There are not many Blues/Rock guitarists and singer-songwriters in the United Kingdom as talented as the Northern Irish Guitar Maestro Simon McBride, an artist that has been often compared to one of the greatest in the genre, Gary Moore.
The Northern Irish artist, who has played throughout his career with the cream of the Blues-Rock world and currently official Tour Guitarist of Rock Titans Deep Purple, agreed kindly to speak with our website in 2014 in London, during his Neverending Tour in support of his then latest album, Crossing The Line, a record that met unanimous consensus with the worldwide music press, at the time of its release in 2012.
BR - Two years have gone by since Crossing The Line, your latest album to date. Still, the album sounds as fresh and intense just like when it was originally released. Do you feel that the album has been some kind of turning point for you and the way you worked on your songs and the structures of them, both from a lyrical and musical aspect?
SMB – I think so. When I did that album, I wanted to do something slightly different. I kind of concentrated more on the song element of each track, because, you know, my first couple of solo albums were more guitar driven, although I was very happy with them. I tried to focus more on vocal melodies, arrangements and production, rather than introducing more lengthy guitar solos. This album saw indeed a different approach and to me, I think it worked.
Simon with Gio Pilato
BR – We know you have been extensively touring the world, in the last couple of years, therefore we were wondering if you might have started working to the follow-up of Crossing The Line, Simon?
SMB - Yeah, well, we plan to release something next year. I'm in the studio in and out of it, working on new stuff. There’s quite a lot of stuff that has been written, a lot of songs and I hope there will be a new album for next year, at some point. I don't know when, maybe by the end of the year, most likely. I most certainly need to get some new material out for sure, it’s been a while since I did so.
BR - Listening to Crossing The Line, we detected, within the album, almost a late 60’s wall of sound running through the record. Will your next album follow the same kind of formula, in terms of arrangement and song structure or are you going to surprise your many fans with a completely new sonic approach?
SMB – I often surprise myself, when I walk in a studio, to be honest. With Crossing The Line, I guess that the 60’s, 70’s style you just mentioned came in a very spontaneous and organic way, perhaps also because I was using some vintage instrumentation that was very much used at the time. I don’t like to plan the way I am going to approach songs, from a musical angle and I enjoy the idea to get carried away with the feeling of the moment, when I enter the studio and start recording. It keeps things immediate, fresh and follow one’s inspiration and I look forward to do the same with my next album too.
BR – You started playing guitar when you were very young. Do you recall when, historically, your playing style changed, at some point, in your youth?
SMB - I started playing guitars when I was 9/10-years-old, if I’m not mistaken. It felt very natural to me from the very beginning and I displayed a lot of natural ability straight from the start. By the time I was 11, I started to play in a more complex style, digging into more complicated Blues and Rock arpeggios. It didn’t take me long to move to that next step, perhaps because I was a very fast learner, while there are other people out there that needs to work a little bit harder, to get to that level. I think I was doing, at some point, 9 hours a day in practicing guitar, every time I came home from school. I would just pick up the guitar and play all night. So yeah, I love guitars and playing them. It’s what I do. I like the idea of tutoring students too, in learning to play guitars and, schedules permitting, I try to do that at least once a week. I love interacting with young students, because through them, I can see a younger version of myself and because of that, I tried to share my knowledge, love and enthusiasm I always had and still have in playing guitars. I can see and feel their joy, they love going to gigs and see their heroes playing guitars, just like I used to do. It’s a sort of giving back to others what I learned by myself and it’s pure joy for me, watching them enjoying playing with such passion and determination.
BR – What does mean for Simon McBride to play the Blues in 2014?
SMB - I generally don't really class myself as too much of a Bluesman, so to speak. I just play whatever I wanna play, sometimes it may sound a little Bluesy but fundamentally, I feel more like a Rock guitar player myself. What I play, either on stage or in studio, follows the natural flow of my feeling in that moment in time. I know that the Blues has got those stereotypes about being a genre associated to its players having hard times, in their lives, finding that music a way to get away from all the strife in their daily lives by getting on a stage and playing that music as a sort of antidote against dark feelings or emotions. Thankfully, I can say I don’t have too many problems, in my life and I am not, at heart, a sad person. When I happen to play the Blues, it’s all based on pure instinct, the heat of that moment. Although, as I was saying, I feel more a Rock guitarist at heart.
BR - Is there an artist worldwide you would love to collaborate with, someone you had not yet a chance to work with?
SMB – Difficult one to answer. There's so many artists out there very talented and you know, each and every one of them they all have got something different to offer. Couldn’t possibly tell you, on top of my head. Well, maybe Prince? The guy is a genius, a class on his own.. maybe one day, who knows (smiles).
BR – Is there any particular song, out of your vast repertoire, that would help to identify exactly Simon McBride as a singer, songwriter and a guitar player right now, in 2014, Simon?
SMB - I would probably say the song of my latest album called One More Try. It kind of outlines what I do and who I am, you know. There's a lot of emotion, in that song, lots of melody, plus, the song to me has got the full spectrum of myself, as a musician. The vocals, the lyrics, the way I play the guitar... I think that particular song really sums up where I am with my music, at this moment in time. Until, who knows, the next album may unravel a very different sonic aspect of my music, you never know! (smiles). I guess only time will tell.
