Most musicians will know the importance of networking and getting to know other musicians in the scene. Often, these people end up becoming good friends. Andrew Hesford is name most folk in Merseyside will recognise. Andrew is someone who is very supportive of new musicians and Liverpools music scene. This is an interview with the very man. He explores his own career in music and gives advice towards the end of the interview.
Lewis: How long have you been on the music scene? When did it all begin??
AH: My interest in music began with record collecting - I was buying records when I was very young. One of the first I bought was "Happy Xmas" by John Lennon, on green vinyl, although at the time I hadn't realised that. I bought the record, took it home, saw that it was green and took it back to the shop, where I told the shopkeeper that "this record is all mouldy". He replied, "They're all like that"! I had gotten into bands like the Kinks, Beatles, Stones, T.Rex and Slade, absolutely loads of sixties and early seventies music. There was so much great music at that time, which fired me up to want to play.
I was given a plastic guitar once Christmas, which sort of looked like a Fender but wasn't - it didn't last long - and my sister gave me her Spanish classical guitar when I was 12 which was okay but not ideal as the action was too high and the neck was too chunky. I suppose I really wanted to play bass, listening to the records I loved. Although there were many bass players I could emulate, I was really into Ronnie Lane (Small Faces, Faces) who was a tremendous musician, songwriter and producer, and ,of course, a great bassist. I started playing in covers bands, and moved to playing in Beatles tribute bands after the death of John Lennon.
I was drifting in and out of bands, eventually joining Rat Bat Blue with a few friends - we played sixties material and progressed to hard rock. There was one episode in 1982 with another band that caused me personal upset, which led to me deciding to leave music to one side for a while. I decided to devote my time to study and a career, and to being a family man. In
1997, I felt the need to go back into playing, playing acoustically, and my confidence grew as I got positive feedback and made new friends. Many of the people I met are those I still perform with to this day. In fact, this is exactly how myself and friends formed the Waltones later. Great musicians and great people. There were a lot of scratch bands being formed at this time, and there was a sense that we were all involved and dedicated to making music, however humble and small the scene appeared to be.
Lewis: What changes have you seen along the way?
AH: The possibilities for playing were much greater in the late seventies and early eighties. The pubs and clubs were always looking for bands and acts to play and attract the punters in, and if you did well you were never out of work.
Bands actually made money at that time - I remember that we once made £300 from one social club for New Year's Eve, but after paying for van hire, a driver etc. you might end up with around £40 each. For those who might recall, there was a TV programme called "The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club" around the mid seventies which emulated the atmosphere of the clubs - cheap beer, lots of turns and so on - and the clubs, were, in the main, exactly like that!
Lewis: Tell us about your current bands and their line-ups.
The Waltones are the best bunch of lads I have every played with. Ray Ellis plays guitar, accordion and sings, and he has so much talent and drive. (Ray also used to be in a marching band). Dave Waring is another incredible musician who can play guitar, keyboards, anything you care to name. Denis Sowler is very much a titan on the drums, and like the rest of the band is highly intelligent and has a lot of musicality. Barry Parker is our go-to man for rhythm guitar and vocals, and introduces contemporary material to the setlist.
As for myself, I started as vocals and guitar with the band and swapped to bass later. In 2007, our confidence grew even more, and we got to a point when we were ready to record. That year, we met the very experienced Gary Thomas at Vulcan Studios, and I've continued to work and record with him ever since.
Eclectic Karma are a six-piece band based on the Wirral, and play quite a mix of material from singer-songwriter to blues-rock. John Uriel is on guitar and keyboards, who is a great enthusiast about music but also "out there" sonically. Trevor Evans is an amazing guitarist who can play in all styles, as well as being modest but infinitely knowledgeable about the technical side of playing. We have the veteran Mal Thory on drums, who is a very meticulous drummer and is interested in notation. Mal is the glue that holds us all together timewise. Lucy Pickavance, vocalist, is a real polymath, an artist, a poet with incredible ideas and concepts - extremely talented. Last, but not least, Carolynn Carr is an amazing vocalist, poet and drummer, and has a great deal of interest in art and music. My role is as bassist and occasional vocalist , and the experience of playing with such a unique line-up is that every gig or session is inspirational.
As a solo performer, I love working within the realm of acoustic music, remaining fascinated by different genres, and I have many influences. One of my songs was about a friend who drives through many countries, called "The Dreams I Have of You": another was about a life-challenging moment in my past, called "Reflection". I'm always looking for the experiences which rock the human heart. Now that I am retired, I am going to be doing a lot more writing and recording - well, as much as the current situation will allow. It's important to take on the whole package when putting together music releases, so I prepare artwork, look at what images would work best and present it as something to be listened to, read and looked at. Some musicians prefer uploading onto file-sharing websites, but there is still a place for a physical format - and I prefer both approaches.
Lewis: Are there any artists you would recommend? Artists you have met along the way?
AH: Eleanor Nelly is a good friend of ours, a hard worker and an amazing songwriter, with a distinctive sound. Krank Williams has a lo-fi psychobilly/rockabilly approach that is just amazing, more people need to hear him. Here are more great names: David Neville King, Hegarty, John Jenkins, The Cubes, Cal Ruddy, Maddie Steinberg, Space Captain, Herringbone John and the Kipper Doctors, Daisy Gill, Courtney Hall... the city has a very vibrant and talented music scene.
Lewis: Future of music? Physical or digital?
AH: Music will become a much more immersive experience in the future, which, if done properly, will benefit artists. I believe in the idea that artists can expand upon their muse and build new worlds, after all, Nick Cave, Bjork and many others have already shown the way. This is more than a marketing gimmick. Despite the use of modern technology, the work mostly feels very honest, direct - and human.
Words: Lewis Elliot McWilliam, Photos: Band Media
Reverbnation: Reverbnation.com/andrewhesford
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/andrew-hesford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.hesford