A Short Update On Everything

Hi. 

My name is Alf aka LIGHTNING GUSTO, which is my artist name and also this "one man rock & roll band" project I've been working on since late 2016. I was a busy touring musician before I started this "thing" called Lightning Gusto. Then in 2015, I was forced to retire from touring and all band activities due to severe back pains and skeletal issues that I won't get closer into here. Anyway, I toured alot all over the country and did several tours in the UK from 2002 up until 2015 with the band I was in at the time so I've done my share of mileage in rain and sleet, snow storms, on dangerous icy roads and temperatures below minus 35 Celsius. It went on like that for almost two decades. I'd say that qualifies for a premium cigar and a fine Cognac. It was great fun too and I miss it alot.

After my retirement, (I hate that word) I didn't pick an instrument for over a year. No singing, no guitar playing, no songwriting, no nothing. I think I went into some sort of weird depression after realizing it was over. All I wanted to do was sleep. After a while, the lust for playing and composing music returned. I decided I had to do something about it and bought some cheap recording equipment and slowly started building what is today become my beloved little studio. It took some time and effort before it was completed and up and running but that's where I write, record, mix and release my music from today. It's a hybrid studio consisting of mostly analogue gear because I love recording and mixing in the analogue domain. There are of course also some digital stuff involved like the DAW I'm using and the studio computer itself. I can't afford a huge tape machine and I don't have enough space for one either so the computer will have to play the role as a tape machine. It's ok though, tapes are super expensive nowadays. 

I am still unable to tour and I have no band going so I sing and play everything on my songs myself. That way, I make it work very well and on my own terms. Sounds a wee bit egoistic but that's how it is. I've produced and written a few songs for other artists since my studio was finished but for the last two years or so, I've concentrated on working on my own song material as well as upgrading my studio to make it sound better and I'm very pleased with the way it sounds now. 

What else is there to say? Oh, soon my first self titeled album under the name LIGHTNING GUSTO is ready to launch and I'm very excited about it. March 21st is the date. I'm getting nervous just thinking about it. I haven't released any album since 2012 with the band I was in then, The Maudlin Hounds and it's a bit scary, I must admit. Will I be able to do it? Do I still got it? Oh hell yea, I do. It's gonna be great, I just know it. It doesn't matter whether the album is going to be a success or not. It's just gonna be awesome no matter what. Ten smashing, rocking and irresistible ear-catchy tunes to set your heart racing and feet stomping. What's better than that?

So there you go. That's my story in short terms and hope to see you on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, Spotify, Youtube, Bandcamp and all those other cool places. Well, you know where. Have a great day and Rock On! 

Cheers & Regards - LIGHTNING GUSTO,….