Tapping the Flow

This week I cast the pod to the northern quarter of France to chat with Japanese composer/guitarist Moojigen, a.k.a. Yuichiro Maeda. 

Moojigen and I met in London over a decade ago and recently reconnected discovering that we have very similar pathways into music and for similar reasons. He has a hugely fluent and emotive soundscape story telling ability that sucks you right in and reworks your senses well after the song has finished. His recently released LP 'Fathers Sea' is absolutely brilliant and has to be heard :

https://moojigen.wixsite.com/official/music

In this podcast Moojigen recounts how he ended up living in a self-built Yurt in France with his wife and their daughter, and how he plans to build a Japanese inspired eco-community for artists and world weary sonic adventurers. I for one cannot wait to take a trip over and collaborate ASAP.

Be sure to check out his recent work on award winning Netflix film Of Love and War - http://ofloveandlaw.com

As always special thanks to my guest Yuichiro and to you the listener for Tapping the Flow with us.

This week I chatted with my old band mate Pablo Tato. Pablo is a London based session guitarist/composer/producer who played with me in my Pillarcat project many moons ago. Since then he has gone on to play in studio for the likes of Paul Epworth, Adele, Lana del Ray and is on the road with Sophie Ellis-Bextor and many other well known acts.

Since the pandemic began Pablo took to creating the wonderful A|Part project where he produced an album of cover version with many of the performers he has graced the stages with over the years, including your truly. The album has a vinyl release and is well worth checking out :

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2MuZZ61yWK9An3JfZQUqPp?si=Ts0S_jUbQxKZAtFqUjzrlg

It was such a pleasure to catch up with an old friend who has laid some guitar down for legends of the top end game. We chat about what it takes to make the most of ones skills set and about how a love for music can guide every move you make and evolve over time.

This week I shared a mighty banter filled hour laughing with the wonderful duo The Blackheart Orchestra. When you catch them live you will be listening to an 8 piece band but you will be witnessing a supremely talented and adventurous musical Duo surrounded by swathes of gear. Such is the sonic palette in which they practice creativity that they must dive deep with their skill sets when it comes to performance ethic.

Their recently released album Mesmeranto is full of beautiful songwriting taken to thrilling heights by a production style that echoes The Cocteau Twins, Mike Oldfield & Kate Bush. We discuss how and why they take such a huge amount of stuff on the road to bring this music to life as well as how the pursuit of happiness can be hindered by its attainment. :)

You can hear the duo here : http://www.theblackheartorchestra.com/music/

London based Scottish Singer/Songwriter Samantha Whates is a true champion of truth, discovery and delivery on her gem cut recordings that capture her angelically pure voice as it delivers revelation based songs atop a multi-textured finger picked guitar, all dressed up with realtime accompaniments set in the oddest of locations.

We sat down to discuss what it was that took Samantha on a journey of songwriting in the first place, and how this led to her recording at 3 am in a London tube station.

Intrigued? Well, you should be. When someone is bold enough to pursue such an idea the results will speak for themselves. Her latest album 'Waiting Rooms' is a treasure.

https://wonderfulsound.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-rooms

Thanks for Tapping the Flow.

This week I am joined by peerless creative practitioner Lou Rhodes of the seminal UK Electronic music duo Lamb. Lou Rhodes has, alongside co-creator Andy Barlow, carved out an emblematic position for blending folk/song with electronic music on the world stage with some incredible sonic journeys over the years. Many of you will be familiar with Lamb's music. As a solo artist she has been Mercury Music Prize nominated for her debut solo album 'Beloved One'. It was after the release of this album that I joined as guitarist, having just relocated from Ireland,  for an amazing couple of years of touring.

We get deep into the tunnels as we discuss what one has to let go of in order to trust that the crops will grow in our creative fields. We talk about Lou's inspiring journey and how she is always aiming to draw from the energy of a greater consciousness than that of the individual.

This is a truly inspiring chat with one of my favourite singers/songwriters/creatives on the planet.