Stoking the furnace - January 11
Roger works his magic
Documentary in the making
Steve with John Wetton at London Shepherds Bush Empire, November 2010
Photo © Marco Salvatorelli
All seems quiet on the surface, but the creative melting pot is bubbling with many ideas and several projects. Material for a likely DVD of a recent live show is being edited, and Matt Groom of Big Beak Productions is working on a Steve Hackett documentary. I've also recently touched base with a number of other musicians, such as Joe Bonammassa, whose guitar playing I recommend if you haven't heard it, and Carl Palmer whose drumming technique was brilliantly conveyed in a recent art film by Andrew Cross. Last week I played electric guitar for a lovely track on John Wetton's latest album as well as recently on acoustic for Rob Reed of Magenta's beautiful haunting track.
Beyond all the inspiring cross-fertilisations, things are developing in many surprising ways with my new album... I'm in the studio on another extraordinary day hearing Roger King conjure orchestras from his fingertips whilst I wait to do my guitar equivalent of a woman's voice over his expansive textures heralding in the intro to the new Prairie Angel. This was in sketch form on the British tour and even then had an exciting vibe. It's now heading towards full portrait with all the bells 'n whistles plus words.
Reading Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' inspired the idea of a love song that romances a landscape as much as the irresistible girl discovered in its midst. There's something of the Western about it. An homage to the America we all search for but rarely find unless you're lucky enough to head off the beaten track into those stunning backwaters of the wild beloved of film makers.
I'm hoping here to have another film for the ear in the making...
Heading for the Prairie
Big American sky
