2) You are both accomplished guitarist when did you start playing?
A long story! I had my first guitar (a tiny acoustic) at around the age of 5, a present from my grandfather. Not that I ever learnt how to play it at that age though! I did, at primary school, learn piano for about a year or so, but gave it up. Later on I had a 3/4 size guitar for learning classical, which I did for a short while. Serious music didn't start until about age 11, when I had trumpet lessons, up to grade 5. I used to play in orchestras and swing bands.
Around 15, I picked up the 3/4 size classical, and began to learn from scratch. I never really had any books or lessons of my own. I guess that's where the roots side of it fits in. I was really into the Stone Roses as a youngster, and engraved 'The Monkees' into the headstock, like John Squire's semi-acoustic! This guitar was turned round like Hendrix, because I'm left handed. Eventually I got a Fenix Strat copy and a peavey amp. I messed about with mates in a sort of band, and jammed with friends for years. I also bought the Sigma acoustic which Matt now uses whilst at college, as well as the 1978 Stratocaster that's on One Last Time. I never really played guitar live much before about 1999, although I did play trumpet with Beatsroute and Dr Tilt. In the last five years or so, I did begin to look at different chords and scales, which has really helped in some ways.
A couple of years back, I bought a wonderful 1965 Gibson ES-330, which is on River of Love, Adrift, and making feedback on One Last Time! Amp these days is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe - I have also had a big old Fender transistor amp, a Marshall Bluesbreaker, and a Fender Pro Junior. But if I could only have one desert island guitar, it would be my new Martin D28 acoustic. It is a fantastic instrument - and was used for all the acoustic parts on our E.P. It's fitted with a Headway pickup system, which works really well. The funny thing is, although Matt is right handed, he began to pick up my guitars, and became a left-handed guitarist. He even has a lefty Gibson ES335 of his own! We still have all of the old guitars around sometimes - the 3/4 size classical gets played on trips back home to see the folks in Kent, if we haven't got anything else!
3) You play so well as duo do you think you will ever extend the line up ?
We will always do acoustic gigs as a duo, but we have talked about adding bass and drums at some point. I don't know whether it will come off because we both play with other bands. He doesn't know it yet, but our old mate Maurice Bailey is highly favoured for the bass job. He is a top bloke and has great feel for music. Matt maybe has a drummer up his sleeve!
4) Your taking six months off, but what are your plans beyond this ?
Well, hope to record an album at some stage, I've got literally a pile of tapes of bits of songs to wade through and finish from the last few years. Well get back to the 12 Bar Club, The Horn, and hopefully spread our wings a bit with the live scene.
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