Portishead's Adrian Utley – Our Generation | Rotosound

Spy inside the studio of Portishead's Adrian Utley and discover what inspires his creative process.

Utley's “entire life is music”, so incidentally we find him in his home studio surrounded by equipment he has used on sessions for the likes of Goldfrapp, Massive Attack, and Radiohead's Philip Selway. “It doesn't matter if it's really cheap or if it's really expensive,” Adrian is more interested in finding an “esoteric sound” and over the years he has used Rotosound strings to get it.

Growing up playing bass in holiday camps, Adrian Utley stepped up to become a professional session guitarist, playing with Big John Patton and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and Jeff Beck, before concentrating on his original project Portishead with friends Beth Gibbons and Geoff Barrow. The trio's debut album 'Dummy' was met with critical acclaim and is now regarded as somewhat of a soundtrack to the 1990s. Utley's guitar and bass playing is a big influence on the band's cinematic sound; this interview explores some of Adrian's influences and gear choices that helped shape the atmospheric guitar tones of Portishead and his other works.

Adrian Utley uses Rotosound British Steels, Pure Nickels, and Tru Bass 88 strings.

• Chapters:
00:00 Recording guitar for Dummy by Portishead
00:36 Introduction
01:02 Adrian Utley's guitar sound
01:55 Classic British guitar gear
02:24 Playing Rotosound guitar strings
02:56 Guitar heroes
03:35 Playing with Jeff Beck
04:19 Adrian's approach to Portishead
04:58 Session guitar work
05:41 Rotosound Tru Bass 88 strings
06:50 Paul McCartney's black nylon bass strings
07:34 Getting into bass guitar
07:58 Recording bass guitar for Dummy
08:49 Bass inspiration

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[ashbody]

Fantastic & enlightening insight into Adrian’s mantra & process. I was studying guitar-making in ‘95 when I first heard Dummy. It completely & utterly blew me away. 28 years later it continues to do so and is still my favourite album by MILES! It is majestic… an absolute masterpiece.
Brilliant video… really inspirational. Those Tru-bass strings sound killer… will be getting some of those.

[knut]

The fact that he still uses the present tense, "I'm in the band Portishead", gives me hope we'll eventually get a fourth album.

[cbrooks]

I'm an Uber driver, and I often play Dummy while I work. Just like In Rainbows, any time I play it I get lots of compliments. It's a great album!

[educostanzo]

The fuzzy, rubbery, old sound that resonates so well in a rainy night. All 3 Portishead albums are fantastic sonic experiences.

[bullittvolante]

Adrian is one of my favourite guitarists, very underrated. I love the fact that he doesn't care if something is expensive or cheap, it's all about the sound you get out of it.

[edwardmulholland]

I hope he and the rest of the band make another album - “Third” is a masterpiece.

[setaside]

All 4 Portishead albums (Roseland included) are simply a part of my life. They are building blocks within the framework of who and what I am. Nothing less. The idea of quietly sitting in on a session with Adrian and Jeff Beck just noodling about blows my mind. I'd love to hear what Adrian would do with Tal Wilkenfield...

[ActualKaktus]

I think Third is Adrian’s masterpiece. A monolith of pain, anguish, and uncertainty without equal.

[postmortemritual]

Portishead is the perfect example of quality about quantity. Absolutely in the antipodes of how music industry works, as well and musicians and producers just flooding everything with mediocre products, thinking on social media numbers, on going viral, rather than music itself.
Portishead makes good music, doesnt need any of the marketing bs to be on the top of all times greatests bands.

[chickenlickin]

That was great i loved that. he's such a legend, Portishead one of my all time favourites.

[JokersNtheOddball]

portishead is one of the best things that ever happened. thanks for the sounds

[Dustyfingers]

Jimi entitley sound is top tier. Utley is one of my major inspirations

[caryconover]

He is great, and this was super insightful. Love what he said about "spy" sounds. Portishead's music was the first music that stopped me in my tracks...it was so enigmatic yet so beautiful. I discovered them late, in 2001 and the "thaw" after 9/11

[theWARMJET]

Amazing sound and playing with that Commodore bass

[HTRism]

"I'm not gonna be slappin the bass" wise words.

[egorm]

What a legend! I envy him. His life is around and about music. Love Portishead sound. To me it's a cornerstone of British sound and music in general. Thanks for the video, @rotosound.

[KsiazeIgor]

Great interview, thx Rotosound! And that Glory Box solo... that's so modest, yet stylish and tasty!

[deaconddd]

Man, in the nineties I was so into trip-hop, acid jazz and the Bristol sound I almost packed up and moved to England. Utley was and is one of my guitar heroes. Love his work including stuff outside of Portishead. Love seeing more about his process.

[justcallmesando]

Unique beings creating unique sounds. Few things I love more than this.

[buildingblocks]

the master speaking. what adrian created is absolute masterpieces and deeply inspirational... gorgeous musician and my favorite producer