway live album, everybody in the band would probably put that in their Top 5 "Desert Island Discs". There's hardly any guitar playing on that at all, but it's still one of my go to records. The Meters albums as well.

NHOR : You are as of this interview, the reigning British Blues Guitarist of the year, having been voted that in the first British Blues Awards. You were also tabbed as being one of the 'Top 10 British Blues Guitarists Of All Time' in 2007 by Guitar & Bass Magazine. You're being hailed as one of the top up and coming blues rock guitar players in the world. How do you manage to remain being humble under those circumstances?

MS : Because I don't believe it. (Laughs) Like I say, we're never satisfied. The first thing that's important is that none of us got into the band got into it for those reasons. That stuff is great, especially the British Blues Awards, where it's voted for by the fans and listeners. It really means that you're getting across to people, and they're appreciating what you do. We also won the 'Blues Album Of The Year' award. That one meant more to me than the guitarist award, at this point as we talked about earlier. The guitar playing thing is great, and I'm kinda known as a guitar player, but the fact that people are loving the album as a whole that much as well meant the most to me.

NHOR : Because you're not just playing a whole album of just guitar solos....

MS : No, there's nine original tunes on that one. There's a whole band and songs. Most of that's great, but I'm never satisfied. We're always reaching, and it's almost making your own inspiration as well for yourself. Just to be better for yourself.  If I can get it to where it sounds good to me in some way, hopefully it will sound good to other people as well. All that stuff is great, and very cool, but it's not why we do it, to win awards. We do it to make the music sound as good as we can and really reach people I suppose.

That stuff that we talked about when I first saw when I was a kid changed my life. I'm here now talking to you because that stuff moved me so deeply that I wanted to do it. It dictated the entire path that I've taken in the twenty years since then. In some ways it's trying to do a little bit of that, to contribute as well. That's what keeps us trying hard.

NHOR : You've been playing professionally for over a decade and a half, since you first came to London when you were 18. What changes have you seen in the blues rock scene during that time, for good or bad? How has it changed since you first arrived?

MS : In London, it's a lot weaker than it used to be. There was a pretty strong scene when I first went down there. I ended up in a band who were in a Monday night jam session, a pro jam, and all the touring artists who were in town would come to it. It was a great house band, great musicians. That kind of disintegrated after awhile. Unfortunately as people went off into different things there wasn't a central type of scene. It's kind of difficult there now. I think it's probably similar to a lot of the world, really.

It's hard with blues. This isn't a criticism of anyone for doing it because they love it. But there's a lot of bad blues being played in bars all over the world. Of course people if they love doing it should go out and play, but it kind of gives a preconceived idea of what blues is to a lot of younger people who haven't experienced B.B. King live, and the phenomenon that is. Or was, because obviously B.B.'s not the same as he was when I first got to see him. The kind of massiveness of the event. So I think a lot of people feel that they don't like it. Because they haven't heard it other than at a bar band level. That's definitely a tricky thing. Getting people to listen to newer bands that are contributing strongly to it. Getting people to come out and hear that.

NHOR : Going on with that...There is currently a very burgeoning blues rock scene brewing in the U.K at the moment.with young players forming bands left and right.  Are there any players you're particularly impressed with?

MS : You know what? I've probably not heard anyone enough to comment correctly. We just did a show with Oli Brown, and he seems like he's a strong young player. But very rarely do I get to hear these people unless we do a festival together or something. Or I catch 10 minutes of their set. We're so busy doing our stuff. The young players, who are younger than me who I admire, are Derek Trucks, and guys like that. But I don't really know anyone enough.

But there are definitely some people coming through, and hope that it helps the whole thing. Maybe they can reach. I'm kind of in the middle area now in terms of age I suppose. You've got guys coming through now in their early 20's. So maybe they'll reach some younger kids. A lot of young folks I get at my shows, they're guys who have discovered guitar because they've heard John Mayer playing a pop song with a guitar solo in it, then discovered Stevie Ray and Hendrix, then somehow come upon me. That's kind of encouraging. There are guitar players who come out to the shows who are into real musicianship. So John Mayer's doing some good in getting guitar playing out in a public way.

NHOR : What's next on the horizon for you after this tour is finished? I know a lot of people are clamoring for a live DVD. Is that something which is in the works?

MS : We've been aiming for a live DVD for awhile. We've tried a couple of things, but the stars haven't aligned yet for that one. That would definitely be a big thing. I'd like to get one with the current lineup of the band. Because it's really strong at the moment. We're definitely shooting for that. Maybe we can work something out during the tour of U.K we have scheduled for November. That would be cool.

In the immediate future, we're just going to do a lot of sleeping. (Laughs) Not going anywhere every day. Because we've been out on the road since the middle of May. We did 5,000 miles in June, 5,000 miles in July with a trip to Europe in between. So yeah, it's probably been a bit too long in one go. (Laughs)

NHOR : Where would you like to take yourself musically? Where do you see yourself 5...10 years in the future in a musical sense?

MS : That's a good question. Because I still love playing occasionally straight down the line, traditional blues. I don't get to do that as often these days. I do it about twice a year with a good friend of mine in Holland, a great haromica player and singer. We just go out for 10 days out there and just do Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. (Laughs) But most of the time I've evolved away from that, which is good because I want my own thing. So there's going to be an element of me that's going to refine my own take on it. Just really trying to make it the most unique we can make it, yet keep it blues.

Also I'd like to do a straight up blues record. Just straight down the line, more for my own pleasure. Then there's the other side. I'd like to occasionally push it towards the jazzier side that I love as well. Maybe do an instrumental along those lines, kind of like what John Scofield does.

But those are kind of more on the wish list, rather than a priority. I think you have to get to the point in your career where you can pick and choose that kind of stuff. That might not be for 20 years for me. Which is fine. In the meantime it's just trying to get to a nice, stable point career-wise with what we do now. Refining that, and getting to the point where people are going to come out and enjoy it.

NHOR : What advice, if any would you have for a young player starting out in the business today?

MS : Listen deeply and long. Listen to stuff. Go all the way back, do your own studies. People seem to be so into guitar equipment today. On Internet forums and such. Yet that's all a distraction for me. I love nice guitars, amps, and such. I've got some very nice ones. I get folks coming out to gigs asking, "What kind of gear are you using?" It doesn't matter. It does matter, but what you're hearing is the music being played through it.

Listen to great music. Don't worry about what guitar you've got. Because if you can play it good, it'll sound good. That's the #1 thing these days. I love nice stuff, and of course if you can play well it'll sound even better through something nice, but your ears are your first instrument. That's the one for me. Listen to great music, listen to what you're playing, and try to make it sound good to your ears as opposed to tinkering about with guitars. (Laughs)

For more information on Matt Schofield go to www.mattschofield.net/