Yamaha‘s Guitar Product Manager Julian Ward and Guitar Artist Relations Manager Mark Kirkland have long harboured a desire to put a world class Yamaha band together comprising internationally known artists. Previously the company has been highly effective in promoting products and music through top session players who, whilst supremely talented, remain largely unknown to the musician in the high street. Mark Kirkland comments “ We are developing a scheme where we can offer high impact and valuable local support to our dealer network through international artists, we have excellent creative and product based relationships with our artists and have now found a way to extend this relationship to our dealers, we are already planning more shows up and down the UK this year.”
The first of these events occurred recently when bassist Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, Delores O’ Riodan) teamed up with drummer Tommy Aldridge (also Thin Lizzy & Whitesnake) and upcoming Danish Guitarist Soren Andersen to play some local dealers and educational establishments including PMT (Professional Music Technology) in Birmingham, the Borderline and the Guitar Institute.
All the gigs were completely packed out and PMT (March 18th) reported enthusiastic fans queuing round the block! Julian Ward comments, ”We’ve been trying to put together players with world class touring credentials to play this kind of event for such a long time. We have two ambitions within Yamaha guitars; obviously we have to showcase the quality and musical capability of our products, but we also want to use our artist partners to inspire more people to pick up an instrument. The bigger artists can help us encourage music lovers to become music makers. This tour proved highly successful on both counts!”
The tour followed the band’s hugely successful guest spots at the recent Frankfurt Messe, including the acclaimed Groove All Stars night where the plan was hatched. All three artists - more normally associated with major stadium gigs - were completely sold on the local support idea, with Marco Mendoza telling us, ”We really enjoyed these smaller gigs - getting face to face with accomplished players and, more importantly, the new people who love guitars but who’ve yet to take up playing. It was really inspiring for us to have played a part in bringing people to music making.”
Peter Whittard, Managing Director of the Guitar Institute comments “ It was a real blast to have Tommy, Marco and Soren turn up and do a gig for our students! Over our many years we have had literally hundreds of amazing guests, it’s a vital part of Institute life, but we have never before had a clinic end with everyone on their feet! The band were great players, communicators and most importantly fantastic musicians; thanks to Yamaha for supporting the Institute!’