Kaspar ‘Berry’ Rapkin – The Notion: Video Premiere

By At The Barrier on 29th February 2024 • ( 1 Comment )

We join Cerys Matthews in a premiere of The Notion – here’s the video from the new single from Kaspar Rapkin.

Cerys Matthews had the audio world premiere last week. We now have the video premiere of the latest single from British roots rocker, Kaspar ‘Berry’ Rapkin. Produced by Jack Trouble at Spiritual Records in Camden, mixed and
mastered by Wayne Proctor. It was premiered by Cerys Matthews on her BBC Radio 2 Blues Show and is on general release on 1st March 2024

The Notion is a startling and mesmerising blaze of slide guitar and impassioned vocals – a slow blues for the 2020s, with nods back to influences such as Duane Allman, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and a young George Thorogood. At the same time, it stakes a claim in the vanguard of new blues players such as Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram.

A blazing guitarist and throat-ripping singer, Kaspar has collaborated with The Curse Of KK Hammond, in particular as the hooded and masked High Priest in the video for KK’s cover of Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box, where he provides the wild Mulecaster guitar solo…

Kaspar has been obsessed with the blues and vintage music since he was 12, half a lifetime ago. He has been described as a 100-year-old soul in the body of a 24-year-old as he continues to amaze fans with a raw sound he creates.

He was born in London and moved to Hertfordshire when he was 9. A family friend gave him his first guitar on the condition he’d learn how to play it. At 12 he discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Pride And Joy on Guitar Hero and quickly realised this was the blues which opened up a path of education and revelation.

He travelled to New Orleans to celebrate turning 18, performing in B.B. Kings Blues Club and was discovered by producer Harold Marcho music producer. Harold invited Kaspar back to the States to record his first single Sailing.

He mostly performs in a three piece set up, Kaspar & The Swamp Dogs. The band (usually) consists of Ian Davidson on bass or cello and Mia Casey on drums or washboard! Ian and Mia also “hold down the bottom end and smash the crap out of the kit” on The Notion. Kaspar also plays as a duo with Ian Davidson on cello, or as a solo performer with his trusty Resonator.