For the latest in The Baker's Dozen feature at RGM Nick Workman from British AOR/Melodic Rock act Vega is in the chair. The band will release their fifth album 'Only Human' on May 11th via Frontiers. The album was mixed and mastered by Harry Hess of Harem Scarem fame and you can catch the band live on their UK tour in June 2018. So please read on as Nick discusses Star Wars, True Detective and the mysterious Bootleg Snake:

1. What is your earliest musical memory?

It was either my Dad's vinyl albums The Beatles 'Please Please Me' or Boney M. Which is the coolest? haha

2. Do you remember the name of your first band?

Yes, Bootleg Snake!!!!

3. Which current artist do you hear and just go Wow?

I’m not sure if it’s a “wow” but I like Greta Van Fleet and I really like The Struts. I can’t wait for the new Struts album. I think Butch Walker produced it so that makes it even more exciting!

4. Do you sit down to write songs or do you wait until your mojo comes to get you?

Sometimes a song just happens without any effort and then on the flip side, some songs take a few goes but you can feel there is something there. It just takes a little longer for the songs to feel right.I like both ways for different reasons.

5. Big venue or small venue - what's your favourite to play?

Well, we are a band that dreams of big venues so big. Having played some in my time I do much prefer big because of the sound of the PA and the crowd noise. Plus, the toilets and the dressing rooms are a lot cleaner haha.

6. Who is the one artist you wish you could share a stage with (past or present)?

I’ve made no secret of my love for Def Leppard so I’d say them in the present and for the hell of it I would love to have shared a stage with Michael Hutchence and INXS.

7. Bowie, Prince, Sinatra, Elvis which departed great means the most to you?

I like them all for different reasons but I don’t know if I could say I was emotionally attached to any of them, When Bowie and Price passed away I was sad to hear the news but I felt more sad at the passing of Michael Hutchence and Steve Lee of Gotthard.

8. Is a saxophone solo ever ok?

Never gonna happen in VEGA! haha

9. Should music be free?

It is, isn’t it? Ha. Do you work for free? Of course not. How would you see all the amazing live shows if bands have no money? How would bands record albums and afford to even eat? When we tour, the ticket sales pay for the tour costs. The albums are paid for by album sales.

10. Can you remember the first record you bought and what have you bought recently?

The first record I bought was ‘Star Wars’ on vinyl. Not the soundtrack though. It was the film highlights. I still have that and I got ‘Empire Strikes Back’. Good memories. The most recent purchase was Greta Van Fleet.

11. What was the last song that made you cry actual tears?

I’m sad to say it’s never happened. Music makes me happy, even the sad songs. I appreciate good music and get high off it rather than sad.

12. Do you binge watch Netflix / Amazon / DVD box sets (any recommendations)? Do you have a guilty pleasure in Film or TV you’ll admit to watching and loving?

Yeah, I do binge a lot.I just re-watched ‘The Night Manager’ and must have watched the first season of ‘True Detective’ three times. I love both ‘Stranger Things’ seasons and the new show ‘Deep State’. Guilty Pleasures? Nah I don’t feel guilty haha. I repeat watch a few films. ‘The Equaliser’ and ‘Captain America-The Winter Soldier’ are great recent films. Maybe ‘Notting Hill’ could be counted a guilty pleasure?

13. What is the most important thing to you that you can see from where you are right now?

My acoustic guitar that my Mum and Dad gave me for my birthday many, many years ago. I do most of my writing on that. It’s not an expensive guitar but it means the world to me.

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The Baker's Dozen @ RGM

Dec 12, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #46 The Last Hurrah (!!)

Dec 12, 2023

These days, with a seemingly inexhaustible amount of music available at the click of a mouse, it is easy to miss things in our search for instant gratification. The art of getting to know an album over repeated listens, allowing it to slowly reveal itself, is in danger of being lost. A case in point is the aptly titled ‘Modern Nostalgia’, the latest release from The Last Hurrah (!!), a project helmed by Norwegian musician/producer HP Gundersen. ‘Modern Nostalgia’ blends a distinctly European (Serge Gainsbourg/Marianne Faithfull) approach with the California sound of Gram Parsons and The Byrds, utilising a variety of singers and instrumentation along the way to reveal its charms. With this in mind, we caught up with HP Gundersen to learn more about HP and his collaborators in The Last Hurrah (!!).

Dec 12, 2023

Nov 28, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #45 Joby Fox

Nov 28, 2023

Northern Irish singer, songwriter and humanitarian Joby Fox was in London recently for two shows in support of his excellent album ‘I Once Was A Hawk…Now I’m A Dove’. RGM was lucky enough to be at the second of these, and you can read a review here. While Joby was performing his promotional duties, he took the time to complete a Baker’s Dozen for RGM. Topics included his favourite records and artists that inspire him while we were reminded that one invention is particularly vital.

Nov 28, 2023

Jun 1, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #44 Jennifer Crook

Jun 1, 2023

With the release of 'The Broken Road Back Home' in late 2022, Jennifer Crook received some of the best reviews of her career, with Folking claiming it as "One of the year's best albums". Jennifer is no stranger to good reviews, and a high bar had been set with The Telegraph, Mark Radcliffe and Fatea Magazine praising her previous work. ’The Broken Road Back Home’ is a lovely record with a timeless quality that should appeal to anyone who appreciates good songs and a finely crafted album with excellent musicianship. The album recently received a limited edition vinyl pressing, so it seemed like the ideal time to catch up with Jennifer to learn a little more, and, unsurprisingly, we found her in the recording studio.

Jun 1, 2023

May 18, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #43 Dave Foster

May 18, 2023

Fans of Big Big Train and the Steve Rothery Band will need no introduction to Dave Foster. The guitarist and songwriter has been heavily involved with both in the last few years but dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover Dave’s solo career and his work with vocalist Dinet Poortman. ‘Glimmer’ is the second album from the duo and does a wonderful job of utilizing progressive instrumentation, including plenty of fluid, yet punchy, guitar playing from Dave, on a bunch of songs with striking pop sensibilities. Fans of the aforementioned acts, and a band we recently championed here at Red Guitar Music, League Of Lights will surely enjoy ‘Glimmer’ immensely. The album was released on CD/LP in April, with a digital release on May 19th, so go check it out. We caught up with Dave for a wide-ranging chat (anyone who starts out by mentioning Bob Seger’s Nine Tonight is alright in my book) about his musical tastes, career and choice in film (Wes Anderson is another big tick here at RGMHQ). Now if we can get him to elaborate on that Steve Vai story…

May 18, 2023

Apr 20, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #42 Jenny Don't and The Spurs

Apr 20, 2023

If you were very lucky, you might have caught Jenny Don’t and The Spurs on their recent UK tour, which included a show at the Ramblin’ Roots Revue in High Wycombe. The Portland, Oregon act were promoting their excellent ‘Fire On The Ridge’ release, an essential purchase for all lovers of old-school twangy country sounds delivered with maximum gusto and bags of attitude. Before they set out on the Europe dates, which will keep them busy through May, we caught up with bassist Kelly Halliburton who was incredibly generous with his time, resulting in a very cool edition of the Baker’s Dozen.

Apr 20, 2023

Mar 24, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #41 Jerry Leger

Mar 24, 2023

In 2005, nineteen-year-old Jerry Leger cut his first independently released album. Since then, the prolific singer-songwriter has recorded 10 additional albums under his own name, with the last 4 released via Cowboy Junkies' label, Latent Recordings. His latest release is a four-track EP 'Latent Uncovers' that features his take on songs by Lou Reed, Jeff Tweedy, Leonard Cohen and David Bowie. Red Guitar Music caught up with Jerry for a brief chat about his influences, and he reminds us it doesn’t get much better than Gordon Lightfoot.

Mar 24, 2023

Mar 23, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #40 Adam Masterson

Mar 23, 2023

London-born but New York-based Adam Masterson recently released his second album ‘Time Bomb’ digitally with CD/LP to follow on July 21st. It’s been two decades since his debut ‘One Tale Too Many’ but Adam has kept busy releasing various EPs, shared stages with the likes of Tori Amos, Amy Winehouse and Stereophonics and guested with Patti Smith and Mick Jones (The Clash). We caught up with Adam for an enlightening chat about the music business in 2023 and how buying a Tom Petty record from a beach vendor in Turkey proved inspirational.

Mar 23, 2023

Mar 20, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #39 Craig Gould

Mar 20, 2023

Craig Gould is an artist looking to make a difference. Following a run of singles, Craig will release his debut album ‘Songs From The Campfire’ on April 14th. The album is the centrepiece of Craig’s personal campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues, with ALL profits from the album and singles benefitting the CALM charity https://www.thecalmzone.net/. Please read on to learn more about Craig’s back story, the album ‘Songs From The Campfire’ and why he feels so passionate about this project. Singer. Songwriter. Storyteller. Campaigner. Craig is all these things, so it seemed an ideal time to get to know Craig a little better via The Baker’s Dozen here at Red Guitar Music.

Mar 20, 2023

Feb 20, 2023

The Baker's Dozen #38 Nigel Wearne

Feb 20, 2023

Welcome to the first Baker’s Dozen of 2023. We’ve revamped things a little and Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist and luthier Nigel Wearne kindly stepped up to the plate for the first at bat. Nigel recently showcased at the Americana UK Music Festival in London and completed an extensive UK tour alongside sometime duet partner Lauren Housley. Nigel talked guitars, songwriting, Aussie legends Cold Chisel, Tom waits and also gave us an insight into the making of his upcoming album ‘The Reckoning’.

Feb 20, 2023

Sep 21, 2022

The Baker's Dozen #37 Kaya Stewart

Sep 21, 2022

Kaya Stewart will release her second album ‘If Things Go South’ on September 30th via Bay Street Records. Kaya released her first album via Warners while still in her mid-teens back in 2016 and is now an industry veteran at just 22. Co-written and produced with her father, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics, Daryl Hall, Tom Petty), it is Kaya at her most authentic, expressive self.“This record is one-hundred per cent who I am now,” she declares. “This is the Kaya I was working towards all along.” RGM caught up with Kaya to learn a little more about her and the influences that helped to shape the new record.

Sep 21, 2022