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Please
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or
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The downloads
on this page are also available on the Sounds
page.
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To listen
to the songs, first copy them to your hard drive by Right Clicking the
link and "Save Target As".
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From the
album "My World"
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From the
album "Freethinka"
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| Recorded and produced in his home studio, Simon's debut album 'My World' boasts sixteen superbly crafted tracks. The album includes all of Simon's entries in the 'Guitarist of the Year' competitions, as well as a great variety of original tunes. We could go on and on about this stunning debut album but the job's been done for us by a few of the industry giants. Read the reviews below: |  |
| Review of 'My World' From
UKRockNet.com: A 16 track CD album of self penned original works by master guitarist Simon Lees, winner of Guitarist Magazines ‘Guitarist of the Year’ competition in 1998. Simon has also been a finalist in the event on several other occasions. Take a pinch of the robotic precision of Wingy Wangy Malmsteen (sorry Vingy!), add a helping of the virtuosity of Joe Satriani and garnish with a little of the off the wall mayhem of Steve Vai and you will get some idea of the dish Simon is serving up. But this is not a work of musical masturbation as often practised by many solo guitarists (the aforementioned guitar gods please take note!) and rarely strays into the ‘OK, let’s see just how many notes I can fit in here then’ trap. The songs are carefully and intelligently structured as complete offerings and not just made to be vehicles for lead solos. Simon also has a voice that many vocalists would kill for and he uses this to great effect throughout the album. ‘My World’ starts gently, which surprised and slightly disappointed me as having caught Simons’ live act on a couple of occasions I was expecting some serious heavy rock right from the outset. As I continued to listen the album began to build in power and intensity, becoming heavier with each track which was, I thought, a very good touch, although I felt the power could have been poured on a little sooner. Tracks worthy of special note are ‘Hunted’, a catchy soft rock tune with a great upbeat feel. ‘Playing Truant’, a fabulous instrumental with more widdly diddly bits than you could shake a stick at. ‘Watch the Sea’, a Whitesnake type rock anthem, and also ‘Tribute’, a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. My overall favourite though was the high velocity rocker ‘I’ll Give You Anything’ What’s that noise Simon? |
| Review of 'My World' From
Jon Pomplin of Cellar Records: "Simon Lees is a very gifted and talented composer and musician. His new release entitled "My World" contains 16 songs that take the listener on a wondrous journey though textures and feelings that all of us have, but sometimes rarely experience. From the hook driven "Hunted" to the fast paced instrumental "Playing Truant" each composition has a life all it's own. It is no wonder that he was voted Guitarist of the Year in 1998. I can't wait to hear what new worlds Simon will take us too in the future." |
| Review of 'My World' From
GuitarSite.com: Simon Lees, debut CD "My World" is a mind spinning aural grenade. Simon packs more riffs, hooks and pure adrenaline pumping guitar work into a CD than should be legal. Sounds like hype you say? Well, Simon won "GUITARIST OF THE YEAR" by Guitarist Magazine in 1998 and that's no easy feat. Check him out, download his samples and pick up his CD |
| If you are interested in buying a copy please see purchasing info |
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| Simon's
brand new album. This album picks up where My World left off. There are no punches pulled, no politically correct guitar solos and no forays into the world of commercial pop drivel. Included in the 17 tracks are a thirteen minute guitar instrumental, a killer de-tuned monster riff, a 12 string picker, a sprinkling of 80's inspired rock anthems and some of the weirdest guitar sounds ever recorded. Throughout the 16 self-penned songs and instrumentals, Simon doffs his cap to bands & artists like Kiss, Dream Theater, Metallica, Ultravox, Ozzy Osboune, David Lee Roth, Bon Jovi, Steve Vai, Foo Fighters, Megadeth, Joe Satriani and many more. There is also a track by the American artist Nelson Trout which Simon has managed to mould into his own style. |
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| With no record label telling
him what to play, Simon does exactly what he wants which is what being a
Freethinka is all about! Think Freely! |
| Review of 'FREETHINKA' From
Ytsejam.com: Think of a more guitar-driven Saga with their sights set on big, big arenas and their hearts set on writing that big rock anthem that would get everyone out of their seats forever and a day and you might begin to understand Simon Lees. Not that it’s exceedingly difficult: You feel his guitar lines as your heart begins to quicken, your pulse begins to race and your ears tingle with musical ecstasy. Still, there are times throughout Freethinka where you wonder what it is, exactly, that’s going through Lees’ mind: The kind of high-energy, high-sheen rock he plays so well went out of fashion round about the time that Bart Simpson first crawled into TV land to steal our hearts and minds and there are glimpses here and there on the disc that suggest Lees could do just about anything he wanted to––nu metal, jazz, fusion––but has instead chosen what some might deem a “backwater” style of music. It would be easy to take him to task for this, of course, if he didn’t do it so well and maybe that’s what Freethinka is about––the ability to know not only what’s fashionable but to know what’s right and to go with the latter instead. For that alone he should be commended, but tracks such as “Angry Dolphins” (which features some seriously twisted Eastern-influenced lines), “Nothing Left,” and “Burning Sky” suggest that Lees is about more than mere eclecticism, something that not all his guitar-slinging peers can claim. And while some of the material on the latter half of the album (“All My Dreams Are Coming Blue,” which could have a future as a country hit, despite the rock arrangement here) edge a little too close to commercialism for this listener’s taste, the bulk of the album proves as satisfying as a warm, color-soaked autumn day or a hot summer night spent in the company of an even hotter companion. |
| For Free Downloads and other merchandise information please click here |
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| As
a professional guitar teacher since 1995 Simon has managed to break down
his own playing method in such a way that it can be written down. This book
will be of most benefit to the guitarist who has already learned the basic
pentatonic scales and wishes to make use of the full Major and Minor scales
& modes. Signpost to the Fretboard shows you how to play them and gives examples of phrases using each type of scale. Simon's method begins by using musical terms which have been around for centuries before creating his own terms which form the basis of this revolutionary new book. As with any tutorial, "Signpost to the Fretboard" needs to be read carefully from the beginning and with your guitar in your hands! The mysteries of the fretboard will then unfold before your very eyes! |
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| COST: £12 including p&p If you are interested in buying a copy see purchasing info |
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Simon's latest
album 'Freethinka' can now be purchased from the online
shop maintained by Fivetrees.
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Simon's debut
album 'My World' and 'Signpost to the Fretboard' guitar
tuition DVD can be purchased directly from Simon.
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CONTACT
SIMON DIRECTLY FOR ALL OTHER PURCHASE ENQUIRIES:
PHONE 01902 570505 (INTERNATIONAL +441902 570505) |
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Of course,
if you go and see Simon's one-man-show he usually has CDs with him that
you can purchase during the interval or at the end of the night. CDs are
currently just £10 when bought from a gig!. So save money and have
a great night out. Check for a gig in your area HERE
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This tape, entitled 'When Will I Learn' is from 1991. On it you will find the original version of "Out on the Air" from the latest album "Freethinka" along with seven other tracks including a cover of Anthrax's "Madhouse". | |||||||
| This tape entitled 'A Faint Heart' is from 1997. It was basically a Pre-Production demo for many of the songs on "My World" which was released 18 months later. |
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THIS
VIDEO CONTAINS: Central News feature on Simon's entry into the Guitarist Of The Year final Simon performing live at the Oakengates Theatre The Guitarist Of The Year final |
| This is the Guitarist of the Year CD from 1994 featuring tracks from the contestants. As you can see, Simon is on here with an instrumental that went onto his debut album. The track is called 'Playing Truant' and you'll find it on the 'My World' album. |   |
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