End of an era?
Well it kind of is. I’ve been playing firstly guitar then bass on and off with Musical Youth for a long time, my first gig with them being ArtsFest Birmingham in 2004.
I don’t have any desires to go into the reasons for parting of the ways on here as things can be mis-interpreted and head into spirals that weren’t envisaged. I know some of you guys on here have followed my posts showing my musical journey with this and various other bands and projects and I will still continue to post on anything I get involved with and you have my gratitude for showing an interest. Even those occasional sarcastic remarks are good banter. :-)
During my time in the band I have enjoyed playing with and getting to know some superb musicians, i’ve done gigs at some really exciting venues, festivals and theatres across the country, the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham to a global audience estimated at 1.2 billion was a biggie. Oh yes can’t forget a TV appearance playing bass in a bath for a Severn Trent Water commercial.
I’ve toured with the band in USA twice, firstly as guitarist on the British Reggae Explosion tour mainly along the west coast from San Diego through the Los Angeles, San Francisco bay area and across to Las Vegas, playing guitar for both both Musical Youth & Apache Indian. A tour in Slovenia in 2007 with Dennis & Michael, Andre Bassing, El Paso Dena and the Mighty Cornelius Wynter (RIP) on bass.
My last overseas tour with the band was in 2023 on on bass (Orion 5 string) for the Lost 80’s live tour which took in dates spanning Seattle in the north, down to Texas in the south, along the way playing at the famous Greek Theatre in Griffith Park. A place where two of my many jazz hero’s Stanley Clarke & Miles Davis performed. (Had to play a few bars of School Days and All Blues at that venue whilst waiting for sound check).
In fact one of my favourite albums “Live at the Greek“ with Stanley Clarke & Billy Cobham, Najee, Deron Johnson & Larry Carlton was recorded live there, and “The Griffith Park Collection” with Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard & Joe Henderson is associated with that venue. That was a lovely vintage venue with a great sound due in part to it’s location.
I like to hold the view that when one door is closed another is opened and certainly I will be opening doors to investigate new musical challenges, alembic in hand.
