The new edition of Classic Rock Magazine (with Joe Perry on the cover), has a nice little article about ‘the new blues explosion’ with quotes from some leading figures in the scene. There is some quotes by Paul Jones, Thomas Ruf, Oli Brown, Ian Siegal, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Stephen Dale Petit, Sue Williams at Premier (PR), Laurie Staff at Cadiz Distribution and Trevor White programme director at Planet Rock.

Of most interest probably is the quotes from Aynsley:
He refers to seeing Joe Bonamassa at the Royal Albert Hall and states ‘seeing that number of people at a bluesy, very guitar centred show made me realise what an audience there is for this stuff… So now I’m thinking my next album should be a little more rootsy. Four or five years ago that would have seemed like a backwards step”.

Aynsley also makes mention of John Mayer’s Trio albums. The article is very favourable and also makes mention of Danny Bryant, Jay Tamkin, Dani Wilde and Kyla Brox. Perhaps the only downside is the comment from the guy at Planet Rock who states “There are some fine blues players like Aynsley Lister and Danny Bryant but by focussing solely on the blues they limit their appeal”. Clearly he’s not that familar with Aynsley’s work!! However White’s closing statement is “it’s good to welcome Aynsley and Danny into the mix the same way as we champions Joe”. So maybe there is hope for Planet Rock!

The article finishes with nearly a page devoted to ‘the pick of the new guitar slingers’ and lists: Aynsley Lister - Equilibrium, Matt Schofield - Heads Tails & Aces, Joanne Shaw Taylor - White Sugar, Oli Brown - Open Road, Davy Knowles - Coming Up For Air and Philip Sayce - Peace Machine.

So a good bit of publicity for Aynsley and co, and a far cry from their article in 2007 when they only listed Aynsley in their list of top new blues artists! Lets hope Classic Rock take it to the next stage with some individual interviews with some of the artists mentioned!

And nice to hear Aynsley is planning something a little more rootsy!

Great stuff, articles like this can only entice a wider audience.

Greenose - 07 February 2010 09:18 PM

The new edition of Classic Rock Magazine (with Joe Perry on the cover), has a nice little article about ‘the new blues explosion’ with quotes from some leading figures in the scene. There is some quotes by Paul Jones, Thomas Ruf, Oli Brown, Ian Siegal, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Stephen Dale Petit, Sue Williams at Premier (PR), Laurie Staff at Cadiz Distribution and Trevor White programme director at Planet Rock.

Of most interest probably is the quotes from Aynsley:
He refers to seeing Joe Bonamassa at the Royal Albert Hall and states ‘seeing that number of people at a bluesy, very guitar centred show made me realise what an audience there is for this stuff… So now I’m thinking my next album should be a little more rootsy. Four or five years ago that would have seemed like a backwards step”.

Aynsley also makes mention of John Mayer’s Trio albums. The article is very favourable and also makes mention of Danny Bryant, Jay Tamkin, Dani Wilde and Kyla Brox. Perhaps the only downside is the comment from the guy at Planet Rock who states “There are some fine blues players like Aynsley Lister and Danny Bryant but by focussing solely on the blues they limit their appeal”. Clearly he’s not that familar with Aynsley’s work!! However White’s closing statement is “it’s good to welcome Aynsley and Danny into the mix the same way as we champions Joe”. So maybe there is hope for Planet Rock!

The article finishes with nearly a page devoted to ‘the pick of the new guitar slingers’ and lists: Aynsley Lister - Equilibrium, Matt Schofield - Heads Tails & Aces, Joanne Shaw Taylor - White Sugar, Oli Brown - Open Road, Davy Knowles - Coming Up For Air and Philip Sayce - Peace Machine.

So a good bit of publicity for Aynsley and co, and a far cry from their article in 2007 when they only listed Aynsley in their list of top new blues artists! Lets hope Classic Rock take it to the next stage with some individual interviews with some of the artists mentioned!

And nice to hear Aynsley is planning something a little more rootsy!

Yeah, great to get more positive publicity...........

Great spot Duncan.
The proof will be in the pudding however, as far as Planet Rock go, they say all the right things about Aynsley, but never play him. It’s amazing (and annoying) the amount of stuff very similar to what Aynsley has done in the past is played. if you listen to PR all day, lots of guitar oriented bluesy stuff gets aired, but unles it’s by JB, Gary Moore or George Thorogood, it’s ignored.

Great spot Duncan

Thanks for teh heads up.

BB

What music has shown over the years is its ability to act and react. Whenever music gets too produced, clinical and generally predictable there is always an antidote on hand, remember the rock to punk shift in the 70s.

Im sure there have been a couple of false dawns before and there is a long way to go but you get the general feeling that Blues in on the upswing.

I also agree with what was said in that Equilibrium is not a blues album so to brand Aynsleys current work as Blues shows a concerning lack of research from someone who is in the business??

Opps forgot to say..

It is annoying that the likes of Plant Rock don’t give Aynsley the airplay but some of that must also lay back with management. What is being done to change things? If we can’t see any results then it’s easy to assume not very much but Im sure Alan can fill us in.

Ian

Hmm, the subject has taken an interesting turn. I do think Planet Rock are misguided in their approach to Aynsley as clearly he is more than ‘solely blues’. Indeed the reference to Danny Bryant makes my chuckle as Danny is plays a more traditional style blues rock than Aynsley, yet Danny sounds very much like Walter Trout, who is regularly played on Planet Rock!!

I guess one of the excuses Planet Rock would use is that there have not been that many requests to hear Aynsley.  As most of us recall last year we did get Aynsley played and a vague promise they would play him again.

Therefore my suggestion in this respect to Alan would be to send out a new newsletter advertising the shows with It Bites (and the European dates), and make mention that to coincide with the tour we would like fans to make more requests to Planet Rock to play Aynsley. The newsletter could list the email addresses provided under the street team thread. The newsletter would reach more people that regularly visit the forum, so I think that approach could be quite productive, and certainly help co-ordinate a response. Hopefully if people do hear Aynsley a little more on PR it will lead to other listeners asking to hear him again…

So yes I would say management could take more of a lead and hope this suggestion is useful. Also the newsletter would give Alan the chance to tell us about the release of the live album, which according to Midus’s facebook status has been completed and ready to release!

By the way, Danny Bryant has a new album out this week too...............

Also, I wonder how many people on here actually listen to Planet Rock? I don’t..........is it 5, 10, 20, 100?????? - if it’s nearer to 5 than 100, I doubt whether any requests to play Aynsley will make much of a difference, taking into account that only about 10 or so “regularly” post on here, or the magnificent 7, as I have referred to before.

eldo56 - 08 February 2010 10:13 AM

Also, I wonder how many people on here actually listen to Planet Rock? I don’t..........is it 5, 10, 20, 100?????? - if it’s nearer to 5 than 100, I doubt whether any requests to play Aynsley will make much of a difference, taking into account that only about 10 or so “regularly” post on here, or the magnificent 7, as I have referred to before.

That’s precisely the reason I am suggesting it comes from management via their mailing list which is far larger than the number of regular posters on the forum. It is likely to cover a diverse set of people who will have heard of and enjoyed Aynsley one time or another. While there many not be a large number of listeners on the forum, there could be main on ther mailing list (think of all those Skynyrd fans for example). Essentially it does not matter how many regulars here to do. The It Bites tour is a strategy to get Aynsley a more mainstream rock following, so it would make sence for them to capitalise on this by getting the band more airplay in those areas that could enhance this?
The campaign needs to come from the centre this time… otherwise it won’t work and will be another missed opportunity.

eldo56 - 08 February 2010 10:13 AM

Also, I wonder how many people on here actually listen to Planet Rock?

I must be the only one, then.

Me Too! Got it on now…

So at the moment, the numbers are looking nearer to 5 than 100

we’re the only ones man enough to admit it!!!!

I too am a regular listener on Planet Rock. I have exchanged e-mails with quite a few of the presenters regarding Aynsley, but as already been stated they do not appear to be playing any more of his material. I notice on the Planet Rock gig guide the It Bites shows are listed but no mention of Aynsley either with It Bites or the full band shows that follow. His last UK tour was listed. I also communicated with Rachie a short while ago about getting a link to this web site through Planet Rock, She said she would get onto it, I can only assume it has not been done Planet Rock’s end. 

Paul

ps, great spot by Duncan again for the original article.

Yes Paul, so thats 3 of you - we’re getting close to 5 - it looks like Alan needs an assistant to keep up with all this stuff!!!! - and maybe take some Planet Rock people out to lunch!!!!