About Alan Charles Stewart
Alan Charles Stewart after many years in music and the music business is now concentrating on songwriting and composing
His formative years began at his alma mater where he was a contemporary of such musical luminaries as Jim McCarty (Yardbirds), Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds, Cat Stevens' producer), Brian May (Queen) and Murray Head (Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 'Say it ain't so Joe'). Alan and Jim started experimenting with music with no more than an old banjo (his Dad's) tuned as a four string guitar and Jim's Boys Brigade drum turned upside down! A 'group' quickly evolved and they played local dances and hops. Elements of that group were later to metamorphose into the seminal Yardbirds when Paul (Sam) and Jim continued in collaboration.
After leaving school Alan participated in the booming 'Folk Music' scene building on strong American influences and playing at such well-known London venues as Eel Pie Island. By this time he was playing music with two of his brothers (two guitars, 5-string banjo, harmony vocals)
At the end of the sixties Alan went to live in North America and after a couple of years as a copywriter moved to Western Canada to resume his musical career. Working with an agent he developed into a much sought-after solo performer/guitarist playing every type of gig and venue from concert hall to nightclub to high school/college all over the Northwest
All this time Alan was honing his songwriting abilities taking time out amongst other things to live for two years in a remote cabin on the British Columbia coast. He continued to record wherever and whenever funds and interest would allow but eventually moved to Los Angeles where he got involved in TV and TV Music production, working at many of the top name California studios
Ten years after his arrival in N America it was now time for him to turn his attention, once again, to the UK. The opportunity came when two brothers and a good friend decided to form a band and invited Alan to join them. The band was to be known as Plain Sailing. They were quickly signed to a management company and were contracted to Chrysalis Records releasing an album produced by David MacKay. A large part of the album's songwriting was Alan's, either on his own or in collaboration with other band members, and unexpectedly (to him, at least) he was asked by the producer to take on much of the lead vocal work, although this was not the original plan. The band made a number of TV appearances including The Kenny Everett Show and 'A Song for Europe' and recorded several 'live' Radio sessions for the BBC. They worked with Frankie Miller, Demis Roussos and gigged extensively and regularly to full houses as part of the highly popular London Pub Rock scene at the time.
Singles were scheduled but a quirk of musical fashion positioned these releases in the midst of the 'punk' explosion in the UK. This was not helped by a complete marketing breakdown as executives turned their attention to the latest bandwagon. The album's release in the US was subsequently blocked despite that market being its original target. This decision was devastating to Alan as by now his spiritual home, musically, was firmly rooted on the US side of the Atlantic.
After re-evaluating his position Alan then decided to continue a musical collaboration with the band's bass player David Wintour, a highly accomplished and experienced musician (Neil Sedaka, Eric Carmen, Weather Report). They formed a band - Willy Jive - which released further singles including a re-mixed version of a 'definitive' version (Melody Maker) of Bo Diddley's 'Mona' which had been recorded by Plain Sailing. Martyn Ford produced another single 'The message is clear' which was recorded at the late Chas Chandler's studio in London, Portland Studios. Alan took on session work whenever it was around appearing on Top of the Pops with the band Prelude and working with Rula Lenska, David Soul and The Pretty Things in London
Since then Alan has devoted more time to raising his son but recently has set up a digital project studio which is beginning to show encouraging results.
His formative years began at his alma mater where he was a contemporary of such musical luminaries as Jim McCarty (Yardbirds), Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds, Cat Stevens' producer), Brian May (Queen) and Murray Head (Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 'Say it ain't so Joe'). Alan and Jim started experimenting with music with no more than an old banjo (his Dad's) tuned as a four string guitar and Jim's Boys Brigade drum turned upside down! A 'group' quickly evolved and they played local dances and hops. Elements of that group were later to metamorphose into the seminal Yardbirds when Paul (Sam) and Jim continued in collaboration.
After leaving school Alan participated in the booming 'Folk Music' scene building on strong American influences and playing at such well-known London venues as Eel Pie Island. By this time he was playing music with two of his brothers (two guitars, 5-string banjo, harmony vocals)
At the end of the sixties Alan went to live in North America and after a couple of years as a copywriter moved to Western Canada to resume his musical career. Working with an agent he developed into a much sought-after solo performer/guitarist playing every type of gig and venue from concert hall to nightclub to high school/college all over the Northwest
All this time Alan was honing his songwriting abilities taking time out amongst other things to live for two years in a remote cabin on the British Columbia coast. He continued to record wherever and whenever funds and interest would allow but eventually moved to Los Angeles where he got involved in TV and TV Music production, working at many of the top name California studios
Ten years after his arrival in N America it was now time for him to turn his attention, once again, to the UK. The opportunity came when two brothers and a good friend decided to form a band and invited Alan to join them. The band was to be known as Plain Sailing. They were quickly signed to a management company and were contracted to Chrysalis Records releasing an album produced by David MacKay. A large part of the album's songwriting was Alan's, either on his own or in collaboration with other band members, and unexpectedly (to him, at least) he was asked by the producer to take on much of the lead vocal work, although this was not the original plan. The band made a number of TV appearances including The Kenny Everett Show and 'A Song for Europe' and recorded several 'live' Radio sessions for the BBC. They worked with Frankie Miller, Demis Roussos and gigged extensively and regularly to full houses as part of the highly popular London Pub Rock scene at the time.
Singles were scheduled but a quirk of musical fashion positioned these releases in the midst of the 'punk' explosion in the UK. This was not helped by a complete marketing breakdown as executives turned their attention to the latest bandwagon. The album's release in the US was subsequently blocked despite that market being its original target. This decision was devastating to Alan as by now his spiritual home, musically, was firmly rooted on the US side of the Atlantic.
After re-evaluating his position Alan then decided to continue a musical collaboration with the band's bass player David Wintour, a highly accomplished and experienced musician (Neil Sedaka, Eric Carmen, Weather Report). They formed a band - Willy Jive - which released further singles including a re-mixed version of a 'definitive' version (Melody Maker) of Bo Diddley's 'Mona' which had been recorded by Plain Sailing. Martyn Ford produced another single 'The message is clear' which was recorded at the late Chas Chandler's studio in London, Portland Studios. Alan took on session work whenever it was around appearing on Top of the Pops with the band Prelude and working with Rula Lenska, David Soul and The Pretty Things in London
Since then Alan has devoted more time to raising his son but recently has set up a digital project studio which is beginning to show encouraging results.
Artist Links
Alan Charles Stewart's Website
Worth a visit if you want to know (or hear) more from Alan (or e-mail him at info@alancharlesstewart.com). Alan wins Semi Final place for 'WHO SPEAKS FOR US' Alan Charles Stewart, songwriter and Indie 911 member has secured a semi-final place in the 2006 UK Songwriting Contest - Lyrics Only genre - for his title 'WHO SPEAKS FOR US'. Visit website for more ... |
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Ziplok
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