My new band is The Great Escape Artists. The mainstay of the band is myself on guitar and vocals, Krista Joel (the gorgeous and excellent hot-pants legend) on bass and vocals, an the intense, brooding bundle of technical intensity that is Nick Owen-Petch on keyboards and vocals. We have such a wide variety of influences that it’s hard to say what we sound like, so maybe these reviews give you an idea…
The highly-respected Classic Rock Society says this about us: “Powerful yet melodic guitar-driven rock with a definite ’70s vibe. Excellent guitar work, some delightful vocals and more hooks than J.R. Hartley are the feature throughout, particularly on the wonderful “Devil Made Me Do it”. Great upbeat rock which will put a smile on your face. Bring It On!”…also, Prog Rock keyboards legend Rick Wakeman described us as being “Music with attitude and tunes!”
The International Songwriters’ Association describes our songs as “Clever, Hooky, Fine and Excellent”! The Musician’s Union magazine says “supertight, boisterous 70s rifferama and relaxed acoustic songs. Excellent!”
My own influences from a songwriting point of view aren’t quite the same as my guitar-playing influences. Any artists or band who make music made with passion, honesty and feeling will always get my attention.the music MUST be played by real musicians! I’d say my favourites might just be:
ABBA/Agnetha Faltskog, Sparks, Queen, Cole Porter, early-David Bowie, UFO, , Queens of the Stone Age, Deep Purple, Django Reinhardt, ELO, The Beatles, Boomtown Rats, The Kinks, Gary Numan, Free, Muse, The Jam, The Eagles, The Who, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, and any of the classic swing-era composers. There are of course many many more!
This list (in my head mainly) constantly-evolving and changing. I just try my best to learn from the greats, whether they are household names or not. I always think the best vehicle for great guitar-playing is a great song!
Learn more about the Great Escape Artists and listen to their music.
