Transplanted from Northern England to rural Saskatchewan, Steve Gibson is bringing his brand of country rock to Banff.
His band will play Wild Bill’s this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 27-28).
Gibson moved to Canada six years ago with his family. Now 23 years old, he’s embarking on his music career with the release of his debut album, Average Clown, set to hit the streets in early February.
“I prefer Canada, but I don’t like the winters,” he said in an interview with the Outlook. “It’s more laid back – England is 65 million people on a small island, it’s a lot of stress.”
His family, descended from farmers, took the plunge and bought a farm near Yorkton, Sask.
“My mum and dad bought a farm, so me and my two older brothers came over with them,” said Gibson.
“My family farms, I help out every once in a while, I grew up on a farm,” he explained. “Even back in England, since I was about five, is when we moved onto a farm. My dad’s always farmed, since the age of 10, but in England you can’t buy land, you need to be a multimillionaire, it’s ridiculous.
“So he chose Saskatchewan, because they had a nominee program for land, and we ended up moving over. It’s a different way of life, it’s more laid back, the winters suck a bit, but the summer makes up for it.”
Even before they moved, the family would come to visit, and it was from this travel that Gibson connected with country music and developed a love for it.
“It started with travelling over here, we’d come on holidays for about seven years before we moved, and just coming over and listening to CMT and stuff like that,” he said. “I grew to like it. I grew up listening to classic rock like Dire Straits and that was a big influence with my guitar playing. With coming back and forth I liked the stuff people were putting out, so every time I came over I’d buy a CD and go back.”
Music was a part of his life at a very early age, he said.
“I started playing guitar when I was six – my dad sent me for classical guitar lessons and I got my Grade 7 with distinctions when I moved over here,” said Gibson. I really got serious about songwriting when I was about 13 and when I left school, I went to Newcastle College for music and performing arts and started a band there.”
That band didn’t last long, however, as his family then made its move.
“Then as soon as I moved here, I tried to start a band, but couldn’t find anyone,” he said. “And then by chance I ran into a drummer pumping gas at a local gas station, and got something going with him.”
Average Clown, which is almost ready to be released, is the result of three years of labour.
“It’s different to what people are putting out at the moment,” said Gibson. “I’m a guitar player, I played guitar a long time ] before I started singing and writing, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s an album for guitar players.
“Anyone’s who’s got an interest in guitar, if they pick this up, I think they’ll love it – I think they’re going to love it, because not only do the lyrics tell a story, but the guitar does as well.”
While Gibson has done some touring in the past, this will be his first time playing in the Bow Valley.
“I haven’t played in Banff before, so it’s going to be a new experience for me,” he said. “We’ve got a few shows booked for early in the year and then we’re going to be going down into the States and possibly some more places in the Prairies. None of it’s set in stone yet.”
Playing with Gibson is his older brother, Andrew Gibson, on rhythm guitar, Brian Read on bass and drummer Andrew Cavanagh.
“Like I said, besides my brother, I just ran into them by chance,” he said.
To find out more about Gibson and to hear some of his music, including the new single Amanda, visit his website at www.stevegibsonguitar.com
