Posted by Danny Scott (Keyboard Magazine) on December 21

The cheerful multi-instrumentalist takes us to see his music toolbox

"Listening to the Top 40 in the 1970s was like taking some strange, eclectic journey," Bill Bailey laughed. "Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band is adjacent to Jean-Michel Jarre, Emerson is adjacent to Lake & Palmer, Muppet is adjacent to Donna Summer, and Sex Pistols is adjacent.

"I'm not one of those people who thought things got better in the past, because in most cases, they are not. They are rubbish. But when it comes to music, I do think that charts give you access to a wider variety of styles.

"Today there are a lot of wonderful, groundbreaking music being produced, but the chart feels more...homogeneous. I miss watching Top of the Pops on Thursday night and thinking,'What the hell is this What's going on?' That kind of feeling. It's musical madness!"

Bill Bailey grew up in Bath and is surrounded by music and musicians. His mother listens to the murmurs on Radio 2 every day; what Dad likes most is loading his favorite classical albums on the family record player; grandpa is a jazz pianist, he likes Oscar Peterson (Oscar Peterson) Peterson); his uncle sings in the barbershop quartet; his cousin is a classical trumpeter.

"You can imagine what Christmas will be like," Bailey said. "We have about 30 people standing around the piano in the living room. Naturally, I want to participate and start picking tunes on the piano. As a result, I am very good at it. , So my mother decided to send me to class.

"My first tutor is a typical strict old lady, focusing on technique and finger practice, but the school music teacher has a completely different approach. He loves music very much and thinks that enjoyment should be rooted in your performance. "I Remembering what he said gave me great encouragement, which inspired me. This makes me want to be a better musician. "

When he was a teenager, Bailey started to do some very heavy things. "Chopin's Nocturnes, Debussy, Satie, Mozart's sonatas, those giant Rachmaninoff concertos, your hand seems to sweep every piano key. Yes, I like rock music and punk music, I I get great pleasure from listening to Buzzcocks or Clash, but playing the piano gives me the same excitement."

The 1970s was also the era of musical comedians. Jasper Carrott, Billy Connolly, and Max Boyce mixed jokes, jokes, and songs on the folk tour, while mainstream TV provided plenty of time for Victor Borge and Monty Python's Lumberjack Song.

"Victor Borge has a great influence," Bailey admitted. "This great pianist is making fun of classical music. You shouldn't be free from classical music. This is blasphemous! So when my partner and I opened a comedy club in Bath, the introduction of musical elements did not seem to be an issue. Stupid thoughts. Music is a very direct emotional tool. You can make people happy, sad, considerate, sleepy... It can make people laugh."

Bailey immediately noticed that the instruments seemed to have their own humorous level, and began to learn to play them as much as possible.

Once you learn some musical instruments, you will automatically start thinking about the most absurd juxtaposition of musical instruments and songs. The metal on the car horn. A dubbed reggae version of Downton Abbey theme. Bagpipes used for yoga retreats.

"If I'm in someone's house and they have a flugelhorn or mandala in their corner, I want to know how it works. How does it make you feel? Can I tune out a tune from it? Once you learn There are very few musical instruments, and you automatically start to think about the most absurd juxtaposition of musical instruments and songs. The metal on the car horn. A dubbed reggae version of Downton Abbey theme. Bagpipe for yoga retreat. "

Is there a juxtaposition that works? Einstürzende Neubauten on the carillon? Enya on the drum?

"When I participated in the Royal Variety Show in 2012, I had the idea of ​​playing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture on a car horn. But at the beginning of the rehearsal, I realized that it was physically impossible. My body simply couldn't. Move fast enough. I ended up looking like a player on those game shows and they fired foam balls at you. If you listen to that version, we slowed it down a bit and it almost saved me from dislocating.

"Exploring all these different instruments also allows me to think about music in a broader sense. On the surface, music is a strange, abstract noise, but it can express the deepest human emotions. A little bit of wood and metal. I can sing for you.

"I think the best example is when I perform live performances with an orchestra. Stand in front of all these instruments and feel them moving in the air. You start to notice instruments with different personalities and different personalities that are attracted to them." I felt a part of something very special, with a tiny glimpse of the power of music... the power that brings people together and brings us to the new world. "

When he was spinning on the stage of Just Dance, did he feel the same power?

"Yes, kind of. Dancing is an emotional expression. Think about how you feel when you perform, when your favorite song plays. Sometimes I am listening to music and I have to move. The correct melody, harmony The combination with rhythm is hard to resist."

In more than 30 years of his career, Bailey has dealt with the music of some of his favorite bands-check out his "Kraftwerk" version of Wurzels hits, Combine Harvester-and work with Biffy Clyro, Anthrax and Killing Joke In Sonisphere. Has he ever hoped that life would take him down this path? An avant-garde rock master, the studio is full of platinum albums?

"When things got serious, the school band had a period of time. I put three keyboards on the stage and we were playing some avant-garde rock covers. A guy managed to get a smoke machine, that's it. I even thought about Get the cloak. We are ready to rule the world.

"Oh, okay... at least there is still time to blowpipes in the yoga retreat."

I really like stringed instruments very much. The mandala is similar to the mandolin, but the sound is richer, allowing you to use it as a solo instrument.

"I always think that the mandolin is too tall and thin to use alone; you really need something to accompany it. If you are a semi-decent guitarist, you can stab the mandala."

"Ah, this is really a beautiful thing. It is also quite rare. The off-white version in 1968. My wife noticed that I was watching some AC/DC videos and bought it as a gift for me. It is very light, listen to it. It looks great, probably one of the easiest electric guitars to play."

"I made this specially for me. It has a cigar box-shaped body, which is actually made with the cover of an old Bible. There are only four strings, tuned to five degrees. It creates this gorgeous warmth The sound is the best playing pleasure. The 5th tuning feels very intuitive, and you will soon find that you have chosen a lot of blues chords. The blues in the Bible!"

"Saz is a three-stringed Turkish instrument with a long slender neck and teardrop-shaped body. It is pleasing to the eye. It has a very hard, resonant sound that really cuts in. Mine is the Greek version, so it has a bouzuki The double string.

"When I learn a new instrument, I do listen to those great players, but only after I try it myself. Figure out, master some chords and melodies, and then see how professionals do it."

"A typical incredible Japanese electronic weird work. It is about the same size as an iPad, and has LED buttons that can be used to trigger different sounds. In addition to creating music patterns, you can also get visual patterns through LEDs. You can "See" the music you wrote. It's perfect for live performances."

Bill Bailey's En Route To Normal UK tour will begin in Plymouth on December 12.

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