Funny how things happen.
I know this guy from when I worked for the stock exchange and this guy was a lawyer at an investment bank developing new derivative products. Both of us were a bit square peg round hole. Anyway, we had a common interest in music and kept in touch. He then decided to learn how to make guitars as in luthier stuff and ,from what I can tell, has proved a dab hand. Anyway,he was given some online guitar lessons wit the esteemed MWP, he of the jingly jangly Rickenbacker signature sound of the Church. They got on well and ended up collaborating, online, on a few choons for an EP under the moniker Arktik Lake.
Fast forward to this year Marty and Olivia have flown back to Oz to record a full album with my mate securing access to a bunch of vintage guitars. I’ve heard /seen footage of some of his soloing and its lovely. Their new record, according to my mate, says that they are stretching out to let MWP do what he does best. My mate says MWP reckons the playing is some of his best in ages. Sounds promising.
Meanwhile my mate lawyer, investment banker, tax expert is living the dream.As I said to him, it beats drafting warrant issue documents.
Junior Wells says
A bit more info here.
https://arktiklake.net/listen/
Kaisfatdad says
You worked in the stock exchange? A square peg indeed.
An enjoyable story. Your pal certainly made an unexpected career change.
The track sounds very promising.
Junior Wells says
As Bugs Bunny said “ I must have taken a wrong turn at Alburquerque”.
bobness says
A young lady I once had an all-too-brief dalliance with used to live in the flat downstairs from MWP. Or was it upstairs..?
That’s almost on a par with my “I used to play U17s cricket in Nottingham with Ian Paice’s nephew” story.
In fairness, whilst not exactly stories for the ages, both people concerned above were quite lovely.
Junior Wells says
@bobness
Maybe the relationship was brief coz you couldn’t tell upstairs from downstairs.
bobness says
@junior-wells
You make a very valid point.
bang em in bingham says
Love the song….
Freddy Steady says
Junes, is that your mate singing as it doesn’t sound quite like MWP to me? It’s a lovely song with some typical jingle jangle, really like it so will investigate further.
I’m a big fan of MWP in the Church, particularly live. It’s a a shame how that relationship ended. His solo work , especially his vocals never grabbed me so this is a nice surprise.
Good story too!
Junior Wells says
Not sure.
Skirky says
I think it’s going to be MWP eventually. He’s doing some lovely “Making of…” updates on his blog/FB page.
chiz says
MWP in his day was a proper rock star, a wonderfully distinctive guitarist, an average singer – and a dreadful songwriter. Interestingly his old adversary Kilbey has also made an album or two with a fan. Whatever pays the bills I suppose.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Dead on about MWP. He needed The Church as much as they needed him (a lot, although nobody’s going to admit that). Kilbey has a couple of solo releases I go back to, but MWP (and Peter Koppes) none at all. This tune-free mid-paced mildly pleasant clip isn’t giving me a music boner, either.
Freddy Steady says
I think you’re right old bean. I went through a small completist phase with the MWP, Koppes and Kilbey solo albums and kind of regret it. As you say, some of SK’s stack up, particularly his early stuff but the others , nope.
MWP’s high point is that Psychedelic Symphony where he lets rip.