The ease, the effortlessness, with which Guthrie Govan’s fingers slide across the fretboard is quite something. His incredible and, at times, quite intimidating chops on the guitar scream out almost immediately. But at the heart of it is a commitment to communicate. To express himself freely. “For me,” he says in an email interview, “the most important thing is communication. I like to feel some kind of connection, both with my bandmates and with the audience, as I feel that the whole point of live music is to facilitate an exchange of energy — to create and share a unique ‘moment’.”
The English musician and guitar teacher, renowned for his exquisite guitar compositions and his work with Asia, GPS, the Aristocrats, among others, is in India right now for a series of gigs and guitar clinics. He takes the stage on Wednesday night in Pune, followed by another set in Mumbai on Thursday, and then later in Delhi. Govan will be backed by a formidable rhythm section behind him, featuring Gino Banks on the drums and the prodigious Mohini Dey playing the bass.
“We’ll be playing a bunch of tunes from my Erotic Cakes album, extended and modified to showcase the band chemistry of this particular line-up, along with perhaps a couple of surprises,” he says.
Govan is especially adept at shifting styles, and he tends to tour often, performing with a range of different artistes. “I’m just grateful that I seem to be getting away with doing this for a living, given that it’s what I would be doing with my life anyway, whether anyone was paying me to do it or not.” He’s collaborated with artistes across different disciplines, from hip-hop artiste and producer Dizzee Rascal to composer Hans Zimmer to progressive rock titan Steven Wilson. Further, he tells me there’s also a local country band that he’s recently joined.
This is Govan’s third time in India. The journey began in 2010, when he was here to conduct a few guitar clinics for Rotosound strings. He returned last year for a tour with the Aristocrats, his three-piece rock/fusion instrumental supergroup, for a spate of gigs. “I’ve always had a great time here — everything feels somehow very ‘vivid’ and ‘alive’ in India. I’ve always found Indian audiences to exhibit a healthy blend of enthusiasm and musical intelligence, so I’m very happy that I was able to come back so soon.” Govan is also hosting guitar clinics while he’s here.
The aspect of pedagogy takes on a greater role since Govan is, outside of the music he makes, also an internationally respected guitar teacher. Govan himself is a self-taught guitar player. “I grew up in a household where my parents were constantly listening to music, and there was an acoustic guitar lying around in the living room so … fortunately, my dad knew a few chord
shapes, which he shared with me.” Given his own experiences, Govan seems to exhibit a certain openness and flexibility in his approach to musical education. It’s devoid of rigidity or insistence on prescriptive teaching. Speaking about his clinics, he says, “I suppose it falls halfway between teaching a private student and doing a full-on gig. I’m an entirely self-taught player, so, much of the content in my clinics is about the experience of teaching yourself, rather than showing people a list of ‘prescribed’ licks of exercises. I like the idea of sharing my perspective with guitar players, many of whom have learned the instrument in a different (and, I guess, more disciplined!) way.” He’s been an influential figure for guitar players worldwide for some time now, and it’s not all that different in India either. But again, Govan stresses on the joy of music before all else.
“All I can really say is that the most important thing is to enjoy what you’re doing, and to remember that your progress as a musician is a journey rather than a destination: you never actually ‘get there’, and that’s half of the fun!”
Guthrie Govan will perform at Hard Rock, Pune at 8.30 p.m today, and at Hard Rock Cafe, Worli, on February 16 at 8.30 p.m. Entry costs vary from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000. Check bookmyshow.com for details.
