Ian Gothe certainly knows his way around a guitar and very well might be one of the greatest guitar players you haven’t heard. With influences that dabble in ’70s British prog with a buff songwriting flair, Gothe combines shades of Jethro Tull and early King Crimson with a mixture of hearty folk.
Gothe’s debut album, Memento (Blackbird Record Label, 2020) presented a collection of wistful original songs and covers, reflecting his travels around the world and eclectic taste in music. Now Gothe is following up Memento with a new single, “Upside Down.” This moody, guitar-driven rocker, produced by the artist and Fernando Perdomo, laments how technology has affected our quality of life.
Glide is proud to premiere the song and video for “Upside Down” (below) that’s directed and edited by Martin Yernazian, and this is the fourth video they’ve collaborated on. With his well-worn raspy vocals and dexterous guitar workmanship, Gothe’s “Upside Down” awakens as a modern-day “Deep Track” wonder.
“Martin has what some would call an old-school approach to his directing work,” Gothe says. “I would describe it more like an eclipse, raw and present.” Making music videos is a creative outlet that Gothe has enjoyed very much lately: “My last two videos have been story-driven, and it’s so much fun to see and be a part of the process of having my vision come to life,” he says. “Part of me has always wanted to be a cinematographer.”
“I co-wrote it with my friend Cody LePow,” Gothe says. “When he stopped by one evening, I said: ‘I’m sick and tired of corporations shaking me for information, always wanting to know our location… we should write a song about it.’ Cody replied ‘you just did.’ I grabbed a pen, and while I was writing, a fire engine siren got the dogs in the neighborhood to start howling. Cody commented: ‘the dogs are howling, cops on the chase, it seems like I’m in outer space.’”
Memento was Gothe’s first full-length album, and now he has enough songs to record a follow-up album. But he has also started an additional project with Perdomo: a tribute album to the English progressive rock band Camel.
“They’re one of my all-time favorite bands, and the soundtrack of my life,” he says. I’m co-producing this project with Fernando, since he also is a huge Camel fan. We just had Durga McBroom come in to record backing vocals for one of the tracks. Years ago I saw Durga perform with Pink Floyd, and I never would have guessed that years later she’d be singing in one of my projects.”
Photo Credit: Martin Yernazian
