Selection of Original Songs
Simon has written approximately 50 songs. Many of the older songs were piano-based with most newer ones being guitar based.
Simon uses two foot-operated percussion instruments in most songs he performs. His favoured one, the Laser Stomp pedal, is manufactured by Drumport. This infra-red device detects foot movement to drive a selection of sounds and/or basic beats. It’s ideal for an acoustic performer as it compliments the style so well without dominating.
The other device is a Beat Buddy. This is useful for songs which have a heavier drum bias, or a fast regular beat. The Beat Buddy is a programmable drum machine which has to be played by the feet. It is interactive - the performer decides which beat, drum fill and transition is played by operating the Beat Buddy with the feet during the song - it’s certainly nothing like a backing track!
The tracks here are some of Simon’s most recent works. Simon regularly performs these songs at gigs, and this is essentially how they sound.
Selection of Upbeat Covers
Simon has a repertoire of over 150 memorised songs from the last six decades. His repertoire is continually increasing, with new songs from the last 20 years being added to the set of memorised material.
Using a prompt (tablet of mobile phone) for lyrics often causes debate amongst performers. Even the best artists use prompts, and using them can broaden the repertoire and facilitate song requests. Though he has no issue with their use, Simon’s personal preference is not to use one as for him this choice gives the best audience engagement.
The songs here are from Simon’s current set. Naïve (The Kooks) was released in 2006; Don’t Let the Devil Take Away Another Day (Stereophonics) was released in 2019.
Selection of Relaxed Covers
When performing in a relaxed setting, Simon drops almost all percussion out of the performance, save for an occasional tambourine or shaker as appropriate.
Simon has a broad selection of covers and original songs perfect for relaxed venues. He will add some finger-picked songs to the usual strummed set, along with delicate vocal harmony.
The medley of relaxed covers are snips of a small selection of chilled covers suited to café-style performances.