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Ten Years After & 100/70 Split. Joe Gooch

Publicat in: 30.01.2012, 04:51AM
Autor: Richard Constantinidi
Comentarii: 0
Vizualizari: 3550
Etichete: Frank Zappa, Fred Koller, Hundred Seventy Split, Joe Gooch, Leo Lyons, Ten Years After, The World Wont Stop, Wales, Woodstock

I met with Ten Years After bass player Leo Lyons in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in October, 2011 and did a very interesting interview about the band history. Talking about music, I found out about a parallel project Leo Lyons is currently involved in, along with the new singer Joe Gooch (who's been with Ten Years After since 2003).

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Leo Lyons. Ten Years After INTERVIEW (only in EN)

http://czb.ro/articol/2558/

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The pair initially formed a song-writing partnership and have continued writing together ever since. Hundred Seventy Split was formed to play music that rocks outside of the Ten Years After box; the result was a debut CD The World Won't Stop...

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After listening to the debut HSS album, it was only a matter of time for me to get around to interviewing the lead singer for both projects.

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RiCo for CZB.ro: How did you hook up with Ten Years After?

Joe Gooch (guitar, vocals, Ten Years After, Hundred Seventy Split): I sent them a demo CD of

me playing going home-then one thing led to another.I was very lucky to get the gig, right

place, right time.

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CZB: What was the challenge for you in learning songs recorded 40 years earlier and singing them to oldies crowds?

Joe Gooch (Ten Years After, Hundred Seventy Split): It was all challenging, for the first

couple of years it scared the shit out of me but in time I got more and more comfortable with the

gig. The guys were always very good to work with and let me do my own thing, which really

helped. I never got pressure from them play a certain way and was able to develop naturally - so

I'm very grateful to them for that.

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CZB: Would you consider Alvin Lee a childhood hero?

Joe Gooch: I wouldn't say that, I didn't have any Ten Years After albums, but the Woodstock film was a favourite of mine.

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CZB: What were you doing … and how did you feel when you found out Frank Zappa died?

Joe Gooch: I was waiting tables in a hotel restaurant in the Welsh borders.

I probably thought that If at the end of my years I had created only a tiny fraction of music of the caliber that Frank Zappa constantly produced throughout his whole life, then I would be happy with that.

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CZB: How long have you known Leo Lyons and whose idea was it to start the parallel project Hundred Seventy Split?

Joe Gooch: I've known Leo for many years, his son is a good friend of mine.

A label approached Leo and offered him a solo deal. First of all the plan was to have lots of guest artists (me being one of them) but then we decided to make it a true collaboration and form another band. We started writing, then went into the studio in Nashville.

It has been great for me to establish myself outside of TYA and I'm looking forward to touring again with HSS this year. We have a vinyl album, DVD and double live album coming out so we will be out on the road promoting them.

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About the Hundred Seventy Split Album

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CZB: Most songs on the album are signed Lyons/Gooch/Koller. Who is Koller and what is his full name?

Joe Gooch: Fred Koller is great writer and a good friend of Leo's. Leo Lyons has spent a lot of time working as a writer/producer/player in Nashville over the past few years and it is the norm to write with several people over there.

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CZB: Both the song and lyrics for Poison written by Bert Jansch for Leola Music. Why have you chosen to borrow this piece for your debut album?

Joe Gooch: It was suggested by Leo's son and we thought it was great song to cover.

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CZB: There is a strong message for saving our planet on some of the album songs. When did you first find out about the quick depletion of our natural resources and how did you decide to use The World Won't Stop to name the album and title song?

Joe Gooch: Climate change is something we should all be very concerned about (strangely, some people don't seem to be) and for my generation environmental issues have always been prominent, I know it is something Leo feels strongly about too.The song was written first and it was only later we decided to title the Album with that Lyric.

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CZB: In what way did you consider Yes Man important to include on the album in the US/UK 2010 political climate?

Joe Gooch: Its non-specific, I think it's relevant to some degree in most political climates - although I don't think all politicians are dishonest, there are some good ones - but I would write off the whole of the banking sector though.

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CZB: Going Home ... what meaning does this song have for you? Leo Lyons is based in Nashville. Where is home for you?

Joe Gooch: Home for me is mid-Wales. I love Wales and I'm always happy to come home to the peaceful and beautiful countryside; there is nowhere like it.

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CZB: Crossroads stands at the crux of most meanings to the 100/70 Split songs: how much of a concept album do you consider The World Won't Stop to be?

Joe Gooch: I wouldn't say it was a concept album although there is a degree of continuity running through it - but then I suppose there would be, as life has continuity and the songs just reflect aspects of our lives and relationships.

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CZB: In what way is there a generation gap between you and Mr. Lyons?

Joe Gooch: There is a big gap but it makes for an interesting Chemistry. Leo and I are from very different backgrounds and grew up in very different times, it is highly unlikely that we would ever make music together - but we do, so what you get is pretty unique.

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CZB: Wish you were at Woodstock... I really don't see a real significance for this song being on this album, concept-wise. How do you identify yourself with the final track?

Joe Gooch: As with so many musicians and bands, Woodstock was very significant in Leo's life and career and, although I wasn't born yet - in my own - to a certain extent (I've spent the last eight years playing to crowds of people all over the world wearing Woodstock T-shirts), so I think it carries a degree of relevance, not least to all those fans who buy our albums.

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The CZB Interview, conceived by RiCo

Info for the Introduction was taken from the HSS Official Website

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The World Won't Stop REVIEW (only in RO)

http://czb.ro/articol/2791/

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Hundred Seventy Split is a new, high energy Blues/Rock power trio showcasing the combined talents of Joe Gooch on guitar/vocals and Leo Lyons on bass.

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Hundred Seventy Split are: