Having already made his mark as the Artistic Director of the English Symphony Orchestra and MahlerFest, conductor, cellist, and composer Ken Woods is now stepping out under his own name with his driven new single 'Steel Stretcher'.
Teaming up with his new Americana/roots-rock project The Old Blue Gang for the release, 'Steel Stretcher' makes for an incredibly bold and immersive listen. With its swaggering hooks and vibrant textures layered throughout, he is certainly looking to turn plenty of heads with this one.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Probably the piano, but I also loved all things percussion. Guitar followed soon, and cello a bit later.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I grew up on a very well-balanced musical diet thanks to my parents’ record collection. Their tastes were broad, and they didn’t care about genre at all. I can remember mornings where I’d hear a side of a bluegrass album, a Beethoven piano concerto, some Louis Armstrong then some folk stuff like the Limelighters or Kingston Trio. The one omission was rock, so when I discovered that, it was quite a revelation.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first rock record I went out and bought was Queen’s News of the World. It was a very good choice. Still have it! And after 45 years , it still gets better every time I listen to it. Has there ever been a more beautiful song than All Dead? And how deep are the vibes on My Melancholy Blues? Or It’s Late?
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
It might sound odd, but writing a song is so personal, saying “I wish I could have written A Day in the Life” would feel a bit like saying “I wish I could have fathered Julian Lennon.” On the other hand, there’s hardly a day when I don’t hear a song and think “I wish I could forge a marriage of lyric and melody that beautiful” or “I wish I could have come up with that groove.” But as intimidating as it can be to walk in the shadow of Hendrix, McCartney, Zeppelin and all the rest, the history of music is the story of fans daring to try to equal their heroes, so why not try?
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I try to limit procrastination, with mixed results. But otherwise, it’s the song that determines how it’s written. Sometimes it starts with a riff. Sometimes it starts with a chord change, sometimes it’s a line of a lyric or a title. In the case of Silent Spike, it started with reading a lot of history.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I took about 25 years off from rock, so it’s been exciting to discover so many amazing artists who have come along in that time. Mastodon, as well as many other heavy bands like Intronaut and Imperial Triumphant. I’m a huge admirer of Joey Landreth and the Landreth Bros. He’s just a total genius – a near-perfect mix of voice, guitar, songwriter and visionary. Michael Landau hadn’t emerged from studio musician purgatory when I started my sabbatical, but his approach to the guitar resonates really deeply with what I’ve always wanted to do. I think his two records with the Raging Honkies are probably my favourite albums of the 90s right now. As does Jimmy Herring, who is so incredible whether playing with Aquarium Rescue Unit, doing his fusion stuff or the jam band stuff. Improvisation is so important to me, so whether it’s vintage Allman Brothers or today’s Gov’t Mule, I love to hear bands taking risks on stage. And, of course, my love for the bands and songs I grew up with is stronger than ever. 35 years as a practicing musician has certainly only reinforced my admiration for artists like Hendrix, Zeppelin, the Beatles and Queen.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Ohhhhhh…. Interesting question. Probably Robert Plant in the hope we could jam. Or Living Colour, who I think are probably the greatest rock band since Zep.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Those magic moments where everyone on stage and in the audience are working together to make a musical moment as special as possible. As if we’re all trying to make the same dream come true.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Our society has become a very tough environment in which to make music, and an even tougher environment in which to make a living as a musician. The economics of the industry have been demolished by corporate interests. The recording industry is now just a segment of the tech industry, and it is tech companies who are co-opting (stealing) all the revenue. And in live music, it is just as dire. Folks who’ve been brainwashed by corporate media will happily spend two grand to take their family to a stadium show, while spending less than £100/year on local musicians who are doing far more interesting work. Imagine taking your kids to MacDonalds for £2000 for one meal, then not ever going out to a local pub or restaurant. That’s the insane world we’re in.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Listen to the whole album, not just the single. And to train yourself to understand the difference between analysing and evaluating a piece or a performance and criticizing it. There’s almost nothing to be learned from listing the things you don’t like about a musical experience, and a great deal to be learned from trying to identify as many admirable qualities as you can. There’s sometimes nothing more humbling than taking a song or performer you don’t like or connect with and trying to identify every single positive quality.
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Ken Woods' new single 'Steel Stretcher' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.