The Music of Richard Staines
Musical Biography
I was born in Pontypool, South Wales in 1965, and grew up in Caldicot, Tintern and Chepstow, all within the county of Gwent/Monmouthshire.
I learnt double bass while at Chepstow Comprehensive and participated in various orchestras locally,
culminating in a Gwent Youth Orchestra performance in St Davids Hall, Cardiff. I sang tenor in the choir,
and performed various classical pieces in churches in the area. I sang and played double bass in a small jazz group.
I also jammed and performed bass guitar with a group of friends from Chepstow school.
In 1984 I left Chepstow for London and Kingston Polytechnic to study Computer Science. It was here that I bought an acoustic guitar and started to teach myself to play, while jamming with other students as a bass guitarist. I also jammed with various local performing jazz groups in pubs in the area. By 1988, my transition from bass guitarist to acoustic guitarist was complete. Most of my friends not realising I played bass.
In 1986, I spent 9 months in Aylesbury, and helped teach guitar at a local arts centre. And got encouraged by another singer songwriter Ray Thorne. I also remember being invited to perform in various places there.
In 1988 I moved to St Albans and here I patricipated in various folk clubs, and organised/performed in various larger events. In 1991 I became resident guitarist at the Sally Lunn Elizabethan restaurant in St Michaels Village, St Albans, playing classical and contemporary guitar pieces. In fact I wrote "El Puente" to play in the restaurant. It was in this same period I wrote "Dream World" and "The Blue Forest".
In 1992, I subsequently spent 6 months travelling around Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand with my guitar, performing for free beer. My fond memories are of playing at Ramli's bar every night on Tioman Island; the folk song "Donna" becoming an instant hit in an orang asli village at Tasik Chini and being requested to play it many times per day; Busking in Kuala Lumpur and Penang; Playing next to the beach watching the sunset at Krabi Bungalows; playing "Malacca" while the resident band had a break on Ko Pi Pi; Touring around the town of Lopburi with a local guitarist, performing in every place we could find.
In 1994 I played "On Top of the Hill" as part of my speech at my own wedding to Carmen. I then played "Moonlight Sonata" on classical guitar at Dorette and Andre Osborne's wedding the same year.
During the following years I played a set of Bach pieces at Adrian and Kate Bates' wedding.
In 1998 I went to Guatemala and enjoyed playing with local musicians, artists and poets at the Blue Angel Video Cafe in Quetzaltenango. The highlight of the trip was when a group of us went into a neighbouring Mayan village, stopping at a cantina for some food. While waiting for tacos Freddy and myself took it in turns to play songs and before too long we had the entire village standing and listening to us. This was a great cultural experience for the guatemaltecos and us extranjeros.
In 1999 we moved to Tokyo, and in 2000 had the honour of playing "Your Song" by Elton John at Chie Tanaka's wedding near Lake Biwa.
Since then the music has stopped due to the arrival of children and work commitments, and not being able to fit a guitar in the car because it's full of children's things.
Now in 2006 the music has started again. And It started with a new compostion "Chill" .
Whilst praticing some old favourites like "Three Drunken Maidens" (~400 years old!) and Robert Johnson's If I had Possession" I was told off because the kids were in bed so I set about playing something quieter and from that came "Day Dreams".
When did I write Gaslight Shadows"? The irony is I cant remember. Irony because it is about time, and being trapped in the past, and unable to make the life change required.
In April 2006. I started to attend Waltham Abbey Folk Club and am now a resident performer. They have put up with me playing all sorts of music, my own compositions, and even lute music.
In May 2006, I visited Monmouth Folk Club
and performed a slot. I certainly intend visiting again when I'm in the area.
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