The first time Acoustic Alchemy came to the United States, the British group arrived courtesy of Richard Branson. It was the mid 1980s, and they answered an ad in a London paper for in-flight entertainment on Virgin Atlantic. They went to an audition and won first prize, a return flight to London. “We got the gig,” member Greg Carmichael said. “Three of us trouped up and down the aisles, playing. We couldn’t hear each other, but the audience loved it.”
The band’s first stop was Nashville, where people were interested in their work, but when their manager, Stewart Coxhead, got a call about a three-record deal, he said, “Yeah, okay, who is this really?” In spite of that, he remained their manager until his death in 2015, and his son now manages the group. It’s part of the family feeling that Acoustic Alchemy has always had. It’s about the music, not the drama.
That record deal, surprising as it was, changed their lives. “One of the things about having a record deal is that it’s like doing exams,” Carmichael said. “You have to come up with the goods. You have to write, record, and meet deadlines. That kind of pressure is really good. Now, like so many who don’t have a big label, you make your own agenda.”
Carmichael and fellow Alchemist Nick Webb were friends and writing partners from the beginning. “We saw eye-to-eye on music,” Carmichael said. “We were very different people but the slight differences in personality worked to our own advantage. He was larger-than-life. He made the most out of life and really lived it. In 1996, our biggest year on the road, we toured most of Europe, the Far East, South America, and the United States. We finished just before Christmas and Nick said he didn’t feel great. He went to the doctor and was eventually diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Nick and I had finished writing (the album) Positive Thinking and were about to record it. I couldn’t do it on my own. The record label told me to take my time and there was lots of support from the fans. It made me feel like we should try to keep it. Miles Gilderdale was playing electric guitar in the band. He stepped into Nick’s shoes; he picked up an acoustic guitar and learned all the tunes. He’s a great guy, as well.”
Carmichael began his musical career on the ukulele when he was 8 or 9. Then his father took him to see the Beatles live. He was 10 and his career path was set. “That did it for me,” he said. “My parents got me a guitar and lessons, and I carried on. I always knew what I wanted to do. I was lucky to be able to do it. I went to a college of music with a four-year grant and studied classical guitar, but I never wanted to be a solo performer. It was more fun being in a band, part of a team. We all carry each other.”
Carmichael said that both fans and first-timers can expect a lively show. “It is quite a dynamic live show,” he said. “We do mix it up. Each (of the guys) is a talented musician. On CDs, the music is more controlled, and we don’t let it rip. On stage, there is audience interaction, and we feed off each other. It’s nice if they know the CD, but when they hear it live, it’s different.”
For Carmichael and the band, it’s about having fun, being on the road, and loving what they’re doing. “We come out (after the show) and sign things and talk,” he said. “So many have been fans from the beginning. The fans grow up with you. Now they’re retired and have the time to come to see you. As an instrumental band, we’re slightly faceless. Most bands have lead singers, but we have no vocals, just instrumentals. Some (fans) didn’t even realize we’re a UK band, but they’ve enjoyed the music over the years.”
The band releases new albums infrequently. Their previous studio album was Roseland, released in 2011, and they released a live double album, Live in London, in 2014. A few years ago, they released 33 1/3, an album that again defies easy description, touching on jazz, blues, and Caribbean. The band has long had a history of incorporating the sounds of the islands into their songs. The album exemplifies what Acoustic Alchemy is all about and why the name is so apt. “It suits us,” Carmichael said. “It’s a good name. It’s not about a person; it’s about a band. Acoustic Alchemy means a blend, a combination of lots of different styles. Alchemy suits us. It implies a magic blend.”
This “G Force” of Greg Carmichael, Gilderdale, Grainger, Grainger, (and White) has been defying gravity for years. Come along for the ride.
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