Nigel Pulsford
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Nigel Pulsford (born 11 April 1961) is a British musician, and the original guitarist of the
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Bush Bush commonly refers to: * Shrub, a small or medium woody plant Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to: People * Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name **Bush family, a prominent American family that includes: *** ...
.


Early life

Pulsford was born in 1961 in Newport,
Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
, and grew up with two sisters, Angela and Jan. (Angela would later play violin on certain Bush songs, as well as on one of
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
's albums.) Pulsford attended
Fairfax Academy Fairfax Academy (formerly Fairfax School) is a secondary school with academy status in the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, in north Birmingham. The school was established in 1959. The school has a sixth-form, with a new sixth-form centre whic ...
in Sutton Coldfield and the
University of Bradford The University of Bradford is a Public university, public research university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. A plate glass university, it received its royal charter in 1966, making it the 40th university to be creat ...
in
Bradford, West Yorkshire Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 c ...
before dropping out with the intent of playing in a rock band.


Music career


Pre-Bush (1979–1992)

In 1979, aged 18, Pulsford was involved in various bands with friend Neil Crossley. Performing in pubs and bars in Lancaster, the groups played
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
,
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
, and what Pulsford termed "fake
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
". In the 1980s, Pulsford joined a female-fronted
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
band called Taming The Outback. Influenced by
James White and the Blacks James Chance, also known as James White (born James Siegfried, April 20, 1953), is an American saxophonist, keyboard player, and singer. A key figure in no wave, Chance has been playing a combination of improvisational jazz-like music and pun ...
, Pulsford didn't enjoy his tenure in the band, but remained a member for over a year because of a relationship with the group's manager. Puslford took a year of from music in the mid-1980s, which he stated in 1999 was due to being "fed up with being in crap bands". In 1987, Pulsford formed a group called The Charms, who performed a single concert in
High Wycombe High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, south-southeast of Ayl ...
supporting Thee Hypnotics. Shortly thereafter, Pulsford joined the band King Blank, who released two studio albums, ''The Real Dirt'' (1988) and ''King Blank to the Ian Lowery Group'' (1989). After a 1990 promotional tour of the United States, inclusive of a performance at
CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kri ...
, New York, King Blank had dissolved by 1991.


Bush (1992–2002)

In 1992, Pulsford met
Gavin Rossdale Gavin McGregor Rossdale (born 30 October 1965) is an English guitarist and actor, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Bush. He helped form Bush in 1992; on the band's separation in 2002, he became the lead singer ...
in a London club and they discovered a mutual appreciation for several musical groups and artists. They formed a band called Future Primitive and were joined by bassist Dave Parsons and drummer Robin Goodridge and managed by Joe Oliver. Shortly thereafter the band was renamed Bush. Pulsford was the band's lead guitarist. Bush released their debut album, ''
Sixteen Stone ''Sixteen Stone'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Bush, released on 6 December 1994 by Trauma and Interscope Records. It became the band's most popular album, peaking at number four on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and boasting numero ...
'', in 1994. The album went six times platinum, riding the strength of the
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
movement and such hit singles as " Comedown," "
Glycerine Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...
," " Machinehead," " Little Things," and " Everything Zen." They achieved further success with three more albums and hit singles such as "
Swallowed Swallowing, sometimes called deglutition in scientific contexts, is the process in the human or animal body that allows for a substance to pass from the mouth, to the pharynx, and into the esophagus, while shutting the epiglottis. Swallowing ...
," " Greedy Fly," " The Chemicals Between Us," "Letting the Cables Sleep," and "The People That We Love." Pulsford released a solo album in 1999 entitled ''Heavenly Toast on the Paradise Road''. All material on the album was written by Pulsford. In 2002, after the release of the album '' Golden State'', Pulsford took a break from touring with the band while his wife was pregnant. He was replaced by Chris Traynor temporarily and his future in the band became the subject of much speculation among fans. Rossdale later confirmed that he intended to make the next Bush album with Traynor and said that Pulsford had quit the band. Despite Rossdale affirming that he wanted to continue Bush with Traynor, the band went on an indefinite hiatus following the end of the "Golden State" tour. Rossdale later formed
Institute An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes can ...
with Traynor. Backtracking on his previous assertion that Bush could continue without Pulsford, Rossdale stated that he started a new band because he didn't want to dilute everything Bush had accomplished by changing members.


After Bush

Since the breakup of Bush, Pulsford has spent time with his family. However, he has remained musically active recording in his home studio and producing other artists' work. In 2008 he was working with British alternative rock group Furlined as a producer and occasional guitarist. Pulsford also worked with singer Emma Holland on her second album, and in 2012 produced the debut album by London singer/songwriter Dave Giles, entitled "Love, Life, Loss And Tea", released on 28 October 2012. In addition to working with other artists, Pulsford has expressed his intent to release another solo album.


Bush Reformation

In June 2010 Bush's return was announced and Chris Traynor, who had played with Gavin Rossdale since Bush ended, was installed as the band's new lead guitarist. Pulsford was joined by bassist
Dave Parsons David Guy Parsons (born 1964) is a British rock musician who is best known as the original bassist for English grunge band Bush. Life and career Before joining the grunge band Bush, was a member of punk band The Partisans, and alternative r ...
in turning down the opportunity to rejoin the band.


Personal life

Nigel Pulsford married his wife Judith Rose on 20 July 1996. He has three children. They currently live in Bath, UK.


Discography


Solo

* ''Heavenly Toast on the Paradise Road'' (1999)


With King Blank

* ''The Real Dirt'' (1988) * ''King Blank to the Ian Lowery Group'' (1989)


With Bush

* ''
Sixteen Stone ''Sixteen Stone'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Bush, released on 6 December 1994 by Trauma and Interscope Records. It became the band's most popular album, peaking at number four on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and boasting numero ...
'' (1994) * ''
Razorblade Suitcase ''Razorblade Suitcase'' is the second studio album by English rock band Bush, released on 19 November 1996 by Trauma and Interscope Records. The follow-up to their 1994 debut ''Sixteen Stone'', it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with ...
'' (1996) * ''
The Science of Things ''The Science of Things'' is the third studio album by British band Bush, released on 26 October 1999, through Trauma Records. It is the last Bush album released through Trauma and features many electronic music influences. The album peaked at n ...
'' (1999) * '' Golden State'' (2001)


References


External links


Bush Fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pulsford, Nigel 1961 births British rock guitarists British male guitarists Bush (British band) members Living people People from Newport, Wales