Tony McGuinness has returned to his pre-Above & Beyond roots to unearth a long lost project, Salt, an alt-folk-infused rock album he wrote in the mid-’90s.
Tony McGuinness might be most renowned for being one-third of the iconic trio Above & Beyond, but his story in the music industry began long before that. During that time, he was a music industry professional, brushing shoulders with artists from across other genre spectrums, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t creating music along the way. In the midst of the ’90s, he fell in love with a woman named Shelley, which, in turn, sparked his creative muscle and emboldened him to create his long-lost album Salt.
In my life in the mid-’90s there were lots of new things happening. There was the clubbing and the whole lifestyle that came with that – and there was writing songs about Shelley and me. That was something I’d never done, ever. I’d never thought my life exciting enough to write a song about, but it started to be the norm. And I guess as a songwriter, that would end up standing me in very good stead with the band who became my life.
Tony McGuinness
Encouraged by Bob Bradley, who would later work with Above & Beyond as the musical director on their Acoustic projects, Tony McGuinness began to explore his songwriting abilities. “I’d never seen anybody do anything like Bob was doing,” Tony shared. “Making the drums up in the sampler. Different kit for every song. Different vibe for every song, [while retaining an overall, coherent feel]. It blew my mind.”
Salt is the culmination of those sessions. Its alt-folk style draws inspiration from the rock, pop, and trip-hop artists that Tony McGuinness and Bob Bradley enjoyed. Yet the lyrics are rooted in the emotions that Tony McGuinness experienced during that time, some due to his romance with Shelley, some on others he loved, but all of which are tied together for a coherent sonic experience.
For nearly three decades, Salt was left unreleased and otherwise forgotten as Tony McGuinness began to come into his own as part of Above & Beyond. But over the past few years, tracks from that kit have been extracted with the help of others in the Anjuna family. Now, after Jono Grant launched JODA in 2022 and Paavo Siljamäki released his solo P.O.S album in 2023, it’s time for Tony to share his origin story with the world. Salt is officially due out on July 12 via Anjunabeats.
Pre-save or pre-order Salt ahead of its release, and get a taste of what Tony McGuinness cooked up in the studio in the ’90s by checking out its lead single, “Biker Babe.”
Watch the music video for “Biker Babe” on YouTube:
Tony McGuinness – Salt – Tracklist:
- Biker Babe
- Carry Me Home
- Babydoll White
- Salt
- Crying
- Cleaning
- Love Me
- Seven Flames
- Long Way To Fall
Follow Tony McGuinness:
X | Instagram | SoundCloud
