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Do
you record in a home studio?
I haven't got one, only Cool Edit and a microphone but I
have used the home-studios of friends.
What equipment and software do
you use?
Various. It all depends on what is available. I have
various guitars but I mainly use a semi-acoustic
Fleetwood jumbo for practice and gigging. The only
computer music software I have used myself is Cool Edit.
I must confess that I don't know much about creating
digital music and am much happier with a guitar and mic.
This doesn't stop me collaborating with other musicians
online who are skilled with this new technology, and in
fact I have a song called 'Electric Bard,' which is a
3-way collaboration between myself and EXLectiX from
America and Catherine Duc from Australia. I wrote the
words and did the vocals and my collaborators created
the music and produced it. Also, the highly talented
musician, Ed Drury, has added his music and arrangements
to a series of my poems. This sort of thing, to my mind,
is one of the wonderful things about the world of music
available online.
Musical Background -Influences
How did you get started playing music?
I would have been aged about 12 and I was listening to
pop and some rock bands and also soul and Tamla and this
would have been when I was first thinking about it. This
was the time of the 'Mersey sound.' Then the psychedelic
'60s arrived and the folk protest movement and as a
teenager I was inspired by Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat
Stevens, Neil Young and many other singer/songwriters,
as well as the whole idea of an alternative society. I
would say that I fancied myself as following in these
singer/songwriters' footsteps if I could. By the age of
16 I was going to festivals and gigs and I made my own
start at playing guitar and writing songs and poetry.
Initially it was an effort to impress girls because I
was painfully shy. I had decided that I wasn't that
impressed by the Beatles, although John Lennon is one of
my 'heroes,' and The Stones were far more my sort of
rock band. Neil Young was my favorite guitarist then and
still is. Other acts that I really liked and still do
are Hendrix, David Bowie, Roy Harper, Kate Bush, Van
Morrison, Dory Previn, Jefferson Airplane, Nico, Lou
Reed, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Bob Marley, Neil Diamond,
the Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett, Joni Mitchell,
Bridget St John, Tyrannosaurus and T. Rex, Roxy Music
and many many more. Then in the mid '70s Punk and New
Wave happened and a lot of the energy of the movement I
found inspiring. I saw a lot of the bands then like The
Clash, Boomtown Rats, the Stranglers, Patti Smith and
others.
What has influenced your music
the most?
All those acts I have mentioned above, along with many
more modern ones and genres of music like the Blues,
Soul, R&B, Folk, Rock 'n' Roll, Jazz, Experimental and
anything else that I've spent time listening too. My
inspiration for songs though is very varied and just
reflects my life I think.
Music And Internet Marketing
How has the Internet effected
you as a musician? In a big way: I used to be
heavily involved in music networking via the snail mail
with all the fanzines and small press and the casssette
culture which gave way to CDs, but I seem to have phased
most of that out because the Internet is a lot easier,
cheaper and faster to use. Also, I have made very many
good friends, whom I have met via OMDs and at bbs, and
discovered so much excellent music. As well as these
things it has given me a means of collaborating with
people all over the world.
When did you start marketing your music on the Internet?
In about 1997 when I first began to understand IT and to
have access to computers.
What has been the most
effective way to market your music on the Internet?
Via OMDs and Bulletin Boards. My favorite OMD was
mp3.com and I haven't seen any other site which has
offered so much. The stations it gave acts the option of
creating was a great way to promote your music and that
of other acts you enjoyed, as well as finding new music.
Musicians And The Future
What does the future hold for you?
More collaborations, more festivals...but as to where my
music will take me I really don't know! I have just
written my first song in Spanish and am learning the
language, so who knows where my path will lead?
Finally, is there anything else
you want to say about yourself? I prefer to
hear what others think of me and my work so I'll let my
good friends Laura J Bollé and Chris Kalessin have their
say: Words can barely describe the amazing,
multi-talented, multi-faceted and multi-media phenomenon
that is the Bard of Ely!!! Part eco-warrior, poet,
Arthurian Druid, master of herblore, techno-folk fusion
pioneer, MC, songwriter, singer, actor, writer and
performer, the Bard has assumed cult status and is
featured in many counter-culture books and articles ...
a genuinely iconic figure!
His solo work, many collaborations (most recently with
Funender stalwart Ed Drury) and remixes represent a
wonderfully eclectic body of writing and performance,
work that that does justice to the traditions of
acoustic music, yet with modernity, political relevance,
and some great melodies! :)
And something else that distinguishes this talented
artist is his enthusiastic and positive support for
music and musicians, and his friendly,
universally-respected presence across the online music
community. We are proud to know him and highly recommend
his music to all - Steve, the Bard of Ely!!!
About The Author: Check
him out TODAY!!!
http://www.bardofely.com
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