|
Location: Adelaide, South Australia -1983; Sydney, New South Wales 1983-1991; Melbourne, Victoria 1991-1996; UK 1996-
Instruments: guitar, harmonica, vocals
Website: Gwyn Ashton
Gwyn Ashton was born in Wales and migrated to Adelaide, South Australia in the
mid-sixties. In 1972 he began playing the guitar, inspired by many musicians
on the Australian scene. Some of those artists were The Master's Apprentices,
The Easybeats, Chain, Blackfeather, Billy Thorpe, Kevin Borich, Mickey
Finn and Chris Finnen. It didn't take long for Gwyn to discover Chuck Berry,
Buddy Holly and then later on Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, and Rory
Gallagher to name a few.
After playing around Adelaide for several years, he moved to Sydney in 1983.
In 1985 Gwyn joined Swanee, which was fronted by John Swan (brother of ex-Cold
Chisel vocalist, Jimmy Barnes). In 1986 Gwyn joined forces with ex-Easybeats
vocalist Stevie Wright along with members of Sherbet and Jimmy Barnes' band.
Gwyn played consistently in Sydney with his own band. Always a three piece,
his rhythm sections included ex Richard Clapton, Divinyls, Dragon, Sherbet,
Kevin Borich Express, Australian Crawl, James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite
members.
Gwyn was asked to sit in on various occasions with artists such as Jeff St
John, Kevin Borich and guitar virtuosos Phil and Tommy Emmanual, two of
Australia's finest musicians. Phil years later related that he considered
Gwyn to be the best blues guitarist in Australia.
After seven years in Sydney, Gwyn returned to Adelaide with New Zealand drummer
Rick Tredrea. Picking up bassist Laurie Height (of The Fools), they blitzed the
Adelaide scene for 12 months, being noticed along the way by touring artists
such as Cheap Trick's vocalist Robin Zander and Mick Fleetwood, who sat in
with Gwyn one night. At around this time Gwyn opened for Rory Gallagher at
The Old Lion in North Adelaide.
In 1991, Gwyn moved to Melbourne. He was immediately asked to open for
Junior Wells, recruited ex-Madder Lake bassist Ian Holding and ex-Arial
drummer Trevor Courtney to fill out the usual trio. In 1993 Gwyn conducted
blues clinics at the Melbourne Guitar Show and Melbourne Music Expo and
recorded his first CD, Feel The Heat with Rick Tredrea and bassist Geoff Brown.
The day it was released, they toured Victoria and South Australia with Albert
Lee and Steve Morse. Gwyn again opened for Steve Morse 2 years later, after
which he then joined up with Dutch Tilders for a few months.
In March 1996, Gwyn recorded his second CD, Beg, Borrow and Steel. After touring
Australian venues and festivals, Gwyn again packed his bags and this time
headed for the UK, via New Zealand and North America with gigs in Auckland,
Wellington, LA, San Francisco, Austin Texas, and New York. Setting up base
in England, Gwyn recruited another trio and performed at North Bucks Folk
and Blues Festival and the Great British R 'n' B Festival in Colne.
Since residing in the UK, Gwyn has appeared with Peter Green, Dr. Feelgood,
Wilko Johnson, Nine Below Zero, Sam Brown, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody,
Dave Hole, and has been known to share the stage with Mick Abrahams
(Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig.)
Summer performances included the Bospop Festival (Netherlands), Skagen
Festival (Denmark), headlined the Wolluk Stock '98 festival (Netherlands)
and supported Buddy Guy in France at the Montreau Blues Confluences in July.
| Title | Date | Artist |
|---|
| Pressure Makes Diamonds | 1994 | Jim Keays |
|
