Via high-profile spells with (in four eras), supergroups and GTR, Yes spin-off Anderson , the Steve Howe Trio and also as a prolific solo artist, London-born guitarist, songwriter and producer has played a key role in the British music scene across six decades. Here are some of the things that make him tick. Steve Howe’s latest solo album, , is out now via HoweSound.
When I was young my parents had many records. They had Les Paul & Mary Ford and quite a lot of dance band music. I’m going to take a shot in the dark that my first experience of music probably would have been something by [light-orchestra conductor] Mantovani.
Again, I can’t say this with certainty, but it’s likely to have been something by The Shadows. It was a band formed by a bunch of kids out of Barnsbury Boys School, kids like me, who thought they could play that repertoire. We went up and played .
One of the greatest albums I can think of today, is by Chet Atkins [1960]. It’s the single most influential guitar record I ever heard. The Shadows were pretty damned good, and they really stirred me up, but Chet was in another league.
Teensville had such great sounds and texture and so many great songs, but it was his guitar playing that meant so much to me. . The Beatles were great writers too, but as an individual Bob came out with [1962] and that impressed me greatly.
I followed him all the way along to [1978]. There were a lot of rough edges, but that’s what he kinda liked with his songs, I guess..