Another young guitar slinger from the Nugene stable who had won the Young Guitarist of The Year competition when he was just 15. Simon is a multi-talented singer, songwriter and guitarist of great repute. His songs are always hard to predict and his style is simply unique. His protest song Rich Man Falling had this incredible haunting theme and when Nugene wanted to make a promo to go with the song, it was leapt on.
The song was much about the way wealth is misused and abused by corporates, hence a song of our times but juxtaposing this modern theme with archive footage of the famous financial crash of the 1920’s made the promo a story with a proper sting in the tale. His live images were combined with the very changing archive images in the background, making him a part of the action but detached at the same time to tell his own story. It was received very well by fans and viewers of YouTube alike.
With the success of the promo, a new video was needed to publicise Simon’s new CD, Crossing the Line and the tour of the same. Approach was to keep the “look” of the Rich Man Falling promo and in the meantime adding little vignettes of Simon in rehearsals and seeing him talk about his songs and life on the road. He has a very likable persona and always comes across very well. The footage was obtained from a blinding live performance and then treated to fit the style along with a few little vox-pops with the audience to complete the story to be told, simply. Miss him at your loss!
This is a performance of Simon McBride playing Hendrix’s Fire at the Nevis Blues Festival which we made a 1hr documentary on that can be seen in our documentary section “Blues in Paradise”. It’s not everyday you see a guitar player take on a Hendrix song and get away with it.. here, Simon not only gets away with it but makes the song even more exciting and his very own, that’s confidence for you! He’s playing here with his new band members whom he has not played the song with before… easy when you know how..
Simon McBride playing Hendrix’s Fire
