Drinkin TNT and Smokin Dynamite
For 100 years, I was active in Wisconsin Blues music. Recently I sort of walked away from it. I just did not think anything was coming, nothing was touching me. I am not making some sort of generalization for you. But honestly, if I had to see Rev Raven, or Jay Stulo or Westside again, on a big stage, I would just be so heartbroken that I cannot touch it any further. I look to festivals, both in my home town and other towns, and it just breaks my heart.
I know there is a market for it. I know people love it, but something in my heart makes me lament this each and every year. Every summer. It just makes me shake at night.
My good friend Tom Jordan, a few months ago, went on a pilgimage to the Crossroads. He played a few nights at Ground Zero. He stsood on that stage, in the place, the holiest of holies, and he came back changed.
A rabid dog. Angry. Resentful. Upset that so little is seen, and so much more exists.
So I thought I would give you these four songs, and let them start your summer.
And for those of you who are reading this, and you work on blues festivals, thank you for your work. Do not take it personally that I am not a fan. I doubt you could ever make me happy.
On of my best friend in the whole world is a cat named Scott Holt. Scott is part of a pure understanding of the blues. A connection to the source. A student, at the knee of Buddy Guy for a decade. Scott missed college, because he was in a car with Buddy. And no one, no where, has the blues harder than Buddy. Buddy is still a man, in his 70s that I am flat out afraid of. He has real danger, and that makes it electric.
Anyway, I see my friend Scott play a guitar, and I just forget that anyone else anywhere even owns one. Scott is utterly alone, and Scott is the only reason that any blues exists on my ipod. Because he won;t let me forget that for every hack in an SRV hat, Junior Wells records are out there. For every guy playing 10,900 notes and hoping to be Alvin Lee, ALbert Collins made records. And for every local drummer claiming to play the best shuffle, Freddie King is on my ipod.
I think often of my friend Tom Neal, and his love of all things British. I know it is his thing, like badly made tofu is mine. But just once, I want Tom to do a WNRB show of nothing but hill country blues. Revival stuff.
Sorry Wisconsin, but I think your voices leave me flat. I need a new strong brave voice.
Crystal said:
You must have more than just recently walked away from the blues scene in WI. If you knew anything about the scene you’d know that Jay Stulo sadly has not been around for over a year. How can you not be blown away by his incredible guitar playing? You should take another listen to his guitar playing and lyrics and not so much his voice.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:00 pm #
Michael said:
I am so sorry to hear that the Wisconsin Musicians voices don’t stand strong for you. In my opinion as a adamant blues traveler I feel that Jay Stulo is one of the most tallented guitar players in this state and beyond. Im sure as a bar manager you have seen your share of bands but please don’t begin to compare a musician like Jay Stulo to Rev.Raven
July 25th, 2008 at 8:50 pm #
Dino Corvino said:
Sorry Crystal, the blues stuff all warps into one big memory. I am bad with years.
I think it is cool that the Stulo contingent found the blog, and I like Jay a lot.
I booked him at the only multi band blues fest in Tomahawk 100 years ago, and he blew everyone right off the stage. His version of Baba O’Reily is simply epic.
Crystal writes…How can you not be blown away by his incredible guitar playing?…I am blown away. When he rocks it out, and truly goes for it. When he plays the wall, and noodles in the slow blues out or some sort of ill placed respect for others, that bothers me.
Jay is a powerhouse. I have seen the rocking three piece, and that is my favorite. When he plays the Wisconsin blues, then it is like a dog on a leash. A great big greyhound that can run. And he deserves to run.
Micheal writes…Im sure as a bar manager…I am not a manager of a bar. In fact, I do not work in a bar. I work as a journalist. I am the former president of the Great Northern Blues Society, a board member of Big Bull falls Blues Fest, a blues friday host on WXPR.
I think that Jay is in fact the best of that generation of guys. But at the same time, I can throw a rock and find a new blues guy who deserves to play big bull falls.
Why has Mike Murphy played it once? He has been around, worked as hard, as anyone. Why not Mike?
Why not Jerry Henry? He has been around for 100 years up north?
Why not Paul Fillipowicz? He has sold more records than any other blues guy in Wisconsin. the Flipper is amazing.
Why not Howard Luedtke? He has been the number 2 guitar player in Wisconsin for his whole life. Why has he not been there in a long time?
Why does Deep Water Reunion get the big stage and not Howard? They do not play gigs, Howard plays 5 nights a week.
I know that they two of you clearly have a vested interst in Jay, and I hope you tell him hello from me, but if you want to talk about the blues festivals and the parochial booking practices, then we need to be honest about it.
Where are the gigs for…
Howard?
Paul Fillipowicz?
Dave Steffen?
Mike Murphy?
Jerry Henry?
Tom Jordan?
Eric Messenberg?
Sam Staples?
Yet Rev seems to be on every festival stage, and winning WAMIs. Love Rev to death, but where are the new voices.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:10 pm #