A conversation with Dave Griffiths of Gasfoodlodging By Brett Jameson.
*Photo credit: Kato Media
I have been a supporter of the British Americana and Alternative band Gasfoodlodging since I came across their music videos on YouTube. Not having an aptitude for music myself I have always had a fascination with what makes musicians and bands I enjoy tick. Gasfoodlodging released their 2019 album, All Trashed Out on April 25th. It is a great musical achievement that proves yet again how interesting and vibrant music still is in darkened corners of the musical world. I did a Skype interview with Dave Griffiths of the band recently and I thank him very much for his time.
How does it feel being interviewed by a fan?
I think its cool and I feel honoured! {laughs} When I was first asked to do an interview in aid of promoting the band I was thinking "Erm? great! But who is going to be interested in what I have to say? I'm hardly in a band that is sweeping across the nation with fans galore!"
But after I did my first one I received messages from some musical friends who said they really enjoyed reading the interview online. Since then I've just carried on with them {smiles}.
There's no point hanging around for music magazines to come knocking at your door to interview your band or review your album. You have to get people involved and make things happen yourself.
What do you find is the toughest thing to do when putting a new album together?
Being sure you have the right songs in place I guess. What I see as a fluid running album others may not. There are albums by bands where I've enjoyed virtually every track whereas musical industry reviewers have only enjoyed 3 or 4 songs at the most. One thing I usually do is put my home demos of new songs online to see what reaction they get. That makes sense to me. But for the most part you simply have to trust your instinct and hopefully people will enjoy the songs you have chosen.
I remember you saying that you used alternative guitar tunings for some of the songs on the album and I also hear slide guitar on a couple of songs. Do you play a lot of slide guitar?
No, not really. Sometimes I think a little slide will work here and there on a tune so I figure something out. As for alternative tuning, I'm only familiar with open G and drop D ones.
Although I only used open G tuning on the album and only on three songs, Life is for Living, Bug in the Grass and the title track, All Trashed Out. I wanted to have a bit of a Keith Richards thing going on with the rhythm guitar on the Life is For Living track so using that tuning worked well on that one I think.
What are your views on English guitar legends such as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page?
Their musical discography speaks for itself. You can only have the upmost respect for what they've achieved and the way they've influenced people. We have another guitarist from the UK called Richard Thompson and although he's not a household name like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page he is classed by many as one of the all time greats of guitar playing. He's crazily talented. I also think Keith Richards should end up high on any best UK guitarist poll as well. His riffs and rhythmic playing have influenced thousands of musicians including myself.
Did you spend a lot of time planning your own performances for the the new album?
Well vocally I had to make sure I knew the lyrics! [smiles}. Although we'd played some of the new songs at gigs anyway so I was familiar with the way I was approaching them. As for the guitar parts, sure, you need to have things planned in advance otherwise you'll end up in a mess with a studio album. I probably spent the most time on some keyboard parts I played, some of them became a bit of a headache! But I sorted things out the best I could in the end.
Do you ever fantasize about a world where Gasfoodlodging have a huge following worldwide?
{Laughs}. I'd be happy if some people a couple of streets away from where I live had heard of us let alone people in Cuba or Iceland! I've always been realistic with my music pursuits, I know I'm not a mega talented songwriter like Lennon/Mcartney, Jagger/Richards, Bob Dylan, who is going to influence a generation! I'm not daft. I'm happy just selling a few copies of a Gasfoodlodging album and doing interviews like this mate! I really count myself lucky I've been able to keep this band going to be honest. Original bands are falling by the wayside everywhere, most venues are only booking cover and tribute bands and that is a major sting in the tail for original music.
Would you like to live in America if you had the chance? You are obviously influenced very much by the music here.
No, I'd rather live in the UK. For all it's governmental bullshit and blunders Id still feel more content staying here than living in America. Canada at some point maybe if the opportunity arose but not America. I've been to America for holidays and I have some American friends who are great but its a crazy country in many ways. I think its an insular existence that Americans live in with the country being that huge. So its unsurprising that they have enough on their domestic plate to cover any daily news show. Still, I'd love to go over for 6 months or so and see all the sights over there especially the music hot spots.
​I remember going to visit my Uncle in San Francisco and I had no idea that Chuck Prophet lived there. A guy whose music I was starting to follow after going through his previous band's (Green On Red) back catalogue. I could have walked passed him on the street! {laughs}.
If you could sing like a famous recording artist either dead or alive who would you choose? And who do you admire vocally?
Hmm? I think Marc Bolan, David Bowie and Johnny Cash had great voices. I don't like modern country music vocalists, they all sound like boy band singers to me. Its just pop music with people dressed up in cowboy boots and a stetson.
Bob Dylan is one of my personal favourites (especially his voice in the 1970's) he was refreshingly unique, as was Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Mick Jagger who still is. Liam Gallagher when he was younger was great. I really like Pete Doherty's voice of Babyshambles, Libertines fame. He's like the British equivalent to Lou Reed. I thought Jimi Hendrix was great as well.
I'm not really big on technically gifted singers because they sound too perfect and robotic at times although I do own 2 Alicia Keys albums! [smiles} Freddie Mercury was an amazing operatic quality vocalist but Queen were never my musical cup of tea.
Guitar bands seem to always pay their respect to blues music during some point in their career, do you think you will ever do the same?
Yeah, I'd like to do that. Recording a blues album would be great. Before I even got into playing music myself there was a time when friends at the time would come round to my place at night and we would chill out, turn off the lights and listen to blues music compilations until the early hours. Happy times! Lightning Hopkins, Junior Wells & Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, T bone Waker, Roosavelt Booba Barnes, RL Burnside, Taj Mahal, Asie Payton, Howlin Wolf were always regulars on the compilations.
Some bands seem to have conflicts with producers in the studio? Have you ever had bad experiences?
Yeah, unfortunately. I worked with a guy the once who didn't have a fucking clue what he was doing. His production and mixes were worse than rough demos I was quickly putting together at home. A view that was echoed by other members of the band at the time after we heard his results. Due to a recommendation that he was a decent producer, I decided to keep my mouth shut and follow his way of doing things. A big mistake looking back but hey ho you live and learn. Following this shambolic experience I reverted back to our former producer, Simon Reeves from Birmingham. a guy who puts his heart and soul into everything he does and knows how to adapt to different bands that come through the door. He may not have fancy dancy recording equipment but It was such a relief for me to be working with him again after working with that other numpty dumpty.
​Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Well hopefully I'll be in good health and can still strum away on a guitar to write new songs. I doubt whether I'll be on an extended beach holiday in Hawaii living off the revenue of Gasfoodlodging album sales! {laughs} But I'm definitely not ready for the pipe and slippers anytime soon. I know I joke around a lot on social media etc because I keep things realistic with the way thing are. But in my quiet moments alone, I'm still proud of the songs I've written and songs like Six Strings Ringing, Caitlin Silvers, Get with the Program, Life is for living and Walking the Wire from the new album are as good, if not better, than the songs many professional guitar bands are churning out in my opinion. Its not arrogance, you just have to have belief and faith in the music you're writing otherwise its a pointless exercise.
​A big thank you goes out to Dave Griffiths once again for taking part in my interview.
You can buy the great new Gasfoodlodging album, All Trashed Out by clicking the link below:
https://gasfoodlodging.bandcamp.com/album/all-trashed-out
Brett Jameson 2019.
Jason Burlington
Nice interview Dave. Been catching up with what you've been doing after a break from online life when me and the missus split up.I was playing some of your new music earlier and you sound better than ever mate. you still got copies of your new cd for sale? I'll grab one off you if you have. Ta, Jase.
Cheers Jase. Just sent you an email!
Great interview Dave. I love your songs, your guitar playing, the whole package. Much respect to you and your band from here in Chicago! Hope your new album sells well. Best of luck - Dean.