1. Growing Up
My key childhood music memory is being taught trumpet by my grandfather and playing and touring in the high school band and getting a place in the state schools orchestra. Playing the tune ‘Fever’ on my euphonium one night after a show behind the curtains and I was mistaken for somebody else who had no idea or taste for that sort of thing.
2. Inspirations
My favourite musicians are Lucky Star, John Mayall (my first bluesman), Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Little Walter. They’re free-spirited, uninhibited and powerful, and got into my head. Great life stories. Blues lyrics are like poetry badly written but the message is there.
3. Your Band
We’re a natural five-piece (or three) of great musos with like-mindedness towards the same music, who are easy and inspiring to work with and a great bunch of fellows and gentlemen too with no bullshit hang ups, other substance problems or egos, and they communicate both on and offstage and they are respectful. I dream that this band could really go somewhere so I keep the faith.
Dave Shaw is an excellent guitarist of the style I always admired but never dreamed would be in the same lineup. Al Britton is an awe-inspiring jewel of a man that one looks up to and respects, very easy and accommodating to get along with. Davo Fester; I had the pleasure of playing alongside him a few years ago and ever since then I am a devotee – he too is inspiring in not only his drumming and enthusiasm but his personality and character. John Tweed I met through a chance meeting at a gig where I was asked to fill in – I knew of him of course but not much about him and there is definitely a connection and kindness there that I respect, and not just in his skills as a keyboard player but as a musician.
4. The Music You Make
Mainly well-known blues-based covers. Would like to have some originals in there one day. At our live show, people can expect genuineness and fun and something interesting that will make you listen with a freshness attempting to keep the blues alive and pass it onto those younger who might now be saying, “Wow, is that really blues? I always thought it was dreary and sad but it is actually fun and uplifting.”
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
The music scene at the moment is good and at last the ‘doof doof’ stuff is not so prominent. All kinds of genres are surfacing now, if not resurfacing. There might still be a few extra loud rock bands out there but that’s OK. I do think that despite the recent times of lessening numbers of gigs and venues and reasonable money that there seems to be a bit of revival coming on – almost a renaissance, dare I say. Needless to say there are still some publicans who find it hard to part with their money but that all changes over time.
BleuHourBlues play Shady Pines Saloon on Saturday September 20.
