This past weekend my best friend Matt brought this twelve-minute film of John Butler performing “Ocean” on an 11 string guitar to my attention – I’ve been addicted to it ever since. For those not familiar with John Butler – he’s the lead member of the John Butler Trio, an Australian rock ground that includes Byron Luiters (Bass) and Grant Gerathy (Drums & Percussion).
This film stars Butler performing a track that he has played out all over the world for the last twelve years. He displays the highest level of guitar mastery and will surely blow you away with hammer-ons, pull-offs, tempo changes and more. This re-recording was captured in ‘The Compound’, John Butler’s studio in his hometown of Fremantle Western Australia in February 2012.
Mind you, this video is roughly two years old with the better half of nine million views. There’s a chance that you’ve seen it at some point in time, however, if you haven’t you’re in for something very special.
“OCEAN is a very interesting aspect of my life. It is part of my DNA. It conveys all things I can’t put into words.
Life, loss, love, spirit. As I evolve so too does ‘Ocean’. The song was first recorded as part of my first album/cassette,
“Searching For Heritage”, which I sold when I busked, then for my first self-titled studio album 12 years ago — “John Butler (1998)”.The song has been watched online incredibly over 25 million times in various formats, nearly always live, be it from MusicMax Sessions or from one of the many festivals I have had the pleasure to play. I’d like to thank you for your continued support over all these years; it means so much to me. I would like to thank you by offering this first studio recording of ‘Ocean’ in over a decade as a free download.
I recorded it in my favourite studio, The Compound here in Fremantle Western Australia, a studio you helped me build.
This marks just another fleeting moment in a career that is very much ongoing.
I look forward to bringing you many new songs and albums into the future and continuing this amazing journey with youALL.
THANK YOU,
J.B (2012)”
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I love this song. It has so much emotion packed into it i cry almost every time i listen to it.