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The BiTS Interview: Ged Wilson

ailed as, “A competent and classy 21st Century Bluesman” by Fatea Magazine and
H“brim-full of positive vibes, humour and innovation” by RnR Magazine, Ged Wilson
now signed to Bad Monkey Records, is wowing audiences with his blend of acoustic blues
and roots fusion.

Ged (that’s Jed with a G!) grew up in Manchester, a city with a great musical heritage which
influenced him to develop his very own distinctive song writing and performance style.

On stage Ged creates guitar vibes, harmonica wails and from the heart vocals, spiced with
a dash of laconic humour to give a full-on upbeat show.

He has toured the nation, jammed the blues clubs, hit the festivals and had two sell-out
tours of France. With four solo albums, much radio airplay and favourable reviews, Ged
is now making his mark.

Ian McKenzie spoke to him at his home in Cheltenham.

BiTS: We are going to talk in a minute about your new
album, but before we do, tell me something about yourself
that will help people to know where you're coming from.

GW: Right. Well, I'm originally from Manchester, where I lived
in Berwick, which is just 10 miles north of Manchester,
and started in bands at an early age really from
school and obviously in
the 60s, the British
blues boom, and John
Mayall was a big name
around Manchester in those

days and we picked up on them through
John Mayall. We got to see him many times
in Manchester, and we picked up on blues
music really, and that's where our love for the
blues came from. That's what we tried to replicate just
like all the other great British blues bands at the time
like Fleetwood Mac, The Groundhogs, Chicken Shack
and so on, Savoy Brown, and it sort of all grew out of
that, really.

BiTS: You work as a solo performer now, who do
you consider to be your greatest influence?

GW: Probably now looking back in time, I'd say
Lightnin’ Hopkins. There's just something about the
first time I heard his music it really stood out. It was
so authentic, so believable, it just came across, like,
nothing I'd heard before and I still go back. I've still