Hello! I'm Barrie (of the V) also known as Barrie Jones (makes no odds to me..)
I write make and play melodies. music. Songs

and play with words, lyrics, visuals.. images..

I also play a charming, enjoyable and stirring set of 'covers' (see influences below) along with unique original material, which, I'm told, stands up rather well, - even in such illustrious company, and all nicely spliced with cheery banter, ready wit, and the odd dollop of perspicacious social commentary.. all for a very reasonable fee! Nice smells too at no extra charge!

Reviews:

Barrie V on Listen.com;

"Tripped-out sub-Stooge rock, instrumental electronica, and synth-laden Pop Metal from this U.K.-based stylistic schizoid.
Psychedelia seems to be the one unifying element in these songs, but whatever genre is being explored, Barrie V attacks his work with innovation, fervour and creativity to produce futuristic sonic gems!"

- Mike M reviewing CyberKarma, Don't Think & Two Worlds '


Excerpt from review on Web Music Now:


"Under Big skies and in cosy corners with Barrie V..

Barrie V belongs in the tradition of the musical giants from a Golden age, -
the late 60's and early 70's, paying his respects to late period Beatles,
Led Zeppelin, Queen, Ronson era Bowie, and The Kinks.
Like them, he composes without constraint or compromise, -
his songs come from the heart and soul, - bowing neither to trend nor fashion
on their journey. You can't pigeonhole him or his songs, and like the ouvre
of aforementioned greats, this is pretty timeless stuff..


He writes 'out of the box'.. crossing and mixing genres with flair.. -
as Barrie says; 'I don't really have a choice, as such, - the songs come to me,
and they 'be what they want', they're like aetheric spirits.. children almost..
it's my job to nurture them.. I think McCartney put it well, We're like arials'..
His multi-faceted, inter-dimensional works tell you your own story - and help you feel it too - they stay with you, as stories, as moments in time, - emotional crystallisations of being human, and at the same time, there is something transcendental about them.


There are songwriters who can pull heart strings with sad songs of pain and lost love, Barrie V happens to be one of the very few who can also do this with uplifting,
inspirational songs that still manage to move something deep inside you.
He doesn't shrink from Lennon-esque socio-political commentary either,
but when he waves a flag, you feel his sincerity, he's feeling this, he's living it.


His innate ability with counterpoint is breathtaking, there's always
something else to discover, there are songs like 'Summer of Love',
simply dripping with melodies, woven seamlessly, rhythmically, into musical journeys, symphonies almost, that would make an albums' worth of material for many current artists. Yet from the same mind, 'I know what it's like', with it's sparse insistence,
has the same beguiling simplicity as The Police's 'walking on the moon'..


Just as Barrie V composes big sky soundscapes, he can also call you in to a cosy corner, singing to you intimately about things you feel he's sharing with you alone..
and while singing the 'big skies' with a voice that demands you listen, with the next breath, in the cosy corner, he whispers the secret you knew all along,
but wanted someone else to tell you..

Is Barrie V, one of the the great undiscovered songwriters of the Golden Age?,
I hope so, because then I can claim to have discovered him!


- Lance Weiss reviewing 'Barrie V' by Barrie V



From my (Musical) C.V. ;

I collaborated and played on (and get this) the World’s first 'Tri-Continental multi-cast', (!) Broadcast live simultaneously over three continents, via the Internet, Radio and TV for the BBC's Tomorrow's World TV programme.
I arranged, produced, and played on the World's first non-stop two hour live acoustic radio session - one of the last live shows at what was the BBC's iconic Pebble Mill for BBC Radio's Ben Turner.. along with the munificent seven; of the Jamplant family.. Quote; ' This hasn't been done before - Two hours of live acoustic music - As it happens - On Air - Nothing pre-recorded (well we say this has never been done before… Radio Afghanistan do it all the time… incessantly in fact… we checked… but it's a first for Western Snivilisation) Yes that's two hours - Live!

I've also played numerous other live sessions for BBC Radio, including BBC Radio, BBC WM, BBC Radio Yorkshire, Radio WCR.. played live concerts at the the Sheep festival, Pembroke festival. Wolverhampton Civic and Wulfrun halls.. and between 2002 and 2006 alone, played 500+ pub and club gigs, organised, promoted, set up ran and played several one day festivals each year..



Music
is an echo of the word
the Eternal and infinite Beginning
the Breath of the Universe
send the Vibration back
with Love



Influences:

The Beatles, Queen, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, Bowie & Ronson, the Kinks, Bjork, the Rolling Stones, the Police, Kate Bush, Thomas Dolby, White Noise, Nusrat Fateh Ali khan, Japan, David Sylvian, Imogen Heap, Can, A Tribe Called Quest, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, T.Rex, Alice Cooper, Nick Drake, Donovan, Cat Stevens, Prokofiev, Deodato, Lalo Schifrin, Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, Douglas Adams, Leonardo da Vinci, William Blake, Vincent van Gogh, Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali..

Anything and everything - especially if it's done with LOVE!
I'm eclectic I suppose.. aren't we all?



As I Was Falling came to me during a dark period in my life, and lifted me;

As I Was Falling,
Music came to me last night,
It told me everything will be alright,
It sang a tune that turned into and out of me and You,
All winding, softly lively pure and true

- just for interests sake.. Summer of Love and As I was Falling were recorded
and mixed on a coal-fired 1998 600mhz pc with 128 ram (!)
Yes, really. You could see the steam blasting out the sides during the latter stages..

I used an old copy of the great Cooledit, a Yamaha SY85 keyboard, a cheap condenser, an acoustic guitar, persistence and a fair old dollop of Love




Out of Darkness Cometh Light