Jay Stapley came to London in 1978 after playing in local bands in the Kent/Sussex area. He became one of London’s best-known session and gigging guitarists, working with a wide range of artists and producers on projects ranging from films (“Withnail and I”, etc.) to international tours (Roger Waters, Mike Oldfield etc.) and albums (Suede, Toyah, Scott Walker, etc.)
Jay’s live work with Julian Dawson took him to Germany in 1983, where he met producer Rene Tinner (Can) and became a regular commuter to Rene’s Cologne studio to add guitar to various recording projects. One of the artists Jay worked with was German superstar Westernhagen, with whom Jay has toured and recorded ever since, becoming the artist’s co-producer and Musical Director.
Jay recorded 4 instrumental CDs for WEA records in the 1990’s and has recently released a new CD of songs (“Edge of the World”, available on iStore, on the Music page on this site, and at www.reverbnation.com/jaystapley)
Jay’s interest in technology led him to become a demonstrator of guitar products for Roland UK and Roland International. Subsequent demonstration work for Digidesign encouraged Jay to develop his own studio, where he now produces a wide range of music including music CDs, film & TV music, and library projects.
Jay’s teaching experience includes private tuition and he was one of the first teachers at the Guitar Institute (now ICMP.)
Jay has recently started a record label, Dammit Music, specialising in acoustic, singer/songwriter and unusual music projects.
Jay’s credits include:
PERFORMING AND RECORDING EXPERIENCE
Guitarist/Musical Director/Backing Vocals 1979-Present date
Recording sessions and international tours with artists including Roger Waters, Mike Oldfield, Suede, Scott Walker, Slim Whitman, David Allen Coe, Kirsty McColl, David Dundas, Westernhagen, David Mead, Henning Staerk, Toyah Wilcox, Shakin’ Stevens, Bucks Fizz, Peter Jay, Michael Kamen, Oh Laura, Athena Andreadis, etc. Film + TV soundtracks including “Withnail and I”, “How to get Ahead in Advertising”, “Hale and Pace”, “The Duty Men”, etc.
Producer/engineer 1991-Present Date
Westernhagen (Million-selling CDs), Ian Hunt, Wives and Servants, Lou Cowell, Pat Orchard, Bill Conlon, Bacardi Europe Cinema Ad, etc.
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Martin Kershaw
August 14, 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I haven’t played for the last 5 years man ~ I jacked it in circa 2008 because of Arthritis in my left hand ! Big Jim Sullivan once said at the Odeon rehearsal for the European Tom Jones tour ” I hope this isn’t gonna turn into a guitar battle Mart.” ! The only winner would be the GUITAR ! Only children do guitar battles ~ you should learn music ~ take a day off and learn it ! I used to teach it in 40 minutes flat ~ the basics anyway ~ you are suffering from an inferiority complex ~ you won’t change the laws of nature in your favour ~ so stop this King Canute attitude and learn how to modulate from B minor into G# major and “WHY” you are restricted to just a few passing chords in between them !
Enough of this childish crap ~ you should know that you are making a laughing stock out of yourself ~ and also that no Session musicians have ever exsisted, who don’t read ~ the purpose of learning to read well ~ was to BE a session musician……you won’t break the mould ~ Iam talking about the times when we all walked into a James Biond film session and the accountant was all ready piling up the cash ready to pay out….. no cheques in those times ~ all 1 or 2 take stuff ~ with up to 30 title cues on a 3 hour session !
Not the type of “Session” where you would play on a guy’s trax because he had played on yours ~ or a quick £50 would change hands ! I would like to help you really ~ but you simply refuse to enter this interesting world ~ the shadow of which you will live your entire life under !
As for Jeff Beck ~ we knew he was a musician but we didn’t really know what he did ~ we were always too busy and sick & tired of music to even listen to music on the car radio ~ like an ice cream man goes home to ice cream ~ or a bloody bricklayer goes home to build a wall ~ he would know which walls he had made a brilliant job of ~ but not where or when ! BTW I have never ever played another guy’s solo in my life because I found them inferior to what my mind could create ~ and I am not a copyist anyway !
I am more interested in trying to help the starving children of Africa than all this crap ! Why don’t you use your blogs for a purpose such as this ~ you will gain much more reward ~ buy a new padlock and get out there ~ but for my Arthritis in my hands, I would have done this 5 years ago ! All the best to you anyway and good luck !
Martin Kershaw
August 14, 2012 at 2:42 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
No I won’t realise that ~ I hav e been quite the opposite Jay ~ get learning ~ you could become the world’s no one ~ and listen To John McLaughlin and Alan Holdsworth !
Martin Kershaw
August 14, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Hello to Stay Jaypley,
I agree that we are all musicians wether we read or not ~ just gives a musician more enjoyment reading well !
I think that you and your bloggers should join our new SOMA society soon ~ the website should be up before Friday & also a joining (free) site will be up on facebook shortley !
So Hey Jay wha’ d’ya say ~ our aim is to price the industry from people who pay to play ~ right up to the top London theatre and TV jobs ! I shall have a doctrine up shortly ~ and shall post iit on your blog ~ I don’t have any hatred inj me ~ it is just my belief and knowledge of another part of the Music industry !
I am in touch at Government level with regard to all this ! That is the aonly way to go ~ in 9one year’s time, I hop eto create a situation, whereby pub landlords may be open to prosecution for having a young band “showcase” or “play for free” and “PAY TO PLAY” could attract a jail term ~ I’ve had enough of us all becoming a laughing stock now ! The public & all the orgs are all taking the absolute piss !
I also hope to rretrieve the £676,000,000 which the MU still owe to all the session musicians for their services to the inductry 1946 ~ 1992 ~ and interest up to 2013 ~ when the case will be brought to court ! I intend to ask the session people to donate 1% (£6,760,000) of this sum into our new society SOMA (Society of Musicians & Artistes) wether they read music or not ! It could be expensive policing the country for dodgy cheating venue owners & managers !
I knew that some good would come from the KK, MK & JS confab one day ! She will be famous one day I feel ~ probably through a song that goes big ~ but music will help this to shape up bigtime ! Her voice is great and she is a good looker too ~ so it isn’t too late now !
Your friend ……Martin.
Martin Kershaw
August 14, 2012 at 5:40 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
SOMA ~ (The Society of Musicians and Artistes)
OUR AIM IS:
TO IMPROVE THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND PRACTICES FOR MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS.
OVERVIEW
Given the years of changes in the industry and the patchwork ‘remedies’ that have now brought us to this point, a new and clearly stated definition of how things are done is essential on all levels.
ARTIST FEES
With a wide range of venues and situations under which live performance and recorded sound is performed a new and updated approach to working is proposed. We will establish minimum rates and operate a system of accreditation which defines the conditions under which both artiste and employer operate. Realistically this can be done on price banding of artistes (with feedback from employers) and Employers performance monitored by Artiste feedback. This establishes a ‘star rating’ approach to which a perception of quality may be equally applied and maintained. This should also be applied to tours etc. where the support acts are properly paid, hopefully on their way up the ratings. Promotion or demotion in the ratings will be applied through a panel with constructive help to remedy any problems.
AGENT AND MANAGER ACCREDITATION
Codes of practice will be established to remedy inconsistencies within this, often ill-defined, area. Agents and Managers operate on various levels and their responsibilities are often confused in the minds of both artist and end user. Accreditation will be based on the scope of operation with references from clients.
VENUE ACCREDITATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Be it pubs, concert halls or stadiums there are basic logistical requirements which need to be met and we will define them, again with a star rating system. We also understand that performance without income is just as serious for the venue as it is for the artist. To this end we are devising new approaches to creating or expanding viable use of performance space which involve business models with the flexibility to adapt to varying demands.
ROYALTY ADMINISTRATION
With a bewildering array of methods of income from recorded work on a multitude of levels even some of the most professional performers have been the victims of ongoing losses. We will be setting in motion schemes and, where possible, to retrospectively and aggressively chase unpaid funds and establish new working protocols to avoid future misappropriation.
INSURANCE
Once a membership has been established, Public Liability and Instrument insurance will be negotiated for members.
LEGAL SERVICES
A legal team to deal with all pertinent legal matters will be established in both an advisory and litigious capacity. Naturally each case will be judged on its merits and will operate in a similar way to, say, legal cover on your car insurance policy.
GOVERNMENT LIAISON
Because laws and government policies impact very seriously on our activities it is important to be both in contact and giving clear messages to the relevant departments of national and local government. The internet provides us with instant access to your concerns and can even provide straw poll reactions to our proposed actions.
Martin Kershaw / Tee Marcheut
J_Stapley
August 15, 2012 at 9:36 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Thanks Martin, sounds like something that has needed doing for some time!
Pay-to-play is an appalling phenomenon that preys on young musicians’ desperation to get a gig – any gig!
The resulting lack of quality control also has devalued live music: how many so-called “showcase” nights consist of 5 very poor acts watched by their mum and flatmates? No wonder people are reluctant to pay to see live bands.
Can I start a discussion thread on my forum about this?
Martin Kershaw
August 15, 2012 at 10:14 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
OK Jay,
Disgraceful music system in the UK but no hurry ~ the MU has fucked everybody up over the years ~ we need a proper policing body now ~ and no more underhand corrupt dealing ~ I hope that a new padlock wasn’t too much ~ I was shocked the last time I bought one £25 I remember ~ for a gate to a fishing pond in Newark ! Cheers for now and the website should be up tomorrow ~ and one on face book ~ which will be intereactive for people who wish to support this and join ~ it was Huxley who created this word Soma ~ it was the drug used to keep people supressed ~ but the MU should have been named that ! Not many people know that it was Aldous Huxley ~ but MUSO wasn’t free so ?
Cheers for now ~ it’s good to be pals again !
Martin.
Martin Kershaw
August 15, 2012 at 10:22 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
You will have to send me a friend request because I am blocked for a few days ~ facebook said I had being “friending” people I did’t know ~ but I did know all 7 of them ~ so ? And of course I cannot write messages to people who are not “friends” so I put them on your blog ! I shall await the request and click accept then ~ Cheers for now Jay ~ is that your Briother I see on here ?
By the way ~ a discusion thread on all this freeplay etc ~ will be useful to find out the opinions of the youngsters who are being taken advantage of ~ tyou could start a forest fitre I think ~ go for it ~ “Doyou like playing for Free” ? Something like this ~ we can have a count up of heads !