A BLUES musician and poet from Old Town spoke of his surprise when he heard that his first single was played on BBC Radio 6 Music.

Gerard Gearon’s song Love Is Bad was picked by DJ Steve Lamacq to be one of the best new releases on his show recommending upcoming artists.

Gerard, a blues musician and poet, started songwriting earlier this year and quickly found an appreciative audience for his lyrics backed by guitar and synthesiser.

The 53-year-old said: “I started writing in January and recording in June. Then I got a publisher and a record label in July.

“It was me, my son Jethro and a guitarist playing on the record.

“We only did a demo to look for a singer but we put it to The Orchard label and they said we were great.

“Then 6 Music took an interest and played one of my songs at the end of August.

“I was staggered, it didn’t seem real.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/tracks/n4fjn6

After beginning his burgeoning music career with a blues number, Gerard also released a rock song with gospel organ and electric guitar called You Said I Love You, and a synth-pop song with girl group The Shivettes called The Stars Will Shine.

Gerard said: “I’m an addictive listener, I’ve heard thousands of albums and I’ve got a good musical ear so I thought I’d have a go at making my own music.

“I’m influenced by country-blues, Southern blues, swing concerts, roots and folk, artists like Paul Oliver, the Carter Family, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Sham 69.

“I’ve played guitar since I was 14, self-taught and I’m Swindon born and bred, I love this town.

“I can keep working as a bricklayer and release music when I want, as long as people like it and it’s real, that’s all I care about.

“I like to smuggle a beat poem into my songs, though the label didn’t like the beat poetry element.”

He started working with The Orchard then amicably parted ways with the label to start his own record company, SN3 Records, where he could distribute his music and poetry without worrying about being pressured and constrained by music moguls.

He’ll soon be releasing a version of Allen Ginsberg’s Sunflower Sutra with the poet’s spoken word verses backed by Gerard’s musical accompaniment.

He said: “I got an email from one of Allen’s friends saying he liked my rendition and I thought ‘Wow! I’ve made it’.”

For more information, call 07743 776987 or email SN3Records@gmail.com