Once in a blue moon, an album appears whose quality and beauty places it in that very special category of all-time greats. In 1997 I discovered Jeff Buckley’s GRACE which, in common with many great albums, sold in only moderate quantities on initial release in 1994. I should explain that my love for music had diminished over a period of many years for reasons I cannot explain (except that it was rather like playing cricket when I went from playing every weekend to not playing at all after I became a father). My interest returned after I read a wonderful summary of What Hi Fi’s top 50 albums of all time (which I had bought to help my son buy his first audio system). I decided I would invest in some decent audio equipment myself and would acquire What Hi Fi’s top 50 albums to ‘get the ball rolling’ again (the positive power of the media…..). And so, I came to meet Jeff Buckley and GRACE, and established a standard by which I subsequently reviewed and assessed the music of others. Within weeks I came across Phil Campbell’s song Hope, Faith & You via a Q magazine compilation CD of the best new talent. I was blown away by this beautiful and moving song, and finally acquired Campbell’s debut album, FRESH NEW LIFE, at the bargain price of £2.99 at MVC. I was shocked that such a great and new album was being sold off at this quite ridiculous price. I just couldn’t understand it but was delighted that I was able to acquire such great quality for so little. I then acquired a Phil Campbell EP from HMV and then came across further copies selling for 60p at a car boot in Bingley, Yorkshire. I bought every copy.

Almost two years year later when my involvement in music had reached a professional journalistic level, I went back to FRESH NEW LIFE when looking to write about some albums I personally regarded as recent classics. I tried to find Campbell but he had disappeared. I tried everything including contacting his record label EMI and placing a request for information on our web site. Nothing! In each subsequent year I have spent some time in searching for him and suddenly I struck gold. I put in a search into Google and there he was under the guise of a band called White Buffalo. My search had lasted several years and I was elated and, I admit, quite overcome…… You see, FRESH NEW LIFE had come along at a very emotional and difficult stage in my life, and it therefore had an extra-special meaning for me. After several more months had passed I finally secured the interview and story that I had spent years seeking. It is an open, inspiring and moving account of a young and highly talented young man and musician. It is also highly relevant to aspiring musicians and the industry that purports to support and promote them.