Norman Beaker
Barry Middleton (BM) interview with Norman Beaker (NB) - May 2010
BM: If you didn’t play music (in a band) what would you be doing?
NB: Probably something in medicine, I was always into that especially in the physic field.
BM: What bluesman (dead or alive) would you like to play with, live on stage?
NB: At the moment I’m playing with Larry Garner, and that’s great, from the dead side I suppose it would have to be Freddy King, he is the one of the few I have never met or played with, typical.
BM: What were your first experiences of the Blues?
NB: My attention was brought to blues music through my brother Malcolm who now runs Morning After Music, a record shop in Wales. He was very keen on people like Howlin Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, and others. He used to relay what he’d seen. Then one day he brought home Five Live Yardbirds, and I loved it. And from there my interest started to grow, and I found that although I still liked the pop music of the day, when I started playing guitar I always sounded like a Blues player.
BM: Who were the influences on your musical career?
NB: When I was 7 or 8 years old, I won a talent competition in Wales, and the prize was 10 bob, and a spot on Lonnie Donegans, show at the Gaiety Theatre in Rhyl, and I was forever a Donegan fan. So it was really nice that not long before his death we used to meet up on the Van Morrison tours. A real gent and a true catalyst. My blues hero is Freddy King, and Dr John, so many really. From other genres I love Stevie Wonder and Al Jarreau.
BM: What is the biggest festival you have played?
NB: Probably with Jack Bruce in Budapest, I couldn’t tell you the exact number, but I could not see the end of the crowd... 20,000 maybe. It doesn’t make any difference to me, the more the merrier, I feel more nervous playing in small pubs than at big Festivals.
BM: Aims for the future and what do you hope to achieve within the Blues?
NB: I have already been lucky enough to fulfil my ambitions, I suppose you just want to keep doing it as long as you can, and improve as you go along.
BM: Why do you feel that young people are not as attracted to the Blues as other Genres?
NB: I think they are , we have a lot of young people come to our gigs, I think when they see the music can also have a bit of humour and entertainment value, they are pleasantly surprised at first. Most uninitiated people think it will be all gloom and doom
BM: What other styles of music have you drawn inspiration from?
NB: Gospel, Soul, Funk and folk I would say are the primary sources, some jazz like Chic Chorea and Herbie Hancock too
BM: Do you think the blues scene on the continent is better than in the UK, if so why?
NB: I think on the continent, people are not so hung up on musical fashion, and give a wide variety of music a chance, where as in the UK, people tend to only go and listen to what they already know
BM: Which country do you enjoy playing in most of all? And Why?
NB: I love playing in Germany, the fans are very enthusiastic and loyal, once they like you, they always do, I do like playing in the UK a lot though
NB: I think it is always evolving, when I first signed to JSP Records we were the only white act on label. And we really sold a lot of albums, playing original compositions, relative to life we understood, and with a little more melody. And now when you look around at the younger end like Aynsley Lister, Oli Brown Ian Siegal etc, the evolution is plain to see. I think the feel of the blues is all important, but the way to interpret must and always will change.
Thank you Norman for the Interview
Barry Middleton
Nottingham Blues Society
BM: Who was the last blues act that you paid to see?
NB: John Mayall I think, I was always a massive fan of his, and have seen him so many times I can’t remember.
BM: What was the last blues CD that you bought for yourself?
NB: Larry Garners, Here today gone tomorrow. Which is handy, as I am now playing some of them with Larry on tour.
BM: What do you do to relax when you have some spare time away from music?
NB: I love listening to old Comedy shows such as Hancock, Steptoe, and my favourite new comic , and a good friend of mine Count Arthur Strong (Steve Delaney)
BM: What makes a good gig for you as a performer?
NB: I always want to see intensity, like it is really meant, I don’t mind the odd cock up as long as the music has some life and depth
BM: What can be done to keep the blues music fresh and modern or do you think it should stay in the past?
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