We speak with Barry Kitchin The Petal Falls Guitarist about his work with the new TPF.
BARRY KITCHIN
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PETAL FALLS GUITARIST
How did you become involved in the world of music?
Music was always on as a child in our house, mainly classical and jazz but some rock and roll as well. I first really got into the guitar after seeing Marc Bolan on Top Of The Pops and asked for one. At Christmas a Ukulele turned up so that put paid to that for a bit!
Who are your musical inspirations and what inspiration behind your personal style and performance ?
I got back into wanting to play guitar in my teens after hearing bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath and Kiss, that got me properly playing and then i was mainly into AOR (and still am) Bands such as Toto, Chicago, Journey and artists such as Richard Marx and Bryan Adams.
Too many to mention really.
Where was the new album recorded , who produced it and how long did the process take ?
The songs for new album The Rhythm Train were originally recorded in various studios in Kent some time ago but the final mixes and mastering and all my additional guitar work was done with Keith and John in their home studios at the end of last year and the early part of this year so probably quite a few months in all.
With production Keith has the lion share of the say when it comes to the final product whilst John as the engineer makes the final mixes and masters all sound pretty incredible.
It’s a really collaborative process and produces such a rich and full sound that is fast becoming a bit of a trademark for The Petal Falls music.
Is there a difference between this this album and your previous release ( or releases that you have previously played on?
I think there has always been a cohesion within all The Petal Falls music personally, the songs are timeless really.
A consistent style is important for any band for me but obviously Keith’s writing has always evolved and remained a consistently high quality.
To me there has always been variation in the songs but the general style and sound is the same.
I don’t believe TPF sound like an other band around at the moment.
That 80’s/90’s vibe that is strung throughout the music really is quite unique.
Tell me about your involvement in recording the songs for the new album?
I joined the Petal Falls in the mid to late 90’s after some original members left with the premise of playing the first album live, which we did and the experience was very enjoyable.
Some fun times. I did various other recordings with the band during those times.
In fact our biggest streaming song ‘A Man In Chains’ has my solo on it which I am really quite proud of..lol
It all went a bit sour with the record company back then and the band eventually fell apart which was a really difficult thing to absorb then but Keith has resurrected the music to astonishing effect and I was only to pleased when he asked me to help with the latest album.
I am really looking forward to the future plans.
What are your interests outside of music?
I go to the gym most mornings and really enjoy walking. Indoors you will find me with a book, English ghost stories or music biographies.
Also, i very much enjoy socialising with my friends in the pub!!
Could you tell us what you think has made the Petal Falls different to other artists?
As i mentioned earlier i think the music is pretty timeless.
What mainly attracted me to the band was obviously the AOR style but also the strength of the writing and the great production.
That 80’s/90’s flavour that ripples through the music is such a joy to hear and play these days and TPF produce some truly cracking, foot tapping songs.
What is the highlight of the new album for you and why?
Would have to be Side By Side, very catchy and well written. Fun to play as well!
Why has it taken so long for the Petal Falls music to be released?
In truth we should have all been listening to The Petal Falls music years ago and all but for some incredibly poor decision making by TPF’s then Record company it should have happened.
However fate sometimes deals you a bad hand and you just have to live with it.
The truly amazing thing is how Keith has not only managed resurrect The Petal Falls music but has also pushed the music into the public’s face and gained some pretty cool recognition along the way and has also created what is fast becoming a very good brand with a reputation for putting out top quality music with a distinctive, unique sound.
I am just thrilled to be a part of it!!
What’s in store for the future?
More albums and hopefully maybe some live performances, we are talking about it which is in itself very exciting?
The most important thing is to keep the music alive and reach out to more people because it deserves a huge audience.
Where can people find and buy The Petal Falls Music ?
From the website you can purchase beautifully created CD’s and also USB’s which i think is a first?!
All major streaming sites contain the singles and albums as well so go listen and buy