Andy Fairweather Low is one of the world’s all-time great sidemen. Once upon a time you would find him onstage, electric guitar in hand, alongside Eric Clapton. Roger Waters is one of his regular clients.
But sometimes it is time for the sideman to step out and take their position on center stage. Here, with his new solo album, The Invisible Bluesman, out now, we put the spotlight on Low, asking about first guitars, first songs learned, and, y’know, if there were any embarrassing moments in an illustrious career.
What was your very first guitar?
“My first proper guitar was a Höfner Verithin that I got when I was 17 from a guitar shop I worked in – Barratts of Manchester in Cardiff, Wales.
“I really wanted a Futurama, though, as it was going to be my Christmas present, but I never got it; the person in our estate [who ran a Christmas savings club] embezzled the money! Because of that, I never got it. I actually own a Futurama now.”
What was the first song you learned to play?
“Rocket Man by the Spotnicks [Swedish instrumental group], which I learned by ear. That song really sort of hit me. Through that song, I got introduced to the music of Chuck Berry and Jimmy Reed. And because you can play a thousand songs once you learned those little licks, it opened the door for me.”
What was your first gig?
“I was in a band called the Firebrands, and we played the Kennard Rooms, a venue in Cardiff. We played for 30 minutes to an empty room! Our drummer was in the Boys’ Brigade, so everything we did tended to have a bit of a military beat to it. But even though nobody was there, once I’d been on that stage, that was it – nothing was going to stop me.”
I strummed, but the sleeve of the jacket and my guitar caused the strum to sound like a ‘blurt’! I can still see that look from Roger now
Ever had an embarrassing moment on stage?
“I’ve had a couple of embarrassing moments, but one was with Roger Waters that happened after I’d only just joined him. It was on the The Pros and Cons of Hitch-Hiking tour during Welcome to the Machine. Because it was a big setup on stage, we had to wear headphones, which involved learning the art of taking the headphones off first before you took your guitar off.
“I managed that no problem, but I was also playing with a jacket on, which I wasn’t used to doing. And the first chord of Welcome to the Machine is this strum on a 12-string.
“Well, I strummed, but the sleeve of the jacket and my guitar caused the strum to sound like a ‘blurt’! I can still see that look from Roger now. Obviously, I was forgiven – because I spent 24 years with him.”
What’s your favorite piece of gear?
“I’ve got a guitar made by Gordon and Robert Wells from Knight Guitars that’s called a Knight Arena, and it’s just fabulous.”
There’s an emergency, and you can save/protect only one guitar. Which one would it be?
“It’d be a little Gibson archtop. My mate, Micky Gee, a guitar player from Wales, who played with Shakin’ Stevens and Tom Jones, found the guitar in a skip down the bay in the early ’70s. It had been in a fire, so the body was rippled a bit, but I put some strings on it and got it set up and really loved it.
“I offered to buy it from him because he wasn’t using it; I paid £47 and told him if he ever wanted it back, he could have it back for £47. I play it all the time; it’s the guitar that stays at home.”
When was the last time you practiced? What did you play?
“I play every day and need to. I spent 26 years playing rhythm and not playing solos. I was always the guy that played that part. But ever since I went out in my own band in 2007, the wheels have been oiled when it comes to playing solos, and because of that, I need to continue to familiarize myself with it all.
“What I can’t do, and would make me a most fabulous guitar player, is actually utilize all the things I’ve learned. That’s where great players come from. They access all their information like that.”
What guitar advice would you give your younger self?
“It wouldn’t be about the guitar, it would be about life. I’d tell myself to enjoy it more. When I worked with Eric Clapton, not so much with Roger, I thought I was getting fired every tour, because at the end of every tour, you never knew whether you were doing the next tour.
“Whoever you were – and it didn’t matter who you were – you never knew because in truth, Eric never knew which way it was going to go, too. So, it would be, enjoy it for goodness’ sake and let it run its course!”
- The Invisible Bluesman is out now via The Last Music Company.
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