Tim West

I'll probably be remembered mostly for my work setting our understanding of what music is and how it works on a firm, clear simple basis at last. Crazy as it sounds, it's only with the discovery of the Harmonic Principle that we can start to see what's really going on. Music theory (including all the old school approach) is now far simpler than before to assimilate and the understanding is on a much deeper level. I've played keyboards (Maxi Jazz, Medicine Head, Johnny Borrell, Akasha, BBC) at the top end of the industry for a fair while but it's guitar that is my deep love. I'm a singer/songwriter and composer of music in most styles from renaissance to punk, from experimental music to children's music. I've taught piano, guitar, drums, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, theory, composition and recording techniques for decades. It was through teaching that I stumbled on the tower of 5ths and hence the Harmonic Principle that forms the basis of the notions of concord, harmony, melody and harmonic progression. I'm passionate about checking out all ways of viewing the world and the nature of reality. From the hard core sciences to more esoteric models, all have their part to play. There's one objective reality 'out there' ('in here') and the more angles on it that can be assimilated together the better - not to build a 'more accurate' model but to undermine the notion that any model can capture reality at all. On Sunday I play a full church organ at Hickey's arms houses. I have no beliefs. A map is ok, but why confuse it with reality?