influences and background

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0b5085a3.jpg"> <div> <B>                 </B><FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#CCFFCC" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><B>alan charles stewart</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#CCFFCC" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><B>  ...</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CCFFCC" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >songwriter</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B><B> </B></FONT></div> <div>  </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="0b6d2e83.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="how to get in touch"><U><IMG SRC="0ff8ad00.jpg" border=0 width="138" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>  </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Microsoft Sans Serif" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ALAN CHARLES STEWART"><U><I><B> </B></I></U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ALAN CHARLES STEWART"><U><I><B>home</B></I></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Microsoft Sans Serif" ><I><B>  </B></I></FONT><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="songs"><U><I><B>t</B></I></U></A><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="songs"><U><I><B>he songs</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>  </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="aims and ambitions"><U><I><B>objectives</B></I></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>  </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="useful info and friends"><U><I><B>links</B></I></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="how to get in touch"><U><I><B>contact</B></I></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>  </B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="all about copyright and downloading"><U><I><B>legal sheet</B></I></U></A></FONT><I><B> </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>  </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="0e172863.jpg"> <div> <I><B> </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF33" FACE="Microsoft Sans Serif" ><I><B>_______________________________________________________________________________</B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I>biography</I></div> <div> ___________________________</div> <bR> <div> Alan Charles Stewart  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >after many years in music and the music business is now concentrating on songwriting and composing.</FONT></div> <div> Formative years  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >His grounding in music and its roots began at his alma mater where he was a contemporary of such musical luminaries as Jim McCarty (Yardbirds), Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds, Cat Stevens' producer), Brian May (Queen) and Murray Head (Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunday Bloody Sunday,'Say it ain't so, Joe'). Alan and Jim started experimenting with music with no more than an old banjo (his Dad's) tuned as a four string guitar and Jim's Boys Brigade Drum turned upside down. A 'group' quickly evolved and they played local dances and 'hops'. Elements of that group were later to metamorphose into the seminal Yardbirds when Paul (Sam) and Jim continued as bass player and drummer respectively.</FONT></div> <div> Folk music  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >After leaving school Alan was drawn to the booming ' Folk music' scene introducing his own brand of American influenced songs into what were generally more 'traditional' type clubs. By this time he was sharing the stage with two of his brothers (David and Paul) and their line up was two guitars, a five string banjo and harmony vocals.</FONT></div> <div> North America  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >At the end of the 60's Alan , as far as he can remember (ha ha), went to live in North America. After a couple of years as a copywriter in Toronto he moved out to Western Canada to resume his musical career. Working with an agent (John Whitefoot) he developed into a much-sought after solo performer/guitarist playing every type of gig from concert hall to nightclub to high school throughout the Northwest. He was well-known in Vancouver through his residency at two of the city's leading goodtime music venues - The King's Head and The Horse and Carriage.</FONT></div> <div> A remote cabin  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >  Whilst developing his stage technique he did not want to lose touch with his songwriting. He was able to take two years away to live out in the country in a remote cabin perched high on the rocks overlooking the beautiful coastal waterways off  British Columbia . He grew vegetables, fished and wandered the endless woodland learning about nature  and how to survive off the land. He continued to write and record wherever and whenever funds and interest would allow. But then came a new opportunity.</FONT></div> <div> California  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >Alan was offered a situation he could not resist. To work in TV production and live in Los Angeles. It was time to move on and for the next two years he gained valuable experience working in some of the best known big name studios in California. Living and working in Hollywood was a far cry from his Canadian cabin but was to be just as important as a contribution to his life experience.</FONT></div> <div> London calling  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >Ten years after his arrival in North America it was now time for him to turn his attention, once again, to the UK. The chance came when two brothers (this time Paul and Colin) and a good friend telephoned to say they had decided to form a band in London and invited Alan to join them. The band was to be known as Plain Sailing. They were quickly signed to a  management company and were contracted to Chrysalis Records releasing an album (Dangerous Times) produced by David McKay.</FONT></div> <div> Dangerous Times<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >. A large part of the album's songwriting was Alan's, either on his own, or in collaboration with other band members and he was pleased and surprised to have been asked by the producer to take on much of the lead vocal work although this was not the original plan. The band made a number of TV appearances including the Kenny Everett Show and 'A Song for Europe' and recorded several 'live' performances for the BBC both for mainstream and world programming. They worked with Frankie Miller, Demis Roussos and gigged extensively and regularly to full houses as part of the highly popular London Pub Rock scene at the time. Singles were scheduled and released but a quirk of musical fashion positioned them in the midst of the 'punk' explosion in the UK. This was not helped by a complete marketing breakdown as executives turned their attention to the latest bandwagon. The album's US release was subsequently blocked despite that market being its original 'target'. This decision was devastating to Alan as of course his spiritual home, musically, was firmly rooted on the other side of the Atlantic.</FONT></div> <div> Willy Jive  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >After another re-evaluation Alan decided to continue a musical journey with his very good friend (and Plain Sailing's bass player) David Wintour. David was (and is) a highly accomplished and experienced musician himself having (lived and) worked in LA for major artists such as Neil Sedaka and Eric Carmen. More recently he had worked with If and Weather Report. They formed a studio band - Willy Jive - which released a number of singles including a re-mixed version of Bo Diddley's 'Mona' which had previously been recorded by Plain Sailing. The version was described as 'definitive' by Melody Maker. Martyn Ford produced another single - The message is clear - at  the late Chas Chandler's Portland Studios in London. Alan also took on session work whenever it was around and appeared on Top of the Pops with the band Prelude working as well with Rula Lenska, David Soul and the Pretty Things in London.</FONT></div> <div> Maintenant  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >In recent years Alan has been devoting much of his time to raising his son but simultaneously set up a  project studio and worked on developing his sound engineering and music technology skills. In 2003 he bought a house in  France which he uses as a songwriting retreat and now spends most of time  there or in Paris where the studio is located. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>                                                                                        </div> <bR> <div> ___________________ <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Microsoft Sans Serif" >                   </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>