Press Interviews

>>Sandman Magazine, February 2005
>> Yorkshire Evening Post, October 2004
>> LeedsMusicScene.com, August 2004
>> Vibrations magazine, April 2004

Interview with Sandman Magazine,
Feb 2005

Former child prodigy, ex-bouncer and virtuoso-about-town: Jon Gomm talks to Sandman about Guitar Smashing, Musical Gymnastics and Einstein's fashion tips. Rob Paul Chapman risks life and limb by questioning his credibility. Pictures by Tony Woolgar.

"Ask me a question like that and I'll knock your lights out!" splutters the normally quiet, calm and erudite guitar maestro and black T-shirt connoisseur sitting a mere three feet away.

He isn't being serious of course, but there is a genuine indignance in his tone. Briefly, the man famed for his love of intelligent, provocative conversation is ruffled. A split second later he laughs out loud. "Jesus, is that what people really say about me?" The hypothesis that Sandman has posed, by the way, is that with his freakish guitar-playing style and jaw-dropping capacity for re-presenting classic songs in arrangements that would be deemed impossible by grand masters, Jon Gomm is, in fact, a novelty act.

Jon Gomm, it appears, disagrees. This is the first of two occasions during our conversation that this question arises and at time of writing, thankfully, Sandman's lights remain more or less intact.

Most people with any connection to live music in Leeds will probably be familiar with the name and reputation of Jon Gomm. An internationally renowned and respected guitarist and songwriter for whom the word virtuoso seems somewhat redundant, Gomm's star has been on the ascent for what seems like an age. In fact, such has been the impact of Gomm hitting the live circuit both in Leeds and around the world that it seems incredible that he has only been performing solo for two and a half years.

As an interview subject he is charming, witty and insightful, if a little prone to slightly eccentric behaviour. At one point wandering into the room with a set of electric scales and demanding to know how they work, whilst on another occasion explaining why he always wears a black T-shirts and black trousers, as "an inspiration from Einstein", who apparently also only ever wore several sets of identical clothes. However, the very British sense of mild eccentricity only adds to the endearing appeal. More of which has a tendency to come to the fore in some of his occasionally bizarre segues between songs in his stunning live show.

Joining the dots between Robert Johnson and Michael Hedges, Gomm's trademark has become the you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it technique in which he "plays" the guitar in accompaniment to some sublime impassioned Songwriting that takes in everything from blues to bluegrass, funk to flamenco, rock to rumba. I say "plays", although really it's more "uses", as somehow the simple acoustic guitar regularly becomes a full-on band, drums and all, playing simultaneously. Hear it on record and you'd swear it was either half a dozen musicians or a highly trained octopus; however witnessing it live is a unique experience.

"The first time people come and see me I think it's all about the entertainment," he explains, "it's the same kind of entertainment that you can get by watching gymnasts, with body parts flying all over the place, and that is entertaining! But I don't think that people would keep coming back to see me just for that".

It is quite possible that people would indeed keep coming back just for that, but something often overlooked when people are falling over themselves to enthuse about the musical freakshow of technique, is the significant depth and quality of the Songwriting rather than just the arrangements. Can the focus on performance sometimes be a distraction from the Songwriting for an audience?

"Definitely" he retorts immediately. "People have a tendency to listen with their eyes, but most of my songs are quite simple, it's just the presentation that's fancy. There are a lot of people out there who have covered my songs, and most of them don't use the same style as I do. Some do, but most don't. There's no reason that my songs can't be broken down into simple chords and just played that way".

From unknown local nobody to internationally covered cult solo artist in two and a half years is no mean feat, but in fairness the seeds were sown early. As two year olds, most infants are still struggling to string together three or four words. A frighteningly prodigious child, at two Jon was getting his head around stringing together three or four chords. "I was an annoying precocious child," he explains "I remember asking for my first guitar at the age of two which I received for Christmas. I'd just seen this guy on TV, who turned out to be Mark Knopfler I was later informed, playing this thing and I was just enthralled". The formulative years were far from simple though and things could quite easily have turned out rather differently. "That guitar only lasted a year sadly, as I smashed it to pieces in a tantrum. I took the effort to find a nice hard surface that would totally destroy it and did my first Pete Townsend impression" he continues "I just got frustrated that I couldn't play it, so my Dad decided that the best way to avoid me destroying any future instruments would be to get me some guitar lessons".

They were to pay off as some twenty-something years later a musically matured Gomm has started to make waves as a truly outstanding performer, but is the sensation of magic and mystery he experienced as a two-year-old still there? "It really appealed to me then and it still does hugely appeal to me, I'm just obsessed" he says with the kind of enthusiasm only found in the genuinely obsessed. "It is the greatest instrument ever" and beaming infectiously adds "and guitar sales were at their highest levels ever last year!" 'Guitar music is dead' is a phrase that is banded around every few years or so by profits of doom sagely predicting the end of rock and roll as we know it, so to what does he attribute this reversal in the instrument's fortunes? "Err… I was thinking of it more the other way round, you know, the guitar is great and here's my proof!" he grins sheepishly.

When he's not on playing duties, Gomm can often be found propping up a bar somewhere in one venue or other and has no qualms bout being giving an opinion. "There is a phenomenal amount of genuine talent in this City" he explains "But when I'm critical about bands its only because I give shit. I end up sounding like a football pundit going on about hat they should or shouldn't have done. It's easy to say nothing, but when there's the potential for something really special there I get frustrated when things could be done better, but that's only because I really care."

However, if he's critical of other performers it is nothing compared to his natural propensity for self-criticism. "You can get more timbres from the guitar than any other instrument out there. I'm fascinated with guitar tone, I have five pickups in my guitar and it has taken years to get that tone and I'm still not happy with it. I am constantly on searching for the perfect guitar tone".

He has taken this obsession and crafted into a unique, almost indefinable sound and style of playing, so how does he go about explaining his music to people who don't know him? "I've always wanted to explore every single genre of music because the guitar features in almost every genre of music and you can't say that about many instruments" he starts "but if I was to say I play blues and pop and jazz and rock and indie and funk and classical its just going to put people off, so I just say 'acoustic' because its easier, but I have a gimmick!"

So to return to our first point, what is the difference between a gimmick and a novelty? "I would not deny that I definitely do have a gimmick, but I would deny that I'm a novelty act because my songs actually mean something. Not just the lyrics either, I do genuinely try to make the lyrics, melody, harmonies and rhythms empathetic". "Music is a very spiritual experience, and hopefully anyone who has seen me play would testify that I'm extremely passionate about what I do and that I really do give a shit, so no, I would not like to be called a novelty act!"

He stops for a moment and grins. "Although I guess there is a bit of a novelty there, though hopefully it's not the core of the act!"

Feature on Jon Gomm,
Yorkshire Evening Post, October 2004

GOMM ALERT!
Jon Gomm has had a life long love affair with the guitar and is turning new listeners on to his unique style. Jim Seton met him...

With a slap then a punch Jon Gomm beats out the song's rhythm. If you didn't witness it with your own eyes you would swear that the Leeds-based musician had the backing of a typical guitar and drum band behind him, but apparently not. Gomm is sat on his own with just an acoustic guitar for company, and that is excatly how he likes it.

While others are happy to confine themselves to the limitations of six strings and a row of frets, Gomm wants to get more out of his instrument. As such he has developed a style of playing that is heavy on the physical, with the guitar's body used to create sounds normally associated with a drum kit and a bass guitar, while still playing the instrument's six strings with all the skill of a seasoned professional.

Given that Gomm first picked up a guitar, or more specifically a four-stringed ukulele, at the age of two it's little wonder that he has reached the position where he is now regarded by many as one of the country's finest virtuoso guitarists, and what's more, he's done it all single-handedly.

"I've been playing guitar since I was two years old, " says Gomm, "I saw a guy on TV playing the instrument, I can still picture it in my head today, he was playing a red Fender Stratocaster, and from that moment I was pestering my parents constantly to get me a guitar. "It turned out that the guy I saw was Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. Before he was famous he used to play at The Grove in Leeds, which is now my favourite venue so it's come full circle. So it follows that the next thing fate has in store for me must be international mega stardom," he adds with a smile.

Growing up in the resort town of Blackpool, Gomm was introduced to music at an early age by his enthusiastic father who, whileworking as a journalist by day, ran a successful blues club at night. The club became so popular that it attracted world-wide blues legends who would crash at the Gomm family home at the end of the show. For the night's board and lodging Gomm senior wouldn't charge his house guests a penny; instead he asked the artists to give his young son a guitar lesson.

Today the results of those lessons with great names like Walter Trout (who, Gomm divulged, ate his way through ten portions of fried fish during his visit to Blackpool) are clear to hear. While having played in any number of bands in the past Gomm is now concentrating on his solo career and is creating something of a name for himself on the acoustic scene. So far this year he has toured extensively around the country as well as being invited to play a prestigious guitar festival in Italy during the summer.

As well as regularly hitting the road, Gomm is also a fixture in his adopted home and recently wowed audiences at The Mixing Tin when he played alongside Leeds guitar-great Brendan Croker. While he's getting his share of critical and commercial success, Gomm's keen to stress that it isn't the case for all Leeds' musicians. Wary of the major labels, Gomm has ploughed his own furrow throughout his career, and although he has a manager, he still retains a hands on approach to releasing his own material. "I had to release my own album and didn't want to sign a record deal because I have so many friend who have signed deals to the corporations - which is what they are - and you never hear of them again."

"A very popular technique at the moment is a record company will sign up a particular band based on what they think is saleable, then they'll sign up another 20 bands who are all of a similar ilk. One of those bands will get promoted, not because thy're the best but because they're the most marketable - which often means they're the most easily manipulated by the company. The other 19 bands may record their dream album, which no-one will ever hear. When they are no longer seen as competition for the chosen band, they'll be dropped, but the company still owns their material, not only the recording but anything they have written while under contratc. So they can't release that themselves or with a different company. They have to start from the beginning, except now their dreams are crushed."

As well as preparing to record a live DVD (he's searching for a suitable venue at the moment) he is also holding the city's first guitar showcase. Inspiration for the event, which Gomm hopes will eventually include guitar masterclasses and trade stalls, came from his own experiences performing at the prestigious Italian Guitar Festival in Soavé. "There were some of the best guitarists from all around the world there, and it was an unbelievable experience. There's nothing like it in this part of the country, so I'm confident we can make a success of it." No doubt he will.

Interview with
LeedsMusicScene.com, August 2004

LMS: Most guitarists say that a certain band or album inspired them to pick up the instrument in their teens, however I read that you started playing guitar at the age of two so do you have any recollection of what attracted you to play?

JG: I have very vague memories of seeing someone with a guitar on television when I was 2, and from that point I kept pestering my parents for a guitar. It turns out he was Mark Knopfler [from Dire Straits kids].

LMS: Can you play any other instruments?

JG: I can't play drums, as many people assume, but I play bass and a bit of piano.

LMS: How would you describe your sound to someone that hadn't heard it?

JG: I wouldn't - why spoil the surprise? I'd just get them to come to a gig. I'd describe the sound as a mish-mash of blues, funk, rock, new age, indie prettiness and occasional metal mayhem.

LMS: How long have you been playing in your current incarnation? Tell me about the things that you were involved with earlier.

JG: I've been playing solo for two years. Before that I've played in covers bands, just tons of working-musician type stuff. During my teens I did the angst indie thing in a band called Pig - we sounded a bit like Pearl Jam with Steve Vai guitar solos! I've even done Country and Western for line dancers in working mens clubs. Let nobody say I haven't suffered for my art!

LMS: Your album 'Hypertension' was recently released, what did you set out to achieve?

JG: I intended to capture a live gig. It's pretty raw and I didn't use lots of fancy technical equipment in a big studio. The next album will be recorded at a gig. It'll be a DVD too.

LMS: Is your approach to guitar playing a conscious decision at ripping up the rulebook? After seeing you perform I realised how silly musicians are in ghettoizing themselves to a specific style.

JG: I think I play by the rules quite a lot, and let things evolve. I've played all of the styles that there is and I try and put different elements of different styles of music together and I have a big pallet to draw from. Sometimes I envy those who specialise - it's a lot less work.

LMS: What tunes have you been listening to recently?

JG: Quite a lot of Indian and Pakistani music. Angelo Paladino who's style is blues/rock'n'roll. The last album I bought was Yellow Shark by Frank Zappa.

LMS: I'm in the process of writing a review on the recently released Nick Drake compilation 'Made to love magic', did he influence you at all?

JG: I have two of his albums and I do like some of the atmospheric things and the way that he created a cloud of sound but I wouldn't say that he's a real influence upon my sound. Michael Hedges is a big influence. Nick Harper is one of the main reasons that I play acoustic; I previously thought that you could only get that power and intensity from a full band, but he makes a real noise with his guitar.

LMS: You seem to be quite established on the live circuit in and around Leeds, how are things going elsewhere?

JG: Well I've gone down well with audiences - playing in front of new people is the most fun. I can often gauge how well a gig will go by the enthusiasm of the promoter: if they sound excited on the phone things tend to go well.

LMS: Am I right in assuming that your success has been gained pretty much entirely through word-of-mouth? I noticed that you played a festival in Italy recently.

JG: It's mainly through word-of-mouth. The opportunity to play that festival came about because Brendan Croker said that he wouldn't play unless they let me perform! I've set up a record label called Performing Chimp and I send out demos to magazines and venues which also helps obviously.

LMS: Are there any bands or musicians around Leeds that excite you at the moment?

JG: A band called Gallo combine grunge with funk and jazz with dance music and their songs are really good. A guy called Ric Neale who's a pop singer/songwriter is an entertaining chap. Four Day Hombre I think are great. Rob Nichols has really strong songs, and his performances have really improved in that he is so much more confident his personality really comes across a lot more on stage.

LMS: Have you had any interest from record companies yet?

JG: I've been approached by one major twice and I've actually blocked the guy that works for them from my e-mails, and it'll stay that way until I at least learn how to unblock e-mail addresses! I don't think music should be marketed like crisps, I think that major labels destroy music as art. Roughly two bands that I know per year get signed and none have got anywhere. I know someone that signed to a major and built his own studio, recorded the album of his dreams, but the label wouldn't release it because it sounded similar to someone else they're trying to promote. So no-one will ever hear it. They sign up a load of bands who sound similar, promote one and screw the rest, just to remove any competition. A record deal is an entry form for pop idol as far as I'm concerned.

LMS: What are your aspirations for the future?

JG: Doing what I'm doing now all over Europe. I hope to build up bigger audiences and that is not something that I would expect to happen overnight, it may take years. I just really enjoy playing live so that's what I hope to keep doing!

Interview by John Harvey

Interview with
Vibrations magazine, April 2004

V: Who is Jon Gomm?

JG: He is a singer/songwriter/guitarist. He is also an obsessed idiot, who knows nothing about anything except music and guitar. His attitude towards these things is also obsessive and idiotic.

V: Influences?

JG: I started playing classical as a toddler, and my fave back then was the firebrand Julian Bream. Then I discovered blues and worshipped BB King and Robert Johnson, then I wanted to play faster and impress other greasy teenagers so I got into Hendrix and Steve Vai. Next came the "jazz period" and a devotion to John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Then I got into the acoustic thing, where I now reside, in the deep warm shadow of Michael Hedges.

V: What do you think to the current Leeds music scene?

JG: It kicks ass. So many genuinely talented people in a wide range of styles from jazz to punk. But I think it's a shame that there's less cross-pollination. Bands so often boast about their broad tastes and influences (I just did!) but don't seem to want to actually mix with people who are totally different musically to themselves. Jazz and punk aren't that different. Nobody had more "fu#k off and die" attitude than Charlie Parker.

V: If you could have written any song, what would it be?

JG: Maybe "A Day in the Life".

V: Give us some Jon Gomm philosophy?

JG: Wise man say "Go to a gig".

V: Favourite Album?

JG: At the moment it's "Double Life" by Nick Harper, who is a troubadour genius.

V: Favourite Group?

JG: The Screaming Headless Torsos - a jazz/funk/thrash band from New York.

V: Ambitions for 2004?

JG: To play a record number of gigs. So far this year I've done Cardiff, London, Sheffield, Nottingham, Wakefield, Liverpool, Blackpool, Huddersfield, Cambridge, Leeds - next it's Italy!

V: Where do you hope to be in five years time?

JG: Playing more gigs.

V: Sum up your sound in five words.

JG: Big, melodramatic, schizophrenic, pretty and KER-POW!

V: What came first the chicken or the egg, and why?

JG: If you believe in creation then it's the chicken, which must have got a bit of a shock when it squeezed out the original egg. If you believe in evolution it's the egg, which would have been laid by a "nearly-chicken".

Interview by Tony Wilby