Son Henry's Blues Blog

Blues Blast magazine says...

2011-11-20T18:46:00.000Z

Steel guitars come in many forms – six string, eight string and ten-string – some with double necks, some with pedals and electronic gizmos (pedal steel guitars are the core of 20th century country music). There are some ace players around: Robert Randolph and Darrick Campbell of course; Aubrey Ghent and Sonny Treadway; the winner of this year’s Blues Foundation Award for the Instrumentalist (other) Sonny Rhodes; and the winner of last year’s British Blues Award also for Instrumentalist, Alaskan born Son Henry. All these musicians bring a special, and very welcome sound to the blues, for the instrument is capable of great subtlety and in skilful hands, much “Make-the-hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck-stand-up” passion and emotionality.

Cool. People are paying attention!

And so it ends...

2011-11-20T16:23:00.001Z

Well, with Nina off on maternity leave and me packing to move it's the end of the first incarnation of the Malpaso Gang. We won a few awards and played some great gigs. But, beyond that, this band gave me a good reason to strap on a guitar and play. Play for the love of it, and not worry about other people expectations or demands. Play for the joy working out some new runs in a strange tuning. Rekindling my love of old country and rockabilly, and playing again.

Truth be told, with everything going on over the last year, this was a refuge for an old soul to eddy out and heal, shaking off the years of frustration of working with a parade of players that have no connection to their roots. It's been a thing of joy to go back to square one.

Once again everything fits. Time to start over.

Ever notice that the people who complain the loudest that you don't play enough

2011-11-20T15:42:00.002Z

Are never the ones that show up at a gig?

This could be it....

2011-11-14T10:14:00.001Z

With Nina due any day now, this could be the last Malpaso Gang gig with the whole band. Friday November 18 at the Globe Inn in downtown Aberdeen. We kick off at 9:30 and go till we drop! It'll be old country and rockabilly, lots of originals. And the most fun you can have in Aberdeen on a Friday... It's also my last performance there for the year and what may be a very long time. So, it's a great chance to say goodbye and catch one of the final performances of this award winning band before the first phase passes into the history books!

Last solo gig in Aberdeen tonight...

2011-11-05T10:47:00.000Z

Well, we're counting down pretty quickly. Tonight is my last solo gig in Aberdeen before I pack up and move. It's a solo gig opening for the Lyndon Anderson Band, one of my favorites. Lyndon is a great harp player and the band is rock solid. Like I said, a favorite.

The big leaving-blast is December 9th at the Moorings. It's a double header with the Malpaso Gang opening the show- both my bands on one bill, I don't think that's ever happened before!

So, sad to go, but a few parties along the way.....

The incredible shrinking trio

2011-10-07T07:00:00.000+01:00

Yeah, its true, I did in fact play drums the other night.

I got a wild hair about it after watching Homer Henderson on youtube. Seemed like a great idea. And so "hmmm", I thought, "could you combine that idea with the Black Keys or the White Stripes and really strip it down?"

The answer is yes- with help from Mike Oxley on bass we played an hour or so as the worlds only 2-man trio. I rigged the drums up so I could play with my feet, play the guitar and sing. It was pretty primal and of course not as sophisticated as having a real drummer.

You do learn something doing a gig like that, and its something that a drummer or a guitar player alone don't always'get'- that's that a good groove is a mix of the right amount of each instrument in the right place. And in putting together the material for this gig we had to be really careful to find ways to use the instruments to make things rhythmically interesting where EACH instrument (including the vocals) is really a member of the rhythm section.

Oh, this was a great workout. I'm thinking of setting up an aerobics class like this; sing and play drums. Cool, huh?

But in the end it was fun enough that we'll do it again at the Moorings on December 9th. The Malpaso Gang will open the show. Mark your diaries- it's my last show in Aberdeen.

So, been busy lately...

2011-09-23T17:37:00.001+01:00

But I did get time to finish my Coodercaster- it's a modified tele named after Ry Cooder who had a habit of dropping supro lap steel pickups into fender guitars. I'll post pictures...

I started with a cheap Squier Telecaster that I got from the Aberdeen Music forum. Cheap as chips, nice guitar. Cheap. And then dropped in a Supro pickup, complete with the big metal baseplate. Took an hour or so to wire it all up and adjust the intonation.

Hows it sound? Really good, actually. Lap steel pickups pack a lot of punch, and they're a little darker sounding than a normal guitar pickup so it takes some of the high end off the guitar. It's a great sounding slide guitar, although the big baseplate is really ugly. So, close your eyes and don't look there.

Like I said, pics to follow....

British Blues Awards, 2011

2011-09-18T15:24:00.001+01:00

OK, so the dust is settling in life, and the award is sinking in.

Thanks to all of you that took the time to organize the awards, and all of you that voted. It was a great event this year, and an impressive collection of talented artists from across the blues in Britain. As you can imaging, it's an honor just to be included in this group, but to have won this award for the second time is really great.

So, getting down to work the rest of the year, one or two remaining gigs on the diary and a few more being penciled in now that my shoulder is back in working order. Its seemed like forever since I've been able to play an acoustic guitar, but those days look to be over. And so, with this new band of mine we'll plan on a tour of England next year, and a run of gigs on the continent next year as well. In the meantime, it's off to Texas for a couple of weeks in October to hang with some old friends, do some playing and a little recording.

And, that my friends, is the news from here. Stay tuned, things are gonna start moving faster now...

Thanks to all!

2011-09-11T21:01:00.001+01:00

Just saw the twitter comments from the Newark Blues Festival and the British Bues Awards. Thanks to all that voted! Its an honor to have won the Instrumentalist category again. More later when I calm down....

Carter 12 Pedal steel for sale. Sacred steel tuning. 1500£

2011-08-14T10:36:00.001+01:00

24 strings later....

2011-08-13T17:30:00.001+01:00

All day spent restringing a stringmaster. 24 strings on 3 necks. So it's C6 on teeter neck, A6 on the middle and the Don Helms E13 on the inner neck. The outer two are nothing new, but I'm hooked on the Don Helms tuning, all those Hank Williams tunes fall right into place. And the Miller Sisters song we play with the Malpaso Gang? Well, that works better as well. Can't wait to try this out at the next rehearsal.

And then it was over.

2011-07-28T21:30:00.000+01:00

Yes folks, it's true. The Son Henry Band is done. Off. To something new.

It was a great run in Aberdeen, almost 6 years with some good local players. And years and years before that too. But I'm going to play a few solo gigs, play some steel guitar with the Malpaso Gang and work up something new, blues-ier than before.

Watch this space.

2011 British Blues Awards!

2011-05-01T14:41:00.001+01:00

Hey- A big round of thanks to all of you that voted in the nomination process for the British Blues Awards! The list of nominees is now official, and thanks to you I'm on the list! And it's a great list of nominees this year, and an honor to be included on the list of such talented people. Thanks!

Voting now runs through July 31st. To vote for your favorites, you go to:

http://www.britishbluesawards.com

You'll find a complete list of all the nominees and a chance to vote on-line. You know we appreciate your taking a couple of minutes to vote!

New free downloads available!

2011-05-01T14:37:00.001+01:00

Hey- as a small thank you for your support in the British Blues Awards this year, I've put three songs out on my website that you can download for free! They're great if you need some driving songs, or need music for radio- whatever! Enjoy.

You can find them here:

http://www.sonhenry.com/music.htm

Cheers!

Son

Always looking for another Magnatone Lap steel

2011-03-26T15:44:00.002Z

Call me if you have one for sale!

Keighley Blues Club

2011-03-21T19:14:00.002Z

Photos: Idris Richards

Well, it's settled. We can mix the acoustic and electric souls into one performance. Keighley approved.

Thanks to Paul Lester and Dino we held court at the Keighley Blues Club this weekend. What a great night, wonderful people and a fantastic room. Stuart did a great job with the live sound that opened the doors for us to really stretch out. If you missed it, well, shame on ya!

You can read more here:

Keighley Reviews

Thanks John and all the wonderful folks that made for such a memorable night! See you again soon-

Don't Forget! Still time for Brit Blues Award Nominations!

2011-03-20T18:13:00.001Z

www.britishbluesawards.com is the link!

It's that time of year when we all get to nominate our favourite blues artists for theBritish Blues Awards. The process is easy and if you follow that link that's the first step. Consider this a shameless request for your support in the 'Other' instrument category- Lap Steel Players need all the help we can get!

Thanks!

Son

British Blues Award Nominations!

2011-02-13T17:40:00.000Z

Hey gang- It's time once again for the British Blues Award nominations! There's a lot of very talented people around, so please be sure and get your vote in before March 31 so that it counts!

Here's what to do, start here:

www.britishbluesawards.com

Then go to the nominations tab. From there you can vote for your favorite artists.

As always, I'd appreciate your vote in the 'other instrument' category!

Thanks!

Best of the rest, again in 2011!

2011-02-13T16:49:00.001Z

http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/fudgenet/63688-best-rest-2011-fudge-musi...

It's a win, for the second year in a row! Thanks to all of you that voted, the band won 'Best o the rest' in the Aberdeen Fudge Music Awards. We're stoked (which translates to psyched, chuffed, wowed, etc) Thanks to all of you that voted!

MALPASO GANG WINS!!!!

2011-02-13T12:01:00.001Z

http://themalpasogang.posterous.com/the-malpaso-gang-wins-best-indie-band-in-the

Wow. What a great night. Too bad about all the van problems and other misadventures that kept me from getting there....

Son Henry with the T. Rogers Blues Band - Let Me Lay My Head Down

2011-02-13T10:20:00.000Z

Son Henry with the T. Rogers Blues Band : Can't Be Satisfied

2011-02-13T10:19:00.001Z

Son Henry with the T. Rogers Blues Band - Richer Than A Sheik

2011-02-13T10:19:00.000Z

Selling off some of my old gear..

2011-01-30T18:02:00.001Z

It's true. The things that don't gig are all going, and this is the last of it. Yeah, ok, I'm a packrat and I've been dragging this stuff around for years. It all needs a new home now. Follow the link, and apologies for the photos- great photographer I am not. But you'll get the idea.

details here: http://vintageguitarsuk.blogspot.com/

And don't be shy, give me a shout if you have questions about some of this stuff. Some of it you won't ever see in the UK again, so this might be your only chance to own some of this old stuff!

as tour of the 1959 Fender factory anyone?

2011-01-15T17:42:00.006Z

Oh. My. Lord.

Stringmaster around 4:45....

Cafe Musa this saturday with the Malpaso's

2011-01-13T20:46:00.001Z

Hey all-

Gonna be a great weekend! I'm gigging with the Malpaso Gang on Saturday night at Cafe Musa. The band starts around 8=9, and I'm going to start things off with a solo set. Yeah, I know I said that the gig I played at the Clubhouse was my last one ever. But this is different.

And stay tuned, the following weekend it's really back to work, with the Son Henry Band kicking off the new year at the Globe Inn (Friday the 28th) and the Moorings Bar (Saturday the 29th).

More later. Pictures even....

A gig well played!

2011-01-09T01:25:00.001Z

And there is the proof. Country music at a metal bar and they have Lone Star beer! Thanks Graham!

Now on Twitter too

2011-01-08T12:17:00.001Z

Hey, you can also follow the drama on Twitter- look for me by name or 'son_henry'...

Moorings Bar tonight, live with the Malpaso Gang-

2011-01-08T12:16:00.001Z

Hey! I really am back to work, tonight with the Malpaso Gang at the Moorings Bar in Aberdeen. It's the first gig of the year, with the Country/Americana that picked up a nomination in the Aberdeen 'Fudge' Music Awards. I'm playing the steel guitar tonight with a little lap steel thrown in for good measure. Show starts around 11 pm, and is a mix of iriginals and old covers. It's a great band, and some great original songs.

Next gig after this is the Globe Inn, with the Son Henry Band. Fingers crossed, see you soon.

lots to tell, but it's time to get back to work-

2011-01-06T22:47:00.001Z

Yeah, it's my birthday tomorrow. And it's time to get back to work. Look for us to be on the road more in 2011, not playing locally as much. And, well, there is one great long story to tell!

Taking a break, walking a way....

2010-11-26T15:03:00.003Z

I'm stepping away from the keyboard, the band and life in the electronic universe for a while. I'll be back after January 5th with more blues and stories, and more regular posting. For now I need to get out and play in the snow.

It's been an interesting and challenging year, with some real highs and lows. To my good friends that were there to get me through the low spots, and shared in the high spots all I can say is thanks- I wouldn't be here with out all your help. Daily, I remember that I'm forever in the debt of the Seven Sisters of Mercy in Rayong, and the arms of the Universe (whatever your concept of God is) that caught me when I fell and was second-chance-reborn with the dawn of 2010.

And so, with the close of the year, it's finally time to go away and think (or re-think) the music. Somehow it's become hard work, like walking the same ground over and over again. Different, urgent, personal, new, challenging are words I need to apply honestly to this again. How to get there? Moving. Different. How to get there?

I suppose that the simple answer is that it is time for change of instrumentation. More pedal steel. More something and less something else. That's too simple, however. It needs to be more transformational than that. I need some unstructured time to write and think and be, and emerge from this metamorphosis with something worth taking on the next few miles of the journey, as short or as long as this may be.

See you in the new year with something worth sharing.

Namaste

On the fine art of selling downloads....

2010-11-14T16:31:00.001Z

So, can you really get rich from selling music on the interwebs? Here's an analysis ofg how much you need to sell to hi the US minimum wage in a given month....

Click here to read

Changes in Son-Henry-Land

2010-11-14T11:04:00.000Z

Well, my year-long adventure into the land of big band blues has come to an end. Given the pressures of the economy we've made the hard choice to drop back to a smaller more compact format. It's always hard to say goodbye to good players like Chris and Dave, but (and you may have heard me say this before) change is always good.

I had a chance to road-test the new line-up on Friday at the Globe Inn here in Aberdeen. How'd it go? Well, we settled right in and had the room jumping from the start. It's all that old-school stuff that I love that works so well in a guitar-driven format; John Lee Hooker, Guitar Slim, Lightning Slim and my own tunes. All works. And you need to see it to experience it!

And really, my measure is just this. I like it, its the perfect line-up for where my head is at these days. And on Friday we played well past the closing bell for a large group of women that just didn't want to stop dancing. There's all the proof I need.

See you soon-

How to tour...

2010-11-09T20:23:00.000Z

OK, someone finally said it. How to tour with a band. Everything you need to know in one place, it's simple, honest and should be read by everyone. Thor Harris, you nailed it.

Click Here to read it

New Press Kit available!

2010-10-25T19:25:00.001+01:00

Hey all-

Promoter? Festival? Venue?

Drop me an email at info@sonhenry.com. IF you get me your address, I'll get you a press kit!

Son

Fall mini-tour....

2010-10-24T09:36:00.005+01:00

Thanks to all of you that joined us for our quick trip down south! We had a great time, and we'll be back soon.

Although we missed the horns (and wish them well with their family crisis) this trip reinforced for me just how much I love to play the guitar. Especially when I get to play blues with a great rhythm section that can go with me when I abandon the set list early. Friday night we did away with the set list altogether and managed to cover a lot of ground- from old Texas shuffles, to some Gulf Coast Slim Harpo style, as well as a big chunk of original tunes and a bunch of steel guitar.

One of the changes that is coming from this trip came out of a conversation at a late night coffee session after that gig. We've been working up new tunes that are based on my pedal steel playing, rather than a straight lap steel (or lap steel/guitar combo) like we do now. It'll open some harmonic doors for us, give us some new challenges. All in all, a great choice.

So, looking ahead through the rest of the year, we have a few more gigs before we call an end to 2010, but we'll be filling the time writing and recording, booking 2011 and still arguing about where to get the best pizza on the road.

OK, I've got to unload the van. Cant put it off an longer.....

Off on the road again...

2010-10-17T22:59:00.000+01:00

Taking the band down to play the fantastic High Barn in Essex this week. If you're n the area, stop in and say hello.

Click Here to learn more about High Barn!

And then, it's off to Nottingham for the first Anniversary of the Nottingham Blues Society.

Read more here...

So, see you there!

Booking information for 2011!

2010-10-15T18:29:00.002+01:00

If you're reading this, tell your friends, tell your local blues society and blues clubs that they should be booking this band! Help a starving artist, point them this way!

There is a complete press kit on the band web site and you can get there by clicking here

and, as always, thanks for your support!

Son

In Newark, with Sean Webster....

2010-09-19T20:38:00.002+01:00

Mooring's Residency coming to an end...

2010-09-19T09:36:00.002+01:00

This coming Friday is it. The end of a month of mayhem and madness with all the denizens of the Moorings Bar, the best live music pub in Scotland....

So, we're going out in grand, blow-down-the-walls style. Special guests, things to give away, and an even longer show- Flash the owner says we can play as long as we want. Is he ever going to regret saying that! So don't miss it, it won't happen again this year, and there's not a snowball's chance in Mexico that you'll ever have this much fun on a Friday night.

Pictures to follow. You may end up in one too. That's a good thing....

Happy 50th Alan!

2010-09-18T12:26:00.000+01:00

Happy 50th Alan! All the best, and fingers crossed that the effects of all the tequila were minor.....

Some photos from Newark...

2010-09-18T12:20:00.002+01:00

Thanks Rob and Anne! They sent me these pictures, and they're right- this is one happy lap steel player.

Who says guitar players only pull tough-guy faces?

what can I say but thanks to all of you!

2010-09-13T10:31:00.002+01:00

the new one on the bandstand

2010-08-29T17:39:00.002+01:00

Well, we could use this to play country (and I do, BTW). It's an old triple neck Fender Stringmaster- 24 strings, 6 pickups, 4 legs and a very heavy case. Right now it's tuned to C6, A6 and E13, not sure if I'll stay with these or switch to some others.

It's a great guitar though, and opens a few harmonic doors for me and the band- in the E13 tuning I can play big fat chords like a horn section. Expect to see this and hear some new material where we push the steel boundaries in blues and in the band. It's time, and this big bit of lumber is the key!

Every Friday in September- the Moorings!

2010-08-29T16:51:00.003+01:00

It's true. Trio starts around 9, all September long.

The last time we were there it was an amazing party, with too many shots of tequila. We'll probably go for a repeat performance on all fronts. Heres what the party looked like last time...

Moorings Bar?

2010-07-12T20:31:00.001+01:00

Hey, we're back at the Moorings Bar on Saturday the 17th....

I'm taking the trio in for a loud set, mostly of some new lap steel stuff. And yeah, we're running every Friday night there in September too.....

British Blues Awards 2010-

2010-06-03T08:19:00.003+01:00

Once again, thanks to all of you that voted for me during the nomination process!

You can find out more here:

http://www.britishbluesawards.com

Please cast a vote!

Recording on Tuesday...

2010-05-08T08:53:00.003+01:00

Demos are done, rehearsals are winding down and we're off to the studio starting Tuesday. Finally, we're back in the studio.

The plan is to record a mixed bag of stuff- some vintage T-Bone Walker, a Guitar Slim cover, and a bunch of originals that span a range of styles. All in all this is going to be a pretty varied record, and it'll be the first time we've done one that way- the others have each focused on a narrow range of styles, one per record. But that's not where we're at these days, this band can cover the bases so we're recording it all. I'm really excited about this one.

It may be a prolific year for us too. The CD that we started in 2009 in Anchorage is almost finished too, goes off to mix at the end of the month. Lots of reasons for that one being held up, mostly they come back to me not being happy with the lap-steel tones. That's all sorted. And its almost done.

But first things first. Lets focus on the new record and get the first couple of tunes under our belt this week. Pictures to follow as we go...

ok, so this band is probably-

2010-04-28T08:43:00.003+01:00

no, it's definitely the best band I've had since I've been in the UK. By quite a stretch. Lately we've been prepping for more studio time so we can get a new CD out before the summer. It's a great process, I take them rough ideas on sticky notes and talk them through the ideas. They turn it into something different, better. Damn.

BB and Bobby.

2010-04-25T12:56:00.001+01:00

Damn. I saw them together that year too. 1977. What a great pair. You gotta check this one out.

The International Cigar Box Orchestra

2010-04-20T22:37:00.004+01:00

Some pictures taken in Dundee last year, these are of Nikolaj (the fantastic one-man band) and I playing some really raw stuff at Dexters. We'll be adding bass and drums this year and performing on mostly home-made instruments. Just think- musicians from three continents making great music on crap gear that really is crap gear- mine are all made from junk I found cleaning out a friends garage this weekend. Oil cans, broken bits of debris.

Roll on, Dundee! Can't wait!

Benefit Pictures

2010-04-18T01:03:00.004+01:00

You know it's a good gig when.....

2010-04-13T17:48:00.000+01:00

This happens. Thanks Sue and Kirsteen!

and more T-bone...

2010-04-05T02:36:00.001+01:00

More great, rare footage. I could watch this all day...

T-Bone

2010-04-05T02:28:00.002+01:00

Don't give up too early, there's a nasty horn solo you need to skip through, but there's a couple of nice tunes that follow.

2010-03-31T12:15:00.002+01:00

Gang- Here's the schedule for the multi-band extravaganza, our benefit for the earthquake victims in Haiti. Lots of great bands and a great day out, including an electric stage and an acoustic stage. I'll be pacing myself, so I can fit in a gig on each stage and a gig at the Moorings Bar that night as well.

The schedule for the Cellar 35 acoustic gig is a little loose for now, but we'll get it tightened up in the next couple of days. It'll be great for anyone that loves acoustic blues and/or want's a quieter night out. I'll be there for sure with an acoustic lap steel.

Here's the official schedule-

---------------------------------

The Schedule for The Blue Lamp

12.00 – 12.30 Doors open
12.30 – 13.15 Juke Joint Rollers
13.30 – 14.15 Claude's Funky Taxi
14.30 – 15.30 Red Dawg
15.45 – 16.45 Hollowbody
17.00 – 17.45 Mr. Spider -------- Food
18.00 – 18.45 Wolftrain -------- Food
18.45 – 19.15 Raffle and Auction
19.15 – 20.00 Son Henry
20.15 – 21.00 The Fatbelly Blues Band
21.15 – 22.00 PapaMojo
22.15 – 23.00 Tupelo Town Assembly
23.15 – 24.00 Jerry Jablonski
24.00 Jam

Schedule for The Acoustic Stage at Cellar 35

The Schedule for the Acoustic Stage will have to remain loose
as some acts have still to confirm.

updated web site

2010-03-17T21:44:00.001Z

Hey, it was time....

New photos. New posters. Even the schedule is up to date. Finally!

And don't forget to come say hi on Facebook-

Fall Tour, need a band?

2010-03-13T17:41:00.003Z

Looking ahead, we're hitting the road this fall. We have two dates still to fill, Saturday October 23 and Sunday October 24. Anyone have space for a great band? Anywhere in the UK is great.

Thanks!

Cellar 35, March 20

2010-03-13T17:38:00.002Z

Hey Gang,

I talked to the band, and I know it's short notice but we're splitting the gig this coming Saturday. I'll play a solo lap steel set starting at 9, and the band will kick off around 10. Best of everything- some mellow blues to get started and get a few drinks in with friends, and then we clear the tables for dancing!

It'll be the full band with the horns! If you haven't heard this line up, well, it's jump and swing blues at it's best! These guys can really play...

Some more youtube finds

2010-03-09T08:15:00.001Z

Yeah, I know, I love youtube....

Cellar 35, March 20th

2010-03-09T08:10:00.002Z

As part of the blues nights at Cellar 35, I'll be covering the Saturday, March 20th slot. I had such a great time playing those solo gigs this past weekend that I've got the fire to do more. So I'll have the lap acoustic out, and the national and a couple of other guitars. Cellar 35 is the perfect place for an acoustic performance- it's small and cozy, the acoustics are pretty good and it's the only place in Aberdeen with that underground blues club vibe.

So, please tell your friends, drag them along. Blues on Saturdays at Cellar 35. performance starts at 9.

Alaska, 2010

2010-03-09T08:09:00.001Z

Hey gang, looks like I'm heading back home for a couple of weeks! Alaska in summertime, great fishing, and some good gigs to play with my old band. Life doesn't get better...

still selling gear

2010-03-08T20:49:00.001Z

Yeah, raising money to fund a few things, so there's a bunch of gear that's going. Check out my other blog for the details, more gear postings next weekend. Catch it before it goes on Ebay..

Cellar 35

2010-03-07T17:21:00.002Z

Hey all-

Great gig at Cellar 35 last night! Me and Dick Wardell playing solo, Papa Mojo wrapping up the night. It was the second solo outing in two days for me, nothing like getting right back to work after a long break. Last night was mostly lap slide and fingerpicking. Gave the national a break.

So, long story short, I'll be back there on the 20th as part of the rotating blues nights we're running on Saturdays. I'll probably be there solo again, unless I can talk the trio into a gig. Either way, it'll be fun, and a great place for a night out.

Please spread the word about these blues nights! Aberdeen really needs a regular blues night, and with your support we can make this one stick!

Haiti Benefit, April 10

2010-02-22T21:12:00.002Z

Well, the Aberdeen musical community is coming together for a night of music spread over two venues on April 10th. Lots of the details still forthcoming, but here's what I know. There's going to be a bunch of electric blues bands at the Blue Lamp, along with great beer and food, and a couple of acoustic players (me included) at Cellar 35.

From what I hear, you can see Gerry Jablonski, Red Dawg, Tupelo Town Assembly, Mr Spider, Dick Wardell, Papa Mojo and probably a few others. One price gets you into both venues.

It'll be a great time, and it's al for a good cause. I'll post more details when I get them.

(oh, and I'm sneaking off later that night to play a wild gig at the Moorings Bar, shhhhh......)

Grouchy old man alert

2010-02-22T21:11:00.000Z

don't make me open this.....

Rance Allen

2010-02-21T21:01:00.001Z

Years ago, my friend Big Mitch turned me on to Rance Allen, and to this day he's my favorite vocalist of all times. Check this out, what a great performance, no studio overdubs just a gifted singer and a song he believes.

Ok, this should be obvious....

2010-02-21T20:35:00.004Z

I ran into a really unpleasant person yesterday at a gig in Dundee who seems to think the world is divided into 'lead' guitar players, and 'rhythm' guitar players. I'm generally nice to everyone, but the unreal level of ignorance he wanted to inflict on my band was so extreme that I was appalled. Horrified. And I fired back. And that, ladies and gents, never happens. Until Yesterday.

Here's the deal. If you're a musician in a band and you play the guitar, you can't get away with being one or the other, you've got to be both. And where most people get lost is that they forget that our most important job is supporting the groove of the tunes. That means you need to play rhythm. And as everyone in my band knows, we're all in the rhythm section. It's the engine room, what gets people dancing. It's what you get paid for. Being able to blow a solo over changes isn't music if that's all you can do. It's self-indulgence, period, the end.

So, while he may break the guitar world into two camps, lead and rhythm, I break the world down differently- into musicians and instrument owners. Just because you own an instrument doesn't mean you're a musician. Anyone can learn to play the guitar fast, that's just muscle memory. But to be able to engage in a meaningful musical conversation on stage with other musicians and hold an audience's attention? That takes a musician.

Gimme musicians to play with any day of the week.

You, sir, are uninformed, misguided and offensive to those of us that work hard at our craft.

Apples and Trees

2010-02-10T20:24:00.002Z

There's an old saying around here that apples don't fall far from the tree. And it must be true, here's my oldest surviving the worst blizzard in 90 years in Washington DC by hiding out in a recording studio.

Yeah, I know. No blues content. But a proud old man gets to crow a little every so often....

Magic Sam on a borrowed guitar

2010-02-06T20:00:00.001Z

Not sure what the story was, but that is Earl Hooker's guitar for sure...

And Earl Hooker.....

2010-02-06T19:56:00.002Z

My favorite youtube video

2010-02-06T19:50:00.002Z

BB King and T-Bone Walker at the Hollywood Bowl, 1967. Can you imagine? Listen to the lines BB plays while T-Bone is getting set up. That was when he was really playing at the top of his game (it's my favorite vintage of BB). And T-Bone? Damn.

Sample vids from the new DVD with T Rogers

2010-01-16T08:13:00.003Z

Here's a couple of the tunes from the new T Rogers/Son Henry DVD that should be out pretty soon. They're from the Gastroblues festival in Paks this past summer. It was a great performance and although I can still hear the last touches of a sore throat in my singing it's still fun to watch- it's obvious we were having a great time (which we were).

Here's Can't be Satisfied...

And Richer than a Sheik...

And "Let me lay my head down"...

Hope you enjoy them!

Budapest Pictures....

2009-12-17T15:55:00.003Z

Sometimes the pictures tell the story, and this is one of those times!

Back on line!

2009-12-17T08:52:00.000Z

Wow, who'd ever think that it could take 3 months to get an internet connection? But it's there, and I'm back on line again. More later....

Off to Paks!

2009-12-05T07:56:00.002Z

I think this images sums it all up! I'm off to Paks to play the DVD release party for the 2009 Gastroblues Festival and taking a great band with me. Tonight, the T Rogers Band and I are on around 8, headlining what promises to be another great night of loud, high energy blues!

Our gig last night in Budapest was another stormer. We played to a packed house at the Fregatt and then proceeded to drink and dance the rest of the night away. Coffee, a little petrol and we're off today. Oh, wait, there is still time for one more round of goulash before we leave....

Budapest, Fregatt tonight!

2009-12-04T08:34:00.002Z

OK, short notice, but if by some chance you are in Budapest tonight, I 'm playing ath the Fregatte tonight with T Rogers. It is a warm up gig before we hit the road for our DVD release party gig on Saturday. Pictures to follow!

Answer- 3 months....

2009-12-04T08:33:00.001Z

Question- How long can it take to get an internet connection?

Back on the web for a couple of short but wonderful days. More notes to follow...

website is back up, email may be missing

2009-09-27T19:23:00.007+01:00

OK, looks like everything is working again,website os back up.

If you sent me an email in the last 2 days, might be worth a re-send because not much came through!

Devastation and stuff, Cellar 35....

2009-09-19T12:37:00.001+01:00

Garage Sale time

2009-09-05T13:28:00.002+01:00

Yep, having a MASSIVE clear out of old gear. So much stuff that I've created another blog to hold it all

http://vintageguitarsuk.blogspot.com

is the location of the new site. I'll post the for-sale stuff there and all the blues stuff here.

Remembering who you are....

2009-08-29T13:47:00.001+01:00

That's my flag. Comforting to see when you're feeling homesick.

It's everything you need to know

2009-08-23T10:46:00.002+01:00

Hound Dog Taylor and Little Walter. Perfect.

and about the crap we get about food....

2009-08-01T13:47:00.001+01:00

Slowing down, changing pace

2009-08-01T13:42:00.003+01:00

Well, with the recession in full force it was bound to happen.

I'm putting the brakes on life for a bit, cutting back on the travel to make a little more cash and spend some time close to home. But, even with the economy in the crapper, we're still making some changes.

We had a great couple of gigs over the weekend in some local venues. My favorite was the show at cellar 35, where we kicked back and played old-school jump and chicago blues for a couple of hours. Some of that carried over to the other gigs that weekend, particularly at the ballroom. But it needs to stick. It's a good change. It'll fit well with the newer lap steel tunes too, all as an integrated package.

So, yeah, we're cutting back for a while to make some changes and pay a few bills. But expect good things to happen over time.

T Rogers and me, live in Hungary!

2009-07-19T13:36:00.004+01:00

Hey, I was on Hungarian TV, with some great live audio and video of me playing with the T Rogers band. They killed that night, absolutely spot-on playing, great live show, fantastic sound. Here's the link....

CLICK HERE

The East Side Kings, Cellar 35, Thursday July 23

2009-07-19T13:29:00.004+01:00

So, there's a new band that will be playing at Cellar 35 starting on Thursday the 23rd as part of the rotation of bands, it's called 'The East Side Kings'- it's me, Spider McKenzie, Mike Oxley, Duncan Stewart. It''s an old-school blues band- Old Muddy, Jump, Swing. No lap steel, no blues-rock, totally different than my normal band. It's a blues gig. We'll be calling standards and some new songs. We'll also be rotating other players in periodically to keep it different. This isn't a new version of the Son Henry band, it's a different style, a different set of tunes. Different.

My band isn't going away, btw. We're too loud for this room. As an alternative we'll try something a little different. So, this is a players night out thing to get together with some friends and play. I have a feeling it'll be a great gig! See you there, only at Cellar 35.

Happy 4th!

2009-07-04T08:28:00.006+01:00

So, Happy Independence Day to all!

Between 1927 and 1929 my grandparents fled poverty in Germany after living through the horror of World War one, which included one grandfather losing all his brothers in France, and my other grandmother being left an orphan reduced to scrubbing floors to survive as a 12 year old.

They came to the US with a one-way ticket and the promise of a better life. They had to work, but they found it. In actual fact they never rose very far above what we might consider poverty today, but eventually they owned a house (one that housed 3 families most of the time) and always had to share the things they had to make ends meet. At one point my grandparents lived in a house made from sod cuttings in North Dakota.

It was that promise of a better life for their kids that drove them on. My father's father died young from the years of painting other people's houses with lead-based paint. My uncles all died or were injured fighting for their new country in Europe or the Pacific. I don't think I ever heard them complain- it was the reward of seeing my father and his sister succeed; scholarships to university, having middle class jobs, raising their children in clean housing, escaping the horror of war.

I'm sure they did have their own heartbreak- they never saw the friends and relatives that they left behind again.

But they did send what little they had back to those in need. They sent tickets for passage to brothers and sisters, let them sleep on the sofa while they got started. And, in my fathers-fathers case, returning for a visit in the early 1930's and reading the handwriting on the wall with National Socialism and refusing to be part- returning instead to work on the other side and bear arms against the country of his birth to fight for what was right.

By my fathers account, it was a happy life, hard but meaningful. They were all working together towards a better lot in life.

So here's an offer of grateful thanks to those brave enough to leave everything behind, to make a better life for their familes. Of being unafraid of hard work and hunger, of lonelieness and want to reach a goal.

And here's to our new home that made all of this possible.

Today I'm not going to a flag waving parade. There won't be any celebrations like that in Europe today. Instead, I'll pray for all our safety in a crazy world, that that others will find the freedom and safe haven that my family found 80 years ago. And to the first thing they saw at Ellis Island.....

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus

Budapest, Paks Gastroblues, day 1

2009-07-03T12:01:00.001+01:00

Well, off to a great start. There were supposed to be weather delays yesterday, thunderstorms in Budapest. We had none of it, buthe Danube is really at a very high flood stage from all the rain that they've been having. ű

So, spent the day in Budapest with Ferci and the gand from T. Rogers Blues band. Great rehearsal yesterday, too much to drink, and spicy cabbage and sausage for breakfast! It doesn't get any better than this! the best part of this trip (so far) has been hanging out at the Fregatt Blues Bar and getting caught up with these guys. That, and getting a chance to wander around Budapest some more, last trip I really didn't have time. We have tomorrow off, so I actually get to be a tourist for a chance.

But first things first. This afternoon we're off to Paks for the festival. Stay tuned for photos and details. But tell you what, we need to bring this band to Scotland for the blues bonanza, they're really that good. Funky, in a Robben Ford kind of vibe.

Video too, I think. Video for sure.

Oh, yeah, my voice is coming back fine. Singing today should be no problem. after a week of mumbling and whispering, I am ready to throw down tonight.

Dundeeeeeeeeeeeee.......

2009-06-16T22:21:00.002+01:00

Yep, coming right up. See all of you pretty soon!

A bit of a new line up, some new tunes and a couple of new guitars and much too much gear. It'll be a great show no matter what I drag in.

Allman Brothers write-in candidate

2009-05-26T20:17:00.002+01:00

So, I heard from an old friend that Derek Trucks is leaving the Allman Brothers Band. Sad, but the news he had for me was that he was waging a campaign to get me an audition to fill the slot. A lap steel player in the ABB? Well, there's such a strong Duane Allman influence to my lap steel playing it sounds like fun. A long-shot, sure, but fun.

I'm not exactly sure how he's doing it, I think its through the Allman Brothers Website forums or some connection that he has. I'm really not sure, but what can I say, Steve, but that I'm flattered. Will they call?

Hmmm, time for a letter-writing campaign? What do you think?

Beware polka-players in blues bands....

2009-05-22T18:49:00.000+01:00

Yeah, I know-

2009-05-17T13:42:00.001+01:00

I'm updating all my diary dates and stuff.

Next gig is Thursday May 21 at Cafe Drummonds. It's a special show with some special guests!

Live from Budapest!

2009-04-20T15:04:00.002+01:00

Yeah it's true, going back to Hungary this summer for Gastroblues. Here are some photos from the last gig in Budapest. What a great time, and a great band too-

Gastroblues, Paks, Hungary (2009)

2009-04-20T15:02:00.002+01:00

This just in-

Yours truly, along with T.Rogers, will be appearing at the Gastroblues 2009 Blues Festival in Peks, Hungary. Show times and details to follow!

And still more images....

2009-04-05T14:29:00.002+01:00

And one last pass of images from the tour...

And then there were these as well

2009-04-05T14:06:00.003+01:00

And then there are these, from gigs at Blues on the Farm, the Bottleneck Blues Club. Some gig pictures, some images of some new friends and the required shot of my guitars resting on the stand....

Some Tony Winfield Images...

2009-04-05T12:26:00.007+01:00

Tony Winfield, ace photographer, captures dome images of us in action at the Red Lion Inn. Great gig photos- the ones that sent me directly to the barber to get that mess of hair cleaned up. Back to the DT....

Road Dog Report (New Crawdaddy Blues in Essex)

2009-04-05T12:11:00.002+01:00

Sorry gang, I'm way behind on my blogging- with all the driving, playing, cooking, navigating, soldering, phoning more driving and playing that goes on, well, let's just say I have some catching up to do. Here's an early report from our last show, the tour wrap up at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club in Essex:

--------------------------------

April 2nd TIM AVES/SON HENRY BAND

Every year without fail a gig is announced which on paper looks intriguing. Remember Roy Mette/Papa George/ Roland Chadwick from 2007, and the Blues Pack from 2008, well look no further than Tim Aves and Son Henry for this year’s surprise package. We had 2 bluesmen from the wilds of Essex (Tim on guitar, harmonica and Paul Lester on drums) a bluesman from the wilds of Alaska (Son Henry) and a bassist of some pedigree from the wilds of NE Scotland (Dean Stewart) who had come together to play just eight shows in South East England over the past week or so. So just how this was going to pan out was anybody's guess.

Kicking off with ‘Last to Know’ and then a low down version of Bruce Springsteen's ‘Cover Me’, it was obvious to all that tonight was going to be a bit special. This was emphasised with a scintillating version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's ‘Long Way From Home’ which featured some tasty slide work from Tim. As it was the last night of the mini tour, former Armadillo Jane English got up to sing ‘You Can Have My Husband’ (great to see you on stage again Jane) and Joel Fisk from Hokie Joint got up to jam on ‘Help Me’. A cracking version of ‘Robert J's Shoes’ and ‘Wind in Denver’ bought the main set to a close before the band came back and encored with ‘Can't be Satisfied’ and the band went walkabout through the audience. Son even tried playing slide with the candle holders on the front table. Keeping all of this in place, Paul and Dean (I know what you're thinking) played like they'd been together for years. They'd had just 3 hours rehearsal time. Remarkable.

Well, I could go on but you really had to be there. No one will forget tonight in a hurry and as far as I'm concerned this really is a contender for gig of the year.

First Stop, Essex....

2009-03-27T12:16:00.004Z

Well, the tour has started and we're back in the saddle. It was an easy 12 hour drive from Aberdeen to Essex, I think we hit a pocket in the traffic and made great time. After an all-day rehearsal on Wednesday we were off to a gig last night at the Farnham Maltings in, well, Farnham.

The combination of Tim and I is a fun one, great to have another 'front' guy to riff off, and also have the change to lay back a bit and play a little more guitar than I normally do. We recorded last night's session to give it the once-over.

Best moments? Well, the old beams in that theater sounded great when I used them to play my lap steel! I think we have pictures to prove it, gimme time and we'll get there...

Off to play with the Swamp Cat's in Essex tonight, and then a double-header tomorrow.