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Photo credit: Tino Sieland
The U.S. is not the popular hot spot for rock or blues Music. There are many other countries that are thriving at it. There has been a strong demand for streaming rock and blues channels in the UK and across the globe. The days of rock music being an American thing, is long gone. Rightfully so. The songs written about great American past times, are the same experienced elsewhere. Family gatherings, love won, and love lost, are not new to humanity. No matter your nationality, culture or background, everyone is experiencing the same types of emotions. There is also a valid point, that music cures all. Especially when it comes to a broken heart. Yes, there are also many good times to sing about. This is not an American thing. Good times are felt everywhere you go in this world. Where there good and bad times, rock music will be leading the way.
There are some excellent International Rock and Blues artists:
· Erick Clapton
· Ringo Starr
· Neil Young
· Bryan Adams
· Thin Lizzy
· Jimmy Paige
· Bob Marley
· Carlos Santana
The list of international artists is into the hundreds. Musicians that have had a key role in implementing authentic elements to their perspective genres’.
It is important to recognize the wealth of talent that comes from outside of the country we reside. Because music of every genre, is an international language. Each one of us can connect effectively through the emotion tied to lyrics or sound.
One of the artists that we have known of for many years is Alastair Greene. He is a American blues rock singer. Alastair Greene may not be what your ears are used to when you think of blues music in the traditional sense. He has his own unique way of expressing himself through the blues genre. I would almost entertain the idea that he could be classified as rock / blues but with a little bit of shred. Which is an interesting combination. However, I rather have him explain, how he would describe his brand of music. Let’s review just a couple of main thoughts about who Alastair Greene is.
ABOUT ALASTAIR GREENE
Guitar virtuoso Alastair Greene has artfully managed a dynamic solo career while contributing to the music of notable artists such as Grammy-winner Alan Parsons and soul blues Grammy nominee Sugaray Rayford. Greene's latest release, STANDING OUT LOUD, is a commanding declaration poised to solidify his position as a seasoned veteran in the blues rock world.
With STANDING OUT LOUD (his 11th solo record), Greene set out to create an honest,
no-nonsense record that recalls the spirit of his favorite music from the 1960's and 70's.
For that purpose, he headed to Nashville in January 2024, knocking out eight of the
album's eleven songs. His partner in this endeavor was Nashville stalwart JD Simo, who
co-produced with Greene and engineered the tracks in his own House of Grease studio.
With a strong batch of original songs rooted in blues and southern rock traditions, STANDING OUT LOUD builds upon the momentum created by his critically acclaimed solo releases of recent years. "Teaming up with Ruf Records for this album feels like a natural and perfect fit for the progression of my career," says the California native and multi-charting Billboard artist that Blues Music Magazine called "a major talent in the blues-rock category."
With the album complete, Greene is itching to hit the road, starting with his Ruf Blues Caravan dates with Eric Johanson and Katarina Pejak. His 2024 tour schedule will include festival and club dates across the U.S. and over 40 European dates. "I've toured Europe many times as the guitarist with the Alan Parsons Live Project, and I'm excited to be bringing my music to the people."
INTERVIEW WITH ALASTAIR GREENE AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: I must admit that I always thought rock metal music was an American genre. How mistaken I was, after I stepped into the music industry. I was proud to learn, that blues / rock music is a global genre. Streaming efforts are increasing all around the world. Heavy metal, rock and the blues continue to be the genres of choice. Especially in the U.K and Asian countries. The data shows an increasing amount of streaming traffic coming from outside of the U.S. That is amazing. When we heard Alastair Greene for the first time, it all started to come together. There were just artists, that we didn’t have the exposure too. At least within the U.S. Now, this is changing, in a big way. That is good for us, because “Alastair Greene is a musical treasure”.
Guitar Thrills: Hello Alastair. I want to thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. Can you start by telling us more about Alastair Greene? Who is he, and what makes him an artist that fans will come to enjoy?
Alastair: Thanks for the opportunity. I am a blues rock musician originally from California and now living in Austin, TX. I’m about to release my next solo record Standing Out Loud on Ruf Records on May 17th. My music is very guitar driven with lyrics people can relate to. I enjoy engaging with my fans and creating a sense of musical camaraderie.
Guitar Thrills: How would you describe your style of music and sound?
Alastair: I’ve always straddled the line between 70s hard rock and blues rock. I’ve been exploring those genres for over 20 years. With my latest record I wanted to capture a raw early 70s rock sound.
Guitar Thrills: What do you believe is the reason for the high demand of the various music genres internationally?
Alastair: Music is changing with each decade. Genres are evolving and are definitely crossing over. New generations are always hungry for something new to call their own.
Guitar Thrills: Who were the artists that inspired you? Including the rock elements in your sound.
Alastair: On the blues side of things definitely the 3 Kings (Albert, BB, and Freddie). I also really love Albert Collins and Magic Sam. Those are some of my favorites as far as the blues go. In the blues rock vein I love Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, all of the early British blues rock players,…as far as the more rock side of things I started listening to Eddie Van Halen when I was younger and he was a huge inspiration early on.
Guitar Thrills: I mentioned that many artists work hard to sound unique. It is what makes you different from the others in an over inflated industry. You are unique, and you stand out from other artists. What do you contribute to your unique sound?
Alastair: I’ve always been drawn to vocal harmonies, even very simple ones. I’ve been incorporating those since my very first record. I also am a fan of having an actual chorus section in songs so I work hard to include a few songs that are arranged like classic rock or pop songs on every record. In regards to playing guitar I’ve been working on being more melodic.
GT: Do you write your own music? If so, how important is that to you?
Alastair: I have always written most of my music and that’s very important to me. That’s something that’s become more and more important to me over the years. On my new record I did more co-writing than I’ve done on previous albums and that’s proven to be really cool.
Guitar Thrills: Talk to us about your latest accomplishments.
Alastair: I’m currently on tour in Europe as part of the Ruf Records Blues Caravan. My new record drops May 17th.
Guitar Thrills: Are you planning to go back into the studio anytime soon, or are you out on the road promoting yourself as a musician or artist? Which one is a priority to you?
Alastair: I plan to go back into the studio eventually but first I need to promote and tour this record. They are both priorities to me.
Guitar Thrills: It is apparent that you represent a host of brands. Have you had a specific brand or endorsement that really made a huge impression on you? If so, which one and why?
Alastair: I mostly play Gibson guitars although I don’t have an official endorsement with them. I’ve been using Category 5 amplifiers which have had a positive impact on getting the sounds that I hear in my head. We started a relationship a couple years ago. As far as the endorsements I’ve had the longest….I’ve been using Seymour Duncan pickups and Ernie Ball strings since I started playing and am fortunate enough to have been endorsing both for over 20 years. I also absolutely love Mogami cables and Reunion Blues guitar cases.
Guitar Thrills: Do you think it is a waste of efforts or talent to just endorse brands or should a guitarist have loftier goals?
Alastair: It’s always nice to have relationships with companies who make instruments and music gear. Getting endorsements by companies can be helpful, especially when you’re getting ready to go out on tour. I believe those relationships are easier to have once you’ve accomplished some goals like making records and touring.
Guitar Thrills: Where do you plan on performing? Do you make it outside the country for shows?
Alastair: I will be touring in the United States and Europe in 2024. I hope to see you at a show!
Guitar Thrills: You are very talented Alastair. It was with much pleasure that we had an opportunity to interview you. Please keep us updated on what your plans are for future releases and performances. We want to be a valuable resource to promote your music.
Alastair: Thanks so much!
Guitar Thrills: We look forward to speaking to you soon.
A RECAP OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
