10 Q's with JOHN YOUNG (ASIA/SCORPIONS)

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Composer/singer John Young has been steadily building a loyal
following for his solo/band work as well as playing with big names
like the Scorpions, Bonnie Tyler and Greenslade.

1. What are you currently up to? (E.g. touring/studio, etc.)

Well just finished 2 solo CD's (both instrumental) one is smooth
jazz based mostly around jazz piano (rhodes) type sounds and the
other is an Indian vocal CD where I took samples of Indian vocals
and put my own music underneath the voices.I'm also composing songs
for the first studio
CD of the John young Band. Touring wise I've just got back from
working with Scorpions again and the Pyramids show was a real blast.
I have a 13 date solo tour of Germany and Switzerland pencilled in
for late March early April and I'm sure many other shows will start
to appear over the coming weeks as we gradually get the festivities
out of the way.

2. Bonnie Tyler – You've been a mainstay of her band for awhile now.
How did you get the gig and what have been the highlights so far?

I wasn't really the first choice for BT and about 10 players went
for the gig. I found that some of the Steinman stuff was quite
difficult and in order to learn Faster than the Speed of night
properly (and keep it in time) I learnt the riff with both hands.
This impressed the band and I think it sealed the deal...so in a way
I was quite lucky. I got on great with BT and the band and we've
been together now for about 12 years.
Highlights have been many from 5 weeks in Barbados (with just 4
shows) to the DonauFest where we were headlining and played to over
150,000 people. It's always good fun and after all these years a bit
like working with your family!

3. How do you view the current music scene? Has the evolution of
downloading and the wide use of the Internet helped spread the word
more about your music?

I think Music is going through a crisis at the moment and I don't
think downloads are harming the business ...quite the reverse. The
one thing that worries me slightly is the lack of respect for our
art at all levels.
I have a friend who's an artist and as such his prints sell for 3-
500 pounds a time. Sadly music on the other hand has become a
throwaway culture and although downloads don't help it's not their
fault.
The music business is one of the few industries where you do not
need to know anything about the product 'music' to be involved.
If you went for a heart operation and a young 16 year old girl came
in and declared she was going to do the operation although she knew
nothing about surgery but of course she was a good dancer...you'd
feel a mite worried methinks.
This of course doesn't happen so why do we let it happen in music.
Fashion has nothing to do with real music...music is an aural
experience ...something that should feel wonderful with your eyes
either open or closed!.
As such record companies, radio , TV etc are not helping.
The problem lies in education we've spent so long in this rut that
banality is now the norm as such very few people in a position of
power have the ability to tell the difference between pointless
rubbish and the sublime and those that do are to too quick to hide
their real thoughts in favour of the company line.
So we are left with people looking for quick short term fixes in a
world desperate for someone to plant the seeds for the long term
with beautiful music and poignant lyrics.I think it's doubtful that
this will come from the regular pop diva's and as such this is where
the download can score.
The industry probably gives us about 20% of what's out there ...but
it tells us it's 100% and many folk believe this.Where hope springs
eternal is when someone actively seeks out new music and this can
generally be found through websites and downloading and as a result
this can (over time ) change things. It was lovely to see so many
young people at the recent Focus shows (now they are sublime and
should be on everyone's learning curriculum!) and I'm sure the
internet had it's part to play in this.
As I said some time ago we need a website that can tell us all about
the things we don't know we are looking for:-)))))
sorry for the long winded answer!

5. Greenslade are back on the road. Are there any plans for a new
album and how was the live set released on Angel Air received?

The live CD I thought worked really well and as such is a bit of a
hidden gem.I think it was probably hampered by the previous CD Large
Afternoon which to be honest I felt was rushed and didn't show the
band in it's true light espcially as a drum machine was used which
for me went against the grain of the band. I saw Dave recently with
Colloseum who were superb and I think he is genuinely suprised that
Greenslade have not received a similar response. I know of no plans
for the boys at the moment...but it may well be a case of never say
never:-)

6. Which of your songs(s) recorded by other artists are you most
proud of and why?

That's a good question. I think Crime of Passion by John Wetton from
the Battlelines CD would have to be my favourite todate. I was
always a big fan of John's work long before I worked with him and to
be on that CD in such exalted songwriting company was a great
honour.
John also did a great job and I think that album should be up there
with all the great Asia CD's and had it not been for various record
company upheavals I think it may well have acheived that.

7. What have been the most memorable gigs and why?

That's a harder question. Things change over the years...my first
ever gig took a year to prepare for (at a pub in Liverpool) and was
pretty awaful but it was a milestone. I guess from there the old
gigs at the moonstone in Liverpool with the jazz rock band England's
National Sport. Uli Jon Roth Hammersmith Odeon and Milwaukee
Summerfest. Roy Wood big band NEC (with George Harrison et al) ,The
fact that Cathedral never did a gig! (What a waste!). Save the roof
at a church hall in Reading with Wishbone Ash, Jimmy Page ,Patrick
Moraz, Ringo Starr and various other luminaries. The Bowl Milton
Keynes with Paul Rodgers. Donau Fest (and many more) with Bonnie
Tyler, The Far East tour and the Pyramids with The Scorpions and
every single gig I've ever done with the JYB!!

9. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

And so the Aliens landed and the leaders asked them what religion
were they?
'What's Religion?' replied the Aliens
(Same answer only substitute the words spare time:-)))

10. Message to your fans...

I love both of you:-)
...and for those of you who might wish to join please feel free to
visit our downloads in the songs
section at www.insignificance.co.uk (we'd love to welcome you
aboard.!)
spread the word ...love,peace and all the best for 2006
jy
x