General News
October 2008 News Update
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Update 18th Oct
Gordon wins Lifetime Achievement Award
Gordon was surprised to be nominated, and absolutely delighted to be the winner of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award from Ards International Guitar Festival.
Read Gordon's review of the event Here
Update 9th Oct
Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination
Gordon will be in Ireland on 17th Oct playing at the 12th Annual Ards International Guitar Festival. He is delighted to have been nominated for their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Make sure you visit the Festival website and vote for Gordon.
Update 8th Oct
Gordon was delighted to receive the following email today:
Hi Gordon,
I note that you are playing at this years Ards Guitar Festival (Newtownards, Northern Ireland) on Friday 17th October. If you get a chance perhaps you would take a look at the website of my shop,
Belfast Guitar Emporium
On the glass dividing panels just inside our main entrance there are etchings re images of 3 guitar players..........one is Rory Gallagher, one is Jimmy Page and the 3rd one with the only acoustic guitar is yourself. Oops.......... forgot Hendrix is on there too. Take a look if you get a chance..............it's our little nod towards one of the UK's finest guitarists, namely yourself.
Hope you like it.
Best regards,
Ivan Preston
(Owner - Belfast Guitar Emporium, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Dear friends, this months news is a mixture of things, some good, some disappointing and some extremely sad.
AS IT HAPPENS.
This album as you know was released on a small independent label, the label now no longer exists, so to that end I have passed it over to Voiceprint, but because of their scheduling, the album won't be available until the spring of 2009, which is a shame as it's a very popular seller having two versions of The Dodo's Dream on it. Never mind, I'm sure that when it is re-released it will appear as a fresh album and hopefully will get the full attention it deserves.
FROM BRUSH AND STONE.
This long awaited album from the Wakeman and myself will now be released in early 2009. The reasons given by the record company are that they are building a new micro site specifically dedicated to this one album. Once again I'm very disappointed with the delay and was expecting a September release. Ours is not to reason why as they say. All I can say is that I promise you it will be worth the wait!
THREE PARTS GUITAR.
There are plans afoot to do a short tour in late 2009 with the trio John Etheridge, Ray Burley and yours truly. I'm just awaiting free dates from John Etheridge so we can plan a solid two week period in which to tour. It all pretty much hangs around John's availability. John is permanently on the road with The Soft Machine, his solo gigs, and working with the great John Williams. Anyway as soon as we get those dates it's full steam ahead. Working in this trio format is SO much fun, it would be a shame not to do more.
JERRY REED RIP.
It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of the legendary country guitarist Jerry Reed. Unfortunately I never met the man, but know SO many great guitarists that were influenced by him, the main ones being Albert Lee and Tommy Emmanuel.
I well remember meeting the great Chet Atkins in 1973 and Chet stating quite categorically that Jerry Reed was a genius, and coming from the great man himself meant it was profoundly true.
I also have a rather amusing story connected with one of Jerry's most popular guitar instrumentals 'The Claw' which for it's duration was theme tune for Country meets Folk in the late sixties right through to the end of the series.
It's then producer the late Ian Grant approached me at a folk club near Tower Bridge where I was doing a floor spot, in fact it was my old friend the late Cliff Aungier (God rest his soul) who introduced us. Any way I digress. Ian was looking to change the theme music for the show with one of my pieces Fast Approaching, the current piece was 'The Claw' by Jerry Reed. It was a FANTASTIC piece of music, and I really couldn't understand why he wanted to replace it with a piece of mine, it was only later that this young, innocent and naive guitarist came to realise that Ian in fact had designs on me! I was at that time quite a clean cut 'pretty boy', and it's only looking back that I began to understand. Well, we live and learn, but it did do my head in at the time.
There is a rather amusing incident (well amusing now all these years on) involving myself, the aforementioned Mr Grant and sleeping arrangements at his Putney Town House. Enough of that, I shall save it for the biography!
There are many tributes on the internet regarding Jerry's passing plus of course detailed history of this extraordinary guitarist / actor / singer / songwriter.
Rest in peace Jerry.
NEW GG BOOK.
We are still beavering away on material for the first series of books with Steve Marsh and his company Lathkill. The first book will contain many GG pieces from that mid seventies period that produced pieces that have today become regarded as GG classics. More news as it happens there (excuse the pun).
BRITPICKS.
I approached them recently about the possibility of producing a signature GG pick, and Ross the head of the company responded very favourably indeed. This will be the first time that a specific pick will be designed and manufactured to my specifications and will have my image on each pick......How cool is that for an old fart like me eh!
MEL BAY DVD.
On one of my Scottish dates early on this year a couple of very nice gentlemen turned up to film the concert on high definition cameras, and in spite of a rotten cold that I had at the time, managed to capture quite a nice performance. On receiving the first edits I was most impressed, and offered the finished thing to Mel Bay in the States. Mel Bay as you know produced my TOTAL GILTRAP book. They were quite impressed with what they saw, and we have struck a deal whereby the DVD will hopefully be coming out world-wide next year. Watch this space.
ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE.
It looks as though my column in ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE may well continue for another year to the end of 2009. All we need to do is sort out what form the column will take. At present they feature a complete piece each issue, which is fine but does take up rather a lot space in the mag, and as the mag is rapidly expanding, more space is needed for advertising and editorial. All will be revealed in the New Year methinks. Needless to say I'm very happy to continue with this cracking publication.
UP CLOSE AND INTIMATE.
So far the private UCAI shows I have done have been an outstanding success. Hilary and I have met some wonderful people, and hope that more of you out there will respond the idea of having 'yours truly' performing in the intimate atmosphere of your home or a venue of your choice!
CHELTENHAM GUITAR SHOW
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed appearing at the show this year. Last year I played 'unofficially' for my friend Roger Williams, this year it was under the banner of FYLDE guitars. The great man Mr Bucknall was there with his lovely wife Moira, and a good time was had by all. It's just SO good to see some of Britain's finest guitar makers making an appearance under one roof.
I was especially touched by a very generous offer from that fine guitar maker Steve Toon. I was welcomed onto his stand by his wife Eileen and asked to try some of his beautifully crafted guitars. As I was sitting there playing one of his fine instruments he asked me if I liked it ? I replied that yes indeed, it was a fine instrument, he replied that if I liked it and would find a space for it amidst my many guitars he would like to give it to me in return for a small name check in his publicity saying that I played one of his instruments. I can't begin to tell you how deeply touched I was by this very generous offer. My reply was that at this point in time I had all the guitars that I needed BUT, if I could find a real use for it then indeed I would consider it.. well, who wouldn't?
I have to tell you folks that over the years I have been offered many 'free' guitars, but when a single maker like Steven makes that offer, then it's a different kettle of fish altogether. This is just one man making guitars not a factory churning them out by the hundreds. THANKYOU Steven for that kind offer, and congratulations on that fabulous review in this months ACOUSTIC magazine.
MORE GUITARS FOR SALE.
This leads on nicely from the last item, and proves a point. In some ways that there is no point in having instruments unless they are played, and to that end I'm selling some instruments that have been with me for many years. They will eventually find their way onto GUITAR JUNCTIONS website. The shop in Worthing has already sold a few of my prized guitars, and currently still have two for sale, a classical FYLDE, and a Rob Button Steel string.
To add to the list I'm sending down a stunning Martin M3M George Martin signature guitar. A 1956 Hofner Committee signed by Bert Weedon. My original Harmony 12 string that has appeared on virtually every album (well almost) I have ever made since I bought it at the tender age of 19. Finally I'm selling the Dick Knight guitar recently purchased. I have tried to get used to the narrow neck but to no avail SO it has to go, and I know the right person will love this stunning piece of British guitar building history.
PAUL AUDEN RIP.
I know that mention was made in the September news section, but I would like to once again feature that dedication in this months news.
It is with great sadness that I have received the sad news that Paul Auden our first GG website webmaster passed away peacefully on the 11th of July. R. I. P. He had been fighting cancer for some time. I e-mailed him recently just to keep in touch and received this e-mail from his wife Carol. I feel SO sad, he was a nice guy.
"Dear Gordon and Hilary
I am so sorry to tell you both that Paul passed away on July 11th this year.
I had thought that I had made certain from Paul's address book that everyone would be informed when my son in law made all the phone calls back in July, but unfortunately you clearly had been missed. There were a few people that we couldn't contact at the time, and I'm still in the process of catching up with them too.
I do sincerely apologise for your not knowing, as I know that Paul had a great respect for you, and had a lot of fun working with you.
Up to the end he thought he could beat his cancer, stayed optimistic, but in the end to no avail. He was a patient in Compton Hospice, here in Wolverhampton, for the last few weeks of his life, and his departure was peaceful. In all the time he knew he had a terminal disease he had no pain, and I suppose this was the contributing factor to him not seeing his illness as terminal.
My best wishes to you both.
Have fun every day and enjoy life - both Paul's and my motto."
Carole
SALTBURN
To finish on a lighter note.
A month or so back Hilary and I took a short break in North Yorkshire, and whilst there visited Robin Hoods Bay and Saltburn. Whilst in Saltburn, a lovely unspoilt seaside village, I chanced upon a little music shop that sold second hand and new guitars AND also fixed your PC if it broke down! Anyway whilst looking round this tiny shop, the lady owner asked if I had many guitars at home, I replied that yes indeed I do have quite a few, a few minutes went by and then she said, "I bet you have got some really expensive ones". I once again replied shyly in the affirmative. She then asked if I was a professional, I said "well, yes I did make a living out of it," she then went on to ask my name, once again I shyly declined to tell her, giving my reason as if I did tell her and she hasn't heard of me I would be a tad upset, she laughed and insisted that I tell her, but I continued to say "no".
In the meantime an elderly gentleman standing by was privy to the whole conversation. He turned to me and said "you have a look of Gordon Giltrap about you with the grey beard and long hair". I replied "oh really? how amazing" I then went on to say "isn't Gordon Giltrap quite an old person these days ?", the gentleman who I took to be at least 70 replied "well he must be at least my age !" With that I crept out still not revealing who I was.
When I related this story to Hilary, she said that I should have told them. Anyway Hilary's cousin Margaret ( of Simply Margaret fame) often visits Saltburn, and when she's next there is going to drop in a signed poster for them, bless them!