Gwyn Ashton - Fang It  reviewed by Rocking the Blues  

This CD by Gwyn Ashton will appeal to you if you have ever been into Rory Gallagher or just like good rocking blues. His playing style for much of the CD is in the Rory vein mainly due, I guess to Gwyn being a big Rory fan. To make the Rory sound more realistic Rory Gallagher Band's longest serving bass player Gerry McAvoy and drummer Brendan O'Neill make up the rhythm section. No wonder the CD has that solid rocking blues feel. 

Most of the tracks are self penned and straight away from track one 'Breakin' all the Rules' that Rory influence is there on the intro riff followed by some nice slide playing. Second track 'Livin' on a Faultline is a complete change with funky guitar lines. Then back to a Rory type beat laid down by Brendan and Gerry with some more fine slide guitar .

Then a 12 bar boogie followed by 'Cold as Ice' a tribute to Albert Collins in a slight Albert style. For a slow change to the tempo 'Hot in Here' has jazzy overtones with Brendan on the brushes and Gerry with some nice jazzy influenced bass lines. 

No one could ever replace Rory Gallagher, he was a one off but the Rory track 'Who's that Coming' is fairly close to the original and throughout the album you can feel Gwyn's going to slip into a Rory Gallagher number. That's not a criticism, just an observation. 

The album is not a Rory copy but often uses his sound either throughout a song or weaving in and out of songs using Gwyn's own slant. The cd finishes with 'Faded Memory' an acoustic slide guitar track featuring a'36 Nation Duolian. I can give you that information because on the sleeve notes every track has the guitar and equipment Gwyn used on the recording. 

A good rocking blues album with some fine guitar playing even if not always very original but there again it is the blues and not many blues bands sound completely individual and original. That's fine by me and for Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O'Neill to appear on the album must say a lot for Gwyn's guitar playing. I've seen Gwyn Ashton live and I highly recommend you get out and see him. In fact Gwyn has been appearing live with Gerry and Brendan in the tribute to Rory 'Band of Friends'. 

Derek White

Gwyn Ashton Fan Club: P.O. Box 3058 Furzton, Buckinghamshire MK4 1BF