Well respected music critic Pete Paphides has said,
'I've returned to these songs a few times now. They're very well put together and the playing is impeccable... The shining exception here was the instrumental content. Suddenly I found myself absorbed in a way I hadn't previously been... While I've been writing this, I've been listening to those last five tracks and getting into them more and more... They're reminiscent of Bert Jansch's mid-period/later work'
	
You are invited to listen to Metaphysical Apostle, a new artist embarking on an exciting musical journey. A cornucopia of musical genres are reflected in the music of this fresh, yet mature, artist. Melody and rhythm gently weave their way through his elegant compositions that are imbued with a sense of imagination, beauty, and life.

	
‘As Defined…’ is the debut album from new artist Metaphysical Apostle. A world artist, Metaphysical Apostle has combined his personal experiences with far-reaching influences to create exciting music. Recorded over the course of two years this album weaves modern technology with simplistic song-writing to full effect- featuring influences ranging from folk, to modern rock, to hip-hop. ‘As Defined…’ blends musical genres in a seamless fashion to create music with impact, depth, and resonance.

Richard Bishop is an experimental guitarist whose improvisations and compositions often reflect the shadow worlds of India, the Middle East, North Africa, and other points along the Gypsy trail. 

Richard is a founding member (along with brother Alan Bishop) of legendary ethnic-improv pioneers and underground tricksters Sun City Girls, (1981-2007)  who produced an extensive discography of over 50 full length albums, 20 one-hour cassettes, and a dozen 7” records. In the early 1980s he was also a member of the group Paris 1942 which included Alan Bishop, J. Akkari and former Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker. 

Richard released his first solo record in 1998 on John Fahey's Revenant label.

Richard was also a co-founder of the Sublime Frequencies label (with Alan Bishop & Hisham Mayet). The label, whose mission is dedicated to acquiring and releasing obscure sights and sounds from Africa, India, S.E. Asia and beyond, began in 2003 and currently has over 100 releases to its credit (www.sublimefrequencies.com)


"Bishop is a splendid acoustic guitarist with a sure touch and an impressive vocabulary gleaned from the Spanish flamenco and North Indian classical traditions with a bit of Belgian Django Reinhardt's gypsy swing jazz mixed in." - Bill Meyer (Ink Blot Magazine)

"Bishop's music has an austere and pristine quality to it that makes him an absolute pleasure to listen to." - Nick Hennies (Foxy Digitalis)

"In order for guitar music to have value, it must remain new and on the move. There shall be no safe or sacred ground. To take risks and to challenge one's self and one's listeners, is the only way to maintain any worth." - Richard Bishop

PARTIAL DISCOGRAPHY

Salvador Kali (1998) Revenant Records
Improvika (2004) Locust Music 
Fingering The Devil (2006) Souther Records, UK
Elektronika Demonika (2007) Locust Music
While My Guitar Violently Bleeds (2007) Locust Music
Polytheistic Fragments (2007) Drag City
SRB/Earth (2008) Southern Lord
The Freak of Araby (2009)  Drag City
Graviton Polarity Generator 2010) Social Music Records
Intermezzo (2012) Ideological Organ
The Unrock Tapes (2012) Unrock
Beyond All Defects w/ W. David Oliphant (2012) Chodpa Media
Road to Siam (2014) Unrock
Solo Acoustic Volume Eight (2014) VDSQ
Tangier Sessions (2015) Drag City

Welcome to the temporary home of my acoustic guitar soli. These tracks are usually first cuts, carelessly miked digital recordings, which are then hastily compressed and craftily uploaded for your enjoyment or not. Album in eternal progress.

Mark Mesaros is following