Mike Dawes

Mike Dawes is an English virtuoso Fingerstyle guitar player known for composing, arranging and performing multiple parts simultaneously on one instrument using unique extended and micro-techniques.[1] His debut record with CandyRat Records gained strong critical acclaim [2] and spawned a variety world tours [3] and singles, notably a viral virtuoso arrangement of Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye that gained over 2 million hits on YouTube alone on its first day of release.[4] Dawes is also lead guitar player for Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues featuring heavily on numerous DVD and PBS releases,[5] notably 'Spirits...Live' which debuted at #2 on the US billboard chart.[6]

Biography

Dawes experimented with keyboards before picking up his first electric guitar at age twelve.[7] He switched to Steel-string acoustic guitar in 2008.[8]

From late 2008 to late 2011, Dawes performed instrumental concerts at venues and festivals throughout the United Kingdom both solo, and with a Concert harp player. During this time he performed alongside musicians including Seth Lakeman, Tommy Emmanuel and Newton Faulkner.[9][10] In 2009, he released an independent EP titled 'Reflections', as well as gaining features on two discs in the AGF (Acoustic Guitar Forum) franchise.[11][12]

In 2012, Dawes signed with Wisconsin-based CandyRat Records.[13] He released a unique and technically virtuosic arrangement of Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye on June 19[14] that went viral, gaining acclaim from the international music community.[15] MSN News and Reddit featured him on the front page of their websites. A headline on the US MSN browser spawned an influx of American fans and Gotye (Walter De Backer publicly praised the arrangement: "It's a really beautiful piece of music. It's wonderfully arranged. It's just a fantastic piece of music. I also like the instrumental interpretation because it gives a different perspective on the musical arrangement. It's not about how somebody's voice transmits the story of the relationship.[16]

Dawes' next release was another Candyrat single, this time dual-released with an independent collaborative remix featuring Helsinki-based guitarist Petteri Sariola and Adam 'Nolly' Getgood from the US band Periphery.[17] 10% of the proceeds of all independent releases went to FAB Projects, a Kenyan charity providing Food, Aid and Building[18] in the region.[19][20] His 'What Just Happened?' world tour visited over 30 countries in 5 continents, including performances on the Great Wall of China and the Troubadour in Los Angeles, as well as the first fingerstyle guitar concert in Lebanon's history.[21]

2016 saw Mike become the first acoustic artist signed by Dimarzio [22] sharing a roster with the likes of John Petrucci, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani as he co-designed the Black Angel magnetic soundhole pickup with Larry Dimarzio and Nick Benjamin.[23] Additionally he began a monthly video & print column with Guitar World in the USA and taught as a special guest mentor on Sky TV's Guitar Star season 2.[24][25]

Dawes is influenced heavily by folk, pop and rock music as well as other fingerstyle players such as Michael Hedges, Pierre Bensusan[26] and Eric Roche. In 2017, he is performing with Andreas Cuntz and Nick Benjamin guitars.[27] Dawes owns and performs with #100 and #138.[28] He also uses Ernie Ball strings,[29] Dimarzio pickups,[30] G7th capos.[31] and the Tonewood Amp device.

Discography

What Just Happened? Album (April 2013 - Candyrat Records))

1. Boogie Slam 2. Somebody That I Used To Know 3. The Impossible 4. Forest Party 5. Somewhere Home 6. Titanium 7. Superstition 8. Boogie Shred 9. Maybe Someday Soon

Digital Single (September 2012 - Independent)

Digital Single (September 2012 - Candyrat Records)

Digital Single (June 2012 - Candyrat Records)

Acoustic Guitar Forum 4 Compilation (August 2010)

Featuring 'Scotch Pancake'

Acoustic Guitar Forum 3 Compilation (January 2010)

Featuring 'Clocks'

Reflections EP (2009)

1. Mirrors 2. Still 3. Boogie Shred 4. Clocks 5. The Violet and the Bee

Guest appearances

FSNBC (Fink - R'coup'd) April 2017

Dawes performs additional acoustic guitar [34]

Yetzerhara (John Browne's Flux Conduct) January 2017

Dawes performs acoustic guitar on the song 'Melancholia'[35]

Live in Clearwater DVD/Blu-ray (Justin Hayward - Eagle Rock Records/PBS) September 2016

Dawes performs electric and acoustic guitars.[36]

The Story Behind Nights in White Satin DVD/Blu-ray (Justin Hayward - Eagle Rock Records/PBS) February 2015

Dawes performs acoustic guitar.[37]

Spirits Live in Atlanta DVD/Blu-ray (Justin Hayward - Eagle Rock Records/PBS) August 2014

Dawes performs electric and acoustic guitar as well as clips of original music. 'Spirits...Live' entered the US Billboard charts at #2.[38]

Phantom Shadow (Machinae Supremacy - Spinefarm/UMG) August 2014

Dawes performs acoustic guitar in the track 'Europa'.[39]

Tuition

Dawes has produced numerous tuition aids for guitarists looking to learn his style of playing. These include four iOS tuition apps for Apple devices, regular workshops, guitar TABs and magazine columns for acoustic magazine [40]

References

  1. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  2. ↑ http://mikedawes.co.uk/reviews-and-testimonials/
  3. ↑ http://bandsintown.com/mikedawes
  4. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  5. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  6. ↑ http://justinhayward.com/spirits-live-dvd-makes-2-billboard-chart//
  7. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/about
  8. ↑ http://www.truthinshredding.com/2012/09/mike-dawes-candyrats-acoustic-archer.html
  9. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/dates
  10. ↑ Acoustic Magazine Issue 70
  11. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/discography
  12. ↑ http://acousticgallery.com/
  13. ↑ http://candyrat.com/
  14. ↑ http://candyrat.com/
  15. ↑ http://mikedawes.co.uk/reviews-and-testimonials/
  16. ↑ http://www.livemusicguide.com/blog/featured-interviews/lmg-interview-with-gotye.html
  17. ↑ http://nwoag.com/interview-with-mike-dawes/
  18. ↑ http://fabprojects.co.uk
  19. ↑ http://fabprojects.co.uk
  20. ↑ http://circuitsweet.co.uk/2016/02/mike-dawes-reveals-scarlet-periphery-cover-video-as-charity-single/
  21. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  22. ↑ http://dimarzio.com/
  23. ↑ http://facebook.com/mikedawesofficial/
  24. ↑ http://guitarworld.com/
  25. ↑ https://www.manx.net/isle-of-man-news/80935/sky-arts-guitar-star-mentor-to-lead-masterclass-for-island-s-guitarists-at-guitarfest-2016
  26. ↑ http://nwoag.com/interview-with-mike-dawes/
  27. ↑ http://www.playsthis.com/Mike-Dawes/
  28. ↑ http://www.benjaminguitars.co.uk
  29. ↑ http://ernieball.com/
  30. ↑ http://dimarzio.com/
  31. ↑ http://g7th.com/
  32. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/discography
  33. ↑ http://candyrat.com
  34. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  35. ↑ http://mikedawes.com/
  36. ↑ http://justinhayward.com/
  37. ↑ http://justinhayward.com/
  38. ↑ http://justinhayward.com/
  39. ↑ http://machinaesupremacy.com/
  40. ↑ http://mikedawes.co.uk/tuition
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