So I wandered down to the check out Jim Stapley at the Latest Music Bar last night. I saw him support Mark Butcher there 3 months ago (see my blog post of the photos: Mark Butcher). Jim was playing acoustically then but it still blew me away. He has an amazing voice, very soulful and powerful. The music is also bluesy and reminds me of the Black Crowes which I’ve been a fan of for almost 20 years (check out the album – Shake Your Money Maker). Jim Stapley knows how to write a great song with awesome melodies which sound like they always existed. The songs are dynamic, leaving space for the vocals in the verses and building for the choruses perfectly. Saying that, one of the stand out tracks, the amusingly named See You Next Tuesday, actually does the opposite and comes right down for a stripped back arrangement in the chorus, which works great, the sign of a brilliant melody. Backed up by a tight band who play the laid back grooves with aplomb. While I’m writing this blog post I’m listening to the Jim Stapley live CD which sounds amazing. It’s All Over which is track 3 on the live CD already has a nostalgic feel to it even though I’ve only listened to it 3 times. Drivin’ Me Away has a mellow vibe to verses offering a really catchy melody followed by a more rocky chorus before dropping out (for the payoff of the chorus) leaving space for the hook of the song to come through…great stuff. As usual I couldn’t just watch and enjoy the gig so I had to make myself useful and take some photos which you can have a look through below.
Jim Stapley, The Next Big Thing?
Jim Stapley is very talented but unfortunately talent and good songs alone aren’t enough to make it in the music business (I know after being in a professional band myself for 8 years Silvermaker). You need masses of support from the public and some luck (a chance meeting with the right person). By playing relentlessly you can kind of engineer this to eventually happen (making your own luck as it were). So the bottom line is, check him out online and go to his next gig, buy his album, show him some support, tell your friend about Jim Stapley on FB, etc…
Next Gig: Trinity Theatre Tunbridge Wells Date: 28 July 2011…See you there!
