Guitarist Joe Hodgson hails from the village of Ballymagorry in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His music, shaped by his upbringing during The Troubles, mirrors the fierce rain and winds of the Emerald Isle. It is both sweeping and intense, boldly blending rock, blues, jazz, and Irish traditions into finely crafted instrumentals, which reveal a multi-faceted, emotive, and diverse performer. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Your roots can often shape your journey. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a significant impact on your path into music?
Joe Hodgson: The day I first heard Rory Gallagher play on record was one of the most defining moments early on for me. It felt like his guitar was almost bursting through the speakers, and it changed my life forever. That was when I knew I was destined to play the guitar.
2. Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?
Joe Hodgson: It was all personal exploration and finding my own way on the instrument. I’ve never had any formal training, and I’ve discovered pretty much everything I know through listening to records and watching other guitarists play. I was never one to learn too many solos note for note. I was always more into jamming along with my favourite albums and just improvising. I think that has helped me shape my own way of doing things and develop my own style.
3. Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound?
Joe Hodgson: There were so many great players around where I lived in Northern Ireland, and they influenced me hugely. I vividly remember when I was in my mid-teens, standing outside the Ballymagorry Arms pub in my village in County Tyrone and listening to the bands play inside. I was too young to be allowed in, but that wasn’t gonna stop me listening. I was always mesmerised by the sound of the guitar. That has never changed.
4. What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?
Joe Hodgson: Well, my music is nearly all instrumental, and I treat the guitar as my voice. My music is me speaking through my guitar, telling stories and expressing whatever emotion I’m feeling at the time. Stylistically, I like to blend and bend genres, and you’ll hear elements of rock, blues, jazz, country, and even Irish traditional music in what I do. On Fields Of Redemption, my co-producer, Chris James Ryan, and I went for a big, full band sound, and in the process, we’ve not been scared to use strings, horns, percussion, and instruments such as the Irish bodhrán to give any given track the sound and feel we wanted. So at times, you do an element of surprise.
5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?
Joe Hodgson: When I started playing, I was most definitely absorbing a lot of what my heroes were playing. I’d jam along with all my favourite albums, and while I wasn’t copying things note-for-note, I was soaking up a lot of musical phrases and a lot of the attitude that the music was giving off. The transition towards my own style was helped by not getting stuck listening to one genre of music. I’ve always listened to a wide variety of stuff, and rock would now be one of the things I listen to least. However, rock is so ingrained in me from my youth that it will always be where I gravitate to when I play. But listening to all sorts of other stuff really does seep into what I do, and I’m really happy that’s the case.
6. Music often transcends entertainment. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and address any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
Joe Hodgson: I don’t get involved in talking about any of that political crap. I grew up in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, where you learned to keep your mouth shut. I’ll leave all the preaching to others. I think there is often greater power in people not knowing what you think. I’m more interested in making pure music and hopefully making people feel something through that.
7. Do you feel the rewards of your musical career match the energy and passion you invest in it, or are there different kinds of fulfilment you’re still seeking?
Joe Hodgson: The rewards for me are making good records that people I respect, and love enjoy and appreciate. Fuck fame and fortune. If I wanted that, I certainly wouldn’t be playing instrumental music (laughs).
8. Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, what’s the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?
Joe Hodgson: I mostly start off messing around playing anything that comes into my head, and then if a little spark or idea comes, I’ll focus and develop that into a fully formed song. At this point, I’ll usually have a basic groove going on a drum machine to nail the tempo and feel that I want. Then I’ll get the drummer and bass player involved. When I get the rhythm section down, I’ll begin layering the track with other instrumentation I hear in my head. Throughout all this, the choice of player is vital, and getting the right musicians is one of the most essential things. On the new album, Chris, who’s a brilliant musician, was great in helping me find the right people. His artistic input was vital, too. It’s a pretty organic process, and getting a great performance from everyone involved is always the main thing. I was very lucky in that I worked with some of the world’s best musicians on this album. Buy the CD and hear it for yourself.
9. What’s been the most challenging hurdle in either your personal life or music career, and how has it shaped you as an artist?
Joe Hodgson: I suppose it would be swimming against the tide. I always seem to be doing that (laughs). I’ve never sold out, and I’ve always done what I wanted to do musically. That often brings resistance from the so-called music business, and people who tell you that you should be doing this or that, or following such and such a trend. Why the fuck would I do that? And why would I sacrifice my soul, integrity, and individuality for them? How has it helped me? Well, it’s made me fiercely independent and fearless in what I write and record. I go out to make records that I like myself, and I think that my standards are pretty high. So, if I like what I’ve done, I’m happy, and all I can do is hope that other people get it and enjoy it.
10. On the flip side, what moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why? And let’s talk about your latest release and future plans.
Joe Hodgson: Recording and producing these first two solo albums of mine, “Apparitions” and “Fields Of Redemption”, would be my proudest achievement. With “Fields Of Redemption” in particular, no stone was left unturned in the production process. It was given every bit of attention that a major label would give to a record, and I think it has a unique, exciting and modern sound. Again, I have to give a huge shout-out to Chris James Ryan for helping me get there. Future plans? Well, I’d love to tour with the album, but it would need to be under the right circumstances. For example, a support for an act like Joe Bonamassa or Eric Clapton; a situation where I could have the full band onstage that would do the album justice. Going out as a cut-price 3-piece wouldn’t cut the mustard with the music on this album. This needs a budget… Recording-wise, I’ll hopefully get back in the studio to record again early next year to do a single or an EP. For the next album, Chris and I hope to go to Nashville and record it with some cats there. That would be something, but we’ve put no timeline on that yet.
11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
Joe Hodgson: I genuinely couldn’t give two fucks about what these keyboard warriors say, and luckily, I get very little hate. Constructive criticism is another thing entirely. I have no problem with that.
12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
Joe Hodgson: They’re both equally great, but please spare me all these mobile phones being shoved in your face at gigs. Why can’t people just watch a gig and enjoy the moment? Do these same people actually go home and re-watch the gig on these tiny screens? I don’t get it.
13. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
Joe Hodgson: I like to tell people what the story behind each track is, but at the end of the day, what is more important is that they like and enjoy what they hear. They should be absolutely free to interpret my songs in any way they want, and I’m sure they do.
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