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#7 Posted: : Monday, March 08, 2010 10:14:19 PM

Hello there ,

There's something very special about seeing a band live at the height of their powers. When you stand there and can't help but grin like a child as their music floods over you. But when the people creating the music are your friends the feeling is intensified even more - additional things like pride and connected joy are added to the entire glorious moment.
I had the extreme pleasure of undergoing these sensations three weeks ago at a gig in Wellington. A homecoming of sorts for the group JAKOB - their first gig in New Zealand's capital for over a year and a half. They were opening for the group ISIS and the audiences unabashed joy at seeing JAKOB back on stage brought me such happiness. I was at school with these guys - Jeff Boyle harboured 16 year old desires to be Vernon Reid whilst I dreamt of being Jimmy Page. One of us grew and became one of New Zealand's most inventive guitarists whilst the other still wants to be Jimmy Page.
It's been a hard 18 months for the group - a forced hiatus due to Jeff needing hand surgery halted the momentum that had been building - they already had several European tours under their proverbial belts and a new album and tour were on the immediate horizon. However, all the frustration and difficulties of this unwanted break just seemed to wash away as the three of them played brilliantly for us that night, as if there had been no break - just 18 months of further refinement.
And now it's back into onwards and upwards...... a new album and a new tour. I write this for several reasons - I love their music, I believe they're doing something that has it's own voice and is unique and I'm proud of them - that contemporaries of mine have worked their asses off to create something that is truly their own - and it's huge and epic and beautiful.

Chur lads.

You all should check them out.
http://www.munarecords.co.nz/Jakob08/index.html

My favourite JAKOB track.....

#6 Posted: : Tuesday, December 15, 2009 1:44:06 AM

Hi Everyone......
It's 1:43am here....I've been working on a few new things this evening - so much to do - so little time. Face book burbling away in the background, providing occasional distraction when the mind gets the vaguely fried feeling. A friend posted a clip of a song by Chris Whitley on the FB page - I had a listen and couldn't help jumping to another song - one I'd never heard before.
It was clip of him sitting in some little radio station studio with his dobro, a slide and nothing else. It was haunting, beautiful, liable to make those of us with a penchant for the melancholic sigh deeply. It got me thinking about how extraordinary and not of this world music is, how it transcends everything, truly beautiful music is utterly indescribable. I could blather on indefinitely but perhaps the best thing to do is post a few clips of beautiful music. Starting with the sadly departed Mr Whitley......

Peace.

B

#5 Posted: : Wednesday, December 09, 2009 8:03:43 PM

Hello All......

Just a short one to share the mild discomfort that I'm currently in....... Having decided to finally properly learn VH's song Hot for teacher (You know, playing it in time etc) I made the rather foolish decision to nail the opening tapping bit.... nothing wrong with that - except I deemed that if I could play the opening section perfectly on a steel string acoustic guitar with 13 gauge strings then surely playing it on electric afterwards would be a significantly smaller challenge.
2 hours + Hot for Teacher + steel string dreadnaught acoustic = Left Hand Pinky Blister, LH Index blister and right hand index blister........... Ohhhh welll.
At least I can play it ;) Or will be able to to continue playing it once, well, you know, the angry red swelling subsides.

Yes. Indeed.

B

P.S. TITAN video demo will be up tomorrow. Smile

#4 Posted: : Friday, September 25, 2009 11:49:14 AM

Guitars....... Guitars...... Guitars.......
Wood, metal, paint, lacquer, glue.... it's surreal how those simple ingredients can come together to create an object, that for some of us, inspires such feelings of emotion and desire it's almost verging on the criminal. I've never been a big vintage guitar fiend - the cost involved in such an endeavour was always something of a sticking point - though I have a few friends who've chosen to walk down that avenue and now posses some truly lovely instruments.

Fortunately I have been extremely lucky..... Lucky to have a friend that makes instruments.... Really, really good instruments...... His name is Jamie Agnew and he lives in a town called Rotorua in the middle of New Zealand. He trained as a cabinet maker and has an uncanny resemblance to Robert Plant and Rod Stuart. He also can sing like them. Which helps. Jamie and I played in bands some years ago - our mutual fixation on Messers Page and Plant made for some excellent classic rock moments. Oh yes.

Anyway, Jamie makes instruments. I currently have 4 of his guitars at my home. You might have seen the Black Les Paul styled guitar that I use in the demo videos? The "Black Rose" Made for me by Jamie last year. Fitted with some Pagewind Bareknuckle pickups, it is a thing of wonder. My main guitar - called the "Golden Queen" - is made of native timbers - similar to a Les paul shape but slimmer in the body. A neck to die for. My favourite guitar in the world. It's got a million dings and knocks but it feels great. He made that one 10 years ago. Crazy how time flies. The last guitar that Jamie made for me was....... ( John Bonham drum roll please.....)......... An extraordinary replica of a Gibson EDS1275... the doubleneck that Mr Page used for Stairway live. The best 12 string neck I have ever encountered. I used it on a friends album earlier this year "All Grown Up" - Jan Hellriegel (a really cool album, incidentally - great songs and an amazing band that I felt extremely lucky to be a part of. The guitar has an amazing tone - inevitably due in part to the colossal slab of mahogany that the body is made of. "Does anyone remember laughter?"

Here's a few pics of the guitars. I just felt it would be nice to give some kudos to my buddy and his talents.

Rock on!

B

The Golden Queen

Me playing the Golden Queen

The Doubleneck.....

The Doubleneck, just chillin....

An acoustic twelve string that Jamie also made....

#3 Posted: : Wednesday, September 02, 2009 5:03:57 PM

Much has been happening in the World of Red Witch..................
We just moved - further up the coast to a wee spot called Paraparaumu Beach. More ocean. More beach. More giant Island on the door step.

Have been beavering away on the next pedal......... The first of a trinity of new products -all available by January.
Good-E.

Got sent this wee clip from Jez - he's the guitar tech for Depeche Mode. He's talking about Martins amps and guitars. Quite nice really :-).

I have to admit to really loving their song WRONG. It really is fantastic. I love the sound of the guitar that comes in at 1:03..... snarling.... perhaps even a light smattering of FGII ?
Anyway.... enjoy;

Snazzy.

Check out the new page that we've put up for clips of famous and not so famous people playing music through the RW gear. Feel free to add some of your own footage!
Happy Days

#2 Posted: : Sunday, July 26, 2009 11:41:22 AM

So. Here we are - the new Red Witch Website Smile

Everyone's welcome, make yourself at home!

I'm doing regular updates from the road under the Clinic Tour section of the forum - then when get back to NZ I'll shift my blog to here.......

You're welcome to post anything you like - as long as it's respectful.

I'm currently in a hotel in New York. It's around 6pm and I'm going to head out for dinner with a buddy shortly.
Flying out to Boston tomorrow morning so today I made the mad dash around the city..... Empire State building (check), Central Park (check) and the obligatory photos taken at the Museum of Natural history - my kids love the film "A night at the Museum" My son is going to go nuts when he see's the photos of the T-Rex skeleton!
Have been seeing some cool gear as we trapse about. Probably topping my list is a Fender Tele relic - amazing guitar - with a neck like a baseball bat. It was the guitar that all the other Tele's in the shop called "Daddy".
I want it. Badly...... Best to get out of NYC before the urge to acquire gets too strong........

#1 Posted: : Monday, July 13, 2009 1:46:01 PM

Greetings Tone Fiends!
It is my pleasure to share with you the latest developments within the universe of Red Witch – a myriad of goodness for your enjoyment;

Red Witch NAMM Show You Tube TV
Red Witch will be at the the 2009 Summer NAMM Show in Nashville and we’ll be bringing you the most exciting tidbits – from our own New TITAN delay pedal to interviews with celebrity users and a raft of other salubrious behind the scenes goodies. This is the NAMM show that you always wanted to attend – through the looking glass without the expensive hotel or airfares!

The New Red Witch Website.....
I am literally quivering with delight..... I’m like a kid the night before christmas...... Our new website is about to go live and the toys and treats we have available are just off the planet. Try the virtual pedal demos – set the pedal controls anywhere you like and hear how it sounds. Log into your own personalised Red Witch Account and load up your own audio and video clips onto the forum in your user profile. So much more....

Red Witch Clinic Tour

Red Witch hits the road! We’re leaping into a vehicle and traversing the United States for 28 days and visiting a bunch of the lovely US Red Witch dealers. There’ll be thrills, spills and hopefully no ills. The best news is that we’re filming large chunks of the experience and you’ll be able to catch the fun here!