“We need blues music! We need county music! We need Jazz music! We need Soul music! We can communicate through the above… It’s a sense of the inner being excited of something beyond what we can explain.”

Mark Feltham: Harmonica Gentleman

Mark Feltham is an English professional musician, best known for playing harmonica with several artists including Talk Talk, Oasis, The The and Texas. Feltham is a long-term member of the British blues rock band Nine Below Zero and Rory Gallagher's band; and is often used as a session musician across the globe. Mark says: “The harmonica has always been with me since I was a six year old… My grandfather was an engineer in Iraq and brought the harmonicas home from the ship as air transport was in its infancy then and everyone would spend long journeys at sea so to kill time they would take a harmonica to kill the boredom of a long journey.”

(Mark Feltham / Photo by Cristina Arrigoni)

Although Feltham grew up in the UK his musical interests were decidedly American. Intent on a career in country music, he took up the harmonica, becoming highly proficient on the instrument. Founder and co-leader of Nine Below Zero, he became well known on the European blues circuit. Mark says: “Listen for space! Don’t play over every one else and it’s often what you don’t play that matters. Silence is more powerful than noise.“ He plays harmonica in many genres, especially blues, rock, country and pop.

Interview by Michael Limnios    Special Thanks: Mark Feltham & Joe Pidgeon (AGMP)

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?

Music to me has not changed the way I see the world, I come from a family of the 50s and 60s and the home was always filled with music, Elvis, country music, BB King was always on the radio and record player.

The moment that changed my life was when I discovered the Nashville session musician scene, you have to remember, we had no internet in those days so all my American music had to be imported.

What touched you from the sound of harmonic? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

The harmonica has always been with me since I was a six year old… My grandfather was an engineer in Iraq and brought the harmonicas home from the ship as air transport was in its infancy then and everyone would spend long journeys at sea so to kill time they would take a harmonica to kill the boredom of a long journey.

You have stated that “space and silence have more power than noise.” How does a musician manage to tame their ego and play only what the track actually needs?

By realising the song is a picture,  someone else’s picture quite often, you are hired to help bring the picture to life in addition to all the other musicians to do the same..

Who were the first harmonica players you ever heard that made you say, "this is what I want to do with my life"? How has your gear (harmonicas, microphones, amplifiers) changed over the years in order to achieve your personal sound?

My first influences were probably Charlie McCoy and Snooky Prior and Sonny Terry. I listened to country music in my teens which was quite unusual at the time.

My equipment is more or less the same with added tweaks here and there.

“I live in the past. I like players playing proper instruments. All the great riffs have already been played.” (Mark Feltham although Feltham grew up in the UK his musical interests were decidedly American. Intent on a career in country music, he took up the harmonica, becoming highly proficient on the instrument. / Photo by Cristina Arrigoni)

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals and pubs around the Europe. How do you navigate between these different worlds and local audiences?

An audience is an audience… I like the intimacy of acoustic work in a small club setting, and of course the studio where I feel more at home.

The harmonica is one of the few instruments that feels like a direct extension of the human breath and voice. How deeply connected do you feel to the instrument when you are performing, and does it ever feel like you are speaking through it?

I do indeed, absolutely..

How did the blues shape rock/rock and roll? What was the best advice about the music anyone ever gave you? 

Best advice, I heard was keep out of the way of the vocal as a sideman as it’s all about the song and not the sideman’s ego.

You started out with Nine Below Zero during the peak of the pub rock scene. How did your approach to music change when you transitioned from the stability of a band to the role of a highly sought-after session musician?

I’d always wanted to be a session musician, anyway as it’s more of a challenge than a long term band situation.

What was the dynamic like on stage with Rory Gallagher? How easy or difficult was it for a harmonica player to musically "converse" with such a dominant guitar?

Rory was wonderful boss and I had a fantastic understanding of where his head was from the first day… we both liked exactly the same artists and I think it came from there.

“Best advice, I heard was keep out of the way of the vocal as a sideman as it’s all about the song and not the sideman’s ego.” (Photos: Mark Feltham with Dennis Greaves and Rory Gallagher. Feltham is a long-term member of the British blues rock band Nine Below Zero and Rory Gallagher's band)

We notice that the blues is constantly evolving auditorily and blending with new genres, without ever losing its traditional identity. What drives this balance, and what do you think the next step in its evolution will be?

If anything I hope there is no evolution… And people re-discover it and treasure it for what it is and leave it in its purest form.

Why do you think that Nine Below Zero music continues to generate such a devoted following?

Nine Below Zero has always made records and not just lived off of the Live at the Marquee record, I think it’s a band that continues to not rest in the past.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Listen for space! Don’t play over every one else and it’s often what you don’t play that matters. Silence is more powerful than noise.

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

Talk Talk in the studio. Steven Wilson in the studio. The The in the studio. Texas I’m the Studio. The Robbie Mc’intosh band in the studio. Oasis at Knebworth and the Royal festival Hall unplugged. Rory Gallagher in Yugoslavia and in the studio. Nine Below Zero on the two nights making live at the Marquee.

What were the reasons that made the UK -since 60s- to be the center of Blues/Rock researches and experiments?

That’s a difficult one to answer… We did it great in the 60s… The Scandinavians do it great now.

“The moment that changed my life was when I discovered the Nashville session musician scene, you have to remember, we had no internet in those days so all my American music had to be imported.” (Photo: Mark Feltham)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I live in the past. I like players playing proper instruments. All the great riffs have already been played..

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music in today’s society?

We need blues music! We need county music! We need Jazz music! We need Soul music! We can communicate through the above… It’s a sense of the inner being excited of something beyond what we can explain.

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