John Etheridge

Who is John Etheridge?

John Michael Glyn Etheridge is a British jazz/fusion guitarist associated with the Canterbury Scene.

He began playing at 13, his primary influences then being Hank Marvin of The Shadows and Django Reinhardt. Although his father was a jazz pianist, he was primarily self-taught. By the time he joined his first notable band, Rush Release, his influences were Peter Green, Jeff Beck and, later, Jimi Hendrix. The band played at London's Speakeasy Club ca. 1966, on occasion jamming with such luminaries as Eric Clapton. Between 1967-70, Etheridge's studies took him away from the London scene. A crucial discovery for him during this period was John McLaughlin's debut album Extrapolation.

Back in London, Etheridge briefly joined the Deep Purple offshoot Warhorse, followed by a stint with Icarus, during the final stages of recording their album The Marvel World Of Icarus. He recalled "I'd been on the fringes of the London rock scene for a couple of years, and one of the musicians I came across was [Icarus woodwinds player] Norrie Devine. I desperately needed somewhere to live, and he put me in touch with Peter Curtain." Curtain, also the drummer for Icarus, set Etheridge up with a flat and offered him a spot in the band after their guitarist left. Though the album sleeve credited Etheridge for all the guitar parts, in fact only one track featured him as the sole guitarist, though he did overdubs on several other tracks. He stayed with Icarus for their subsequent tour of Romania, which ended abruptly when President Nicolae Ceaușescu ordered the band to be deported, and proved to be their final public appearance.