Aynsley Lister Talks 2024 Tour, Latest Album And More

Do you have any live dates in Europe/UK for 2024?

We’re just about to get busy, heading off to France next week and then Holland and Germany in May. We generally have a fairly steady start to the year and catch up with friends and family etc, then it tends to go bonkers from here on!

Who is in your touring band and what do they play?
Jono Martin on bass and backing vocals and Craig Bacon on drums. Best band I’ve ever had, we’re kind of just in tune with each other if that makes sense? Both on stage and off so being on the road with them is brilliant fun

Given you extensive discography, is it difficult picking a setlist? Do you have a specific selection process?
Hmm… we have a few staples in there that get requested most often and then we’ll have a bank of songs for each tour depending on what album we’re promoting or whatever. Even if it’s a new album though, we’ll never just play the whole thing as people want to hear their favourites and not just the new stuff. Before each tour we usually have a get together and work on the set that we’re gonna be doing. I try and make sure there’s a bit of everything in there so that it’s as varied as possible to give the most entertaining show.

Your latest album ‘Along For The Ride’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the record?
I actually had it written before the 2020 lockdowns and was about to go in and record it just as Covid hit. Up until then I had a 4 piece band with keyboards so it was sort of written with that in mind. I usually go into a studio and spend a few weeks recording and then it’s pretty much done. This was different in so many ways…. I just had to go in whenever I could amidst all the restrictions that were in place at the time. A few days here, a few days there before another lockdown came into force. It was weird…. social distancing and face masks and all that. I think from actually starting recording it to it being mixed was well over a year! It was definitely a relief to get it finished and I’m actually really happy with it, even if it was the most bizarre recording process ever. At one point the studio actually banned me from going back in because I’d flown to Germany to do a festival!!

Where did you record it and who produced it?
It was mostly recorded in Southampton at a studio called ‘The Ranch’ .. vocals were done in Nottingham at Superfly Studios and then the mixing and production was done by Scott McKeon (guitarist for Tom Jones etc). Scott’s got a great ear and it was fun working together

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
The studio in Southampton actually banned me from going back in because I’d flown to Germany to do a festival during one of the periods where the lockdowns were lifted! So I had to send someone there to retrieve the recordings we’d done so far and all the equipment!!

How do you look after your voice?
I warm up these days and stay hydrated, I also try and get as much sleep as I can although on tour that is never easy!

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals?
My Rift Amps signature guitar amp is the main part of my sound plus I have a few nice old vintage guitars. I’ve ended up collecting quite a few cool old guitars and so I try and rotate them to make sure they all get used! Current favourites are a 1970 Fender Stratocaster and a 1961 Silvertone Jupiter.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
I think primarily I want to know that the audience have had the best night out!! When I perform I give it everything and when I leave the stage I want to just feel like the music we have performed has moved people. It’s not about flashy pyrotechnics for me, it’s about connecting with people through the music.

Was it a difficult album to write?
Not really, I tend to write when I feel the urge or I have some inspiration so it’s a pretty natural process for me. I generally write from experience or life in general so there’s always little triggers about that could be the start of a song or something.

I really like the album cover artwork on ‘Along For The Ride’. Who designed it?
My wife and business partner Steph does all the design concepts and packaging and it was her vision totally. We know a great artist called Anthony Greentree and he did the paintings and drawings based on Steph’s design brief.

What makes Aynsley Lister happy and what makes you unhappy?
Things that make me happy – Being on stage, guitars, both playing them and taking them apart etc, playing with sounds and tones. Spending time with family, fitness, cycling and being productive
Things I don’t like – Having to keep up with social media, having unproductive days.