Alex is a musician based near Newbury (UK) and plays primarily rhythm acoustic guitar, ukulele & harmonica - with many years of live experience under his belt, solo as well as with a band, he has played at many a party, at many a pub and in many a church!
As a songwriter, his genre would perhaps be pigeon-holed as a blend of folk-rock/country-rock/Americana - his principal influences being the likes of Bob Dylan, The Band, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams, The Waterboys, Ryan Adams among many others - and as a cover artist/interpreter he plays a wide range of music though anything Americana would be his first love.
Having spent 5 years in Asia working in the drinks business and as a musician, Alex has recently returned to the UK. While in Asia, he played a large number of solo gigs as well as with his band, 'Sub Prime', having gained extensive live experience prior to this in London.
A chorister in his younger years, a pianist (of sorts!) since the age of 10, and a guitarist from the age of 16, Alex is almost entirely self-taught on the instruments he plays.
Covers the following artists (but not limited to): Bob Dylan, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Eagles, Travelling Wilburys, Van Morrison, Creedence Clearwater, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, The Pogues, Oasis, The Verve, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, James Taylor, David Gray, Donovan, Johnny Cash, Dr John, Cat Stevens, Crowded House, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros, Wilco, Jake Bugg, Procol Harum (A Whiter Shade of Pale), Dire Straits, Tracy Chapman, Carole King, Gillian Welch, Thin Lizzy, Queen, Supertramp, The Waterboys, The Wallflowers, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, Toby Keith (I Love This Bar), Elvis, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Lou Reed (Perfect Day), David Bowie, REM, Gerry Rafferty, The Levellers, Pink Floyd, Turin Brakes, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, Ray Lamontagne, Seth Lakeman, Norah Jones, The Zutons/Amy Winehouse (Valerie), Justin Townes Earle, Damien Rice, The Coal Porters, Folk/Bluegrass Songs, Drinking Songs, etc....just ask in advance what you want to hear and I'll play it!
In his late 30's, with a fair number of songs written over the years, he decided it was high time to commit some songs to disc finally having put together something of a budget to do so. Working with highly experienced producer and musician-extraordinaire Steve Darrell Smith, who boasts many credits and a number 1 with Sandi Thom's "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker", has culminated in a 12-song album called 'Dutch Courage': featuring Steve himself bashing/shaking various things + on various keyboards/organs + using his fine vocal chords + engineering and mentoring; accompanied by Scott McKeon and Simon Johnson (currently members of Tom Jones's touring band); Melvin Duffy (a world-class pedal-steel guitarist - First Aid Kit, The Waterboys, Robbie Williams, among many others); Hannah Robinson (on backing vocals, and a singer-songwriter herself); Lucy Martin (a classical and folk violinist); Chas Dickie (cellist; Gordon Haskell, among many others); Russ Parker (a Dorset-based studio, gigging & teaching drummer) and last but not least Alex's cousin Roland Fraser, a gigging Scottish folk/ceilidh fiddler, completing this cast of characters. See www.alexmeaneymusic.com
