Joe Hodgson – Till The Last Breath
Northern Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson releases his new single ‘Till The Last Breath’. The track comes off his new self-produced solo album ‘Apparitions’, recorded at various locations across the UK, USA and Canada and featuring guest musicians Vinzenz Benjamin on bass (Go West, Paul Young), Max Saidi on drums (Will Young, Shane Filan), and Nick Gilmore on keyboards (Odyssey). The record saw wide support from the likes of A&R Factory and Hollywood Digest.
Growing up in Northern Ireland during the turbulent times of systematic violence and social unrest of The Troubles, young Joe Hodgson found temporary escape in music, hugely influenced by the likes of Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher and Led Zeppelin. ‘Till The Last Breath’ is a stunning instrumental requiem and a masterclass in slide guitar that allows listeners to experience real and unfiltered emotions. Deeply personal, the track is a tribute to Joe Hodgson’s mum Ethnea, who died after a battle with Motor Neurone Disease in November 2017. Joe says: “The track has an intimate, vulnerable and mournful feel to it, and the melodies reflect the immense sadness I was feeling and the sense of foreboding at what was surely to come. But it’s also uplifting, and conveys joy and thankfulness for having had such a wonderful person to call my mother.”
Joe Hodgson is a highly accomplished guitar player appearing on numerous albums for many bands and collaborating with the biggest producers in the world including George De Angelis (Rod Stewart, Seal). With all this experience, he self-produced the brave new album ‘Apparitions’, with the title inspired from his Mother’s favourite poem ‘The Apparitions’ by W.B. Yeats. The album is a captivating collection of 15 self-penned instrumentals from a guitarist with a masterful ability to transcend established musical boundaries, blending many genres including Rock, Blues, Latin, Jazz and Funk to create an incredibly eclectic, personal sound. Hodgson explains the dominant theme on his latest record: “It’s about how nothing ever stays the same, everything changes or decays; lives are lived, and love is lost, but looking forward is the one thing we can all do. Yes, we may have regrets, but hope and optimism are usually only around the next corner”.
Joe has an innate ability to tell a story without words and a unique skill to compose memorable, timeless melodies. ‘Apparitions’ is available on all major platforms, and with plenty more tracks in the pipeline, ‘Till The Last Breath’ won’t be the last you hear of Joe Hodgson this year.