A lot of people play music for a while then give it away when the demands of the 'real world” intrude.

And there's nothing wrong with that. To embrace music in the long-term requires more than just being able to play. Like any long-term relationship it demands an elusive combination of single-mindedness and flexibility, as well as a serious lashing of dedication.

Because of that it always feels good to be writing about someone who has stuck with it in musical terms, who clings to that unpredictably obsessive need to create, someone who is prepared to spend the hours – indeed the years - it takes to hone their craft, or their art, depending on how you view such metaphysical distinctions.

I first wrote about Sean Bodley in 1999, reviewing his self-titled debut album. ‘Impressive first CD by Tauranga guitar man' said the headline and, digging out that early CD with its still-striking silver design, it remains true today. Now Sean has produced another all-instrumental rock guitar album, Balance, and it's remarkable stuff, showcasing both his astonishing guitar chops and also how far his skills as an arranger and writer have progressed. For aspiring guitarists out there Balance is a masterclass in both playing and the creative possibilities of a home studio.

But first, a bit of history – let's catch up with Sean.

As a 17-year-old his passion for guitar was sparked by a year-long course at what was then Tauranga's Australasian College of the Arts where he studied under local virtuoso Terry Varhalamas (last seen, I think, in London several years back). That led to playing in bands and in fairly quick order to that impressive debut album.

The past few years have seen Sean continuing on this lifetime musical quest while playing in covers bands around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. There was Budokan, with Gavin Northcroft on bass and drummer Tom Roach, which after a shuffle of members and a move towards heavier covers comprised Sean, Tom, bass player Ian Clark, and singer Damien Cooper. He also has a ‘main' covers band, Undertow, with Ian, guitarist Mark Wright and drummer Nick Ririnui and a second covers trio called El Scorcho with Mark and Nick. Confused yet?

Weekly jam sessions

And, if that's not enough, Sean plays in a two-piece acoustic duo with Mark and hosts the weekly Jam Night at Krazy Jacks on Thursday nights. He also teaches guitar from his home studio during the week and is the itinerant guitar teacher at both Aquinas College and Katitkati College as well as writing a monthly guitar column and reviews for on-line guitar website Six-String Samurai. As I've mentioned before in this column, a musician's road is not an easy one – be prepared to work!

Reinforcing how highly-respected Sean is, he spent a lot of 2012 designing a guitar with luthier Ernie Taylor and his company ET Guitars in Australia. They are currently working on a signature model of sorts, due out later this year. Sean will be travelling to Sydney at the end of the year to oversee the operation and discuss future guitar builds. Very cool.

The new album, Balance, is going well, more than 100 CDs sold already, with the official release on iTunes, Amazon and other on-line platforms on April 1. The first single, ‘Catalonia', is out now and can be heard on Soundcloud, YouTube also locally on Kiss-FM. The second single ‘One In The Chamber' will be released this Saturday.

Original work

This is a deliberate push by Sean to put his original work front and centre: last year he played on Leilani's debut album (produced at Welcome Bay's Colourfield Studio by Tim Julian), and he's currently recording tracks on Tim's solo album, Southern Utopia, due out later this year. Things with his own originals will be also amping up, with plans to release his 2011 album Acoustic Soundscapes on CD within the next 12 months. I'll be reviewing Balance next week. In the meantime, CDs and information on Sean's music can be found at www.facebook.com/seanbodleymusic and the album can be pre-ordered on-line from Bandcamp and Amazon.com. And you can hear clips of the album on Sean's YouTube channel - just search 'Sean Bodley Music.” -

watusi@thesun.co.nz