(MUSE) The South West Music scene: Just don't mention the Wurzels...


Total Guitar
July 2001 - Issue No #85

"In the early days, the South West was a place where aspiring rockers - like Brian Jones - escaped from..."

 When you think of the South West, it's fair to say you don't immediately think of rock n'roll. Instead it's images of cream teas, rolling countryside, thatched cottages and yokels quaffing cider in little villages.
 That is probably the precise reason why in the past the region has traditionally been a place where aspiring rockers escape from. Take Brian Jones. He knew the genteel spa town of Cheltenham was no place for an up n' coming rock n' roll outlaw, so he wasted no time in getting himself kicked out of Cheltenham Grammar school, making a local lass pregnant and moving to The Smoke, re-inventing himself as a hip-swinger blues aficionado about town.
 Then there's Ritchie Blackmore. Would the straggly haired riff-meister have formed Deep Purple had he stayed in the crumbling Victorian town, Weston-Super-Mare (a place so un-rock only late 70s goons Racey have a claim to it being their hometown)? It's doubtful to say the least. Other guitarists who decided to keep their West Country roots well hidden are Greg 'I Believe In Father Christmas' Lake from Bournemouth and Slade's Dave Hill who was actually born in Kingsbridge, South Devon, before moving to the West Midlands as a child. The Police's Andy Summers (born in Lancashire) also spent time here in his pre-fame days. 
 Punk made it acceptable to flaunt your local credentials and XTC, formed by guitarist Andy Partridge, remain the only famous group to come from Swindon. EMF guitarist Ian Dench) briefly made the Forest of Dean hip. Reef (guitarist Kenwyn House) have provided Glastonbury with a home town band to be proud of. Then there's Polly Harvey who elected to keep Dorset as her base. 
 Further South, came angst rockers Muse and their spiky haired guitarist Matt Bellamy from the seaside town of Teignmouth. Meanwhile, Chris Martin of Coldplay, was brought up in rural South Devon.

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