Matching tattoos, medical issues, marriage goals and mechanical turmoil. Oh, and that name. Jo Wright should probably start her chat to guitar-slingin’, true tales singin’ Gaz Brookfield with an apology…
Things Jo Wright has been called in the space of seven days. ‘An expense’. ‘A bit arrogant’. ‘The absolute best’. Mmmmmm. Why’s she sharing this (mainly inaccurate) list? Well, a little while ago solo acoustic guy Gaz Brookfield took to the stage at Ferocious Dog’s one day folk/rock/ska extravaganza in a small Lincolnshire town. A solitary Gaz on a stage in a venue full of FD’s finest fans. And so sweet was the singer and so open and honest were his songs, he was termed a ‘poppet’ in Jo’s review that followed. And several hundreds of FB likes and quite a few comments later, she wondered if Gaz would like to chat about this term of affection that the author of this piece uses to refer to her dog, son, baristas, and, erm, him.
‘It’s very funny the way the fans picked up on that word, particularly after the other nice things you said in that review.’ Aww thanks Gaz. ‘I thought it was a compliment, but they all thought it was hilarious!’ How about the nicest thing you’ve ever been called? Gaz has a think… ‘I can remember all the bad ones!’
For those not familiar with Gaz, stay with us – we’ll tell you all you need to know in a bit, but for you lovely already established Land Pirates, here’s something exciting about new music… ‘I would like to think that I’ll have my tenth album out by this time next year,’ he says. ‘Once I’m happy with ten or twelve songs, and I think they’re good enough, then I’ll start recording. You can’t rush these things.’
Gaz writes real life. His life. Does he wish he could trade in all the not so normal events that happen to him and compel him to write music, for a more regular life and career that don’t sound so good in songs? Accountancy for example? That can be quite lucrative. And no one wants to hear an album about audits… ‘That doesn’t interest me in the slightest! Mathematically I’m very stupid!!! I had a lot of jobs before I did this one; pretty much any job you can think of that doesn’t involve skill levels. But since doing this for 15 years I’ve not looked back. I’m reasonably good at this. I know how to do this job. Music is part of me – it’s a compulsion. I have to do it.’
Any job we can think of? Thankfully Gaz gives us an example before we start guessing possible professions. ‘My first job was working in a guitar shop. My last was a delivery driver for a car company. It wasn’t a bad job actually,’ Gaz admits. ‘It was easy and I was on my own a lot of the time. But it’s not this. This is better.’
Speaking of cars…
Hang on, hold that thought for a sec. Let’s just pop a little history of Mr Brookfield here for those who are late to the party. In 2010 Gaz won Acoustic Magazine’s singer/songwriter of the year. Since then he tours A LOT and has A LOT of fans. Mainly just a guitar, a van and a man – who has previously sold out three Bristol venues (one with a capacity of 1000) and was the first independent musician to do so.
Where do cars come into this? As well as singing about life events and emotions, the aforementioned man with a van and a guitar also sings about cars (‘Cursed’). And about vans (‘Ode To Ozzy’). Does it annoy him when people (read: the reporter who called him a poppet) latch on to his candour and ask questions like, ‘Have you had any motoring mishaps lately?’?
‘I’ve made a rod for my own back because people then ask me about what I’ve written about,’ he laughs. ‘But I do have a new van actually!’ Brand new – fresh from the showroom. Bet he didn’t say to the salesperson, ‘Have you got anything in black?’ like yer girl did last year when a knackered gearbox necessitated a new car. Gaz adds, ‘I think anyone who does the mileage that I do would have the same amount of trouble as me.’
What do you guys use your vehicles for? Going to and from work? Getting to the shops? Gaz makes a fair point. ‘I do three to four thousand miles every time I do a tour. Maybe 25,000 a year. That would kill any second hand vehicle!’
Check his tour schedule; the back end of most weeks, into the weekends see Gaz in front of an audience on stage. He’s currently playing here, there and everywhere across the country for his 23-date Autumn Tour (tagline ‘Celebrating 15 years of belligerently refusing to give in’) FOR WHICH TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE BUT SELLING FAST. Ahem. A number of these venues are sold out, or have low tickets left. Next year the ‘Almost All Village Halls’ tour starts on January 31 in East Challow and ends in Hook on April 12. Aaaaaaand Gaz’s 2025 festival calendar is filling up too.
And when not on the road, yer boy’s still a busy bee. Gaz tells us, ‘Monday is admin day. I answer emails, I download and edit video that I’ve been taking, I rehearse, I write, I pack up merch and take it to the Post Office, I reorder merch…’
Being a Gaz Brookfield is a full-time job. As is, Jo feels the need to tell him, rating delivery drivers, restaurant service and all that sort of thing. ‘I never once left a review for anything – ever!’ confesses Gaz. ‘I know you get the follow-up email that says, ‘Please rate our service’, but even when it’s really good service I don’t, because I don’t get around to it. I don’t believe in sending my music off for review either. I care that people come to the gigs and have fun. The human connection side of it is important. I don’t really care what a reviewer thinks, although I have done in the past. For every ten good reviews you might get one bad one, or the other way around, and it’s the bad ones that bum you out.’ Gaz adds, ‘I’m happy for people to review my live sets, but I never actively seek it out. There’s nothing better than just getting out and playing lots and lots of gigs. If you want to get your music out there, that’s the best way to do it.’
And there are plenty of people who love to hear it too – so much so, it seems like Gaz’s fans are more like one big happy family. ‘When I’m on tour I feel like I’m in a safe space,’ he says.
Because of the nature of Gaz’s song writing, you’ll know a fair bit about him if you’re already a fan. So question-wise, yer girl’s feeling the pressure. You see, with the death metal artists she speaks to there’s lots to ask, because it’s a job to hear a bloody word they’re singing. With Gaz’s music on the other hand, it’s like having a clearly spoken, completely captivating story read to you. But fear not! As a former newspaper journalist who shadowed the actual King (although he was Prince Charles at the time) for a couple of his royal visits, she shall not be put off. So Gaz, how tall are you? ‘I’m 6ft.’ Mmmhmm. And how old are you? ‘I’m 45.’ Really???? Gaz is no stranger to this reaction. ‘For the longest time people thought I was younger than I was. I do look a bit younger than I am, which served me poorly when I was a teenager trying to buy beer.’ Seriously though – 45????? ‘I never expected to last this long to be fair. I enjoyed myself a lot in my 20s and 30s. But in my 30s I got diabetes. That’s a daily struggle and it gives you a shorter life expectancy. Knowing that makes me want to enjoy the time I have here more.’
As you’ll know if you’re a fan, OR you’ll expect if you’re not but have been paying attention, this is documented on a couple of songs in Gaz’s 2015 album ‘True and Fast’.
Back to DogFest 2024, held in Boston’s Gliderdrome which really has to be seen to be believed. It is, honestly, straight out of the 60s, and has hosted some of the greatest musicians of all time. Tina Turner, T-Rex, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Tom Jones… Yes, and Gaz Brookfield. Did he have a nice day out? ‘I thought all the bands who played were on top form, and all the Ferocious Dog fans are lovely. I was very proud to be part of it.’ Gaz adds, ‘Me and the Ferocious Dog guys have known each other for a long time. I toured with them in 2015 – a different line-up but still with Ken [Bonsall – FD founder, lead singer and guitarist]. By the end of that tour, pretty much all of us ended up with matching tattoos. You bond hard when you’re on tour together, and when it finishes you feel the need to commemorate things.’
Lovely Gaz Brookfield was put on this earth to make music. He has a gift. His aforementioned belligerence which drives him to keep going is a blessing. But it’s the support of his wife Ange that is really touching. ‘I was always told that music is a hobby and you have to have a real job to pay for your hobbies,’ says Gaz. ‘My wife gave me the encouragement to quit my job [and do this]. I owe everything to her. She’s fantastic.’
Gaz Brookfield: sweet, humble, honest, uxorious, talented and a …..
…. Poppet.
Interview by Jo Wright
Photo by Gaz Brookfield