PAUL SAYS...

Although the blues is a simple art form, it was really helpful for me as a beginner to play a part with more space, allowing more time to change chord shapes. In terms of rhythm I feel confident, but

I still have difficulty, as all beginners do, with smooth transitions on the fretting hand. This will of course improve with time and more practice. It was interesting to think of Prince’s Kiss as being based on a 12-bar blues. I’ve heard that song a million times and never made that connection. However, I was lucky enough to see Prince perform live on many occasions, and often he would play a blues jam – brilliantly. I was also lucky to see Stevie Ray Vaughan play in London in the mid-80s. That gig was cut short when SRV collapsed and was carried off stage, but at his peak he really was untouchable.