Playing them GI Blues

Billy TK jnr knows his guitar drill.

Taking a break to join the Army has done wonders for guitarist Billy TK jnr. But now he's back and bringing the blues to Mission Bay tonight.

Just like Ziggy, Billy TK jnr plays guitar. He plays it mighty fine.

He should do, since he comes from a fine pedigree. His dad, Billy TK snr, was in New Zealand band Human Instinct - a late 60s-early 70's band who were compared with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

But now, after a stint in the Army, Junior is honing his songwriting skills, his voice, and this year is set to release his debut album, Three Sides To a Mirror.

What did you get up to in the Army?

Everything from general weapons training, right from a semi-automatic rifle through to a grenade launcher.

Did you shoot them?

Yep, all except the rocket-propelled grenade. We'd train with live grenades and all that, though. It was full-on, like going out and doing things, like living underground in the middle of nowhere in winter, with the heavy packs and stuff ... it was pretty much an arse-kicking experience, let me tell you.

Why did you put music on hold and go into the Army?

With music, I think I'd burned myself out and I'd done so many gigs it wasn't funny. A whole bunch of personal things weren't working out for me when I was doing music so I thought, "stuff it". And joining the Army was something I'd always wanted to do and I was getting older so if I didn't do it now then I never would. I got fit as anything by going to the gym, running, and I walked into the Army office and said, "I want to join the New Zealand Army."

Does that sort of training add anything to the music?

I think so. It really showed me more about myself and gave me more of an appreciation about who I am as a person because when you haven't slept properly for three months out in the middle of nowhere, you're tired, and you're freezing, you really do start to see yourself for who you really are. There's no pretending, and people don't really care if you can play guitar in that environment - they're just worried about you pulling your weight, and what's the real you.

What did your dad teach you about guitar when you were younger?

People ask me that a lot because they think Dad sat me down and gave me six hours of lessons a day starting at 5am. But, really, he just taught me the principles that made him what he is. Stylistically we're quite different, but we have a lot of similarities. And the key things he taught me were soulfulness, playing from the heart, and being real. From there I took those principles and learned about taste, style and things like that.

LOWDOWN

WHO: Billy TK jnr

WHERE & WHEN: 2005 Montana Mission Bay Jazz and Blues Streetfest, today at Mission Bay, from 7pm until midnight.

ALSO: Playing with his father, Billy TK snr, at Sky City on February 25 and 26.

ALBUM: Three Sides To a Mirror (expected in May).

SINGLE: See Your Smile, out now.