Jared James Nichols returns to The Craufurd Arms this week, much to the excitement of all those who caught him at the venue last summer.
He’s one of those ‘once seen, never forgotten’ players. He’s so much better than good. He’s awesome.
The Wisconsin-born, Los Angeles-based singer writer and guitarist got his first guitar aged 14, and the bug to go live bit: “Two weeks after I got an electric guitar, I was on stage with all of these old cats from Chicago playing the blues,” he said.
“The music immediately resonated with me. It was all about the feeling and the soul behind it. The power and reality struck a chord with me.”
So that was how it started. He has he since enjoyed European tours with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Walter Trout, Glenn Hughes, Zakk Wylde and UFO!
Ahead of his return to The Craufurd Arms this week as support to L.A Guns (September 5) Jared went On Track with Total MK…
The song that first awakened your musical senses
Paranoid by Black Sabbath. When I was 13 years old I was introduced to the world of classic rock.' I feel very lucky to have heard Hendrix, Zeppelin, and Sabbath at an crucial young age. I was absolutely hooked.
Physical or digital - How do you take your music?
Honestly, BOTH. When I'm home it's always physical. I love listening to vinyl and have a pretty extensive collection.
Obviously when I'm on the road, I've always got my iTunes or Spotify on. I love to put on playlists and hear stuff I never knew existed. It's awesome.
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
The first moment I stepped on the stage! I'll never forget the feeling and surge of energy I had. It's such an addictive feeling. It just felt completely right, I knew I wanted to do whatever it took to be on stage. It was my mission to make that my job.
Your best on stage memory...
One of my best stage memories is when I toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd in Europe. One night, I jammed 'Sweet Home Alabama' with them in front of 10,000 people and I took the solo. It's such an unreal feeling to actually play with your heroes.
And the worst gig you've ever done
When I was 16 I played a biker festival for Harley Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It should have been an amazing, packed summer night show. Well, it ended up pouring with rain all day. There was no one there and we got completely soaked. Even worse, my amp blew up.
Then, I slipped and fell while playing, taking a huge chunk out of my guitar in a split second. It was a nightmare.
What made you take up the guitar
It was all about the sound and expression! It seemed ALIVE. I thought...I wanna do that! To this day, the electric guitar is so exciting to me. It's freedom.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written
Oh man, there is so many! One song/riff I would have loved to have written is Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix. It's the holy grail of blues/rock guitar.
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
Each song I've written definitely has a special significance to me. Honestly, my lastest single 'Last Chance' might be my favorite song yet. Crushing guitars and high energy! It's a ripper!
Are there any current influences you look to
Absolutely. There are a ton of amazing guitarists and bands out now at the moment. I'm a big fan of Rival Sons and Blackberry Smoke. Everyday I see someone new online on Facebook or Instagram that's jamming guitar and I become a fan. It's amazing.
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
Jimi Hendrix. Easily the day he played Woodstock or Monterey Pop Festival. No big deal! Haha.
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And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
I try to find the 'good' in all genres. That being said, I can't stand pop-country and current 'pop' that's so fake, put-on, and played with no real instruments, only 'tracks.' It seems like a joke. I love music with SOUL regardless of genre.
Finally, plug your return to The Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes - what can we expect?
First off, I love The Craufurd Arms! As always, pure blue power!
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