Pete Gow, front man for the late Case Hardin, one of the UK’s foremost hard rocking Americana styled bands, surprised a lot of folk when he released his first solo album, ‘Here There’s No Sirens’ back in April. Gone was the rollicking and hard rocking thrust of Case Hardin, replaced by intimate stripped back songs, mainly acoustic and awash with bold brass and string arrangements. And while the sound of the album may have surprised many folk, it was praised across the board, with AUK’s review saying it was, “a deeply personal and intimate set of songs with some great lyrics and astute musicianship, all recorded wonderfully and delivered with heart.” Already, in some quarters, it’s been mentioned as likely to be in the short list for UK album of the year at the next AMAUK awards ceremony. Continue reading “Interview: Pete Gow – “Up close and very personal…””
Ten years and ‘still kickin’’ according to this year’s t-shirt, Maverick is THE festival on the Americana calendar. it’s the one everyone wants to play and the yard stick by which other festivals have measured themselves (and been inspired by). Now firmly branded as ‘Americana & Roots’ it started using the much missed tag ‘alt country’. With three indoor (well in tractor sheds and barns) stages and an afternoon outdoor stage on which Albert Lee was the headline its family friendly, with good chow and a hotch-potch of stalls. It’s only failing is its early close every night. 