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Experience of a Lifetime for Chipman Musician
Experience of a Lifetime for Chipman Musician
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Nick Guiton is an independent roots musician based in Chipman. He recently finished recording The Sunburnt EP at the famous Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis is famously known as the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll and Guiton remarked, “It was truly the experienced of a lifetime. There is so much magic and history in that room; it’s as close to a birthplace as rock and roll really has, I think.
I was able to stand in the very spot where Elvis did to record, and I also tracked some guitar parts on a guitar that belong to Marty Stuart, and recorded the song “Concrete Stairwells” on a piano that Jerry Lee Lewis had also used to record. There’s actually a burn mark on one of the keys from his cigar. Very cool stuff! We recorded and mixed everything over two nights on Nov. 8 and 9.”
As for what fans and first time listeners can expect from the album? Guiton said, “This album really encapsulates what a “Nick Guiton” live performance is like, and that’s by design. There are very few overdubs, three of the five songs are simply voice and guitar.
It’s important to me to be able to recreate what I release in a live setting and give the audience what they’re expecting to hear. In terms of the writing, I think it’s a very honest representation of what I do. I have dozens of songs writing, and this is a pretty good cross section of them.”
Guiton explained that, “Roots is a style that incorporates early blues, country, folk, R&B and rock influences. It’s not somewhere I landed intentionally, believe it or not I started my career as a bassist in hard rock/heavy metal bands. I suppose as I matured I got slower and less angry? I never really write intentionally, I just let songs happen, and over time this is the style that started happening.”
He said it’s hard to describe his sound, but that, it’s “bluesy, guitar driven acoustic folk with hints of classic country and poignant lyrics. I bill myself as “A Musical Cure-All for the Weary Soul” and I think it fits.”
Guiton writes and arranges all of his own music. “I worked with a recording/mixing engineer in Memphis named Dane Giordano- I really lucked out, he was something of a mind reader in understanding how I wanted things to sound. Working with him was a fantastic experience.
At the moment, I’m doing all of my own artist management, booking, tour management, and social media as well of course as song writing and keeping myself proficient on several different instruments. It’s a lot of work sometimes, but it’s absolutely a labour of love!
I’m currently working on a UK tour for summer of 2025, potentially a date or two in mainland Europe as well if I can make the logistics work. Beyond that I’m trying to pick up as many Canadian festival dates as I can, and anything else in between that’s suitable. I love what I do, so really any gig is a good gig!
I’ve played in Chipman and in various other places around the region with my previous project. I only launched this solo project back in February and started doing live shows in April, so I haven’t had opportunity yet in this iteration. I have been in talks recently with a local venue, and I expect we’ll be announcing a concert date soon, so stay tuned!”
