Suffolk born Alan Davey has been all over the place during the course of his long, storied career within the music business. Probably best known to the greyer, fuzzier ‘bangers as Hawkwind’s “other” hard-rockin’ bassist (Davey has actually, according to him, been dubbed “Bass Assassin # 2” by Lemmy himself), the younger and more extreme amongst you might be familiar with his work with the UK’s own black/psych weirdos, The Meads Of Asphodel.
Either way, Davey has his fingers buried deep within a number of varied musical pies, not the least of which is the man’s own Gunslinger project, which has just released its long-awaited debut to the masses. Entitled Earthquake In E Minor, the album contains material written between 1979 and 1982, as well as a number of new tracks, all of which paint a high-energy, booze ‘n broad soaked portrait of old school Heavy Metal goodness in the NWOBHM-sort of way we all know and love.
The best thing about Gunslinger, however, is how it harnesses Davey’s obvious Overkill-era Motorhead fetish with the man’s own psychedelic past with Hawkwind, saddling up the listener a good-time ride. Blistering managed to track down Davey, and convince the workhorse to take a quick break for Q and A.
Blistering.com: Was it a long, involved process to finally get this Gunslinger LP out, or did the whole thing run relatively smooth?
Alan Davey: The response has been fantastic! People are really into it; I think because we got a new edge…we a’int got the usual rock sound! Getting the album out was easy! I started a small record label and released it online; then it all went crazy! We had an instant offer from a UK distributor that handles bands like Motorhead and Saxon to distribute and sort out the down-loads worldwide, for it which was great! So all went smoothly!
Blistering.com I understand the band actually got its start back in ‘79 under the name of Chainsaw? That would place the band right smack dab in the NWOBHM movement, a sound which Gunslinger certainly espouses within much of what you do.
Davey: Yeah, we started it as Chainsaw in 1979, but soon changed to Gunslinger, naming the band after a song we wrote with the same name! By “we”, I mean my cousin Nigel Potter who co-wrote all the songs; he’s the best song writer I’ve ever worked with…he’s a song writing machine! We had a reputation for being fucking LOUD, and were once told by the police that we were a traffic hazard, as the volume coming out of the venue was making cars swerve as they drove past, and we got banned from most venues! At the time we knew nothing of the NWOBHM stuff; we were just doing what we were doing!
Blistering.com Did you initially retire Chainsaw/Gunslinger to serve on with Hawkwind back in 1984? If so, was it a tough decision? Being the second longest serving member in the group, what were your memories of those initial psychedelic daze?
Davey: We packed Gunslinger in about 1981-82 to do other projects with new songs. So when I got the offer to join Hawkwind (after I’d sent a letter to the band saying that it was crap, had no power, and needed ass kicking bass again like Lemmy) it seemed like fate was in control! My first gig with Hawkwind was at Stonehenge and when I started sound-checking with dirty, filthy bass. A lot of fans assumed I was Lemmy’s roadie! Fortunately they weren’t disappointed it was me! They went bananas, saying "That’s what Hawkwind has been missing all these years…YOU!" Now they’re saying it again since I’ve left! Only Lemmy and I can make Hawkwind sound right!
Blistering.com As I understand, you’ve a pretty cool relationship with Lemmy, do you not? Motorhead is a clear influence to Gunslinger, but how MUCH so, would you say?
Davey: Yeah, Lem and I hit it off pretty good, though I was only 22 when I first met him. I used to stay at his place and go clubbing with him! I don’t see him much now that he’s moved to L.A, and I must admit I miss him! He has me in stitches, sometimes…he’s a real character. I never felt any pressure following Lem into Hawkwind, though, as Lem gave me the thumbs up after he saw me play with ‘em for the first time…how good was that? As far as Gunslinger being influenced by Motorhead…well, just a bit! Who wouldn’t be influenced by Motorhead?
Blistering.com You’ve indulged in so many different styles of music over the years…from rock, to metal, to psych, jazz, and extreme music with The Meads Of Asphodel. From whence do you think this massive open-minded appreciation comes from? Did you always have this in you, and do you think some people find it strange for someone to bounce from stylistic extreme to the other?
Davey: The thing is…I never purposely change my style for anything! I just feel my way through the music, but I only play on stuff that pushes my buttons! It probably does seem strange to people that I do this, but then again I’m probably a fucking strange guy!
Blistering.com How did The Meads originally contact you for collaboration? Was it via the “Assault and Battery” cover they did on the Excommunication of Christ LP? How has it been working with those guys? Do you find yourself fitting right in within the extreme metal context, or has it been more of a rewarding challenge?
Davey: They originally asked me to play on one song on a new album they were doing, one of mine called "Sword of the East", but I asked to hear all the other songs, as well. I liked their ideas so much, I agreed to do the whole album with ‘em! When I play with extreme metal, it becomes super extreme metal! Bass chords with the Meads made their sound really big and unusual, much bigger than other bands of the same style…in my opinion, anyway! Their drummer Sunil actually played with Gunslinger on the first tour we did in 2008. It was great playing with him, but he’s moved to Italy or somewhere so I had to find a new drummer and guitarist. My nephew Louis Davey is now guitarist for Gunslinger and I got a great female drummer "Cat" playing with us. She’s only a small slip of a girl—only 18years old—but she can play man…she can play! Doubles kicks well too, and only lives three miles from me!
Blistering.com Musically, are you self-taught, or schooled? What are your thoughts on feeling versus technique?
Davey: Feeling and technique are equally important; you gotta have both, plus your own style. That’s important…especially these days! A lot of music I hear now has loads a technique, but no style or feeling. There’s too many college degrees, but not enough real life experience to get feelings from…just ask those great old blues guys!! I’m self-taught, have never read a bass book, and I can’t read music, either! I find that my old influences still get me off, like Lemmy and Stanley Clarke.
Blistering.com Do you think the role of bassist has been downplayed and underappreciated over the years? With regards to the Gunslinger production, I love how warm your tone is, yet it doesn’t overpower everything in the way, say, Steve Harris’ place in the mix does.
Davey: Yes, the bass has become an after thought a lot these days. Guitarists have this mind-set that the whole song revolves around their guitar solo…boring! A good bass solo is far more impressive than any guitar solo, ‘cause there’s less of them! As for the Gunslinger production of the bass, all I’ve done is add a little compression; there’s no fancy, expensive gadgetry added…that’s how it really sounds!! The key is to start with a good sound!
Blistering.com I also enjoyed how Gunslinger’s songs show a mutual respect for both the heavy, rocking, Motorhead-influenced style of your songwriting versus the tripped out, mid-paced, Hawkwind-esque material. Was this a conscious decision, to have Gunslinger be this multifaceted?
Davey: No, that’s what I am. An English journalist once described me thusly: "Father Motorhead fucked Mother Hawkwind, and gave birth to Alan Davey, the MotorHawk!” I liked that!
Blistering.com Does the old school art of simply showing up, turning up, and jamming still work for you?
Davey: Jamming out often produces the best riffs. This is the way most of my songs start. Sitting down and trying to come up with a riff doesn’t often work for me. Sometimes I’ll not touch a guitar or bass for a week, then plug in…oftentimes a riff pops up out of nowhere! You can burn yaself out playing too much, so a break is good sometimes!
Blistering.com Soooo….could I be Bass Assassin # 3? Or at least Bass Assassin # 666?
Davey: Well, definitely Bass Assassin #666…there is no Bass Assassin #3 yet! Only Lemmy and I can pass that buck on, but hey, Bass Assassin #666 is pretty dam good, eh?
