It’s a case of all change for John Smith. Not only has he just released a brand-new album, he’s also reorganised his touring gear to include a specially designed thinline Fylde electro-acoustic as a one-size-fits-all solution for his acoustic repertoire. But there’s also a custom electric guitar joining the party, as well as an effects array more associated with a metal act. What the heck is going on?
The new album, The Living Kind, is very band orientated, but John is still planning to tour the material as a one-man unit. “So that my solo show is not just me and an acoustic guitar, like it used to be, I’m trying to make it much more three-dimensional: stereo effects, very tasty pedals,” he tells us during his visit to Guitarist HQ. “The long and short of it is taking a band on the road is hard and expensive. I think I can do this. Well, I’m gonna try…”
What were the origins of the new album?
“Back in 2011, I met [ producer] Joe Henry for the first time. by Lisa Hannigan and over the course of that album [produced by Joe Henry], Joe and I became good friends. Since then he’s been a brother, a mentor and a very significant influence in my musical life. I’ve always wanted to make a record with him, and just after lockdown lifted back in 2022, I was on tour in the States, so I stopped in with Joe.
