Simon Campbell (musician)
Simon Campbell | |
|---|---|
| File:Simon-campbell-beneviente-suzy-starlite.jpg Simon Campbell. Photo by Suzy Starlite and used with her kind permission. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 9 January 1958 Radcliffe, Greater Manchester |
| Genres | British blues, blues, British rock music, Americana and folk. |
| Instruments | Electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | Supertone Records (London) |
| Associated acts | Starlite Campbell Band, Electrolite, Whitefire, Roadrunner, Guilt Edge, Little Brother, The Disciples |
| Website | simoncampbell |
Simon John Campbell (born 9 January 1958) is a British Musician, Singer-songwriter and Record producer has had a long and varied music career[1]. Alongside his wife Suzy Starlite, Campbell currently records and performs exclusively as a member of the British Rock/blues-rock group the Starlite Campbell Band. Their debut album, Blueberry Pie was nominated for a European Blues Award in November 2017 and blends British blues, blues and Americana.
History[edit]
Campbell's first band was Whitefire[2], featuring Tim Wright (vocals), Eddie Byron Taylor III (drums) and Jim Beswick (bass) releasing a self-titled EP in 1978.[3]. Between 1977 and 1982 the band toured extensively across the United Kingdom, specifically in the Northeast of England. Whitefire changed its name to Roadrunner and musical direction to high energy R&B in 1982; they continued to tour throughout the UK.
Roadrunner split in 1986 with Campbell and Wright going on to form Guilt Edge quickly morphing into Little Brother in 1989 and were joined by Grant Baxter (drums), Gary Short on bass and Stephen Dowd on keyboards. They were signed by Derek Lawrence and Big Jim Sullivan recording their debut album Survival at Real Time Studios, Billingshust, West Sussex. The album was released on April 1, 1992[4].
The band dissolved shortly after the album release and Campbell formed both The Method with Michael Byron-Heir of Sad Cafe, Corey Hart and Barclay James Harvest, John Palmer (bass) and Michael Gilbourn (drums) and The Disciples with Dave Gilmour (drums), Eddie Horrox (guitar) and Julian Brooks (bass). In 1991 The Disciples[5] released a self-titled EP on cassette tape.[2]
Solo work[edit]
ThirtySix[edit]
Campbell moved to the Isle of Man in 2007 where he rediscovered his love for music-making and started to gig around the island with his band The Very Very Bad Men[6][1] and decided to record his debut solo album which he recorded at Lisa Stansfield's Gracieland Studios, Rochdale during 2010. ThirtySix[7] was released on the Supertone Records label on 26 March 2011. Musicians featured on the record were Kevin Whitehead (drums), Craig Fletcher (bass), Steve Rowe (bass), Sue Quin and Yvonne Shelton (backing vocals), Malcolm Melling (Flugelhorn), Christian Madden (Hammond organ, Mellotron, MOOG synthesiser and Fender Rhodes electric piano), Lea Mullen (percussion), Dave Bishop (Saxophone) and Pat Hartley (Trombone).
The album attracted positive reviews[8][9][10] and Campbell was nominated for a British blues award[11], for best male vocal.
The Knife[edit]
His love for acoustic music from both sides of the Atlantic prompted him to write songs suited to that style. Following a chance meeting with folk producer Andy Seward when he was playing double bass for Martin Simpson, they decided to team up to make a record. The Knife[12][13][14]was recorded at Campbell's fledgeling studio and the Erin Arts Centre on the Isle of Man, plus the Chairworks Studio in Castleford, England and Andy Cutting's shed.
This was the first time that Campbell worked with Suzy Starlite on his own material co-writing Do You Want Me[15] and providing lead/backing vocals plus Mellotron to the track. Also featured on this record were Keith Angel (drums), Andy Seward (bass), Christian Maddon (Hammond organ and electric piano), David Killgallon (grand piano and harmonium), B. J. Cole (pedal steel), Andy Cutting (melodeon and hurdy-gurdy) and Dave Formula (electric piano).
Starlite Campbell Band[edit]
The Starlite Campbell Band consist of Simon Campbell and Suzy Starlite. The band is known for British blues but the couple compose and release music in a variety of styles, from Americana, folk music, electronic music and progressive rock.
In progress
Equipment[edit]
Campbell is user of vintage equipment, specifically valve amplifiers for guitar, using multiple brands including vintage Hiwatt,[16] Gartone, Germino, Vox, Matamp, Supertone, Ampeg with speakers by Electro-Voice and Celestion.
Instruments include Gibson, Moog, Mosrite, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Collings Guitars, National Reso-Phonic Guitars, Guild Guitar Company, Duesenberg Guitars, Fylde Guitars Touchstone Walnut Mandolin plus signature models by luthier Jim Drake in Colorado and Gordon Whittam (Gordy) in Manchester, UK. Pickups by Lollar, Sheptone, Lindy Fralin and House of Tone[17]. Tempest and Prophet synthesisers by Sequential[18].
He uses guitar strings principally by Curt Mangan and Pyramid with effects units's by Lehle, DWJ Pedals, Supertone, Ernie Ball, Hudson Electronics, TC Electronic, Eventide, Lexicon, Chase Tone, Headway, Sonic Research, LovePedal, Skrydstrup R&D, Textone, Digitech, Voodoo Labs, GigRig, T-Rex[19], Origin Effects, CMAT Mods, Headway Music Audio, Gamechanger Audio, Strymon, B. K. Butler, Stomp Under Foot, Danelectro and Fulltone. He is known for his expertise and extensive use of the vintage Maestro Echoplex EP-3 tape echo[20]
Other interests[edit]
During his hiatus from music, he became a keen Scuba diver attaining the British Sub-Aqua Club National Instructor qualification[21] in 2007. In appreciation of his work on expeditions and exploration worldwide, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Discography[edit]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ThirtySix | Supertone Records |
| 2016 | The Knife | Supertone Records |
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | British Blues Awards[22] | Best Male Vocal | ThirtySix | Nominated |
| 2017 | European Blues Awards[23][24][25] | Best Album / Recorded Session | Starlite Campbell Band Blueberry Pie | Nominated |
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hickling, Sue. "Simon Campbell". Nottingham Blues Society. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Valencia Music... Simon Campbell (exclusive interview)". 24/7 Valencia. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ↑ "Whitefire: ~Whitefire". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ↑ "Tim Wright (9) With Little Brother (5) – Survival". Discogs. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ "Why I Play Guitar". Vocks. July 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ↑ "Mannifest 2010". eFestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ↑ "Simon Campbell: ThirtySix". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ "ThirtySix by Simon Campbell - album review: ThirtySix". IsleofMan.com. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ Corlet, Liz (May 2012). "Simon Campbell - An Amplified Life" (PDF). Manx Life.
- ↑ Slater, Bonzo (May 2012). "An Amplified Life" (PDF). Manx Life.
- ↑ "Simon Campbell nominated for British Blues Award". BBC News. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ "Simon Campbell: The Knife". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- ↑ "Simon Campbell: The Knife". Discogs. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- ↑ Owl (February 2015). "Simon Campbell" (PDF). TwentyFourSevenValencia.
- ↑ "Do You Want Me". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ↑ "Starlite Campbell Band". Hiwatt. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
- ↑ "Artists/Friends". House of Tone. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ "Artists". Sequential. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ↑ "Artists". T-Rex Effects. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ↑ "Starlite Campbell Band - Bannermans, Edinburgh, 19 December 2018". Blues Enthused. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ "e-talk". British Sub Aqua Club. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ↑ "Simon Campbell nominated for British Blues Award". BBC News. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ↑ "European Blues Awards". 5 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ↑ "Ramsbottom blues artist Simon Campbell nominated for Best Album/Recorded Session in the 2017 European Blues Awards". Bury Times. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ↑ "Manx Blues pair aim to conquer Europe". Isle of Man Newspapers. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
External links[edit]
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