This is Part 2 of the Learner Tale told by Chester Kamen, a musician mainly known as a rock guitarist, in which he reflects on how he learnt his craft. He walks us through the experience of being a self-taught musician in a competitive field where he met and worked with Bryan Ferry, David Gilmour and Madonna among others. He also reflects on his new life as a rock musician in a jazz context. A whole new challenge.

Le chemin le plus court vers la réalisation de soi est rarement une ligne droite. Apprendre à y arriver peut occuper toute une vie. Pour ce nouveau Récit d’Apprentissage, notre témoin est Chester Kamen, guitariste, qui raconte comment il a appris son instrument suffisamment pour en faire son métier. Il évoque le parcours d’apprentissage atypique qui lui a permis de jouer avec des artistes tels que Bryan Ferry, David Gilmour ou Madonna.

The shortest path to becoming yourself is rarely a straight line, and learning to get there can take a lifetime. The Learner Tales series continues in conversation with guitarist Chester Kamen talking about how he learnt his craft and became a professional musician. He reflects on the learning path it takes to get to play with people like Bryan Ferry, David Gilmour and Madonna.

Like most people, my musical box contains its own personal mix. You’ll find stuff about discovery, about heroes. There are recollections of those songs which just won’t stop playing on your inner juke box. There are also pieces on Tango, which I discovered in France, and which taught me to dance and to live and listen to music differently. I hope you enjoy the mix!

Bruce Springsteen has often felt like a member of my family. Born seven years before me, he was the older brother I never had. What follows is about how a Bruce Springsteen album sneaked its way into my home in Harlow, Essex. The story starts in early 1973.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS PAGE IN ENGLISH Je me présente : Gerry The Ferryman. Bienvenue à bord de mon blog! Pourquoi The Ferryman? Je suis né au bord de l’eau, dans un quartier qui s’appelle Rock Ferry à Birkenhead, une ville qui porte son regard vers l’autre rive de la Mersey en direction de la […]

Songsmith Chrissie Hynde and the Ladies’ Tea Party It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the rumbling rawness of the Punk Years in the UK, starting in 1976 and spilling over into the next decade. The bad could get really bad, with uncaring unmusical bands, violence and self-mutilation. […]

After starting out this section on Learner Tales with a post in French about reading Jane Eyre at 13, it’s time for me to propose something in English. The articles in this section are part of a project about giving visibility to the routes people take in order to learn. We’re all human, but in […]

Having fun between fine leg and silly mid-on Rock at The Oval?! I rejoiced when I discovered that the 1972 Readers’ Poll Winners Concert for my favourite weekly music paper Melody Maker would be rocking The Oval Cricket Ground in South London on September 30th. A motley bunch of us from school all readily agreed […]

My big sister Angie gave me Bob Dylan by Anthony Scaduto for Christmas in 1972. This would be the beginning of my journey into Bob Dylan’s world.The book was about history in the making. It was also an elaborate tale with no ending. Dylan seemed like the mysterious uncle in a family who people tell tales about. From Scaduto to Blood On The Tracks, these are the facts.