Это видео недоступно.
Сожалеем об этом.
Unknown Musical Genius Only Has 24 Spotify Followers! Help!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 июн 2022
- This Unknown Musical Genius Only Has 24 Spotify Followers! Please Help!
Follow and Support Alan Mearns:
Alan's RUclips - / alynmearns
Alan's Spotify - open.spotify.c...
Yes, The Raven - open.spotify.c...
🎸 The NEW Quick Lessons Pro Course ⇢quicklessons.pro
👂 The Beato Ear Training Bundle ⇢ beatoeartraini...
📚 The Beato Book 4 Bundle ⇢ rickbeato.com/
THE BEATO CLUB → bit.ly/322AGO1
MY HELIX PRESETS →flatfiv.co/pro....
SUBSCRIBE HERE → bit.ly/2eEs9gX
--------------------------------------
My Links to Follow:
RUclips - / rickbeato
Follow my Instagram - / rickbeato1
------------------------------
Special Thanks to My Supporters:
Catherine Sundvall
Clark Griswold
Ryan Twigg
LAWRENCE WANG
Martin Small
Kevin Wu
Robert Zapolis
Jeremy Kreamer
Sean Munding
Nat Linville
Bobby Alcott
Peter Glen
Robert Marqusee
James Hurster
John Nieradka
Grey Tarkenton
Joe Armstrong
Brian Smith
Robert Hickerty
comboy
Peter DeVault
Phil Mingin
Tal Harber
Rick Taylor
Bill Miller
Gabriel Karaffa
Brett Bottomley
Frederick Humphrey
Nathan Hanna
Stephen Dahl
Scott McCroskey
Dave Ling
Rick Walker
Jason Lowman
Jake Stringer
steven crawford
Piush Dahal
Jim Sanger
Brian Lawson
Eddie Khoriaty
Vinny Piana
J.I. Abbot
Kyle Dandurand
Michael Krugman
Vinicius Almeida
Lars Nielsen
Kyle Duvall
Alex Zuzin
tom gilberts
Paul Noonan
Scott Thompson
Kaeordic Industries LLC
Duane Blake
Kai Ellis
Zack Kirkorian
Joe Ansaldi
Pzz
Marc Alan
Rob Kline
Calvin Wells
David Trapani
Will Elrics
Debbie Valle
JP Rosato
Orion Letizi
Mike Voloshen
Peter Pillitteri
Jeremy Hickerson
Travis Ahrenholtz
Make sure you watch the whole video and not just comment after the first song. You need to hear Alan‘s incredible classical guitar guitar playing on the second half of the video. Thanks for supporting real music!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 also, don’t forget to subscribe to this channel as well as Alan‘s.
Thank you for pointing us to Alan ! On a personal note I wish you could isolate the
outro solo on Boz Skaggs Lowdown like you did on the super cool Christopher Cross video. ( I hear such cool things hidden in that mix)
Rick, how do we find Airspace's music?
I have 12 followers.-Actually I'm quite famous, just nobody knows it.
Yeah, his classical playing is absolutely outrageous. Among multiple outstanding aspects of his arranging and playing, one thing in particular stands out to me--all of his trills are done with the right hand. I learned that this is a thing in college, and I decided to go that route with the handful of Bach pieces I learned. Knowing what went into developing a rudimentary familiarity with the technique, I have a great appreciation for his command of it. Every trill is flawless. Each one is a very brief, beautiful, expressive development of its own in terms of dynamics and tempo. TREMENDOUS right hand technique. Wow.
A crew of about 20 Stagehands will be listening to Alan's music tomorrow morning as we build scenery for Grand Opera. Thank you for sharing. In Rick I trust.
This is a fantastic use of your platform
Well said - couldn't agree more - unbelievable to discover these gems via Rick
I SO agree with you here. It opens up a whole new avenue for Rick.
I want to discover more, and through Ricks channel! Hope he keeps it up!
Keep it up Rick! So glad you're highlighting musicians :)
I agree, let's see more of this please, @Rick! See you on Endlesss jamming with us someday, @Beardyman?
Rick, you should definitely use your platform more often to elevate these underground artists.
You're always going on about over-polished songs with multiple writers, awful pitch-perfect vocals that lack any humanity etc. This could be the turning point the music world needs!
(PS, happy to volunteer my awful vocals for you)
This comment deserves a pin
There are places for underground musicians and artists, like Realtalkradio, Metal Head Hippie, Ron Ward's Home Grown Indie Live, Pete Johns Studio Live Today, to just name a few. Plenty of gifted musicians. Check it out!
I agree he could help but now the kids don’t care if your musical genius because they’re consumers not creators . We are in the age where image is higher than talent . If you got a simple catchy beat and where everybody favorite rapper wearing your wayy better than this musical genius . It’s sad because the music industry isn’t even about music anymore
Wow!! I been thinking that for quite some time but every time I commented not once got a reply 🤔 witch makes me think of the truth in a lot of hiprocracy in the real music. Witch some of us still search endlessly but with no reply 😔 but there out there. Small existence but alive 🙏
Rick, I would LOVE a series where you discover and discuss unknown artists!! 🥰🤍
My daughter took lessons from Alan years ago. In addition to his extraordinary musical gifts he is a genuinely nice guy.
Cool.
What I LOVE about Rick is he can give us jazz, death metal, grunge , classical and its all revelation when he breaks it down. WE ARE SO LUCKY!!
A true musician loves all music!
Death Metal?
@@jsullivan2112 On various occasions, I certainly recall Rick extolling the vitures of /being very fond of bands like Cannibal Corpse & Meshuggah (extreme metal). While its typically more anecdotal vs. a prolonged evaluation, still he's proven to be genre agnostic.
What's intriguing is he never mentions a band like Iron Maiden, until just recently it so happens, and rarely mentions bands like Pantera (albeit one W.M.T.S.G. episode).
He's a super busy person, so sheer bandwidth is probably a factor.
@@jsullivan2112 Oh, and Sepultura too, which I'm sorry is sacrosanct (the others I don't care about). Yeah, it's not going to too much gnarlier than that on this channel.
Well said
RICK, DONT STOP DOING THIS.
This guy is amazing, now a follower!!! Please keep real music alive!
He has some really good recommendations. He should recommend more unknown artists.
Yeah Rick! Hopefully you'll discover more great musicians ;)
Just followed Alan on Spotify. Incredible stuff. I would love a hidden gems segment like this more often. It's a great way to help break independent artists - it's tough out there without the big marketing push.
Me too, it's awesome.
Same! We could do with more well known musical RUclipsrs (for lack of a better term) at least letting us know what else is out there. There is only so much time in the day to find them yourself
Couldn't agree more! The Digital De-Duster Segment
Agreed. So many hidden gems 💎 out there collecting dust. Alan’s taken and musicality are palpable.
For another classical guitarist within a different genre, check out The Knells, featuring guitarist Andrew McKenna Lee, drum, bass and two opera singers.
But how Poppy doing tho?
This is hands-down the most important video you have ever done. Humans need to be reminded of greatness. I’m seeking this man out to support.
100%
As of my follow, he’s now up to 1,859 followers on Spotify - but he should be at 10-20x this number!
Using your platform for the good of music and musicians as always, Rick.
Thank you for introducing Alan’s impeccable playing and musical conception to me and, (if I may say so), to us all!
I'm just imagining this guy waking up to see his spotify blew up overnight. That's gotta be absolutely insane to have happen to you.
11k now!
This is personal, sir: thank you in this moment for this coat-pull towards what my 82 year old lifetime schooled musician ears (jazz, classical, blues, world) have been noodging me to. Retired & with endless enthusiasm for your videos - so many of which i've seen multiple times - this particular vid may be the most impactful of all for me. ps: i've been a subscriber since your start, and bought your books to be supportive. Now i have the nudge to read them - arrogant of me i now think rather than "been there done that. "
Wholesome 👍🏻 This video is awesome indeed!
You are an inspiration, Sir 💪
I am always skeptical when anyone calls anyone a (musical) genius, but it caught my ear immediately indeed. It is genius - wonderful captivating music, brilliantly recorded and mixed. The Bach piece sent chills down my spine.
Well I too have few followers on Spotify, is there hope yet? (Lol - never hurts to dream! But it sucks for those who are truly ambitious)
Stunning!
It's scary how little value is placed on musicianship in the modern era, but just like the tide you really can't hide it when it turns up. Beautiful music and wonderful artistry.
True. But then I guess it’s about if a song has an emotional impact on people which counts most and so songwriting is most important. Also exposure. You can be Mozart but if you don’t play gigs all over the country and get invited to play big music festivals, you’ll be playing to your four walls at home.
I know geniuses and they’ve either got autism, OCD, or some addiction problem or are just incapable of sorting their lives out so they do nothing now and let their lives pass them by wasted. ALAN is fantastic but sadly doesn’t probably care about getting himself out there and his happiness doesn’t lie with fame and popularity but just playing his music and writing songs for his personal pleasure.
@@steffyweffy777 I think you're spot on. Being sucessful in the music industry is about a lot more than being a good musician and i've realized that the hard way because i've all my life had a lot of difficulties stepping away from just playing to myself in my room and never gotten anywhere in terms of career. I'm now 30 and it turns out i've had undiagnosed ADHD... I think it makes sense that a lot of people with personal problems like this are drawn to creative work because they don't fit into society and it's something that feels fulfilling to do even on your own - which also means many artists might be stuck playing to themselves.
“This Will Only End In Tears” had just 9 likes on the Yes The Raven RUclips channel. It has 10 now. I find this unbelievable. This is one of the most beautiful recordings I’ve ever heard. Thank you for this introduction. He is now a heart on my Tidal account
25 or 26 now. This person's voice is insanely great for someone who seems to be almost unknown!!
161 likes 3 hours after you made this comment :D
You're not wrong.
The fact that such talented musicians have almost no recognition is really depressing actually. Really makes you think about quitting music because of that
And just think about how many greats like this are out there in the same situation... tens of thousands literally
i pretty much did
It is the case with most artists thought all time. a lack of appreciation. I stopped writing, not that im great, but certainly better than most of the crap you see.
Then quit
@@garailac then are they so great
"Let's try to make a difference with real music." Great quote. One of the things I most admire about your channel is that you keep making videos about great artists that are way under the radar. Thank You.
^^^^^ This is truth^^^^^^
Who determines for the masses what "great music" is? It's far too subjective to be anything more than personal preference.
@@thinkman1234 Great music does not sound flat, or like it's been made by a machine, with no care or interest in its audience. Great music requires a measure of passion, reflected by the performance, or the investment in time for practice or development.
@@michaelmacdonell4834 I agree with you on most of what you say……personally, though once again music appreciation, in ALL of its forms, is in the EAR of the individual. The attributes of the music we choose to listen to most certainly will not be exactly or perhaps even close to what others feel is Great Music! It’s not categorical, IT’S SUBJECTIVE!
@@thinkman1234 Absolutely, you are 100% correct. If I was to say, "yes, but some people don't know any different", that would sound patronising, but not everybody actively seeks things they never heard of before, so their preferences are based upon the very small subset of music that they have listened to. I guess it would be equivalent to someone talking about 'great food', when they've only ever eaten burgers and hotdogs. There are fantastic burgers and hotdogs out there, but we all know that that's not the only food. If you've tried lots of different foods from different cultures and still simply prefer burgers and hotdogs, then that's different of course. I suppose what I'm trying to say in a very rambling way, is any choice is fine, as long as it's an informed choice?
Rick !!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE continue unearthing unknown artists such as this!
Owen Beverly and now THIS!!!
In tears! So gorgeous!
In The School of Music at Appalachian State in 98, I sat in our regular Friday Music Performance sessions where 3-4 musicians would perform before the school. I remember Alan performing and shocked the students with his musicality, stage performance, and just genuine remarkable talent. If I remember correctly he went to school on a full ride for guitar. I have known him 25 years, not only is he talented but he is an amazing person, dad and husband. He is incredibly enjoyable to hang out with as well. I wish him all the best success. Any serious musician or band looking for a guitar player would be crazy to not see if he would be a good fit. He is top notch.
Alan is not only a musical virtuoso but a great human being. I love that he's getting some recognition.
Holy damn, when Beato says a musician's incredible he's not messing around! I love the musical tension and slight, tasteful dissonance coming from Mearns harmonizing a lot of melodies one would usually play as single note lines. Reminds me of the best aspects of Jim Croce or Simon and Garfunkel, but on a whole other level. I always feel guilty about not discovering such musical genius sooner on my own, so I can't be grateful enough for such a wonderful recommendation.
I received my Masters Degree of Fine Arts in 1988, my main instrument is Classical guitar. Over the years I have stumbled over and come across so many talented guitarists. But this is something so beautiful beyond comprehension. Alan is one of the most soulful and scilled musicians I’ve heard! He moves so fluently in the realm of music. Astonishing! Thank you Mr Beato for this eye (and ear) opener!
Isn’t music just a true miracle in life!?
I love that you're using your platform to promote great music to your audience!
This brought tears ... so gorgeously evocative and powerful. First Owen Beverly and now Alan Mearns, I feel the deep sense of conviction and respect that you have for musical artistry and sonic beauty. Please continue sharing your library of lesser-known genius, Rick. Thank you so much!
For Mia has been stuck in my head for weeks
@@pablodiner me too!!! And now another GREAT musician uncovered by Rick, i'm so happy!
I came for your recommendations but stayed for the Bach. I share your (and Joshua Bell's) reverence for the Bach Chaconne- I think it is the greatest achievement not only Bach's amazing career but in all of classical music. The Bach-Busoni piano transcription is something I use as a frame of reference when evaluating different classical pianists. Alan Mearns' performance raising hairs on the back of my neck and bringing me close to tears is an involuntary response that shortcuts any rational response and speaks directly to my soul. Thank you Rick for bringing these amazing artists to prominence and bringing so much joy to your audience. In this dark and turbulent world, you are like a lighthouse.
You did a good thing, Rick - for your friend and for the thousands his music has now touched. Bless you both 🙏
KEEP DOING THIS. There are tonnes of brilliant musicians out there with very underground followings. Danny Malone comes to mind, he’s an Emitt Rhodes type producer-singer-songwriter.
My name backwards 😯
@@nadenolam8368 Illuminati confirmed
Stunning. It often feels like the most talented/technically accomplished musicians, particularly in jazz, which have the least views and followers. Some of the best music I've ever heard has been made in the last five years but virtually nobody has heard of them. 59 views since 2016 etc. Sweden and Norway have some amazing jazz guitarists which only have a few followers!
Being compared to Emmit Rhodes is the highest compliment.
It's great to discover great musicians like Alan in this "fast-food" music pool today. Thank you Rick for promoting him and other who deserve to be seen. I remember i had a same feeling when randomly discovered band Ajimal. It was like finding a peace of gold in a mud...
M
I am one of those 24 monthly listeners!
Love is Covered In Dust is one of my favorite records. It comes as a fun surprise to find out he recorded that with you! I discovered Yes The Raven several years back on New Years Day as I was searching RUclips looking for good acoustic covers of U2 New Years Day. I ran across his version of it and was immediately a fan.
I later got Alyn’s permission to use Breathe on a yoyo 🪀 video I made. He was way cool about it.
Keep doing your thing, Rick. We love you.
OG!
Yes, let’s break some algorithms and give good artists some recognition. Keep doing this Rick.
I would like it if you did this weekly. Picked someone that you know of that is outstanding that does not have the presence that they should! I really like your style and agree with your music tastes. So anything that you like I can pretty much bet that I would feel the same. I am glad that you have done this. What an artist wow!
so wait a minute...I initially skipped around the video a bit...the guy playing classical guitar is the same guy singing the folk/rock music?? Good gawd...what a beast
Really been enjoing some of his original stuff Bells, Josephine, Breathe...loving it still going down the rabbit hole, savoring his work.
Really nice of Rick to send his audience over to Alan. Anyone who can play Bach so well deserves to be listened to!
From 60-odd listeners on Spotify to nearing 7000... it's working. This guy deserves a following. Phenomenal phenomenon and anyone with a half musical brain and a soul will feel it.
This is great! I like how Rick deconstructs the horror that has become the current music industry, but the best way to combat it is to promote the current artists who are truly doing something meaningful, like Alan Mearns!
This is great stuff! A band I always tell people to listen to even though I'm pretty sure they don't exist is anymore is a band called The Rescues. They have an amazing EP called Let Loose the Horses and it is absolutely incredible.
Yooo that's an amazing record - just brought me back man! - Also hey I just moved to Nashville, looking to meet other musicians would love to link up sometime. I'll actually be down at Gibson Garage most of the week for their anniversary, come up and check it out...Matt Heafy tonight?
@@juniorg296 respect the hustle
The guitarist for The Rescues did an album with Andy Summers back in 2015. They called themselves Circa Zero. I'm a Police fan and never heard of Rob Giles before that project. Great record. Shame it was only a one off
I always recommend Cardiacs - Sing to God. It's genius.
best band no one listens to: Lovedrug
The guitar takes on Bach pieces are amazing. Instead of the boring "transcriptions" (they never work; something is always missing in a note to note transcription) this man reinvents the piece in a way it makes you think that it was originally written for guitar.
Spot on. I could listen to that Bach guitar music all evening long. In fact, I think I will right now!!
Great point!
👍👍🖖
Alan is a genuine diamond! I met Alan when he was a teen. He and his family moved to the US from Ireland.
They were connected to a church fellowship that we were a part of.
Even as teen he was an amazing musician. He was a true inspiration
to me. His desire to learn and grow as a musician was always visible.
He taught me many things which today are a part of my musical journey. Alan helped us reach out to inner city teens. He was always a joy to be around. When he moved to North Carolina from Houston....I thought it was the end of the orld.
I am so proud of Alan and excited to see his music reach others.
Thank you Rick for highlighting his journey.
Hey Frank! ❤️🙏
How’s the leg?
@@AlanMearns-YesTheRaven I'm at home now. They put a rod in my right femur bone so it's baby steps everywhere. Thankfully I'm off for the summer so it will give me time to recover.
How are you guys?
This is such a hidden gem. I love it when you put people who really deserve it in the spotlight. Thank you Rick!
One of my best friends has 8 monthly listeners, and his music is incredible. He's called "The Human Calculator." So I appreciate you finding someone unknown and showing off their talent. Dont stop doing it.
I like this Rick - I hope you will continue to use your megaphone to promote deserving artists! You can't help every single one but you can help some of them!
I randomly found Alan’s arrangement of “Helter Skelter” (under the name “Yes the Raven”)on RUclips six months ago, and I was absolutely stunned!!!
He’s since been on regular rotation in my shop every day while I build acoustic guitars…❤❤❤❤❤❤
His playing brought me to the edge of tears, absolutely stunning. And I will say Rick that highlighting great Artists you find in order to give them a bump is a fantastic idea and as a player and lover of all music to be given this introduction makes me 10 times the fan compared to if I had simply come across him. I will share his music far and wide.
Those Bach arrangements are amazing! Playlisted and followed.
I love your work man
Yes indeed 🤯👏🏽
You are an amazing player
Rick - your are a musical treasure and one of the main reasons I cancelled cable. You inspire, teach, share, with an authenticity that is rare these days. Thank you. I will be diving into Alan’s music, as soon as I finish typing this.
I've been in love with the classical guitar since I was 14 and I've listened to tons of amazing classical guitarists. I discovered Alan a few weeks ago. I am absolutely bewitched by his talent and musicallity. I am confident he will get the success he deserves!
My god Rick, you are an absolute treasure. You are spot on and good on you for highlighting things like this on your channel. Alan's playing absolutely blew my mind. He has a new fan here. 👍
I’ve watched many of your videos, I’m a big fan, but this is the best I’ve seen. What an incredibly generous use of your platform to spread the word like this. And thank you for introducing me and countless others to Alan’s stunning music.
In the first two bars I recalled Nick Drake, and it’s worth remembering that in the 1970s, despite several incredible albums, practically no one knew him (with tragic consequences for Nick). It’s also worth considering that Jimi Hendrix was kept off number one in the U.K. by Englebert Humperdink. Marketing has always been a necessary evil, but it’s now elevated to a new level; we truly live in the age of the digital marketer.
I’m off to subscribe to Alan’s music. Those Bach interpretations gave me chills, too.
Well, they got at least 25 followers now!
Add Another!
27th here
28 and counting 👍
Oh, it’s gonna go up I believe…
@@patrickwayne9074 And another!
Got to see him play at a guitar festival and competition in Boone, NC where he studied and it was one of the best performances I've ever seen. So happy to see you cover Classical Guitar
As a classical guitarist who also song writes I can only say bravo! Thank you, Rick, for spotlighting such a beautiful and singular talent as Alan! The world needs more of this and less of the empty ear and eye candy that clutters online platforms and the airwaves.
With so many great musicians out there, it is so hard for them to even get a single shot at airplay just to see where they may go and the audience appeal. This is some great material, but this was going to need a special channel for people who love great easy listening tunes. To find a channel like this, this band would have had to find something like Mark Knopflers exclusive, a channel which plays this music type and is very popular on XM. I don't exclude Spotify as a basis, but way too many channels, and hard to find a lot of music like this. Alan Mearns is a great guitarist with a great sound and talent.
In that case, you are all welcome to try my channel.
East listening? Lol
id listen to rick beato's alt rock radio. with, like, weekly spotlight or feature bands
@@CrowClouds Considering the fact that "easy listening" is a very well known term, and the fact that the "t" and "y" keys are right next to each other, if you couldn't figure out what he meant then you have absolutely no right to laugh at anyone else.
@@bobthabuilda1525 🤣
Your passion for music is *contagious*. Brings me back to the days when I was in my twenties, listening to my favourite Brit bands (and Joni Mitchell) and scrutinizing everything they did in a song and _reading_ the album cover for _any_ info. A lot of us didn't have much money but that was okay if you had your favourite musicians, you could share that with your friends! It was the best! It's great that you're putting forgotten talent back on the map, it's a wonderful gesture.
Well said 💛
Rick, thank you so much again. I've listened to everything from Alan Mearns since your episode and it's fantastic. What a discovery and richness this is. Thank you so much, you make my day and many days after :-) The song 'This will only end in tears' is of unparalleled beauty and for me personally it is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Keep on going, you're the best.
You’re right Rick. Great use of your platform, Alan deserves the recognition. I am looking forward to listening to the records.
Maybe this says more about Spotify than it does Alan's music. I know many artists, including myself who have published music only to have it buried by the various algorithms in favor of big label artists or kids with 30 second viral videos.
I love when you bring unknown artists to your followers like this. I always add them to my playlists and give 'em a whirl.
Island bois?
@@austinedeclan10 ??
@@lo-firobotboy7112 Island boys are two (wannabe rapper) kids who become big because of a 30 second viral tik tok. They represent in my opinion everything wrong with today's music industry. They've got no talent and are more concerned with the rapper lifestyle than with making good music. I thought you were referring to them in your comment.
@@austinedeclan10 OK, gotcha. Aside from RUclips I've turned-off all social media a couple years ago. I don't see what goes on on Instagram, TikTok, BookFace etc.
I support local artists whenever possible and listen for music that catches my ear out in the world, on soundtracks, or community radio. I also-belong to a couple local groups that talk synthesizers and share music with each other.
@@Mike-rw2nh A few years ago even crappy, indie music like mine would see a constant daily trickle of streams from random "foot traffic" and people searching specific tags. Almost overnight that traffic stopped as the algorithm was modified to focus on and promote the content with highest ad revenue. The problem is that it's self perpetuating. The Billie Eilishes and Justin Beibers of the world are immediately pushed to the top and new, indie, or quirky artists sink to the bottom. On a free platform like Google/RUclips I understand the business model. However, on a platform like Spotify or Apple where there are fees involved, it really sucks.
I definitely agree Mr. Beato… We definitely need to make a difference in recognizing real music/ real talented artists in the world.
I'm a pretty good classical guitarist and I drove my guitar into a ditch working on these pieces. They are incredibly hard to play because they don't lend themselves easily to guitar. To bring out the melodies and separate the voices the way he does is a lifetime's work. Seriously. And even with a lifetime, most people, me included, wouldn't come close. Plus, his arrangements are so different from the regular ones you hear from Segovia, Bream, etc. Truly amazing, truly.
Just followed Alan - great call out Rick! What an amazing player, gorgeous playing and interpretations. Really kind of you to use your platform to spotlight excellent, under recognized players.
Hopefully this episode will help boost Alan's channel and following. What a brilliant musician. He should be getting radio play instead of the garbage I've heard lately.
Wow, unbelievable talent! I immediately went and explored both his classical and folk recordings and am just stunned. I was surprised to find a U2 tribute album no less! His version of With or Without You is pure genius. Not to disparage U2, but I imagine Alan finishing that recording Beato style with “like that”.
What an unbelievable genius/talent! It's so sad that this level of artistry can go essentially unnoticed these days.
Thank you, Rick, for shining light on this incredible musician.
When it comes to music, the real genius doesn't recognize their own talent and sadly very few consumers recognize that talent either. Until today I certainly hadn't heard of Alan Mearns, but I know the name now, and I won't forget it.
As soon as you said he plays the Chaconne and started playing it, I was already purchasing the entire album. Thank you for sharing these artists. It's disturbing to me how artists like this aren't more well known.
Always a champion for the under represented, talented artists is Rick Beato!
Thank you! I have just followed Mr. Mearns on Spotify. Absolutely beautiful. His playing brought tears to my eyes.
Rick- Please have him on your podcast! He's amazing like you said!
We need more of this. This guy is truly talented, and deserves more attention. Great singer, and those bach pieces pieces where beautiful. Perfectly executed.
Rick, you need to release this record! 'The Importance of Eye Contact' sounds amazing
This is how you "save" music: advocate for and promote hidden talent. Beautiful guitar playing. Also, Rick needs a separate channel just for reaction videos, haha.
Rick, you’ve so enriched my life over the past three years that I’ve followed you. When you make a recommendation, I’m all in. I listened to Yes the Raven’s “Dust” album and was completely blown away. I’ve already shared it with numerous friends.
Alan must have studied Bach at some length to arrive at his arrangements. They are so tastefully done that I can picture Bach looking over his shoulder, nodding in approval. About the Chaconne, the excerpt you played, it bears mentioning, occurs just past the middle of the piece, and is a major denouement (literally) where the key shifts from minor to major, resulting in a much more peaceful feel after all those fiery arpeggios. Alan handles this section as well as I think I've ever heard it done by anyone, save perhaps Stokowsky's brilliant symphonic adaptation. But that's a pretty elite group to be a member of.
Yes, the interpretations are phenomenal.
Personally I found his Chaconne vastly preferable to Stokowsky's or Busoni's overblown arrangements. I'd like to compare it with Segovia's fairly straightforward version for guitar to see whether Alan adds anything of interest. I thought the cello prelude was superb.
Plus Stokowsky had a whole symphony, right? Alan has his guitar.
@@carolynmcpherson2667 it's not just how many guitars, he still has only two hands
@@MarioCola My remark was intended to suggest that Alan was able to do with one instrument what Stokowsky needed a whole orchestra to accomplish.
Thank you, Rick! Alan deserves the love and I can’t thank you enough for your unwavering support.
"When the whole world is bored with automated mass distributed video music, our descendants will despise us for having thrown away the best of our cultures." - Alan Lomax
This guy has such an amazing style. Makes the classics sound brand new.
I just downloaded the Bach record and "Love is Covered in Dust." What a revelation. His songs are more like tone poems--and can you ever hear the Bach in them after you listen to his Bach interpretations. It's a crime he's not better known. Let's hope this video helps...
I have played the Bach cello G a million times and I’m astonished and in love with this and have never heard such creativity in a variation that is so seamless with the original version. Thank you for this.
I thank you so much Rick for introducing me to Alan Mearns. A few weeks ago I throughly listened to the piece "Oración", authored and performed by Alan Mearns. In the review that I dared to write regarding the aforementioned piece of "serious" music, I alluded to Mearns' own commercially frustrated work in the rock genre (in Alan's case, perhaps specifically conceptualizable as "alternative rock").
Coincidentally, just a few weeks ago it finally came to light “publicly”, via music streaming services, this album that Alan Mearns himself recorded approximately 10 years ago with his ephemeral and defunct rock band led by him and called “Airspace”. In this fleeting group, Alan Mearns wrote all the songs, was the main voice and, evidently, was in charge of the lead guitar. The group consisted essentially of four musicians playing bass, drums, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar. By 2006, under the name of "Airspace", they had recorded an "EP" with a a limited but certainly greater exposure than the one herein I, being this album a very well produced "LP" but which was, inexplicably, shelved for a decade or so. This newly issued album is entitled “The Airspace Record”, a clearly insinuating title of a work rescued and now published as if it were an individual work by Mearns himself (which to a certain degree it is), under his current stage name in contemporary music, "Yes The Raven" (his real name seems to be used only in the "classic" genre).
Having stated all this, I can affirm that the entirety of the album “The Airspace Record” constitutes a true ‘musical deity’. In the 40 years that I have been listening to music with absolute fascination and seriousness to the point that I came to consider myself a profound music lover (in the context of being a deep "music appreciator" and not necessarily considering myself a particular connoisseur, much less a musical opinion leader), I think that very few times had I perceived such a dual, versatile, particular, complete and balanced talent to compose and perform in two genres as distant and diverse as rock and classical or serious music. Alan Mearns is that caliber of an artist: a true needle in a haystack, a very special talent, perhaps a unique one.
I think that the talent of composing rock and "classical music" of the highest level had only been perceived by me in the case of Andrew Lloyd Webber, after having listened to his work JCS and compared it with his Requiem and other works of his authorship. What is remarkable about Mearns is that he is also a performer of unparalleled quality, both as a guitarist and as a vocalist.
It is terribly complicated and difficult to choose a single piece from the album “The Airspace Album” (I wonder how it would have been titled if the band Airspace still existed when this great work was finally published), since not a single tune contains the slightest waste. Despite its absolute originality and authenticity, when listening to the full album, equally unnoticed works of enormous quality come to mind such as “Distorted Lullabies” from 'Ours' (note the similarity in style and tone of voice of Jimmi Gnecco and Alan Mearns ). In his later facet under the name "Yes The Raven", a kind of Anglo-Saxon troubadour, Alan recalls other talents of great quality and equally unnoticed as "Low Roar" (Ryan Karazija). There are times when the album hereunder also evokes Radiohead at its most lucid... yes, those are big words and the listener, once he has reviewed the entire album in a complete and repeated way, will know that I am not exaggerating on these lines.
Given the impossibility of distracting the listener's immediate attention with more than one piece, if I had to choose the greatest song in it I would choose “Duel”, precisely the last one on the album. Notice therein the quality of the piece and the instrumentation itself, in which the vocals and lead guitar stand out.
After experiencing the album in its entirety, the listener with an educated ear will conclude that Alan Mearns does indeed hold that rare duality: unrivaled talent and sensibility for rock and for “classical music”. Frankly, I wish that this artist now continues with his rock work and not limits himself to his splendid work as a "classical guitarist". If Alan Mearns’ work in any of aforementioned two genres goes relatively unnoticed, then that would strengthen my perception that there is a serious problem with the collective ear.
Ok, you've totally sold me on the guy. I haven't really gotten into a classical guitarist since I saw Christopher Parkening in concert 30 years ago. I'm hooked on Mearns' playing. Alas but he uses **iTunes** of all the benighted services to distribute his music. Apple makes it an angst-ridden nightmare to do anything in their world from a linux platform, so I guess I'll be forced to order the CD and rip it to WAV files so I can listen on my computer and in my car. :)
His skills are OUTSTANDING ! The song at 6:55 is incredibly technically accurate.
Very nice of rick to give him the recognition he deserves !
Thank you for sharing
Been a fan of Alan and his Yes the Raven YT channel for years. So pleased to find a connection to you, Rick. Great use of your platform, sir.
That acoustic Bach is calming me AND the two dogs in my car as I watch. I could listen to that ALL DAY!!
This is the number one thing that depresses me about the modern music world. We've got people dripping with raw talent that cannot be discovered. And we have a new generation of children who are being programmed (at no real fault of their own) to not appreciate high art when they hear it. It's like finding a diamond just laying on the ground, then tossing it away because all their friends just like rocks. This is the hard reality of living in a modern era where music has been de-valued to near zero.
Great music is struggling, but not gone. It's up to us as consumers to support the gems when we find them, and support music industry reform across the world. Think "local" with an ear to the global".
I wouldn't be too harsh on the new generation- at least, my eldest kid has the ear and has found some gems in places I didn't quite expect.
One thing to remember is that before the internet, probably none of us would know about him at all. I think someone like this has a better chance at developing a following now.
Thank you for this Rick. Your community cares about these musicians and we hope that you keep elevating others like Alan! You could help provide the public exposure these artists deserve.
More of this type of thing! Really great music! Crazy sensitive, great writing, great vocals, lyrics, and performance. Love that you’re spotlighting musical unknowns!
Absolutely Stunning! Thank you Alan and Rick!
Thank you so much for sharing this incredible artist with us, i was just feeling like i need something other than Opeth and Porcupine Tree to listen to and this is it.
Much love from Sweden.
The sort of understanding of fingerstyle music of the period (lute pieces and such) it takes to be able to make those arrangements says that Alan Mearns is the real thing. Listening to the album with JS Bach arrangements now.
The first time I heard Alan, I think I was judging him in a competition, or perhaps it was a masterclass, I don't remember, but he was playing his transcription of a Mozart Fantasia. I knew he was something special as a player, and a great composer as well.
So refreshing! Kudos to you for giving such a talented musician this spotlight. He’s got a new follower in me! Great video, as always, Rick.
There was a band from Buffalo called "adeium" I beleive. They had like a 3 song ep and it was unreal how good those songs where. As a fellow musician I felt so sure they'd be able to break through but like so many others it just didn't happen. I was lucky enough to share the stage with them a few times.
Brought me to tears from the music and you being so lovely, Rick. What a beautiful soul.
It is sad that an artist with such mastery has to struggle for recognition. Of course he is not alone as many brilliant commercially deprived musicians are out there and Rick sould be applauded for using his platform to give these hidden-from-view virtuosos some worthwhile exposure. 👍
Please do Kate Bush on What Makes This Song Great, she is undergoing a rediscovery for the younger generations because a song was heavily featured on Stranger Things, so the timing is perfect!
Oh yes! That would be great.
the meg myers cover in 2019 has all the modern production & power behind a proper cover, but the original is so perfect and definitely resurged in popularity, kate bush was #1 on global spotify last week when i checked.
Also, while I am not in favor of quotas by any stretch of the imagination, for female artists in What Makes This Song Great, you’re looking at Fleetwood Mac (that’s only half a point to be fair), Adele, Alanis Morrisette, Joni Mitchell, Kelly Clarkson. So, 4 1/2 out of 114
4%. Taste is taste, but honestly there’s no way anyone believes that women are responsible for 4% of the great songs of the rock and roll era
I did not expect to love this guy as much as I did, his guitar playing is so unique and he has a great voice, I'm not a huge classical fan, but this guy just makes those pieces seem so fresh
He schooled EVERYONE who ever arranged that prelude for guitar with that work. Definitely listening to it second by second and adding it to my repertoire. Every version I played so far while being beautiful, felt so dull after hearing this!
Definitely some of the cleanest playing I have heard in my 63 years. Now being a Brass player, there was something sticking out to me and I had to listen to it a second time to figure out what it was. It is the lack of string squeaks as the fingers slide to a new fret.
Rick, keep doing what you're doing! There are so many fantastic musicians out there who don't get the kind of attention and success that they want and deserve because of the factory machine of Big Music. They need a spokesperson and platform such as yours to really gain that loyal fanbase that drives a musician's career.
Alan is a master musician. And Stephen Aron is an absolute genius. I studied under Stephen for my masters. Truly a master teacher and musician.
Good job, Rick. This young artist deserves a huge audience.
Followed Alan on RUclips and already listened to some of his wonderful videos/ songs. Great talent
Speaking of relative unknowns, please do a video on the brilliant Kelly Joe Phelps, who just passed away at 62. He penned 11 albums, was such a soulful singer while playing the lap pedal steel guitar, as well as a monster flatpicker. Start with Roll Away the Stone.
I feel like any fan of Elliot Smith could definitely appreciate this music, beautiful stuff!
exactly my thoughts my friend!
Holy crap - you beat me to it. I heard the same thing.
I love Elliot Smith! ❤️
@@AlanMearns-YesTheRaven incredible work Alan! The classical arrangements as well are extremely inspiring