Getting to know: Greg Brice
Tell us a bit about yourself. Did you grow up in Stratford-upon-Avon?
I grew up about 20 mins away from Stratford-upon-Avon in a tiny village called Weston-Sub-Edge. It’s beautiful, but there wasn’t much to do there growing up. The only public amenity the village had was a post box, so I passed the time teaching myself guitar!
The Midlands is traditionally seen as the home of British blues rock and heavy rock. Is there still a thriving blues scene in the pubs these days, and what’s your favourite small venue that you’ve played?
Definitely, if you know where to look. The wealth of talent in the area is astonishing, whether that’s blues/rock pub cover bands or more established acts. There are also quite a few folk artists who are outstanding songwriters.
My favourite small venue to play has to be Temperance in Leamington Spa; vegetarian cafe by day, underground music venue by night. It’s always very intimate due to the 50-person capacity, but the sense of community around the place is what I love most about it.
How did you first get into music, and what sort of stuff did you grow up listening to?
When I was eight years old, I was lucky enough to have a year’s worth of classical guitar lessons. We learned six notes that year and I gave up. Two years later, I begged my Nan for an electric guitar (Mum and Dad weren’t making the same mistake twice). A purple Strat copy arrived on Christmas morning!
Growing up, I listened to my parents’ music. From my Mum, I heard a lot of pop soul singers and, of course, The Beatles. From my Dad, I heard all of the ‘Dad rock’ classics: Led Zeppelin, Cream, and he was a big fan of Deep Purple too. My favourite that they both showed me was Graceland by Paul Simon - too many great songs!
Who are your main influences now?
Now, my main influences are based in the music of New Orleans. Weirdly, as a guitar player, a lot of my thinking in writing comes from piano players. I have always enjoyed Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Allen Toussaint.
With guitar, it’s more complicated. 70’s Ry Cooder is great, but I also admire the fingerstyle work of people like Steve Tilston. Joey Landreth is another influence that can’t be understated; his use of open tunings and work with a slide is something else!
What do you think about the state of the British blues scene these days, and do you see yourself as having a role in keeping the blues alive?
The British blues scene is very tight-knit; everyone seems to know everyone. I’ve only been a real part of it for the last two or three years. I still feel like the new guy - many of the acts have been doing their thing longer than I’ve been alive! But my experiences of the fans, the musicians, and the promoters have all been overwhelmingly positive - real passion for real music.
Can you give us the heads up on an album or an artist you like that you think we might not have come across and should check out?
Anyone who has seen me before will know about The Wood Brothers, another New Orleans act. I include one of their songs in every set I play. Their album The Muse is their best in my opinion, but I have yet to be disappointed over ten album releases later.
What can we expect from your show at The Bear?
The trio will be playing most of the material from my debut album released in November 2022, as well as some songs we’ve collected over the years we’ve been together. Many of the songs on the album are from my time living in Aberdeen as a student, missing loved ones back home and looking forward to seeing them again. The songs we tend to gravitate towards are songs about making the best of things and getting on with it.
My main focus in songwriting is the story within a song. I lean on my fingerstyle playing more than most, as it’s something that helps me sound more like the piano player I wish I could be. That said, you can’t be playing blues without some slide guitar in the mix!
Who’s in your band, and how long have you all been playing together?
The trio was formed in early 2022 to record the album. The singer from a band called The Achievers (UK Blues Challenge winners and all-round stellar musicians) messaged me on Facebook offering his assistance in recording an album. Most importantly, he offered The Achievers’ rhythm section to record with: Aron Attwood on drums, and Jack Thomas on bass.
I’m biased, but they are, in my opinion, one of the best rhythm sections in the UK - you can’t help but move when they’re playing together. Both are ace musicians and people, and it’s a pleasure to play with them whenever I can.