Martin Ellins will remain the single most important guitar hero to me. His roots are in blues which was what inspired him to play guitar and is currently playing with a band called Roxi & the Blue Cats. Martin Ellins has gigged all over London including Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, Amsterday. He attended the London College of Music studying Classical guitar and composition.
Why is he my guitar hero? He was my guitar teacher for 6 years, from 11 to 16 years of age. Martin Ellins also tours London school giving "masterclasses". I remember when he had long hair and a Ibanez, them short hair, a gote and a Epiphone Sheraton, now he's bald with a Fender Strat. He must have tutored countless students and all must have as much of a fond memory of him as me.
Today I met Martin Ellins again after 8 years of leaving the school which he taught me at, and I never thought that I would feel so much respect for someone as I did today. The memories of him teaching me Eugenes Trick bag with a metrodome on the schools Encore Strat copies and Squiers.. I had the feeling of meeting my guitar master like Frank Zappa is to Steve Vai.
This is my tribute to him, and for all you guitar players that know him, and hope that anyone that suddenly has the urge to look him up may find this post and remember their own memories of being taught by him.
=) he taught me too! amazing guy! used to help me with my songwriting as a young teenager too
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