Line-up:
Steven Cooper
mandolin, bass,
harmonica
Matt Foster
electric guitar, piano
Adam Perry
drums, percussion,
piano
John Forrester
lead vocals,
acoustic guitar,
cittern, bouzouki
official Band-Website
1999 saw J. Forrester playing close to a 100 gigs, while touring solo
and with his band, preparing for the recording of the second album 'All
The Wrong Things'. In 2000 things were taken down a gear while Forrester
recovered from the physical & financial strain of constant recording
& gigging. This allowed him the time to focus on his songwriting &
performance, & refresh his love of acoustic music. The resulting album
is a diverse collection of 13 of his finest songs, ranging from full-on
electric band to string-led acoustic bliss! Now fully recovered, 2001
looks to become "busy as always", as the Forrester live show
continues to go from strength to strength. Just as happy bantering with
the audience as he is baring his soul to them through his music, the listener
cannot help but be drawn into the performer's world, emerging with many
a shared experience. Forrester presents a show as much for those who are
drawn to the warmth of an intimate performance as people who appreciate
a hard hitting lyricist. There aren't many places where fans of roots
music, indie guitar attitude and a well struck acoustic can come together.
A Forrester show is just such a place. As many have said - one of a kind.
Discography (excerpt):
- V/A SEKA [Sister] Benefit Compilation (Twah! 113 / EFA 61113-2)
- "Lanterns e.p." (Twah! 108 / EFA 61108-2)
- V/A "Acoustic Music" (Twah! 107, Mailorder Only)
- "Tales of Nothing" (Twah!106 / EFA 61106-2)
- "All The Wrong Things" (Twah! 117 /EFA 61117-2)
The different faces of John Forrester
Forrester now performs in three guises, ensuring that the songs can reach
as wide an audience as possible:
Solo he tours many venues across Europe laying his heart on the line through
the songs, and inventing arrangements and new ideas for the songs 'on
the fly!' He has tackled venues from the smallest place with no amplification
to huge festival stages. He also toured as a support for the likes of;
Show Of Hands, Nadine and Dave Blomberg's (New Model Army) Nozzle, taking
a double role and playing bass for the band as well.
As a duo he performs with respected guitarist &
bouzouki player Steven Cooper (ex Maccabees), already earning themselves
the title of "Britain's finest contemporary acoustic duo". They
have undertaken many UK and European tours gradually working up a following
at grass roots level. They travel with a van full of acoustic instruments
- six and twelve string guitars, a bouzouki, a mandolin and a cittern.
Forrester also occasionally performs with Matt Foster as pianist (who
also plays stomping electric when with the band), providing arts centres
and venues with a whole new angle to the songs. These performances really
are very special.
In some ways returning to his Indie roots, the life
and energy of Forrester's songs is also now captured in a new band. This
contains Adam Perry (ex Asylum) on drums as well as Steven & Matt.
Now utilising electric guitar alongside the other instruments. This strange
hybrid electric/acoustic band are bursting with ideas and presence, their
experience and passion for their craft evident in their live performance.
Biography
A short stroll through his musical past reveals how this uniqueness has
developed. The Colour Mary were indie media favourites who beckoned guitar
music over to the dark side and then did unspeakably loud things to it.
Pressgang are in complete contrast - multi-faceted indie rootsters who
take traditional material to a completely new audience. A short stint
with singer/songwriter Wob saw him venture into the uplifting pop arena
in a spikey acoustic fashion. As these bands took him on extensive UK
and European tours, as well as into the studio, he began to develop a
solo side to his music. The songwriting flourished and he took his hazy
tales of love, bitterness and decay into acoustic clubs, indie venues,
festivals and onto the streets.
In 1997 John Forrester's debut album "Tales of
Nothing" was released on Twah!, predominantly playing bouzouki, but
now also writing and recording with acoustic guitar. Always bursting with
new songs and ideas, he also recorded some new material, of which some
was featured on the "Acoustic Music" 'mailorder only' compilation
(Twah!).
1998, saw the release of a new CD from Forrester. Entitled
the „Lanterns e.p.", it featured five tracks, four brand-spanking-new
recordings, and 'Never Let Me Down' which was lifted from 'Tales of Nothing'.
The EP included band versions of live favourites 'Lanterns' and 'Big Red
Sky', and two new acoustic tracks, 'Wiser' and 'Say Goodbye', it also
featured a special guest appearance by Show of Hands' Phil Beer on viola.
Alongside his own material Forrester is also known for
the setting of others poetry to music, and for his re-workings of classic
Jacques Brel songs, one of which is featured on a Brel compilation album,
currently receiving rave reviews. An exclusive version of live favourite
'Lanterns' can also be found on the benefit compilation V/A 'SEKA - Sister'
Vol.1 (Twah!), in brilliant company with such fine acts as; Mary Black,
Capercaillie, Alison Krauss & Union Station, to name but a few.
Good music is unquestionably a result of good songwriting.
Good songwriting is all too often wasted without a heartfelt and charismatic
live performance. Forrester belongs to that rare and diminishing breed
that effortlessly and consistently achieve both. He is a songwriter who
is able to strip matters down to the very bare essentials of human experience
- sure the good times, but also the bad.