Thank You All (Page 4 of 8)

Thanks for all you did in the past 5 years. It was an honour for me to see you play and to talk to you so often.
Now the 2 drumsticks you gave to me for  my son Bram (they are in his bedroom since) and the poster with your message on it , get a very special meaning.

That message was:

Andre thanks for everything, Bogie Bowles.

I answer with much love for you;

Bogie, thanks for everything, Andre Wittebroek

Bogie to BigJeff in Melbourne:  "From the neck up..."

Even though it was in reference to something else, I was afraid then, I knew what that might mean.      Rest, heal, gain some weight, get some loving & recover.  I'll call you later.  Call me anytime.

MuchLove
BigJeff

Even though I understand why you're leaving, I hate to see you leave. The first time I saw you and Joe was a hot, sweltering July day in Kansas City. I was totally impressed with the both of you and continue to be impressed.

Good luck to you, Bogie!

Good luck Bogie!!  You were a total joy to watch in Joes band!!

Doug

I read Bogie's post last night and while reading through the replies i found myself getting all choked up with sadness and thought i'd wait overnight and analyse why.
Because i needed to post this right, and i wanted to get it right.
This May Be My Toughest Post Yet .....

Mr Bogie Bowles ..... Gentleman, Musician, Friend ..... and Kick A$$ Drummer

2005/6
Bogie had caught Joe's eye previously while with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, guess Joe could see his potential and style and they hit it off, he came to Joe's show on the back end of 2005 around the time "You and Me" was in production in Las Vegas, and indeed one of Bogie's first shows as at the Boulder Street Station show on Dec 2nd, also the night LD Miller dropped in,
"i have the DVD of that full show" and it Rocks Haed, even the you could see the interaction, they had a few more show on the run up to Christmas, then it was 2006 and it began the transition from bars and clubs of 200 to bigger theaters, they ventured to Europe and Bogie's first show abroad was Joe's first in Central London at The Borderline on Friday Feb 3rd 2006 playing to and i quote "50 or 60 people", Bogie still had his long hair then, but they tore it up across the UK and then went on a mini European tour of new countries like France and Germany as well as the previously visited and much loved Holland, a Bonafide Joe Haven
they shot back to states and was hammering the tour date, this was around 250 shows per year then

2007

More extensive tours followed and the virgin Italy was baptised as well as Spain and Scandinavia plus on March 29th 2007 they moved to headline in London the 2000 capacity Shepherd Bush Empire
The band took a change in April 2007 as Mark Epstein left and Joe brought in Carmine on Bass and Rick on Keyboard to make a fuller sound, seemed like Bogie had a bigger kit too,
they played their first show together in Elgin, Illinois on May 5th and showcased Sloe Gin for the very first time, Wow the band seemed big, huge in sound and crisp in delivery, but they were to become more ruthless as the years progressed, Big American festivals and extensive European tour plus Moscow with an appearance at the North Sea Jazz festival cosolidated their arrival on the world touring stage and media was finally sitting up and taking notice, with the release of the "Sloe Gin" CD in August, the band continued to grow on and off the stage worldwide

2008

A trip to India started off the year, then a full 3 month European tour onslaught, followed by an extensive summer tour of USA, Non stop shows, Non stop entertainment, and visit to Ireland for the first time was shoe horned in
The Much anticipated live release "Live From Nowhere In Particular" came out to high acclaim and you could hear Bogie's Thunderous Drums Throughout, wonderful production and real to life release of a live Joe Show...... The Band were now in full flow and their set was longer and real Rock/Blues Driven, Polished Rawness, all 4 were bouncing off each other and they were frickin' tight, towards the end of the year, while on a short UK Tour it was announced that Joe would be headlining at The World Famous Royal Albert Hall in London England on Monday May 4th 2009, the dream had come true for not just for Joe,  but Bogie was to Drum in that incredible music venue, the Bonamassa world was a buzz, the forum was on meltdown as 2008 came to a close

2009

The release of "The Ballad Of John Henry" was in early 2009, with some dates in California and across the US, Just to warm up for the Hugely anticipated show at The RAH
The CD was pure class, slick brilliant tunes with a big big production, it was timed perfect for the big show to follow, May the 4th was a dream come true for all things related to Joe, and Bogie was there as big as ever, Drumming his best performance too, He Rocked The Albert Hall, he had achieved his dream too, such a night for all on stage as well as in the audience and around the world, it is there for all eternity on disc to relive, Bogie was intense and smiling, so dedicated to the night, i can watch it over and over,
The Ballad Of John Henry was a music sucess reachin No 1 of many music charts worldwide and propelling the band to more larger venues and a huge Big Rock Sound
Joe Bogie Rick and Carmine ventured to Japan for the first time with wild scenes and a visit to Israel too
An extensive European Tour followed later that year, with some wondeful show at glorious venues, like The Olympia in Paris and The Le Carre in Amsterdam, trully memorable shows
what a year that was for the band, probs Bogie's most enjoyable

2010

They had been in Santorini in July 2009 recording "Black Rock" and with that island came a fresh sound of an album, raw but strong song types with a tightness within the grooves, the guys had relaxed there and the freeness came through in the sounds,
Later that year on May 28th Joe headlined at London's Hammersmith Apollo  to 5200 crazy Joe Fans, Joe's biggest show to date, and here Bogie was on fire, this was an electric powerhouse show, and another tick on Bogie's worldwide resume, of class venues,
then it was off to Australia for the first shows down under, they went down a storm there too
Another huge European tour playing massive theates across, new countries Poland, Estonia, and all eastern bloc countries, then it was a huge USA Tour to close down 2010

So from December 2005 to December 2010 Bogie played well over 1000 shows with Joe across the every corner of the globe, Bogie was what was needed to propel Joe's sound to the worldwide audience, he sat in everynight, played his butt off and smashed it, never ever missing a beat .... i'm sure Joe would agree that he played more bum notes than Bogie in that 5 years, and that number is close around the Zero
A true musical professional, and one that will remain in the hearts of all that met him and listened to his music ...... It Will Live On Forever

Here are some of my own personal memories of Bogie, The RAH for one, looking up at him and he catching me with a wink whispering "Michael" when he sat down for Django
Here's one, The Batman Escapade, never outed this before, seems right now, it was aimed at both Joe and Bogie, becuse of Bogie's love for superheroes and i heard he'd worn a costume at one show in The US and cos Joe once wore a Batman t shirt when he was young, that's why and the post followed, it was a smily fun night never to be repeated, Bogie got me back, when he actually met a Batman near Big Ben in London and had a photo taken of him knocking out this Batman, sent it to me, saying, Lynch you're beaten, K'Pow,  and he got me backstage a few times when Joe was off somewhere, some nice gifts, one time at Liverpool at encore and taking their bows he through his drumstick at me at 1000 mph, just caught if off my eyelash, he looked and laughed, i met him in Dallas and he signed a lovely photo, nice to see you "AGAIN !" Michael, i know Rhonda and Patty have some good ones, and Rhonda takes the best Bogie photo's period, i know little Robby was Bogie biggest fan,
i remember the time Me Patty Rhonda sat down with Bogie in Elgin just chatting for 30 minutes like family, i know Annelies and Marianne are huge Bogie Fans too, they'll have some nice memories, i once gave Bogie a Trapeze CD Sharon had got him after much internet googling, he was after this for ages, anyways he opens it, at Boom Boom Club in Sutton, at soundcheck and set up, and starts jumping around like a kid at christmas, Dude was made up,
think that soundcheck was 30 minutes late LOL, ............... there are many more, the man was a Diamond, so pleased to have met him, and the memories will stay forever,
i dont need to wish him good luck, he dont need it, fore where ever he goes, his smile and shining light will enlighten all those around him, Joe really did choose well when he got BB on board his own BB King in his band,
It will be different for Joe to look around and see the smiley one not there, and Joe has indeed the bestest stories of our Bogie for sure, what more can i say other than you were easy one of the nicest men i have ever met truly.
Difficult to finish on, Hope your dreams and aspirations come true in all you do in life, and one day you might see in the front row, (oh no not again, he says), let us know where you're heading and drop by from time to time
Gonna Miss Huge Time and if ya want any of those DVD'S of you plus the one from Vegas , your firstest show, drop a line
Take Care Out There My Friend
You Rocked It And Kicked It All Over The World
Love Ya Dude

.................. Michael

ps  get me that 2nd Knocked Down Smilin' cd will ya 

Bogie,  I hardly knew you, never saw you live and I finally get tickets to the show in Anaheim and you leave, very sad about it but I will always have RAH.

Thanks

That's  indeed surprising and sad news...    ...but also understandable if you have new personal and professional challenges ready to go for... You're a hell of a drummer... *mega thumbs up* ...I wish you all of best Luck for your new way... Cheers for adding so much value to Joe's music...

Many Greetings from germany
PIT... 

Hey Bogie,

I'm sorry to hear that your leaving, I have always enjoyed listening to and watching your drumming.

Good luck with all your future endeavors

Cheers,
Matt