ALEX VOYSEY IS A BLUES PLAYER POSSESSED OF A SELDOM SEEN SPIRIT AND AN EMOTIONAL ENERGY THAT CATAPULTS THE BLUES INTO THE 21st CENTURY
Time to get down to the crossroads for a chin wag then...
So, How’s things?
Very good thank you
How much of an influence did your mother have on your early musical leanings?
She had a really big influence. She’s always worked in the music industry and both my parents are very musical. Growing up we listened to a lot of classic rock bands like Queen, Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones, went to quite a few gigs and it was being introduced to that music that got me interested in playing guitar, initially from listening to and watching Brian May and how he played. Like Brian, I also built my own guitar with my Dad and still use it on pretty much every gig (amongst others!).
Being trained to play the viola and violin must give you that bit of an ‘edge’ musically over those without some classical training, right?
It certainly has as a session guitarist playing with orchestras. I read notation very well and it gave me a good understanding of the way orchestras work. I love the structure of an orchestra and having to be stylistically accurate when doing eg 80s nights (all those iconic solos!), Abba shows, Bond nights, and also several film with live orchestra events in huge concert halls – it’s a real thrill. But in my solo playing though I lean much more heavily, as you’d imagine, on my influences from the rock and blues world.
At what age did you discover Joe Bonamassa? Have you got any other blues influences (I hear the honesty of Stevie Ray Vaughan in your playing?)
I discovered Joe when he released ‘Don’t Explain’ with Beth Hart in 2011 so I would have been 16. It just felt like he was pushing the boundaries of what was possible for a guitarist to do, more so than anyone else I had heard before. I do have other influences – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Moore….all such great players, but equally and importantly also amazing musicians.
You exude passion in your lyrics and performances – how important is it that to you?
The blues is all about expression, and I’d argue more than any other genre, so that’s something I always try and put across. I have a stammer so being able to communicate and express myself through music is really valuable.
(Deep question of the day alert) What would you die for?
My wife
How would you say your playing/arrangements have progressed from the ‘Head in A Blur’ album to your latest work (Blues in Isolation).
I wrote Head In A Blur whilst I was at Leeds College of Music and so it comes from a much younger and less experienced me. Inevitably my writing and arrangements are now so much more developed ….‘Blues In Isolation’ was mostly written during the lockdowns where we were not only very angry at not being able to work and perform but we also had loads of time to experiment with new ideas and techniques to get the songs sounding as good as they can be.
What do you consider to be your best work so far and why?
Definitely ‘Blues In Isolation’ and specific track would be Whiskey and Wine – a classic blues track with a modern twist was what I was aiming for. Looking back to ‘Head In A Blur’ I can see how much I’ve grown as a musician. We still perform some of those tracks and they’ve developed and morphed with us but my writing now is more complex and of a much higher standard I think. I feel this is the album I’ve been waiting to write for years – the difference between being age 18 and 28 I guess!
How do you balance playing and singing – not everyone can do this equally well? (Jimi Hendrix)
Honestly, It’s just a lot of practice. I have to be able to do the guitar parts pretty much without thinking so I can give enough attention to the vocals. I’ve always said I’m a guitarist first and a singer second so the singing is what takes up most of my attention when I’m doing both at the same time to make sure they’re both up to scratch. Remembering lyrics can sometimes be a challenge, even if they’re my own!
Some of your lyrics and playing are melancholic like the great Robert Johnson, is the Mississippi Delta your spiritual home? (Or are you still a Macc lad?)
I’ve spoken and planned for a while about doing a road trip from New Orleans, travelling up the Mississippi Delta, going through Memphis and ending in Nashville. I’ve never been there before but it’s a trip I’ve always wanted to do, so I suppose it is a little bit.
Would you sell your soul to the devil? Or Is there a hellhound on your tail?
Oh definitely a Hell hound on my tail!
What’s been the best experience/gig so far?
Ah we’ve had so many in the whirlwind of the last couple of years. I suppose it’s any show where we’re all in the zone together and I end up switching off my brain and just feeling it – that tends to be when my best playing comes out anyway. Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho last year was pretty much up there – such an iconic venue and a really great audience.
What would be your ideal venue to play in the future?
I mean aiming for something like the Royal Albert Hall is everyone’s dream isn’t it? Currently I’m very happy with the major blues clubs we’re getting into and the larger theatre shows which generally have a great atmosphere. I’ll be performing as a soloist in a new show in the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester next year though, so that’s really exciting.
How long did it take to perfect your stage ‘presence’?
Honestly, its not a thing I’ve really spent time going over in fine detail because I usually feel very comfortable on stage performing to an audience. It always felt very natural from a young age. There are things I’ve learned along the way though, such as chatting to the audience and allowing my band to heckle me! I sometimes declare my stammer so that people don’t think I’m nervous, but sometimes I choose not to.
Have you found the ‘real’ you yet or are you still searching?
I think so. When I’m performing, it’s just me, I don’t try and put on a persona or change who I am when I’m playing.
Do you feel that the ‘younger’ generation have an appreciation for the blues?
I think it’s better now than it was but we definitely have a way to go. That’s kind of what my role as Youth Ambassador with the UK Blues Federation is about….I often do workshops to show younger guitarists how complex and satisfying the blues can be and currently work for RockSteady so can often talk to my students about how great some of the blues material is too.
How can we educate them?
I think like most musical tastes, they’re informed by what we listen to as kids and what our parents listen to. So I think it’s just got to be about getting as much Blues as we can into the public domain where everyone can hear it. Sadly, like jazz and big band styles, mainstream radio stations and festivals don’t tend to programme blues musicians and its really tough to get on major radio playlists. There’s a growing list of independent blues broadcasters so maybe through the internet stations more young people will come across what we do.
What difficulties have you encountered when trying to grow your fanbase now that social media is king?
It can be difficult. Like so many musicians I know I’m not very natural at the whole social media thing and it’s definitely not my favourite part of the music industry, but it is important. I find I can have a week or so of being really on it and having the drive to prep loads of posts and then I burn myself out and just want to do the playing and creating. It’s tough sometimes having to think about advertising yourself on a regular basis.
If you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be?
As nervous as I’d be, I think it has to be Joe Bonamassa. He’s been my biggest influence and I think it would be so cool. I met him for the first time recently and came away wondering if that just happened!
What’s the rest of the year look like? (More tour dates/recording etc).
Yeah, we’ve got loads of dates around the country, including being one of the five bands nominated to be part of the UK Blues Challenge this year – the winners go on to represent the UK in the European Blues Challenge in 2025, and just being nominated is a really big deal so we’re very excited. I’ve started writing the next album and also have a lot of orchestral bookings, so its going to be have a fairly busy end to what’s been a really enjoyable year.
Thanks for your time Alex.
