| Good writing has a transcendent quality and | | | | protest movement and as a teenager I was inspired |
| possesses the power to transport through time and | | | | by Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Neil Young |
| mindset. Even if it is done purely for the sake of | | | | and many other singer/songwriters, as well as the |
| entertainment, good writing enables us to see and | | | | whole idea of an alternative society. I would say that |
| experience life from vantage points much different | | | | I fancied myself as following in these singer |
| than our own. Steve Andrews (aka The Bard of Ely) | | | | songwriters' footsteps if I could. By the age of 16 I |
| offers a complex and varied array of songs that are | | | | was going to festivals and gigs and I made my own |
| in short "good writing". | | | | start at playing guitar and writing songs and poetry. |
| The Bard of Ely carries listeners through various | | | | Initially it was an effort to impress girls because I |
| paradigms that range from the earthy and humorous | | | | was painfully shy. I had decided that I wasn't that |
| musings of "You're A Liar, Nicky Wire" and the | | | | impressed by the Beatles, although John Lennon is |
| bravado spoof "Superhero" to "other- worldly" | | | | one of my 'heroes,' and The Stones were far more |
| expositions like "For Peter & for Paul" and "Priest of | | | | my sort of rock band. Neil Young was my favorite |
| the Venusians". | | | | guitarist then and still is. Other acts that I really liked |
| Perhaps the true heart, soul and conscience of The | | | | and still do are Hendrix, David Bowie, Roy Harper, |
| Bard Of Ely find clearest expression in "commentary" | | | | Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Dory Previn, Jefferson |
| songs like "The Hundredth Monkey v The Beast" and | | | | Airplane, Nico, Lou Reed, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Bob |
| "Insect Inside" or the philosophical proclamation | | | | Marley, Neil Diamond, the Incredible String Band, Syd |
| "Sound of One". | | | | Barrett, Joni Mitchell, Bridget St John, Tyrannosaurus |
| As you read Steve's responses to the CreatorsWeb | | | | and T. Rex, Roxy Music and many many more. Then |
| Interview questions below you will see that he sites | | | | in the mid '70s Punk and New Wave happened and a |
| the influences of songwriters like Bob Dylan, Cat | | | | lot of the energy of the movement I found inspiring. |
| Stevens and Neil Young. You will recognize their | | | | I saw a lot of the bands then like The Clash, |
| musical and spiritual presence in The Bard of Ely | | | | Boomtown Rats, the Stranglers, Patti Smith and |
| tracks as you listen. | | | | others. |
| Check it out for free at: | | | | What has influenced your music the most? |
| **************************** | | | | All those acts I have mentioned above, along with |
| Register Your Band For A CreatorsWeb Review and | | | | many more modern ones and genres of music like |
| Interview | | | | the Blues, Soul, R&B, Folk, Rock 'n' Roll, Jazz, |
| ***************************** | | | | Experimental and anything else that I've spent time |
| Advertise On Over 100 Entertainment And Art | | | | listening too. My inspiration for songs though is very |
| Related Websites optenplace/rotation.htm | | | | varied and just reflects my life I think. |
| ****************************** | | | | Music And Internet Marketing |
| Music Style And Audience | | | | How has the Internet effected you as a musician? |
| How do you classify your music? | | | | In a big way: I used to be heavily involved in music |
| I don't! If asked I say I write songs. I am always | | | | networking via the snail mail with all the fanzines and |
| fascinated finding out what other people make of my | | | | small press and the casssette culture which gave |
| songs but for me I feel that a song is basically a set | | | | way to CDs, but I seem to have phased most of |
| of words, the lyrics, and a tune. I write my words | | | | that out because the Internet is a lot easier, cheaper |
| first and then find a tune on the guitar and that is | | | | and faster to use. |
| the basic song but how it turns out later is another | | | | Also, I have made very many good friends, whom I |
| matter. All songs are open to being arranged | | | | have met via OMDs and at bbs, and discovered so |
| differently and can be given different production. | | | | much excellent music. As well as these things it has |
| They all start out as words and music and in my own | | | | given me a means of collaborating with people all |
| creative process I write the lyrics first, so in the | | | | over the world. |
| beginning was the word! | | | | When did you start marketing your music on the |
| Do you target a specific audience? If so, who? | | | | Internet? |
| Not really, I just sing my songs and if people like | | | | In about 1997 when I first began to understand IT |
| them then I consider that to that degree I have | | | | and to have access to computers. |
| been successful as an artist. I do find I get a better | | | | What has been the most effective way to market |
| reaction from rock fans rather than 'folkies' though. | | | | your music on the Internet? |
| What performance venues are you currently | | | | Via OMDs and Bulletin Boards. My favorite OMD was |
| exploring? | | | | and I haven't seen any other site which has offered |
| Mainly festivals. I have been the compere for the | | | | so much. The stations it gave acts the option of |
| Avalon Stage at Glastonbury Festival for the last 2 | | | | creating was a great way to promote your music |
| years, as well as playing there, and followed this with | | | | and that of other acts you enjoyed, as well as |
| doing the same at It's Jo and Danny's Green Man | | | | finding new music. |
| Festival in Brecon. | | | | Musicians And The Future |
| Musical Instruments - Recording - Computer | | | | What does the future hold for you? |
| Hardware - Software | | | | More collaborations, more festivals...but as to where |
| What musical instruments do you play? | | | | my music will take me I really don't know! I have just |
| Guitar and harmonica, keyboards, penny whistle and | | | | written my first song in Spanish and am learning the |
| Jew's harp enough to have used them on recordings. | | | | language, so who knows where my path will lead? |
| Kazoo too but that is so simple it doesn't really count | | | | Finally, is there anything else you want to say about |
| as 'playing.' I regard my vocals as an instrument as | | | | yourself? |
| well. | | | | I prefer to hear what others think of me and my |
| Do you record in a home studio? | | | | work so I'll let my good friends Laura J Bollé and |
| I haven't got one, only Cool Edit and a microphone | | | | Chris Kalessin have their say: |
| but I have used the home-studios of friends. | | | | Words can barely describe the amazing, |
| What equipment and software do you use? | | | | multi-talented, multi-faceted and multi-media |
| Various. It all depends on what is available. I have | | | | phenomenon that is the Bard of Ely!!! Part |
| various guitars but I mainly use a semi-acoustic | | | | eco-warrior, poet, Arthurian Druid, master of herblore, |
| Fleetwood jumbo for practice and gigging. The only | | | | techno-folk fusion pioneer, MC, songwriter, singer, |
| computer music software I have used myself is Cool | | | | actor, writer and performer, the Bard has assumed |
| Edit. I must confess that I don't know much about | | | | cult status and is featured in many counter-culture |
| creating digital music and am much happier with a | | | | books and articles ... a genuinely iconic figure! |
| guitar and mic. This doesn't stop me collaborating with | | | | His solo work, many collaborations (most recently |
| other musicians online who are skilled with this new | | | | with Funender stalwart Ed Drury) and remixes |
| technology, and in fact I have a song called 'Electric | | | | represent a wonderfully eclectic body of writing and |
| Bard,' which is a 3-way collaboration between myself | | | | performance, work that that does justice to the |
| and EXLectiX from America and Catherine Duc from | | | | traditions of acoustic music, yet with modernity, |
| Australia. I wrote the words and did the vocals and | | | | political relevance, and some great melodies! :) |
| my collaborators created the music and produced it. | | | | And something else that distinguishes this talented |
| Also, the highly talented musician, Ed Drury, has | | | | artist is his enthusiastic and positive support for music |
| added his music and arrangements to a series of my | | | | and musicians, and his friendly, universally-respected |
| poems. This sort of thing, to my mind, is one of the | | | | presence across the online music community. We are |
| wonderful things about the world of music available | | | | proud to know him and highly recommend his music |
| online. | | | | to all - Steve, the Bard of Ely!!! |
| Musical Background -Influences | | | | Check him out TODAY!!! |
| How did you get started playing music? | | | | **************************** |
| I would have been aged about 12 and I was listening | | | | Register Your Band For A CreatorsWeb Review and |
| to pop and some rock bands and also soul and Tamla | | | | Interview |
| and this would have been when I was first thinking | | | | ***************************** |
| about it. This was the time of the 'Mersey sound.' | | | | Advertise On Over 100 Entertainment And Art |
| Then the psychedelic '60s arrived and the folk | | | | Related Websites optenplace/rotation. |