I've Got The Blues For The Blues

[Mark Freiseis]

I went to see my friend's band the other night. Unfortunately, they were a blues
band. Now, I have nothing against the blues, In fact, I have seen many of the old
bluesmen, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Mississippi Fred McDowell. But what I see
in blues bands these days, is a guy with a pony tail and a hat, playing a Fender
Stratocaster through a Twin Reverb amp, and grimacing as he bends the notes, while
some deunk in the back of the room yells "Wooo". Meanwhile, across town, another
blues band takes the stage. It features a guy with a pony tail and a hat, playing a
Fender Stratocaster through a Twin Reverb amp, and grimacing as he bends the notes,
while some deunk in the back of the room yells "Wooo". The same scene is repeated
over and over in every blues club in every city throughout the country. I have
followed the blues from the British Blues, through the San Francisco sound, to the
punk stylings of The Gun Club, even to Stevie Ray Vaughn, but I  will follow the
blues no more. Until somebody breaks out of the rut that they are in and comes up
with a new idea or develops a new style, I am through. Grimace on without me.

[dave]

I hear ya! The Blues as a form has been pickled, trapped in amber, just like Modern Jazz, R&B, and soon Punk (hope not, but...).

Old blues sound great, I esp. love Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers (he called it rock & roll). But the Stevie/Allman clones can take a hike...

Good post.

[John Battles]

 Have pity on me , friends. I live in Chicago , where the cornball schtick is magnified a thousandfold. Honeyboy Edwards died , and The Blues died with him....There's still a handful of decent performers , here. Particularly Rockin' Johnny. He's relatively young , he's White , he's even good looking , gut he plays the SHIT out of those Blues without getting that constipated look , and certainly without being overstated or wearing a ponytail. Big Doo Wopper is a great veteran subway performer (He rarely playes in real music venues , because he's blind , and has no  valet , and does'nt know how to use a cane. But, his brand of N'orlins R'N'B , Blues and Soul is infectious.    bUT , UNLESS YOU THINK "mUSTAND sALLY " IS A bLUES CLASSIC , STEER CLEAR OF MOST CHICAGO BLUES CLUBS.

[John Battles]

SORRY , DID'NT KNOW I COULD'NT PROFREED THE ABOVE COMMENT.

MISTAKES GALORE. PO' LIGHTNIN'.