Whitesnake/UFO legend Bernie Marsden recalls the highs, lows and baggage-carousel neurosis of touring
Charlie Watts once inadvertently summed up life on the road, when he answered a question about how long he’d been with The Rolling Stones. He said: “About 25 years. Five years of playing and 20 hanging about!”
I know exactly what he meant, and many others will understand if they have ever been on the road. Sure, it’s a wonderful thing to play the guitar for a living, but never forget that it’s also a job. I’m not comparing it with clocking in at 8am every day of the week and leaving at 5pm, but at least there you know when work starts and work ends.
When I turned professional at the age of 21 (at the end of 1972), everything was magical. I grew up in a town where you could count the number of cars on the road every day and so, to me, even traffic jams were enjoyable. Riding in a Cadillac along the whole length of the A5, the M1 or any new motorways, or starting a long trip to Scotland, Cornwall or Haverfordwest was initially exciting. The fuel was cheap and time seemed to evaporate into thin air… at least at the beginning. As the first few months of excitement dulled down, I realised that the job was going to be very hard work. Nobody ever believes that musicians work hard, but take it from me – they do.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2017-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra Summer 2017-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve