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BRIAN SETZER

And His Gretsch 6120 Stray Cat

+

MICHELLE TAYLOR

Blues Guitar Star Talks From Sweden

NEGUITARS

May 2024

Issue No:1

In Association With

& Sponsored By

MARK ABRAHAMS

Wishbone Ash & Rock Blues Session

Guitarist Under The Spotlight

East Durham Guitars

Introducing Our Sponsors & The

North East Guitar Building School

PILOT EDITION

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Once in

Unit 6 , Front Street , Industrial Estate

Shotton Colliery. DH6 2ND

07546 656143

E. sales@eastdurhamguitars.com

W. www.eastdurhamguitars.com

a while...

...Perfection

Happens


NE GUITARS

Editorial

Paul George - Editor

Jane Shields - Assistant Editor

& Social Media Manager

East Durham Guitars

Martin Dixon - Director /

Luthier

Dave Olsen - Director /

Luthier

Mark Taylor - Marketing

Manager

Ricky Hutchinson - Luthier /

Technician

Unit 6 , Front Street

Industrial Estate

Shotton Colliery

DH6 2ND

07546 656143

E. sales@eastdurhamguitars.com

W. www.eastdurhamguitars.com

NE Guitars and East Durham

Guitars would like to thank

all contributors, authors,

photographers, advertisers

and all of our readers and

subscribers. Without you

this publication would not be

possible.

All intellectual property rights,

including copyrights, trademarks

rights and database rights with

respect to the information, texts,

images, logos, photographs and

illustrations NE Guitars and with

respect to the layout and design

of the website are protected by

intellectual property rights and

belong to NE Guitars or entitled

third parties. The reproduction

or making available in any way or

form of the contents of the website

without prior written consent from

NE Guitars is not allowed.

WELCOME...

Hello all and welcome to the

very first edition of NE Guitar.

A monthly online magazine specifically

for the guitarists and guitars in the

North East of England..

Every month we will bring you a packed

edition of the very best in guitar related

articles, information, news, tips, features

and all of the local action from our very vibrant music scene.

So let me introduce you to the NE Guitars team. My name is

Paul and I am the magazines chief editor with a long history of

professional magazine construction as well as quite a colourful music

background. I’m a bit of a rockabilly nut and blues guitarist, not to

mention a bit of an instrumentalist, you know, The Shadows, The

Ventures, that type stuff. I know, I’m an old fart!

Our social media guru is Jane, my long suffering partner who is also

the mag’s assistant editor. She’s also the one you will speak to if you

contact us on facebook. She’s very nice and doesn’t bite...normally.

Our guitar experts and associates/sponsors are the very brilliant

East Durham Guitars based at Shotton Colliery (much more about

them in this edition). When I say “very brilliant”, I mean it whole

heartedly. These guys have a great shop for all of your guitar needs

such as strings, straps, amps and of course a fine selection of guitars

on sale including their own branded instruments. They have a

full service and repair facility with top luthiers and the very best

equipment and tools. If that wasn’t enough, they have a purpose

built workshop where they run a variety of courses from basic set-ups

and maintenance to building your own guitar from scratch and much

more besides. You seriously couldn’t find a better guitar enterprise

anywhere else in the North East, maybe even the UK.

Anyway, here we are, at your service from this moment onwards.

Please do subscribe to us and follow us on social media.

Thanks all, Paul.

Issue No:1 May 2024

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 03


Contents

May/June 2024 Issue No:1

P12

NORTH EAST GUITAR

BUILDING SCHOOL

The North East’s unique school at East

Durham Guitars, just a few steps off the

A19 ready for you to build your very own

high quality instrument.

P26

LOCAL HEROES:

BLUES MOJO BAND

The amazing Delta & Progressive

Blues band live and in session from the

Headlands Premier live music venue.

P32

AXE IN FOCUS:

GRETSCH 6210 STRAY CAT

The story behind Brian Setzer’s prized

Gretsch and the turbulent journey it has

travelled through the years

04 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


In Focus

18 Mark Abrahams

Wishbone Ash & Session Blues Guitarist under the

Spotlight and in conversation with NEG.

32 Brian Setzer

The Stray Cat guitarist and vocalist talks about his

original Gretsch 6120 ‘Stray Cat’.

40 Michelle Taylor

Blues Guitarist and award winning artist in focus

on her amazing career

Reviews

12 North East Guitar Building School

An in-depth look at the North East’s Premier

Guitar Building Enterprise.

16 Southside Harbour Guitar Straps

The unique Guitar Straps manufacturer with an

environment friendly twist.

30 Mark Knopfler & A Brother in Arms

The Legendary Dire Straits front man’s in the

words of an old soldier

36 Flattley Guitar Pedals

Incredible hand built guitar pedals created in our

own back yard.

56 Tygers of Pan Tang

North East top Heavy Metal band gives an

exclusive on their brand new album ‘Live Blood.

Features

06 NE Guitars News

All the latest international, national and local

guitar news.

26 Local Heroes - Blues Mojo

Hartlepool Blues band under the spotlight while in

performance.

50 Local Heroes -Bluesburn @ The Fish

Celebrating the iconic Blues evening at the

legendary Headland live music pub.

56 White Wolf Recording Studio

Professional recording studio in the heart of the

North East providing top quality services.

60 North East Gigs Board

The best of gigs around the North East over the

coming month.

ON THE COVER

Wishbone Ash

& Blues Session

Guitarist

Mark Abrahams

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 05


NE GUITARS NEWS

STOP PRESS The Latest Guitar News From Around The North East STOP PRESS

Tributes To Allman Brothers Legend

As Dickey Betts Passes Away, 80

Co-Founder, Guitarist and Vocalist of the iconic Blues & Rock

Band Dies Following Battle with Cancer and COPD in Florida

Rock Legend Dickie Betts passed

away peacefully at his home in

Florida following a long battle

with Cancer and COPD, aged 80,

on 18th April 2024.

Betts, who co-foundeed the

Allman Brothers with Duanne

Allman will be fondly remembered

for composing the legendary rock

instrumental hit “Jessica” which

became the theme tune to the BBC

motoring programme ‘Top Gear’.

Former Presenter Jeremy Clarkson

paid tribute to the guitarist on X/

Twitter by saying “Dicky Betts

has died. You probably haven’t

heard of him. But he wrote a

song called ‘Jessica’. And you will

DEFINITELY have heard that,”

Betts shared lead guitar duties

with Duane Allman in the original

Allman Brothers Band to help give

the group its distinctive sound

and create a new genre – Southern

rock. Founded in 1969, the

Allmans were a pioneering jam

band, trampling the traditional

notion of three-minute pop

songs by performing lengthy

compositions in concert and on

record. The band was also notable

as a biracial group from the Deep

South. He was inducted into the

Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame with the

band in 1995.

RIP Dickey Betts - Allman Brothers

06 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Mark Knopfler Auctions

Collection for charity

NEWS

A collection of Mark Knopfler’s guitars have

sold at auction for almost £9 million.The Dire

Straits frontman has auctioned off 122 of his

guitars and amps. ‘The Mark Knopfler Guitar

Collection’ included a 1959 Vintage Gibson Les

Paul Standard, which sold for £693,000. The lot,

which included electric, acoustic and bass guitars,

went under the hammer at Christie’s in London.

All of the items were sold, fetching in a total of

£8,840,160.. Read more...

North East Guitar Show:

A Rocking Success

East Durham Guitars

Launch Brand New

‘Pilgrim’ Guitar Range

The North East Guitar show

saw the launch of East Durham

Guitars latest creation ‘The

Pilgrim’ .

The new range comes in an

assortment of colours and finishes

ranging from £900 to £1650.

The next edition of NE Guitars

Magazine will feature the range

in detail but readers can visit

East Durham Guitars at Shotton

Colliery and take a detailed look

at the new guitars in the comfort

of the shop or go to their website

and check them out at

www.eastdurhamguitars.com

For 2024, THE NORTH EAST

GUITAR SHOW returned to

the superb, purpose-built event

complex at Rainton Arena,

Mercantile Rd, Houghton-le-

Spring DH4 5PH and was held

on Sunday 12th March from

10am to 4.00pm.

This prestige and spacious

location is close to all the North

East major routes, provides

first-class facilities and has the

advantage of easy load-in for

exhibitors, excellent catering,

licensed bar and free parking for

all.

Based on the style of USA tabletop

exhibitions, the North East

Guitar Show is first and foremost

a retail event. New, vintage

and pre-owned guitars, amps

and pedals made be available

to buy, trade and sell from a

host of retailers, distributors,

manufacturers, luthiers, boutique

makers and private collectors -

not to mention a full range of

strings and accessories.

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 07


Guitar played by John Lennon on Help!, lost for 50

years, going up for auction

A guitar played by John

Lennon and George

Harrison in sessions for

the albums Help! and

Rubber Soul, which has

spent the last 50 years

lying in an attic, is to go

up for auction alongside

other memorabilia items

such as a handwritten

concert setlist by Kurt

Cobain, a book of

handwritten lyrics by

Tupac Shakur and a

Fendi dress worn by Amy

Winehouse.

The 12-string acoustic

guitar, a Hootenanny

model made by Bavarian

firm Framus in the early

1960s, was primarily

played by Lennon and

also appears in the movie

Help!, used to perform

You’ve Got to Hide Your

Love Away. The studio

version of that song

also features the guitar,

as well as Help!’s title

track, It’s Only Love and

I’ve Just Seen a Face.

Harrison, meanwhile,

used it to play the

rhythm guitar part on

Norwegian Wood, and

it appears on another

Rubber Soul song, Girl

Dave Gilmour Releases First Album in 9 Years

David Gilmour has unveiled

his first album in nine years,

‘Luck and Strange’.

The Pink Floyd legend, 78,

will return with the follow-up

to 2015’s ‘Rattle That Lock’

on September 6, and the lead

single, ‘The Piper’s Call’, is out

now. Gilmour has once again

teamed up with his wife Polly

Samson on some of the lyrics

after she contributed to his last

LP. As for the lyrical content, the

pair tackle the heavy subject of

mortality. Samson, 61, said: “It’s

written from the point of view of

being older – mortality is the constant.”

Gilmour said: “We spent a

load of time during and after lockdown

talking about and thinking

about those kind of things.” The

musician joined forces with Alt-J’s

producer Charlie Andrew and

loved how “direct” he was with

him.

Article by Bang Showbiz UK.

Read more by clicking this link

08 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Hartlepool music fans were

given a rare treat in March as

local Blues performers took to the

stage at the Fishermans Arms on

the town’s Headland.

NEWS

Famous North East Music Pub Gives The Blues A New Lease of Life

The once-a-month Bluesburn

evening is open to all standards

of Blues artists whether solo

artists, duo’s, trios or bands.

Regular local artists can also

be seen performing such as the

fantastic Blues Mojo band, blues

guitar legend Daniel D’Arcy, local

solo Delta Blues slide

guitarist Paul George to name

just a few.

Landlady of ‘The Fish’, Hazel

Whitlock told NE Guitars

“Live music has always been

at the heart of the pub but the

Bluesburn evening has always

been something a little extra

special. We have always loved

the blues here and the Thursday

evening blues night is definately a

celebration of the great blues

talent we have here in Hartlepool

and the North East.”

The Bluesburn is run on the

first Thursday of every month

between 8:30pm and 11:00pm.

A full PA system is supplied for

artist use and the house band is

always willing to provide a back

line if needed.

For more information, check out

the Fishermans Arms

facebook page.

Guitar Legend, Eric Clapton Returns To Newcastle

Eric Clapton has

announced several new

tour dates for 2024, and

this time, fans outside of

London will get a chance

to catch the guitarist live

on stage.

Clapton’s limited run of

UK and Ireland shows will

see him playing a total of

six dates, kicking off first

at Newcastle’s Utilita

Arena on 9 May next year.

The musician will also be

making stops in Liverpool,

Birmingham, and

Dublin, before wrapping

up the tour with a twonight

show at London’s

Royal Albert Hall. The

upcoming tour also

marks the first time the

former Yardbirds rocker is

playing a solo gig outside

of London since 2015, so

grab your tickets early.

Tickets go on sale are

on sale online and

bookingsdirect.com. There

will be no counter sales.

He will be playing at

Newcastle Utilita Arena on

9th May 2024.

Last year, Clapton released

a cover of Moon River,

featuring the late guitar

legend Jeff Beck. The track

– originally performed by

Audrey Hepburn in the

iconic 1961 film Breakfast

at Tiffany’s — was

recorded not long before

Beck passed away.

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 09



The Guitarist’s Choice

At Southside Harbour Guitar

Straps, we pride ourselves

in quality, style and comfort

at affordable prices. All

of our guitar straps are

handmade using top quality

components

Find us on

e. southsideharbourguitarstraps@gmail.com

w. www.southsideharbourguitarstraps.com

w. t. (+44) 07703663261


THE NORTH EAST

GUITAR BUILDING

SCHOOL

REVIEW


GUITAR SCHOOL

“BUILDING A

GUITAR IS LIKE

CREATING AN

EXTENTION OF

YOURSELF AND A

NEW FRIEND ALL AT

THE SAME TIME”

East Durham Guitars prides itself on

it’s ability to not only build guitars

for it’s customers but also allows

them to build one for themselves in

it’s very own purpose built school.

Talk about a no-brainer... So let me ask

you a serious question here. Bearing

in mind that money for our precious

guitars is not easy to come by these

days and also bearing in mind that we

want quality and value for our bucks, what would

you rather have? An off-the-shelf, mass produced,

over priced guitar built in a sausage factory style

warehouse in some far off land, transported to your

door by a container ship that has been chucked

around the sea like an egg in a barrel for a week or

have the pleasure of building your own top quality

instrument with your own love and dedication in a

school for the same price? As I said, no brainer!

13


Our courses are located in

County Durham at East Durham

Guitars and take place at various

times throughout the year in our

purpose built workshop. All tools

are provided. Tea and coffee is

provided too, but bring your own

lunch. Accommodation details

can be supplied if you live too far

away to commute. If the course

or skill you want to learn isn’t in

the list below please message or

ring us as we’re always happy to

accommodate you.

1 Day Set Up Course - £180

These courses are run on various

Saturdays throughout the year.

The day runs from 9am to 5pm

with a short lunch break. The

course covers how to set up

various types of guitars including

fixed bridge and trem guitars,

basses and acoustic guitars. You

can bring your own guitars to

work on but there will also be

instruments at the workshop to

use. This course will give the you

the ability to keep your guitar/s

in prime condition and save on

costly regular set-ups.

3 Day Assembly Course

£480 course fee, parts and

materials from £350​

This course utilises high quality

bodies and necks made at East

Durham Guitars. You can choose

to build a Strat, Tele or P-Bass

style guitar. Hardware and

pickups are provided but you can

choose to upgrade these for an

additional cost or bring your own.

• Day 1 - Sanding, fret finishing

and initial assembly to check

neck alignment, and fit of

hardware and parts

• Day 2 - Staining and oil

finishing processes as well as

initial harness wiring prior to

final assembly

• Day 3 - Final assembly and

wiring, setting up the guitar,

testing it and possibly even a

bit of jamming

You will leave with a fully

functional quality instrument

and will have had a thoroughly

enjoyable experience!

5 Day Build Course

£800 course fee, parts and

14 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


materials cost dependent on

specification

This course is for those who

want to experience building an

electric guitar from scratch. You

can recreate an existing design or

create your own. These will be

solid bodied guitars and basses

with bolt-on necks and will

usually be fixed bridge versions,

though some trem options are

possible within the timescale. The

instrument will have an oiled,

and possibly stained, finish, and

there are some very attractive

timbers available at East Durham

Guitars to choose from. If you

want a paint or lacquered finish,

additional tuition can be supplied,

or we can apply the finish for you.

• Day 1 - Design layout,

template manufacture and

body routing

• Day 2 - Cavity routing,

neck routing, truss rod slot,

fretboard manufacture and

fretboard glued on

• Day 3 - Neck shaping, radius

fretboard, fretting

• Day 4 - Sanding and oil

finishing

• Day 5 - Assembly, set-up and

play!

You will leave with a high quality

instrument and probably an

appetite to build more!

10 Day Build Course

£1,600 course fee, parts and

materials cost dependent on

specification

This course is for more complex

builds such as carved tops, semis

and thru-necks. It is split into

two weekly blocks and is for those

who want to experience building

an electric guitar from scratch.

You can recreate an existing

design or create your own. You

can choose your hardware and

pickups, which we can supply,

or you can bring your own. The

instrument will have an oiled,

and possibly stained, finish, and

there are some very attractive

timbers available at East Durham

Guitars to choose from. If you

want a paint or lacquered finish,

additional tuition can be supplied,

or we can apply the finish for you.

• Day 1 - Design layout,

template manufacture and

basic machining of timber

• Day 2 - Body or neck routing,

dependent on design

• Day 3 - Body or neck routing,

dependent on design

• Day 4 - Fitting of cap/wings,

dependent on design

• Day 5 - Cavity routing, hole

drilling and top carving if

required

• Day 6 - Body sanding,

fretboard manufacture and

glueing

• Day 7 - Neck shaping, inlays,

radius fretboard, fretting

• Day 8 - Dry assembly and any

adjustments

• Day 9 - Final sanding and oil

finishing

• Day 10 - Assembly, set-up and

play!

You will leave with a high quality

instrument and probably an

appetite to build more!

Custom Courses

Prices & Details on Application

These courses are available for

those wishing to learn a variety of

construction methods and luthier

techniques and can be configured

to your specific requirements.

They are usually carried out in

weekly blocks and would suit

someone wanting more in depth

tuition. Contact us for more

details.

So what are you waiting for? Get

over and see the team at East

Durham Guitars or contact them

on the following details:

Unit 6 , Front Street

Industrial Estate

Shotton Colliery

DH6 2ND

07546 656143

E. sales@eastdurhamguitars.com

W. www.eastdurhamguitars.com

Or find them on facebook and

Instagram. You wont be sorry!

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 15


REVIEW

www.southsideharbourguitarstraps.com

e. southsideharbourguitarstraps@gmail.com t. 07703663261

Authors

Paul George &

Paul Dobson

In this day and age of looking after our planet, it’s

not unusual for us consider buying enviroment friendly

products. But let’s ask ourselves an honest question. How

many of you have actually considered this while buying

the humble guitar strap? I put my hands up to this one,

I have never considered the planet when buying my

straps. I look for the shiny objects that are going to look

good around my neck. But, no more!

Southside Harbour Guitar Straps in Bridlington have done

just this. They boast a whole range of enviroment friendly

straps at great prices that look simply stunning. Business

owner Paul Dobson tells us more.

My passion for all things guitar began when I was a teenager and led

to a hobby making bespoke, high quality guitar accessories later in life.

I initially started making acoustic guitar stands, something I still do today.

I produced my first guitar strap for one of my granddaughters when she

began guitar lessons a few years ago. And so Southside Harbour Guitar

Straps was born, allowing me to turn my passion and hobby into a small

business!​

At Southside Harbour Guitar Straps, we pride ourselves in quality, style

and comfort at affordable prices. All of our guitar straps are handmade

using top quality components at our home workshop situated in

Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. Our backing, for example, uses

recycled car seat belts which we salvage before they hit the landfill sites.​

Our vegan straps are also based on our seatbelt backing, we use natural

cork inners and a hand stitched vinyl outer. Our polyester backing

comes in two colours alongside our cotton/hemp webbing.

​Unique, eye-catching and long lasting, Southside Harbour Guitar Straps

are already the strap of choice for many high profile musicians. We

16 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Southside Harbour Guitar Straps

George W E - Yonaka

Ryan Breslin - The K’s

Kiaran Crook - The Sherlocks

are also able to accommodate

bespoke commissions upon

request!

Southside Harbour Guitar

Straps are proud to support

The Sick Childrens Trust.

The Sick Children’s Trust is

something my family hold

close to our hearts. After my

daughter and son-in-law were

lucky enough to get a room in

Eckersley House back in 2012

when our grandson Harry was

admitted to Leeds General

Infirmary. Following this I did

a charity trek to Everest Base

Camp in 2013 and donated the

proceeds to Eckersley House.

We really do understand the

importance of the service they

offer to families facing such

difficult times.

As such, £1.50 from each strap

sold will be donated directly

to the trust. If you’d like to find

out more about the trust and

their mission you can find

their website by visiting www.

sickchildrenstrust.org

So by buying a strap or two from

Southside Harbour Guitar Straps

you’re not only doing a little bit

for the planet but you will also

be supporting a very worthwhile

charity. Not really much more to

say really,

You can find out more about

Southside Harbour Guitars by

visiting their website on:

https://www.

southsideharbourguitarstraps.

com/

There is also so much more to

check out on the Instagram page

https://www.instagram.com/

southsideharbourguitarstraps

or vist their facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/

pauldobbo12

Or you can contact Paul by

email.

southsideharbourguitarstraps@

gmail.com

Recycled Recycled Vegan Polyester

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 17


IN FOCUS


Mark

Abrahams

Wishbone Ash & Blues

Session Guitarist talks

to about his life,

guitars and career.


IN FOCUS

Mark

Abrahams

Yorkshire born, Wishbone Ash

and Session Guitarist Mark

Abrahams tells NE Guitars about

his incredible journey to become

a major name in the world of

Rock & Blues.

By Paul George,

Mark Abrahams &

mark-abrahams.com

PROFILE

Mark Abrahams is a name that

resonates throughout the music

industry, a virtuoso of the guitar

whose skill and passion have left

an indelible mark on the world of

rock and blues. With an assertive

tone that captivates audiences,

he has created a musical legacy

that spans decades. Mark is best

known for his association with the

iconic rock band Wishbone Ash.

Born and raised in the heart

of Yorkshire, England, Mark’s

journey as a musician began at a

young age. Inspired by the likes

of Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton

and Wishbone Ash he developed

a deep passion for the guitar and

embarked on a lifelong mission

to master this instrument. With a

natural flair for melodic phrasing

and intricate solos, Mark quickly

gained recognition as a virtuoso

guitarist.

Influenced by various music

genres such as blues, rock,

and folk, Mark’s unique style

seamlessly blends these elements,

creating a captivating fusion of

sounds. His ability to evoke strong

emotions through the strings of

his guitar is truly something to

behold. Each note and riff he plays

carries a depth and sophistication

that sets him apart from his

contemporaries.

Mark’s musical journey took a

significant turn when he joined

the iconic British rock band,

Wishbone Ash in 2017 as their

lead guitarist. Carrying on the

legacy of the band’s founding

members, he brought fresh

energy and remarkable skill to

their sound. His contributions

20 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


In Focus: Mark Abrahams

helped maintain the band’s

distinctive fusion of blues, folk,

and progressive rock as well

as the bands signature twin

guitar harmonies, earning him

a dedicated fan base around the

world.

Beyond his contributions to

Wishbone Ash, Mark remains

an active musician in his own

right. He has collaborated with

numerous renowned artists

both on stage and as a session

guitarist, collaborating with a

wide range of artists and infusing

their music with his unique

style. His versatility and ability

to adapt to various genres have

made him a highly sought-after

musician, earning him respect and

admiration from his peers.

Mark Abrahams is a true icon in

the realm of rock music, whose

technical prowess, melodic

sensibility, and unyielding

dedication have left an indelible

mark. His contributions to

Wishbone Ash and his solo

ventures continue to captivate

audiences worldwide, solidifying

his status as one of the greatest

rock blues guitarists of our time.

In Focus

NEG - So reading your profile,

you started playing guitar at a

young age. How did it all get

started?

MA - Well I was obsessed with

guitars from being really young,

I remember as a small kid being

fascinated watching people on

television playing guitar. I think

I was 8 years old when one day

at school it was announced that

there would be an opportunity for

folk acoustic guitar lessons once a

week and I knew I had to do it.

A lady called Norah would come

in to school and teach a group of

us during our lunch break, I’m

still good friends with Norah, we

regularly catch up and sometimes

still play some of the songs she

taught me together at local open

mic nights, she also came to a

Wishbone show and hung out

with the band afterwards which

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 21


was just amazing.

NEG - What was your first

guitar?

MA - My first guitar was an old

sunburst steel strung guitar which

came from a family friend, an

Orpheus guitar which I now know

was a Bulgarian guitar company

in the 1960’s. We had the guitar

in the house as my dad was trying

to learn to play it – actually the

family friend was and still is a big

Wishbone Ash fan and showed

me how to play the intro to the

Wishbone song ‘Blowin Free’ on

that guitar when I was about 8

years old, later we would go to

watch Wishbone gigs together.

I still have this old guitar,

nowadays its set up for slide with

a humbucker installed over the

sound hole, it sounds pretty good

for slide too.

NEG - Do you have any favourite

memories of your early gigs?

MA - I do! We started a band

while at high school and we would

put gigs on in the local social club

that let us use their concert room

to rehearse in – we would sell

tickets to everyone at school and

also stick a poster on every lamp

post in the village and really pack

out the club, we had lots of fun

doing that. Eventually this lead

to us going out and playing the

pub circuit while still at school,

actually I remember going out

for my 18th birthday to a place

we had been playing at for a few

years, the landlord wasn’t too

impressed as he had also been

serving me beer for a few years

too . A few years later a very

memorable rock n roll moment

was when I thought it would be a

good idea to step from the stage

onto someone’s table to play a

guitar solo – the table leg broke, I

fell backwards, the heasdstock of

my Les Paul broke off and I broke

my left wrist! Luckily we only had

one more song to play which we

managed to finish before I was

taken straight to A&E for the

night!

NEG - You’re now a guitarist for

Wishbone Ash. How did this

start?

MA – I had been a big fan of

Wishbone since I was a kid and

learned to play a lot of the songs..

I got to know the band around

22 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


25 years ago and would hang out

after their shows, it was about the

same time that I briefly joined a

Wishbone Ash tribute band to play

at one of the annual Wishbone Ash

fan conventions playing before

Wishbone.

The guys in the band found out I

worked in a guitar store so anytime

they were local I would get a phone

call with a shopping list for strings,

picks, valves etc which again would

often result in hanging out after

shows and just becoming friends.

In early 2017 Andy Powell

messaged me asking if I would be

coming to a show in Sheffield and

offered me some tickets, which

I already had bought.. After the

show we hung out in the hotel bar

(for what I would now class as an

interview) and literally drank 2

bottles of very good Scotch whisky,

towards the end of the evening

Andy said to me “so if I asked

you to join the band. .?” Which I

replied something along the lines of

“just ask me!”.

A couple of days later I was sat in

my local pub when my phone rang

and it was Andy calling to offer

me the gig! A few weeks later we

met up in London to play together

for the first time, we got through

around 25 songs that day and then

flew from London to Sweden to

play my first show which was the

In Focus: Mark Abrahams

Sweden Rock Festival, with bands

like Aerosmith, The Scorpions and

Gothard.. I was still also playing

with a covers band at the time and

the following night I played a gig

with them at Heaton Buffs Club in

Newcastle.

NEG - During your career as a

guitarist, you’ve had quite a few

guitars. Any favourites amongst

them?

MA - I’ve been really lucky, due to

working in guitar stores for over

20 years I’ve had so many amazing

guitars almost find me. I’ve had

James Tyler guitars, a Pensa, loads

of Gibsons and Fenders and PRS.

My Long time favourite has been a

Gibson Custom Shop ’57 Gold Top

Les Paul, an amazing guitar with

the Peter Green out of phase pickup

mod, these days literally only the

wood is original on that guitar.

I have a beautiful Gibson ES335

which I used on the last Wishbone

Ash studio album ‘Coat Of Arms

01 OCT 2024

02 OCT 2024

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 23


but for the last 5 years I’ve been

lucky to own several vintage 1950s

Gibson Les Paul Juniors, most

recently a 1956 and I also have 2

1959s, which I love taking out on

the road and using.

NEG - East Durham Guitars tells

me they have made a guitar for

you. What made you turn from

a standard production guitar to a

hand made custom instrument?

MA - The idea for a custom Les

Paul Junior guitar first started 2

years ago when airlines would

regularly either lose or leave

behind my vintage Gibsons –

scary!

I’ve had quite a few custom

guitars, it’s a great experience to

see your guitar begin to take shape

from just pieces of wood.

One great reason to choose a

custom instrument is that you can

take everything you love about

a guitar design and make your

own improvements, for example

with the guitar made by East

Durham Guitars they were able

to make a very classic looking

Les Paul Junior and actually took

measurements from the neck of

my 1956 to base their neck on but

with the improvement of better

high fret access, which is great.

After all these years there is still

nothing more exciting to me than

getting a new guitar, getting a new

custom made guitar just takes that

to another level!

NEG - Have you any plans to tour

the UK with Wishbone Ash in the

near future?

MA - Yes, we tour the UK every

year in the Autumn. This year we

will start around the middle of

September on a tour lasting for

5 weeks, so we’ll be all over the

place, including a couple of shows

in the North East. The Playhouse

at Whitley bay on October 1st and

The Arc at Stockton on October

2nd.

NEG - Mark, thank you very

much for your time and good

luck with your future career.

North East Guitars Magazine is

extremely grateful to Mark for the

interview and taking time out of

his very busy schedule to talk to

us. In next month’s issue we will

be revealing Marks brand new Les

Paul Junior built by East Durham

Guitars and its journey from the

basic wood to the finished shape.

To find out more about Mark

Abrahams check out his website:

https://www.mark-abrahams.com

24 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


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www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 25


LOCAL HEROES

The Blue scene in the North East is

definately a thriving and expanding world.

So many great players have originated

in our beloved corner of England such as

Chris Rea, our own Mark Abrahams and

even Mark Knopfler, not to mention local

heroes such as Daniel D’Arcy. But sat

modestly in the background and gracing

the music scene here in Hartlepool are the

amazing Delta & Progressive Blues band

we feature today.

By Paul George & Kenny Relton

So, to get the best out of this

article, we have travelled

to the Fisherman’s Arms

on Hartlepool’s historic

Headland to interview the

very underrated ‘Blues Mojo

Band’ in their native setting

of a local pub stage. The

date is 13th April 2024, its

currently 8:00pm as I start to

write this, the pub is filling

up well in preperation for

tonights entertainment and

I listen in to the mumblings

and excitement buzzing

around the stage area with

eager anticipation. Kenny

Relton, the lead guitarist and

lead vocalist has completed

his final tune-ups,

Harmonica player Tommy

‘Blind Boy’ Wilson has

sounded up, Drums - check,

Bass - check, all ready to go

at 8:30pm. So while we are

waiting for the first soulful

tones, let’s find out a little

about the band. Tonights

line up consists of four

musician, Kenny on guitar

and lead vocals, Tommy on

harmonica, Bryn Randall

on Bass and finally, slapping

the drumskins is Kenny

Ward who is standing in for

the regular drummer, Tony

26 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Blues Mojo Band

Weller. But I hear the question on

your lips, what guitars will Kenny

be using tonight considering he

has about 30 odd in his arsenal,

well I’ve just had a quick look at

them with Kenny giving me a little

history of each and his weapons

of choice are a 1958 Gibson

225, single pickup hollow body.

National Steel Tricone (pictured

above), a Fender telecaster and

a 1966 Gibson Les Paul ‘Clapton’

Serial No:99. By the standard of

guitars, you can well imagine the

skill set about to be used.

So I’ve nicked Kenny for a few

minutes before he starts to find

out a little about the origins of

‘Blues Mojo’ and a little of his own

history with the Blues.

NEG: So Kenny, where did it all

start?

KR: The Blues Mojo Started about

2 years ago. Just before, Tommy

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 27


and I were playing around the

local pubs, quite a few of them in

fact when we just decided to form

a band. We had some open mics

in my house when Bryn (Bass)

came over and we asked him ‘Do

you fancy joining a band?’ So he

joined and then said that he knew

a drummer and that was basically

it.

NEG: So when did you start

playing the guitar?

KR: I started playing when I was

13. I actually stopped playing

for 18 years after my wife died.

But I started playing again at the

Nursery Inn in Hartlepool, then

the Causeway Inn. While there

we formed the Dirty Water Band

but that band ended up splitting

so I left and went to China and

Khazikstan, America and all over

the place. Everywhere I go, I play.

In 2019, Tommy and I won the

Great British Rythym and Blues

Festival. We were busking on a

street in a tent that the council had

put up for three hours solid and at

the end of the three hours, I was

so dry, I passed out. But I drank a

bottle of water and I was right as

rain again.

NEG: I’ve noticed that you and

Tommy (Harmonica) blend very

well together. How did this come

about?

KR: Me and Tommy? Well we

just work together. Tommy was

playing around the pubs getting

in with quite a few bands and

musicians at open mics and all

odds and sorts but, no we play

great together. He’s a great player.

He goes over to Spain twice a year

for a month at a time and plays

in all the bars over there. (As we

were talking an elderly gentleman

reminised about Tommy) “I

remember when he used to play

in the boathouse on the Marina,

He would stand at the end of the

Piano and wouldn’t move. He was

very shy.

NEG: So tonight you’re playing

with 4 members of the band.

KR: Yes, we got Me, Tommy, Bryn

on Bass and a stand-in drummer

Kenny Ward who is standing in

for our regular drummer Tony

Weller. We also have a great

keyboard player but he can’t play

on Saturday nights due to other

band commitments. So yes just

four of us. Tommy and I are

starting of the night with three

Delta Blues numbers, then the full

band will play the rest of the night.

NEG: Thank you for your time

Kenny, we’ll let you get back to it.

So we wait patiently for the start of

the show. We didn’t have to wait

too long as Kenny and Tommy, sat

on chairs, very casually with some

early Sunhouse and Little Walter

numbers. It’s a great opportunity

to hear the National being played

as it should do. For a few minutes

we were treated to the wonderful

sound of the Blues music of the

30’s 40’s and 50’s. Very rarely have

I heard blues music being played

as it should do. The way it was

played in the American South by

28 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Blues Mojo Band

legends such as Robert Johnson,

Little Walter, Elmore James,

Muddy Waters and BB King.

Well, the band has now taken

the stage and I’ll let the boys

do their stuff and leave them in

peace to play. All I can say is

we are all in for a great night of

Blues music. The Fishermans

Arms is absolutely heaving in

appreciation and we are chilling

out with a few beers to the Blues,

Mojo style...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So, I’m now back at home

finishing off the article after a

really top class night. For our

pilot edition of the magazine,

I couldn’t have hoped to have

visited a better bunch of lads

from the North East. You can

catch up with Kenny and the lads

on their facebook page here.

https://www.facebook.com/

bluesmojo2018

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 29


LOCAL HEROES

MARK KNOPFLER

AND A

BROTHER

IN ARMS

By Paul George

Google Images free to share and use

I

really couldn’t write a

first edition of a North

East Guitar magazine

without featuring

the legendary Mark

Knopfler. Originally, I wanted

to promote his Guitar Heroes

release of ‘Going Home’ alas,

as at the time of writing this

article I still have yet to obtain

permission so I’ve decided to

tell another story about Mark

which goes back almost 40

years ago.

So to paint you a very quick

scene, the year was 1985 (I

think. The memory is a little

fuzzy) and I was serving in

the British Army in Berlin. A

friend of mine had managed

to obtain two tickets to

see Dire Straits at the city’s

Deutschlandhalle and asked

me if I would like to go along

with him. Who wouldn’t!

At the time, I was obsessed

with the anthemic ‘Brothers

in Arms’ track which as I

understood was written about

those who served and gave

their lives in the Falklands

conflict just three years before.

So to have the chance to go

to a concert with one of the

biggest bands of the time

was something I just couldn’t

turn down. The atmosphere

was electric, the gig was

magnificent and I walked away

a changed man, musically of

course. But to witness the

band performing, what was

described by some, as an antiwar

song was incredible. I

disagree strongly that it was

anti-war. When you hear it

played, you take on instantly

that it is a tribute to the men

who had to fight and the

brotherhood, regardless of

who was fighting, between

soldiers, sailors and airmen

in combat. For that, I thank

Mark and Dire Straits for the

wonderful tribute.

But I’m not going to bore you

all any longer with my story, I

30 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Mark Knopfler And A Brother in Arms

face of adversity. Shortly after

which (2nd March) He performed

the track in front of 50,000 at

Newcastle’s St James Park.

Mark Knopfler has a history of

his incredible charitable work

including an auction sale of 122 of

his Guitars and amps at Christies

in London. The sale raised an

unbelievable £8.84 million of

which 25% was donated to The

British Red Cross, Tusk and Brave

Hearts of the North East.

At the age of 74, Mark has not

rested back on his laurels as his

new album ‘One Deep River’ is

very quickly heading for the top

of the charts as I write this. The

album has become Mark’s highestcharting

solo album in the UK.

would like to pay tribute to Mark

as a son of the North East and to

some one who does so much for

charitable causes including his

current project “Mark Knopfler’s

Guitar Heroes and ‘Going Home’

for Teenage Cancer Trust and

Teen Cancer America.” Now,

‘Going Home’ just happens to be

one of my favourite instrumentals

to play, of course, nowhere near

the standard of the maestro but

a really nice piece. But please do

click on the link, support Mark’s

project and support an extremely

good cause.

Recently, Mark visited the Teenage

Cancer Trust ward, at the Royal

Victoria Infirmary, and said he

was moved by the care they got

and their brave attitudes in the

So, let’s take this short article as

foreword for future articles about

Mark Knopfler in NE Guitars. You

never know what might happen in

the future. But for now, get on his

website and purchase the album

and definitely do listen to ‘Going

Home’ by Mark Knopflers Guitar

Heroes. It is simply brilliant.

Check out his website here:

https://www.markknopfler.com

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 31


AXE IN FOCUS

AND HIS

'STRAY

CATS'

GRETSCH

G6120

Article by Paul George

Gretsch 6120 Stray Cat

story told by Brian Setzer

Reverb Youtube Channel

Growing up

in the late

70’s, I found

myself hooked to the

Rockabilly Revival

listening to music from

bands like The Jets,

The Polecats, Crazy

Cavan and the Rhythm

Rockers to name a

couple. But right at

the top of the list was a

three piece band from

the States that moved

over to London to try

their luck on a British

audience. Lee Rocker,

Slim Jim Phantom

and, the guitarist and

lead vocalist, a young

Brian Setzer formed

the Stray Cats. Almost

immediately, they were

a smash hit with their

unique sound. As

a young fresh-faced

guitarist I loved the

Setzer guitar sound so

much I wanted to be

like him (Yeah, that

never happened!).

But the big thing was

the orange Gretsch

around his body. It

was so cool, really

Rock ‘n’ Roll. That

one guitar turned out

to be a major piece of

musical history with a

story of success, woe,

loss, theft and major

damage but still, to this

day it remains as one

of the most treasured

possession in Setzer’s

music arsenal.

“So what has this got

to do with a North

East Guitar magazine,”

I hear you ask. Well,

purely because for

the pilot edition of

our new magazine, I

thought I would talk

about my first real

influence as a guitarist

32 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Axe in Focus - Gretsch 6120 ‘Stray Cat’

and the guitar which

still eludes me. Simple

really. I have loved the

Gretsch 6120 forever

and still live in hope

that one day I will own

one. Anyway enough

about my dreams, let’s

learn a little more about

Brian Setzer’s Gretsch

6120 ‘Stray Cat’. Brian

Setzer tells the story.

“I was about 17 when

I first bought it. I

bought it at the Bylines

were in a shoebox on

the other side of the

store. so I bought it.

So I asked the guy in the

store ‘Is this like Ediie

Cochran’s guitar’ and he

said ‘What, who?’.

So I put it back together.

It’s 1959 Gretsch, 6120

Chet Atkins model

and I’ve owned it since

I was 17 year old. It’s

been stolen, left on

aeroplanes, left at places

because we’ve were

features but with the

thicker body which it

shouldn’t have. It was

some kind of crossover

model which is really

one of a kind.

When I was putting it

together, there was no

knobs in the box so

I went into the closet

and got some dice from

some games and drilled

holes in them so they

would fit and glued

them on, so it then

guitars, one of them, my

Gretsch. The insurance

company said to me

‘I guess you want the

money’ and I said no,

I just want my guitar

back. So I got it back

and gave the insurance

company their money

back, which they said

never happens. No one

ever gives the money

back.

I’ve made a few

modifications to it,

when I first got it, I

chiselled off the zero fret

and set the nut back so

it would play normally.

I also raised the pickups

by taking it all apart and

put matchbook covers

under the pickups

to raise the height of

them. It’s had decals on

it, there was a cat on it

and then I put the lucky

lady decal on it which

I got from Ed’s Lawn

Mower repair shop and

the lucky lady was their

logo. But it looked cool.

Press. When I saw the

ad, it just said ‘Orange

Guitar - Gretsch - 100

bucks. A hundred

bucks was a lot of

monety for a 17 year

old kid but I scraped

together a hundred

bucks and bought the

guitar. When I went to

the store to pick it up,

the guitar body was on

one side of the store and

the electrics, the pickups

and all the other bits

drunk but it’s always

found its way back to

me.

Here’s a wierd thing,

This guitar was the

thickest guitar they

made and in 1960

they came out with

a new model which

had a thinner body, a

zero fret, enamel faced

Bigsby and was lighter

but the one I bought

had all of the new 1960

had dice as knobs and

they’ve stayed there ever

since.

It got stolen once and I

was without it for about

17 years until they

caught a guy who had

been stealing stuff from

shipping containers.

So the cops said bring

the stuff in that you’ve

stolen or you’ll go to

jail. So the guy turns

up at court with two

I recorded Stray Cat

Strut, Runaway Boys

and Rock this Town

with it and used it for

all the Stray Cat stuff

but when I got ‘Smoke’, I

kinda retired it although

it comes out every now

and then.”

These days Brian goes

on tour with around 7

guitars, but his first one

is never far away. Check

out more on Brian

Setzer on his website.

www.briansetzer.com

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 33


AXE IN FOCUS

GRETSCH 6120T

1959 ‘CHET ATKINS’

So we know from the previous article, Brian Setzer’s 6120 ‘Stray Cat’ was originally the 1959 Chet

Atkins model. Originally developed by Gretsch as a signature guitar for Chet Atkins in 1954 the

G6120 was more warmly embraced by rockabilly and rock ’n’ roll guitarists than the country and

western players Gretsch initially targeted. We find out more about the model...

The G6120T-59

Vintage Select

’59 Chet Atkins

is a hollow body

electric guitar featuring a

laminated maple body with

a beautiful arched top. The

guitar’s unique shape, known

as the “single cutaway,”

allows for easy access to the

higher frets and is one of the

distinguishing characteristics

of Gretsch guitars. The body

is adorned with a stunning

Western Orange Stain finish,

complemented by aged white

binding and gold hardware,

which adds a touch of elegance

and class to the overall

appearance.

The neck of this guitar is made

from maple and features a

comfortable standard U-shaped

profile. It is capped with a 12-

inch radius ebony fingerboard,

which houses 22 medium

jumbo frets and is adorned

with eye-catching Neo-Classic

thumbnail inlays. The scale

length of the G6120T-59 is

24.6 inches, providing a perfect

balance between playability and

tonal richness.

One of the standout features

of this guitar is the Bigsby

B6G vibrato tailpiece, which

not only adds to the vintage

aesthetic but also provides

players with the ability to

add subtle pitch modulation

and expressive vibrato to

their playing. The guitar

also comes equipped with a

pinned rocking bar bridge,

ensuring excellent intonation

and stability.

Electronics and Hardware

The G6120T-59 Vintage

Select ’59 Chet Atkins is

fitted with two TV Jones

Classic Filter’Tron pickups,

which are renowned for their

clarity, punch, and warmth.

These pickups are a perfect

match for the hollow body

construction, delivering a

well-balanced tone that can

easily cover a wide range of

genres, from jazz and country

to rockabilly and blues.

The guitar’s electronics

consist of a three-way pickup

selector switch, individual

volume controls for each

pickup, a master volume

34 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Axe in Focus - Gretsch 6120 ‘Stray Cat’

control, and a three-way tone

switch. This setup allows players

to fine-tune their sound, blending

the characteristics of both pickups

to achieve the desired tone.

Furthermore, the master volume

control is conveniently placed near

the cutaway, making it easy to

access during live performances.

The G6120T-59 is equipped with

Grover Sta-Tite die-cast tuners,

providing excellent tuning stability

and precision. Other notable

hardware features include a gold

plexi pickguard with a Chet Atkins

signature logo, an adjustable truss

rod, and a zero-fret nut, which

contributes to better intonation and

sustain.

Playability and Sound

As expected from a high-end

Gretsch guitar, the G6120T-59

Vintage Select ’59 Chet Atkins

offers outstanding playability. The

comfortable neck profile, combined

with the smooth ebony fingerboard

and medium jumbo frets, make it

a joy to play for extended periods.

The single cutaway design ensures

easy access to the higher frets,

allowing players to explore the full

range of the instrument.

When it comes to sound, the

G6120T-59 truly shines. The TV

Jones Classic Filter’Tron pickups

provide a rich, well-rounded tone

with plenty of clarity and definition.

The hollow body construction adds

warmth and resonance, while the

Bigsby tailpiece allows for smooth

vibrato and pitch modulation. With

its versatile electronics, this guitar

can easily accommodate various

playing styles and genres, making

it an ideal choice for players who

value flexibility and adaptability.

Conclusion

The Gretsch G6120T-59 Vintage

Select ’59 Chet Atkins is a testament

to the company’s commitment

to quality and craftsmanship.

This guitar features a stunning

design, top-notch hardware, and

exceptional playability, making it

a worthy addition to any guitarist’s

collection. The combination of

vintage aesthetics and modern

performance makes this instrument

a true work of art, one that pays

homage to the legendary Chet

Atkins while providing players with

a versatile and inspiring tool for

their musical journey.

Whether you’re a fan of Chet

Atkins, a Gretsch enthusiast, or

simply a guitarist in search of a

high-quality instrument with a

distinctive sound, the G6120T-59

Vintage Select ’59 Chet Atkins is

sure to impress. Its unique blend

of vintage charm and modern

functionality make it an excellent

choice for players of all levels and

styles.

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 35


REVIEW

36 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Flattley Guitar Pedals

www.flattleyguitarpedals.com

Intro: Paul George

Main Article: Paul Flattley

So, it’s only fitting for North

East Guitars Magazine to bring

on board a pedal manufacturer,

retailer and expert. I am so happy

to say we have that all rolled into

one. We bumped into Paul’s stand

at this years North East Guitar

Show and we were amazed by the

range and quality of these hand

built pedals, But please, do not

take my word for it. Just let Paul

give you a written tour of Flattley’s

Guitar Pedals.

Flattley Guitar Pedals is a family

run business established in 2016

and based in England. We do

all of our product processes and

manufacturing assembly within

small radius with the aim to keep

our carbon footprint as small as

possible ensuring Flattley pedals

are all truly made in England. After

repairing the electronics in guitars,

bass guitars, effects pedals and

amps for many years in my spare

time, I decided that it was time

to venture into something new,

making effect pedals. I had been

working in the Aviation Avionics

Industry for over 30 years after

starting my working career as an

avionics technician in the Royal

Navy Fleet Air Arm working on

helicopters. I was very confident

that I could produce a high-quality

product based on my aviation

quality assurance and standards

which would live up to my very

exacting requirements whilst

producing the sound and tone that

musicians are looking for. Each

effects pedal is hand built, hand

wired, and our enclosures are hand

finished giving our pedals that

personalized touch.

Being a musician myself, I know

what I like, and I know what

sounds and tones I look for. This

can be quite challenging when

playing in a band covering many

different genres of artists and

requiring a variety of sounds; I

make my effects pedals as versatile

and functional as possible and I

am constantly re-evaluating and

assessing our pedals to ensure

continuous improvement.

Each Flattley pedal is a work of

art as well as a tonal delight and

to get that very high standard

involves a great deal of hard work

and processes. A Flattley pedal

starts life as a concept schematic

diagram which is then tested in

basic prototyping formats, once

we are satisfied that the sound and

component values are right this

then goes off to our Gloucestershire

based PCB design and

manufacturer. Once we have our

un-populated PCB the hard work

begins, and we populate this with

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 37


REVIEW

Violet

Tremelo

Poison Ivy

Octave Harmonic

Fuzz

the highest quality components.

We then assemble the PCB to

the off-board components and

then hand tested in the product’s

build jig enclosure, once we are

happy that the completed circuitry

produces the tonal sounds that we

are known for this is then installed

into its hand finished enclosure.

Each hand finished enclosure is

prepared in exactly the same way

in our Gloucestershire based paint

facility whether it is a platinum or

silver range product, this process

usually takes five days from start to

finished enclosure.

They are hand abraded, then the

etch primer is applied to seal the

aluminium surface as an anticorrosive

measure and to allow

the base coat primer to bond to

the enclosure. Once the base coat

primer is dry it then has the base

coat colour applied and repeated

three times to ensure a deep lustre

of colour.

For our platinum range metallic

holographic chrome flake is then

applied using a clear inter coat

which adds that all important

Flattley sparkle. The pedal

enclosure is now ready to be hydro

dipped in its Flattley graphics.

This is the process whereby the

graphics are applied using water

activated film and the enclosure

is slowly dipped by hand through

the activated hydro graphic film,

the residual PVA film is then

washed off and the enclosure is

then allowed to dry naturally. Once

dried the lacquer process begins,

each enclosure has a minimum of

three coats of lacquer which are all

wet sanded between coats. Once

the lacquer has hardened, it is then

hand polished using three different

grades of polishing compounds

and it then has a final polish to

achieve a high gloss finish using a

wool finishing pad. This process

gives the smooth deep lustre finish

that is inherent in all Flattley effects

pedals.

Our silver range pedals then have

a minimum of three coats of

lacquer applied which are all wet

sanded between coats. Once the

lacquer has hardened, it is then

hand polished using three different

grades of polishing compounds

and it then has a final polish to

achieve a high gloss finish using a

wool finishing pad. This process

gives the smooth deep lustre finish

that is inherent in all Flattley effects

pedals. The graphics designed in

house by our graphics designer

38 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Flattley Guitar Pedals

Plexstar

Plexi Drive

Nirvana

Analogue Delay

Phoebe Flattley are then

applied to silver range effects

pedals by UV direct printing

in our Gloucestershire based

printing facility.

The platinum range pedals

are finished with aluminium

control knobs which have

laser etched descriptive text

on them. Both the platinum

and silver range products have

LED halo ring lights installed

which dissipates the light

to avoid blinding musicians

whilst performing and

operating the pedal. We also

add Flattley logo laser etched

aluminium foot toppers

on the pedal switches as

standard across both ranges.

Finally, the product name

is attached to the enclosure,

this is a sublimated brushed

aluminium logo plaque as its

unique identifier.

All Flattley products

are RoHS, CE & WEEE

compliant, packaged in

sustainable recycled materials

and come with a 12-month

guarantee. We welcome all

feedback on Flattley products

as this allows us to evolve and

develop our pedals.

I would like to take this

opportunity to thank all

Flattley Guitar Pedals

customers, both new and old,

for purchasing Flattley Guitar

Pedals. I hope that you all

enjoy your pedal as much as

I did making it and that it is

a fantastic addition to your

pedal board.

Contact

Flattley GuitarPedals

w. https://flattleyguitarpedals.com

t. +44 (0)7802 455 127

f. https://www.facebook.com/Flattley/

i. https://www.instagram.com/flattleyguitarpedals

x. https://twitter.com/flattleypedals

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 39


IN FOCUS


MICHELLE

TAYLOR

Award Winning Artist,

Blues Guitarist

& Session Player


IN FOCUS

Michelle Taylor

Award Winning Artist,

Blues Guitarist

& Session Player

Michelle’s Website

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

Writing this article I have the

best of all worlds. Not only

do we get to interview a genuine

North East talent but also

an International star who has

thrived and thrust herself on

to the big stage with grace,

determination and amazing

style. So let’s just get straight

into the interview and let Michelle

Tell her story...

Written by

& Paul George

42 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


In Focus - Michelle Taylor

NEG: So Michelle, Tell us how it

all began. Oh yes, please include

how you come to play a guitar

upside down.

MT: “I was born in the UK in the

seaside town of Hartlepool and

spent most of my younger years in

the Durham and Newcastle area

in the north east of England and

of course in Trimdon Village and

its surrounding areas where I grew

up . It was here that I “paid my

dues” playing in the vast amount

of “Working mens clubs” and pubs

in the area.”

Growing up there were mainly

artists such as Frank Sinatra, Tom

Jones and Shirley Bassey being

played on the turntable by her

parents along with the usual pop

and rock hits on the local radio

stations.

She said “it was great to practice

to these artists as I learned a lot

about dynamics, light and shade “

etc.

“I actually started my career as

a drummer, and so I would play

along with my parents’ records on

the drum kit that I had in the corner

of the room in my bedroom.

I was taught to read drum music

by Adrian Tillbrooke, a very well

known drummer at the time from

Hartlepool, I would visit Adrian

every Saturday “to read the notes”.

Every evening for a couple of

hours after school and usually

all afternoon on Sundays, I was

allowed to practice with full support

of the closest neighbors. My

parents had checked with all of

them beforehand to be sure that I

wasn’t going to annoy anyone with

my noise!

As well as my parents’ collection

I’d play along with my own Elvis

Presley albums too, this was quite

a challenge as Elvis had the amazing

Ronnie Tutt on the drums!

I bought myself a beat up nylon

strung guitar at some point too,

together with a chord book of

Elvis Greatest Hits and I started

to teach myself to play guitar (

apart from anything else I thought

it would improve my love life at

parties ) Ha Ha.

My main instrument was always

going to be drums but I fancied

learning a little guitar as a hobby.

I’m left handed but I’d bought a

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 43


normal right handed guitar, and

so it just felt more natural to hold

it upside down. I didn’t know at

the time that being left handed I

should have changed the nut and

restrung the guitar, and it wasn’t

until approx a year or so later that

a “Real Guitarist” told me that I

should restring the guitar as a lefty

player.

By this time I’d learned a load of

chords and could already play a

few songs, and so there was no

way that I was going to restring

and start from the very beginning

all over again ! Screw that ! :)

I think that this action actually did

me a favour, as I don’t see myself

as a particularly good guitarist,

but being this gender and playing

a left handed guitar with the

strings upside down (right handed)

and having a weird technique

is a little unusual and so it has

brought me a lot of attention :)

We had a school rock band and

from playing drums in that I was

“discovered” by another pupil at

the school who’s mother regularly

performed with a charity band

that played all kinds of covers (

including the hits of the artists I

practiced to in my bedroom) so I

already had an insight to what was

expected at the audition and I got

the job playing drums with them.

The members of this band were

all around 30 years old, and so at

around 14 I was very much the

baby of the band. We gigged at

least once a week with that band

and I practiced with friends during

other times trying to put our

own band together.

The guitarist in the charity band

also had a semi-professional band

called “Frenchie” playing covers

around the working mens clubs

and pubs in the north east, and

their drummer was leaving so they

needed a replacement, I auditioned

together with a few other

drummers and got the job.

For a while I even had the position

of resident drummer in the local

working men’s club which was an

invaluable training and learning

experience for me playing drums

for a wide range of artists with

varying styles.

From there I ended up playing

drums in other local bands including

the Gibson’s country band

( later I went onto playing guitar

in this band instead of drums ).

I even had a guitar duo with a

friend and we did a number of

working mens clubs together. Guitar

was still my second instrument

at this point but I always enjoyed

playing it.

NEG: Who were your biggest

influences and what kind of music

do you listen to ?

MT: Today I listen a lot to people

like Robben Ford, Kingfish and

Matt Schofield, although listening

to my playing you would never

think so, as my style is a mix of

both blues and country.

I love the playing of guitarists such

as Mark Knopfler and Vince Gill

and often listen to them too.

I still listen a lot to the guy that

first made me want to move

44 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


permanently over from drums to

guitar and become “a guitarist”

in the early 80´s.. His name is

Ray Flacke. Ray was playing with

Ricky Skaggs and Emmylou Harris

at the time and often featured on

their recordings. ( Listen to the

guitars on the Ricky Skaggs album

“Highways and Heartaches”).

Actually it’s funny how life can

be strange, as I’m now a friend of

Rays and we have quite regular

contact. So, these influences have

kinda made my style a mix of

Blues and Country depending on

the song I’m doing, the song will

determine which style I will lean

more into, although even my blues

style still does have a lot of elements

of country in it. My band

plays a Blues/Country/Rock style

and can feature anything from

traditional blues, modern blues,

fast country picking and anything

else that I feel fits with my style of

playing. However I can still be

found listening to things by Carlos

Santana, Be bop Deluxe, JJ Cale,

Johnny Hiland, Carl Verheyen,

and many others.

NEG: What guitars do you play?

Any favourites you may have

had?

MT: I play Gordon Smith Guitars

almost exclusively, but I do also

have a guitar that I received quite

recently which was handmade for

me by a lovely guy and a brilliant

luthier from just outside of Durham

called Trevor Spooner.

I use Trevor’s guitar a lot at the

moment as it both feels and

sounds great (and you know how

it is, It’s always nice with a change

no matter how great an instrument

is).

My main guitars have always been

Gordon Smith guitars and upon

getting my first one I simply didn’t

want to play anything else. At

the time I had a number of Gibson

Les Pauls and a collection of

custom shop Telecasters and other

amazing custom made guitars

( including one handmade for

me by Tom Mates who was Eric

Claptons guitar tech at the time

and who worked for the Gibson

custom shop ). Some of the Teles

had B Benders on them which I

always enjoyed using. I do also

have a lovely Ibanez Artcore

Expressionist 335 style guitar that

I use from time to time. The first

custom handmade guitar that I got

when I began my official endorsement

with Gordon Smith Guitars

was a guitar with an Olive top. It

was the first guitar that they had

ever made with an Olive top…

and so I called her “Olivia”. This

became a much loved guitar with

other guitarists all over the internet

and many still use that name

when referring to it, Olivia is my

most played guitar, it’s my “old

pair of shoes”…You know that

comfortable secure cosy feeling

you get when using them. :)

The second guitar I got from Gordon

Smith I promptly named “The

Owl” as I could clearly see the face

and shape of an owl in the Burled

walnut top. “The Owl” is probably

my most recognizable and well

known guitar by people on the

internet.

When it comes to Gordon Smith

Guitars. For those that don’t know,

Gordon Smith are the UKs oldest

running electric guitar manufacturer

and are often said to be

the “UK’s Gibson” (As Gibson

used to be in the past in terms of

top quality handmade premium

instruments).

I started gigging around age

14 with the cover band that I

mentioned earlier, they played

In Focus - Michelle Taylor

everything from Thin Lizzy and

Fleetwood Mac to Jim Capaldi and

the Cars to a wide range of musical

styles. I loved watching the

guitarists in the band and loved

the freedom they had onstage..( as

I was always stuck behind a drum

kit ). It was during this time that I

joined my first country band and

enjoyed watching the guitarists

in those bands playing that totally

different style of music. As a

drummer I really disliked playing

country music as it felt incredibly

boring and unemotional. However

things would change, and eventually

grow to like the music and

I would leave the drums and go

over to guitar because of it.

My name had apparently spread

out of the area of the north east

and somehow it had reached

a booking agent further down

south. I got a call one morning

from this agency telling me that

they had heard all about my playing

abilities and would I be interested

in going on an international

tour as part of a session band

playing for a number of American

country artists coming over to

Europe on tour, we would be playing

a number of the big country

festivals in a number of different

countries! I actually thought it

was a friend of mine winding me

up first thing in the morning and

so I promptly told him to F* off

and I hung up on him.

Luckily for me the guy called

back and had found it amusing

that I didn’t believe him and so he

offered his phone number and told

me to call him back. I did so and

discovered that it was all true, I

couldn’t believe it! and naturally I

accepted the offer.

NEG: Who are your sponsors?

MT: I’m incredibly lucky to have

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 45


a number of great music brands

that apparently like my playing

and have reached out to me and

offered me official endorsements

with them. Some of the brands I

had already been using regularly

for years in my gear arsenal (

which is maybe why they offered

me the endorsement).

Over the years as a session player

on a number of tours I have used

a lot of different brands of amp.

From Marshall’s and Fenders to

Peaveys and Mesas and a lot of

things in between, however the

most reliable of all were always the

Blackstar amps that I used. I loved

the sound, the look, the name,

and the versatility of their amps,

and so they were always my first

choice.

After a while I became known

as “the Blackstar girl” in these

groups etc and I would regularly

be tagged in questions, comments

and posts from people wanting

to know something about these

amps. In the end the amount of

posts, private messages and mails

that I was getting was becoming

crazy, and so I started my own

Blackstar Amp Appreciation

group on Facebook for people

wanting to swap tips, stories and

information etc. I am usually there

daily helping with comments and

questions, and over the years the

group has grown substantially.

I think that it was at some point

around this time that I was offered

an official endorsement, and I’ve

used their amps exclusively ever

since. I was always a fan of their

Artist series but over the past few

years I started using their brilliant

lightweight full tube St James

amps.

Around this time I was approached

by Gordon Smith guitars

and have used those ever since

too.

I have and use a number of pedalboards

( approx 9 or 10 of them ).

Some are placed out in studios or

rehearsal rooms, some are in my

own studio and practice rooms,

and I also have boards set for

particular amps. I love messing

around with pedals and pedalboards

and I even often build my

own boards, I find it relaxing.

I used pedals by both Mad Professor

and Wampler long before

being offered endorsements with

these two brilliant brands, they

both make great sounding pedals

that are built to be thrown around.

Another important thing for me

is that the people behind these

brands are really nice, friendly and

helpful people!

I regularly use the Deep Blue Delay,

Royal Blue Overdrive, Amber

Overdrive, Green Wonder Overdrive

by Mad Professor.

The Wampler pedals that I use at

the moment are the Mini Tumnus

( of which I have a few ) and

love it as a drive or a crystal clean

boost. The Triumph Overdrive

( I have a couple of these too )

The Velvet Fuzz ( A great fuzz for

both fuzz lovers and those that

don’t like fuzz ) and the Tape Echo

which has a few extra controls on

it together with tap tempo should

I ever need it. I contacted Free the

Tone Pedals a number of years ago

trying to get hold of a particular

pedal that I was having trouble

finding. After a few emails regarding

my search for a pedal they apparently

checked me out and I was

offered to be one of their artists

( and now I’m featured on their

website alongside Matt Schofield)

How cool is that! Free The Tone

are really great pedals and if you

haven’t tried any, then you should

do so. At the moment I regularly

use their SOV-2 Overdrive and

the Red Jasper Overdrive.

Other brands that I’m happy to

use pedals by are Flattley Pedals

(UK) . Paul Flattley ( another

great guy ) makes some amazing

handwired pedals. Paul made me a

couple of custom dual pedals that

I use from time to time. One is a

Chorus/Tremolo and the other is

an analog dual delay.

Hardy Pedals in Sweden also make

great handwired custom pedals,

sometimes based on well known

models. The KOT style pedal that

I use from them is really nice and

I often use that on my boards.

Recently I was sent a box of

approximately 9 pedals from a

company called Tone City which

is run by a lovely married couple

in China. These very inexpensive

pedals are often copies of well

known models, but some of them

are actually very good and definitely

worth checking out. I have

a “Tone City board” that Ive put

together using only their pedals

and has “The Mickey” a mini pedal

that sounds like a RAT, a couple

of their “Tape Machine” Delays

which are also mini pedals, The

Blues Man Overdrive mini pedal,

and a Model B dual overdrive

pedal ( based on a Mesa style amp

sound).

Another of the brands that I’m

proud to use is Walsall, they make

exclusive premium leather straps

with comfortable memory foam.

The straps and brand are by Richard

Cholerton of Richard’s Guitars

in Stratford upon Avon and I love

them! Richard is a lovely helpful

guy too ( and he often has a

number of Gordon Smith Guitars

46 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


in stock ).

I have used strings by Ernie Ball

from the start. I did try a few different

brands a long time ago but

I always came back to Ernie Ball,

and Iv’e used them now for many

years. Originally I used the Hybrid

Slinky 009-46 but this past

year I went over to their Turbo

Slinky which are 9.5-46. I thought

I’d try them for a while.

When it comes to guitar parts I

love the Black Graphtech parts.

I use both the nuts and string

saddles on a few of my guitars.

Everything feels smoother, it looks

cool, and there are less string

breakages. What’s not to like!

NEG: So you were inducted into

the Swedish Rock & Roll Hall Of

Fame. Tell us about that.

MT: A number of years ago during

a performance and in between

songs, I saw someone get up onto

the left side of the stage in the

theatre we were performing in. I

thought it surprising and concerning

that security had not stopped

this from happening as the guy

headed my way. The gentleman

was of later years and was holding

a few items in his hands. My

guitarist stepped forward and

handed the guy his wireless mic.

I thought to myself WTF is going

on ? Apparently my manager

and all the band knew this was

going to happen that evening. I

was handed a T Shirt, and some

other merchandise together with

a signed framed diploma inducting

me into the Swedish Nostalgia

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

My shows at the time were breaking

a few attendance records

among other things. It was totally

unexpected and a real honour for

In Focus - Michelle Taylor

me…. Although I was mad at the

band for not warning me beforehand

as I hate surprises.

NEG: What are you working on

at the moment?

MT: I’m in the process of putting

a new band together right

now, and so we are in the middle

of rehearsals at the moment for

upcoming shows and festivals in

Sweden this summer. The line up

is simple.

Me …(Rhythm / Solo Guitar and

Vocals).

Drums *Ola Strandsjö

Bass. *Björn Cruse

Keyboards. *Martin Jönebäck

*Rhythm & Solo guitar. *Thom

Som Monsieurs

NEG: Michelle, Thank you for

your time and speaking to us.

Good luck in the future.

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 47


STRING Talk

Award winning Flattley Boutique

Effects Pedals are hand built in the UK .

For more information, demo videos & stockists visit

www.flattleyguitarpedals.com



LOCAL HEROES

Bluesburn

@ The Fish

By Paul George & Hazel Whitelock

So to write this article, I have to

go along to the quiet little pub

that has been the heart of my

own social life for the past four

years. The Fisherman’s Arm on

Hartlepool’s historic Headland.

Seriously folks, I dare you to find

a friendlier spot in the North

East, not to mention the beer is

damn good, brewed in our local

Camerons brewery producing top

quality craft ales.

But we’re not here to talk about

the beers or how friendly the

pub is, we are here to talk about

a once-monthly ritual which is

carried out on the first Thursday

of every month called ‘Bluesburn’.

Now, I have been known to dabble

with a slide and a resonator and

I foolishly call myself a blues

player. What a load of old tosh!

And I only say that because of

the standards of Blues artists that

gather to exercise their demons in

front of the packed temple which

we have fondly come to know

as ‘The Fish’. To help me on my

ramble down the historic road

of the Bluesburn is pub landlady,

Hazel Whitelock. Hazel has been

barmaid and landlady of The

Fish’ for the past 15 years and has

witnessed the wonderful journey

Bluesburn has taken.

NEG: Hazel, when and how did

the Bluesburn begin?

HW: The landlord at the time,

Steve used to come up with ideas

for the pub. He decided along with

Matt to try out a Blues evening.

That was in 2015.

NEG: So as a landlady you have

inherited the Bluesburn, tell me

of your early memories?

HW: It started off as a tight-knit

thing but quickly expanded and

50 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Local Heroes - Bluesburn @ The Fish

don’t cheer at the end of a players

session. But it does seem to work.

Graham took over from another

one of our legends, Tony Kramer

who sadly had to give up his spot

due to health conditions but he

still shows his face from time to

time albeit without a guitar. He

recently recorded a fabulous

instrumental album and donated

all proceeds to the British Lung

Foundation. If you pop in to the

‘Fish’, you can grab a copy behind

the bar.

just grew and grew. In the early

days there was ‘Smokin’ Matt

Harrison, he was also responsible

for teaching one of Hartlepool’s

finest blues players, Daniel Darcy.

Tommy ‘Blind Boy’ Wilson on

harmonica, now part of Blues

Mojo, Mick Spence on Bass, Tony

Shilson also played harmonica

and a guy called Dave who used

to come over from Leeds just to

sing. Phil Reay on Drums. Dave

unfortunately passed away around

2017 due to illness and we had

a massive charity Bluesburn to

celebrate his life.

NEG: These days it seems to be

thriving on a Thursday, has it

always been like this.

HW: It’s certainly had it’s ups and

downs over the years. At times it

has dropped off in popularity but

we have always managed to pick it

back up and push it back towards

authentic Blues. It has drifted off

at times where the Blues genre was

expanded a little too far and we

started to get a lot of rock, rock

‘n’ roll, country, you know, very

loosely based blues tunes. But

saying that we have had some

really great people who have taken

the reigns and brought it back

to life. Matt was the first of our

hosts, I think he was the one who

really established the evening.

NEG: Looking at Bluesburn

these days, it is very popular.

Who is hosting it now?

HW: We have a great host at the

moment, Graham ‘Ozzy’ Watson

who has a great sense of humour.

He has this thing of threatening

the audience with bad jokes if they

NEG: So what is the secret

ingredient of Bluesburn? What

makes it so successful?

HW: Now that is a question with

many answers. Firstly I have to

say the opportunities. Anyone

can get up and play regardless of

ability and experience. In fact,

we pride ourselves on getting

beginners up on to our stage. Our

audience is amazing, I don’t want

to say forgiving, more supportive

to all. Absolutely everybody gets

applauded. That settles a lot of

nerves, especially with our first

timers. You know, we also have

a wonderful tradition in the pub

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 51


that when any of our players,

artists, bands leaves the pub to go

home, they are clapped out of the

door. It’s quite a humbling thing

to see.

Another reason for it’s success is

the general friendly atmosphere

of the ‘Fish’. We do not tolerate

any form of trouble or unruly

behaviour of any sort and it has

a reputation for being so. It is a

great, safe environment where

everybody can relax.

NEG: Any players of note that

come along on a Thursday?

HW: Oh yes, a lot of the

established blues players around

Hartlepool have cut their teeth

at Bluesburn. One in particular,

Daniel D’Arcy. He used to come

up in his early days and Matt took

him under his wing. These days,

you have to say that he is probably

the most talented Blues player in

Hartlepool, maybe even the North

East and that is no exaggeration.

We have had so many great

artists in on the Bluesburn I can’t

begin to name them all but the

best thing is simply to pop over

and see for yourself. We always

have something or someone who

lets loose and becomes a star, even

if it is just for the night.

NEG: Hazel, thank you very

much for your time and good

52 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


luck for the Bluesburn and the

‘Fish in the future.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Local Heroes - Bluesburn @ The Fish

The Thursday night Bluesburn,

as I said at the start of the

article, has become something

of an institution and certainly a

highlight in the monthly music

calendar.. I, myself get there

whenever I can and yes, I do

like to try a few things out but

I class myself in the beginners

category when it comes to blues

talent. But regardless and as

Hazel mentioned, there is no fear

of being booed off stage if I hit a

bum note or two, in fact I do get

a lot of good feedback which just

encourages me to try more and

more. Eventually I’ll get there but

for now, I’m happy on the learning

curve.

Regular faces at the Bluesburn are,

of course, Graham (Ozzy) with

the house band who always open

the evening, Kenny and Tommy

from Blues Mojo can be regularly

seen and heard dishing out

unbelievable Delta blues, Barry

and Derek aka The DekkaTones to

name just a few of the great artists

who grace the stage.

Finally, I would like to thank

Hazel and Glenn for the amazing

images from Bluesburns early days

and for giving us years of great

memories. Check out more on the

Fish and Bluesburn on Facebook

or by going to their website:

www.thefishhartlepool.co.uk

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 53


Feature

Welcome on board, White Wolf Recording Studio to the

NE Guitars network. Finding quality and affordable recording

studio’s in this day and age can be challenging

but fortunately NEG has the answer with our new friends

By John M Tobin.M.A. (Pro

Media Composition) B.A Hons

L.T.C.L(T)

If you are musician, podcaster,

voice actor, or audio

enthusiast looking to take

your recordings to the next level,

finding the right professional

recording studio is crucial to

achieving the high-quality,

polished results you desire.

While home recording setups

have become increasingly popular

and accessible, there are still

many benefits to recording in a

professional studio. The White-

Wolf Professional recording

studio offers top-of-the-line

equipment, acoustically treated

rooms, experienced engineers,

and a creative environment that

can elevate the quality of your

recordings. Whether you’re

looking to record a demo, EP,

album, podcast, audiobook, or

any other audio project, The

White-Wolf professional studio

can provide the expertise and

resources needed to bring your

vision to life.

Location

The White-Wolf recording studio

is conveniently placed just off the

A19 and is within easy reach of

the three major conurbations on

Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside.

(See our map)

Equipment and Technology

The White-Wolf professional

studio is equipped with highquality

recording equipment,

microphones, mixing consoles,

monitors, and software. At the

beginning of 2024 I upgraded the

computer system to incorporate

some of the latest technology to

help make a significant difference

in the quality of your recordings,

and ensuring the studio is up-todate

with industry standards.

Acoustics

Acoustics play a crucial role in the

sound quality of your recordings.

White-Wolf Recording Studio, has

built its reputation on delivering

the highest quality sound

recordings possible. The rooms

(built only 8 years ago) provide

perfect acoustics for any recording

session.

We Have 2 distinct ‘Audio’

recording areas. The Large

recording room is big enough

to comfortably accommodate

groups of 25 to 35 performers

at once! Brass Bands, Local

Choirs, Dramatic societies etc.

Our second room is specifically

designed as a ‘’dead’’ room…

perfect to record singers and close

up performance in perfect detail.

Your Project

The music is written, the lyrics

are great, the band is ready, you

are fully rehearsed, the script is

up, your masterpiece is ready

to be laid down for posterity

and hopefully an appreciating

audience.

54 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


What’s next?

The first step is always the

hardest. To help you make your

choice of professional recording

studio contact me to discuss

your ambitions needs and

requirements. Over the phone, by

e-mail, You are always welcome

to pop in for a consultation (by

appointment)

DH6 3QZ

Contact Details

Web: www.white-wolf.studio

Tel: 07531536080

Email: john@white-wolf.studio

FB: @white-wolf professional

recording studio

Address:

White-Wolf Recording Studio

Unit 6, Wheatley Hill Ind Est.

Front Street

Wheatley Hill

Co. Durham

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 55


Tygers of Pan Tang

REVIEW

TYGERS OF PAN TANG

Live Blood (album)

Mighty Music

Radio Impact: 6 February 2024

Release: 26 April 2024

56 www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk


Album - Tygers of Pan Tang

Mighty Music are proud to

announce the release of a live

album by the Tygers of Pan

Tang, to be called “Live Blood”.

Stalwarts of the NWOBHM, the

Tygers are currently celebrating

eight years with Mighty Music

during which time they have

released

three well received new albums,

the most recent of which

“Bloodlines”, was met with

universal critical acclaim in 2023.

The band, with guitarist Robb

Weir at the helm, along with

long-serving members Jack Meille

(vocals) and Craig Ellis (drums),

includes their two new recruits for

“Bloodlines”: guitarist Francesco

Marras and bass player Huw

Holding. “Live Blood” includes

material from across the band’s

career, including songs from

their first four albums with MCA

Records plus their last four albums

of new material.

Jack Meille comments: “Recording

a live album after all this time

with the Tygers? I never thought

I would experience it but with the

Tygers Of Pan Tang I have learnt

that the “impossible” is possible.

“Live Blood” captures all the

energy we deliver while playing

our favourite songs live and raw!”.

The recording was made at The

Patriot venue in Wales UK during

the summer of 2023 and will

arrive as a single CD and a double

vinyl featuring additional tracks.

The album will be preceded by

the release of two singles: the live

favourite “Gangland” from their

legendary “Spellbound” album

and the hidden gem “Keeping Me

Alive” from “Ambush”.

We will leave the final word with

Robb Weir: “Every time we play

a show we are asked when we

are going to record a new live

album. Our live show adds a new

dimension to the old songs and

allows us to stretch out a bit on the

newer numbers”.

“Live Blood” will be released on

double LP (black vinyl, including

three exclusive bonus tracks), CD

and digital formats on April 26th,

2024 via Mighty Music.

Lineup:

Robb Weir - guitar

Francesco Marras - guitar

Jack Meille - vocals

Huw Holding - bass

Craig Ellis - drums

Webshop:

https://bit.ly/tygers-shop

Digital:

https://tygerspantang.lnk.to/live

www.neguitarsmagazine.co.uk 57




NORTH EAST GIGS BOARD





• Onsite Shop

• Set ups

• Repairs

• Custom Builds

Find us at

Unit 6 Front Street

Industrial Estate

Shotton Colliery

County Durham

DH6 2ND

Tel 07546 656143

www.eastdurhamguitars.com

sales@eastdurhamguitars.com

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