The Guitar Orchestra

The plot came to Chris Baylis in the late eighties to create an album using only guitars, to the exclusion of all other instruments, apart from percussion.....no voices, no synths, no keyboards, no samplers, no midi..........just an orchestra of guitars....Having recorded the album mostly on his own, with bass from Simon Edwards (formerly of Fairground Attraction and these days a Billy Bragg band member and hugely respected contributor to many top flight artists' recordings) and percussion from 'the rhythm mountain' Hossam Ramzy (leading exponent of Egyptian rhythms in Western music...Peter Gabriel etc) and Ricky Edwards, he then took the project on the road in the early nineties.Band members included Tony Poole (ex Starry Eyed and Laughing) on 12 string, Dave Bowmer (Iron Clowns) on e bow guitar, Denny Illett, Dennis Fitzgibbons and Lol Ford on various guitars, Jerry Soffe (Iron Clowns and just about every credible Oxford based project for many a year!!) on bass and a revolving troupe of percussionists including Hossam Ramzy, Ricky, John Parrish (Automatic Dlamini, PJ Harvey etc) and Chris McCartney.Went on to record 'Interpretations'...extreme versions of some well known pieces including Chris' own personal tribute to 'The Maestro' Jeff Beck in a stunning rendition of 'Stranger on the Shore' ...which would likely give Acker a stomach upset!!Gigs included Oxford's Zodiac, a residency at London's 'Prohibition Club', the 100 Club, a week in the foyer of 'The Barbican', Hartlepool Town Hall, The Stables near Milton Keynes, numerous Arts Centres throughout the land, Mal Pope's show on HTV culminating in (what turned out to be the last show...but watch this space!!!) a headline concert at The Purcell Rooms.