Kevin Booths film "American Drug War"

Kevin Booth, who wrote "Agent of Evolution", a book about his friend and comedian Bill Hicks, has now made a film entitled "American Drug War-the last white hope". Kevin approached me a few months ago to record a bit of guitar for the film, which thru the miracle of the internet was easily and quickly completed . Also, since I have used a Bill Hicks audio sample on my track Demons on the Slideaway CD, I thought it only decent to oblige. Although my contribution is really only very tiny, I'm looking forward to traveling to LA to see the film, which will be showing on February 9th 2007 - Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd..

I intend to make a blog of the trip with photos and text etc. So if you're interested keep an eye out here after the 10th of November.

Bye for now,

Paul

"PROMISES" New Paul Rose CD now available

Paul Rose's new CD "Promises" is now available to pre-order. A paypal facility is now at the website, and the album will soon be available thru all major mp3 sites such as i-tunes and snocap etc.

The album is by far Paul's best work to date and features songs, instrumentals and one or two cover versions, all done with refreshing originality and style. The CD will be ready for shipping in approximately 2 weeks.

Limavady Jazz & Blues Festival

On the weekend of June 7th & 8th 2007, I played at the Limavady Jazz & Blues festival as part of my recent run of gigs in Northern Ireland. While killing time in the unbearably hot and humid afternoons, I had a chance to catch up with my old friend John Whitehill. John was with Paul Lamb and the King Snakes for a long time and the Blues Burglars before that. He recently came 7th in Guitarist magazines "top 10 UK blues guitarists of all time" poll. Eric Clapton and Peter Green were also in the list.


John was playing at the festival with his new band "The Real Deal" which features former Blues Burglars members Billy Sharpe on vocals and Eddie Bowman on drums. Another friend of mine John "Captain" Morgan is playing bass.

I used to travel to London with these guys when I was a teenager, and was given the chance to get up and jam in many venues around the UK during the late 80's and early 90's. I found it refreshing and encouraging to know that we are all still out there playing the music we love, and enjoying it just as much as before, if not more.

Time marches on and I have learned many a hard lesson since those days, that now seem like part of a different life time.

Krozka-Sharpe Guitars

Paul visits the K-S Guitar workshop in Blyth, Northumberland, on Monday June 4th, just to see how the "Paul Rose-Atom Ray signature model" is progressing. Only to find out that due to cut backs, the guitar is now being made to a budget.

I have been invited by Northumbria guitar builders Joe Krozka and Dave Sharpe to get involved in the development and promotion of their new company Krozka-Sharpe Guitars. I am currently experimenting with the Atom-Ray guitar, and I must say I am very impressed so far. The guitar is an entirely new design and is handmade from start to finish, with massive attention to detail and quality. Machining is kept to a minimum, thus focusing on true guitar craftsmanship. They are quite a departure from my Fenders, but they play and sound absolutely great.

Krozka-Sharpe even design there own pickups and strings. The guitar I have has an original Krozka-Sharpe “Bomber 69” pickup fitted, which is dynamite. As well as a set of gauge 9-42 “K-S Slims”.

Joe and Dave are currently working on a special edition Paul Rose signature model, which will be ready in a few months time.

Watch this space for updates, as I plan to post more info and pics as the guitar is developed and built. In the meantime I have posted a "high res" i-tunes freindly MP3, that you can download for free. This is from an experiment with the guitar pictured using Amplitube software. You can also check out the official website, where you'll find details of the materials and techniques used to make these superb instruments, and information about the plans and aims of Krozka-Sharpe Guitars.

Atom-Ray MP3

Krozka-Sharpe Guitars official website

Thanks for looking and keep checking back.

Paul

Summertime by George Gershwin

Below is a link to "Summertime" By G. Gershwin. The chords are almost a 12 bar blues, but he wrote this little 2 chord thing that is here in the introduction of my version. I find it mesmerising and hypnotic. Such an incredible compostition, although this is just something I did by ear. I'm sure there would be a lot more to it if I could read and write music like a "proper" musician as these guys were. But still, I completely love it all the same.

Summertime

Leeds Gigs Review

Paul Rose is a craftsman, who produces masterpieces of guitarmanship, every time he plays. To try and describe the level of skill he possesses, would be as easy as spotting a dropped stitch in the Bayeaux tapestry. In sets which bridge the acoustic guitar, with the Classical John Williams, the Blues of Tommy Emmanuel and the Rock of Jimi Hendrix, he creates a guitar master class which transfixed the audiences at both the Fox & Newt and the Duck & Drake this weekend. A play-list which went from “Somewhere over the rainbow” to “All along the Watchtower” with a little snippet of the Benny Hill theme thrown in for good measure, and you had performances not just to be remembered, but to be savoured. Performance is variable, class is permanent, Paul Rose is CLASS-personified.

leeds music promo

Yorkshire

I got home last night from my first ever venture into the Yorkshire live music scene. I had a great time at all gigs and will be looking forward to returning there soon. Which at the moment is as soon as next weekend for the Leeds Beer/Blues festival at the Fox and Newt, Burley Street, on Sunday April 8th (acoustic) and Monday April 9th (band).

My brother did his nurses training at St James hospital in Leeds and I used to hitch up there quite a bit from London, in times of desperate poverty due to excessive drunkenness. I used to wander around Leeds with "Metal Fatigue" & "Sand" on the old Walkman, trying to work out how on earth I was going to be Allan Holdsworth. Not an easy task I can tell you. But it certainly is strange going back to a place you haven't been to for a while to get a measure of how much time can change you. One thing has stayed the same though, and that is I still think Allan H is an inspiration and a genius. And yes I know, he's really from Bradford, but I hope you get the gist!!

Telecaster Mutiny.

As I'm sure most of you know, I have played Fender Strats more or less exclusively for the past 25 years or so. But, I must now confess to having been completely seduced by the sound, feel and the look of the trusted old Fender Telecaster.

As I've mostly played solo gigs over the past year or so, I have become used to the simplicity of the acoustic guitar and the strictness of its technical limitations ie: no distortion, no whammy bar and no pickups etc. So it sort of makes sense that when I pick up an electric guitar again, it should be a Tele. And, having constantly played cat and mouse with the strats tuning frailties, I find that like the acoustic guitar, the stability of the Telecaster is most refreshing, to say the least.

The guitar pictured above is a limited edition American Vintage Reissue Telecaster, in a very rare black finish (click image to enlarge). These were only made for a short time during 1997. When I first got this guitar I was instantly blown away by its sound, even more so than the other Tele I already had, but wasn't entirely convinced by its feel. Until that is, my friend Neil in Newcastle's Sound Control made the simplest of adjustments to the truss rod. Then suddenly "Hey Presto" the guitar exploded into life. Never before have I experienced such a dramatic change in an instrument from such a minute mechanical correction. This particular guitar is very heavy and has a sound like nothing else I've ever heard. I love the grainy gritty tone of these guitars so much I cant stop playing them.

I have posted an mp3 of how this guitar sounds, you can hear it by simply clicking the link below.

Telecaster Mutiny mp3

All the best,

Paul

Miami, Fla

Here is myself with Steve Alaimo (centre) and Steve Gordon (right). Steve A is an industry giant who has been associated with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Babara Streisand, The Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, and many other legendary names. He also wrote "Sweet Melissa" with The Allman Brothers. Steve G on the right is a very successful session guitarist and producer based in Miami. He has worked with BonJovi, Zak Wilde, Peter Frampton and Al Green, among others. This picture was taken at Audio Vision Studios in Miami were I was playing last week (Jan/Feb 2007). Shame about the weather though.

This picture was taken at Royal Palace Studio in Miami, during the mixing of Foghats new album. Eddie Zyne in the blue tee shirt has played drums with Hall & Oates, Rick Derringer & The Monkeys. Billy Livesay in the green tee shirt also plays guitar with Clarence Clemons, the very well known sax player with Bruce Springsteen. Steve Gordon is sitting down engineering the session.

Here I am again, with a '58 strat. An original mind you, not a custom shop or a reissue. And a trusty Marshall 50watt DSL head with a combination of speaker cabs. Also taken at Royal Palace Studio. Note: neither the strat nor the gold records belong to me.

And why all this stuff from Miami all of a sudden? Well, we are looking at ways for me to make a new album in the USA. Although we are only in the very early stages of this new project, many exciting ideas surrounding line up, studios and working with other bands are being suggested and contemplated. We will of course keep you posted on developments, and if/when we have any news, we will post it here straight away.