Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Good morning Donna:

After my posts yesterdayranting about music and the culture we live in, I decided to step down from my soap box today:).

I couldn't agree more with your comments about appreciating Frank Sinatra's talent today. I share the same opinion, but at 15, I wasn't smart enough to know that I didn't have all the answers and if I didn't like something, then it must not have been worth liking.

Now, I can appreciate a real talent in just about anything even though I may not necessarily like the particular style of music that he / she performs.

But the thing I always admired perhaps more was the stories about how they got to where they are today - stories about the Beatles playing countless gigs in crummy clubs in Hamburg or Liverpool - the juke joints of Mississippi where so many got their start - the clubs in Chicago where so many travelled from the south to plug into something called electric blues.

I didn't know that the unwritten rule that prohibits daughters from listening / liking the same music as their mothers applyed - I always thought that was a father / son thing. Not having any sisters, I really don't know very much about the mother / daughter dynamics.

Your daughter is a "big country music fan" and where oh were did you go wrong - that's very funny smile smile smile

I'm not a fan of country music either - to me, it's alot like NASCAR (cars going around and around on an oval ..??) - I just don't get the appeal.

Boy, your comment about hearing Led Zeppelin on your local classic station is right on the money - are you listening to the same classic station as I do / did (I stopped listening to it about a week ago for the VERY reason you referred to..?? I don't know how much Robert Plant or Jimmy Page is paying these stations around the country, but it must be worth it..!!

Thanks again for your post, Donna, it provided another interesting perspective.

Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.

Mark

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Mark, love this discussion and the thought put into it.

I can't help but note that a large majority of Joe's fans are "of a certain age".  I believe that's because all the really great music we cut our teeth on was by artists whose main influence was the blues. So we grew up having a love for blues and blues/rock and a thirst for it that is very hard to fill these days. Frankly, I think the quality of music coming out of the industry sucks. It's practically unlistenable. I can count on one hand the new artists I find worth listening to. So I wind up going back to my old favorites like Zepplin, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, Doors, etc. When I first heard Joe, it struck that chord in me that said yes, this is MY music.

I think the problem is that there are so few new artists doing the blues and especially blues/rock. When I was growing up there was a ton of it. Now you have to search it out. I fear that it will remain just a niche market because there's no money it and that's what the music industry is all about these days. I feel very fortunate that Joe does it for love and not money and that I have a least some new music to feel passionate about again.

I'm just saying.

21 (edited by markgtrplyr 2007-04-30 11:26:11)

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Good morning Nancy:

I was reading your email and I feel it could have been written by me almost word for word.

You've described EXACTLY what I think. And I think I alluded to it in an earlier message.

At the risk of sounding like I'm stuck in some kind of a 60's "time warp" a la Dr. Johnny Fever, I grew up on the music of the 60's - that's what i cut my teeth on so to speak. Of course, I was into the blues, but I also loved the Beatles (particularily Lennon's music in the group), the Bryds (I loved that whole folk / rock sound - Flying Burrito Brothers etc that eventually peaked with The Eagles), huge Dylan fan, the Doors. huge Hendrix fan and, of course, growing up  in Los Angeles and skipping school to head down to Huntington Beach to surf as a teenager, my "guilty" pleasures were The Beach Boys and people like Jan and Dean.

There just seemed to be an incredible assortment of very talented people - who wrote their own music - played their own instruments and made some great music that sounds as good now as it did 40 years ago.

I was joking with my wife that the last few concerts I've seen, I don't think the artist has been younger than 55 - I saw Eric Clapton in Toronto with Robert Randolph Family opening ( fantastic steel guitar player..!) / Mark Knopfler ( I love his guitar style and playing) / Buddy Guy and a couple of others whose names I can't recall right now. But these are some of the people I like and listen to.

I can remember when I was growing up going to a record store and having to pick and choose which album or two out of 10 in the new releases section I was going to buy. In other words, I could usually find about 10 new releases that I could easily have bought. Today, I go to the new releases section and I cannnot believe the selection- "gee, there's a new Hillary Duff CD - wow, Paris Hilton has released an album - look at that, Lindsay Lohan has a  CD out".

Thanks to this forum - and some of the older posts I've read - I've now got a few new names to add to my list. There was one post I saw where Joe, for example, listed his top ten best (blues) guitarists of the last few years - and a couple of them I had never heard of. So if they made the cut on a list that Joe compiled, then they must be worth a listen.

That seems to be the concensus that's it's a niche market, isn't it..? I always feel bad for these incredibly talented guys who work their asses off to sell X number of cd's while a 4th runner up on American Idol is signed to a record contract - sells xxxxxxxx number of cd's in his / her first month - buys a new $30 million home in Malibu and gets to hang every weekend with Paris and the gang.

And. of course, while the music business ALWAYS has been about money (none of the major record labels were ever "not for profit" companies), it's ALL about money now, isn't it - I think of Bob Dylan's famous line "money doesn't talk - it swears"..!

I saw a guy named Danny Gatton once at a small club in Toronto years ago after he made the cover of guitar player magazine as the "BEST unknown player" around and it was amazing how good he was - how he could flip between blues to country to rockabilly to rock and roll to whatever on this Telecaster. I mean he was a "players" player - kind of like Eric Johnson (any guitar player on the planet knows of this guy and how good he is, but ask a non-playr who EJ is and you'll probably get a blank stare).

Danny Gatton commited suicide a few years ago and one has to wonder if the fact that he had very little commercial success (and $$$) contributed to his depression. I saw a You Tube video with Danny and Joe and I understand that Danny taught Joe as well..???

Well, I'm rambling now - thanks again for your response, Nancy - I really enjoyed  reading your comments.

Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.

Mark

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Hello friends! I have a few suggestions...Subscribe to Blues Review...Besides being big Joe fans, they are my main source for "new" blues music. Join your local Blues Society. Delaware and Baltimore do reviews w/each newsletter. Also check out Blues Festival Guide.com. Sign up for their e-news letter. Even though you won't find the selection you want at your local store, there is a plethera of blues music out there and MANY up and coming bands. I feel fortunate to live in an area that offers alot of music. Nothing beats "live" music. Finally, and I don't wish to offend anybody, but I really enjoy being at concerts with "older" people. I'm not so sure I could take a Joe concert w/screaming girls!! And I have never been to a blues festival, show or even the Blues Cruise where there was ANY drama!!!   Danny Gatton was a Maryland boy and I was lucky to see him before his death. Mark, I loved the Flying Burrito Bros...a friend in college had an album and I would make him play it every time I was around....what would you recommend as the essential cd?      Your friend in the Blues..Cathy

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Hi Cathy:

Good suggestions - you know, I buy so many damn guitar magazines each month - coupled with my Sports Illustrated subscription and other sports mags that I've seriously thought about buying the stuff you referred to, but then I ask myself "do I really need more magazines..??"

But I really like the idea of the blues e-news / letter - that's a great suggestion. As well, I'm going to contiue to wade through some of the new and old posts on this site cause I really think all of you are very, very knowledgeable about music and have great taste as well (at least nobody has gotten angry at me cause I made a negative remark about Paris Hilton's new CD..:) ). I've already heard quite a few names mentioned of people I've never heard before, but tif the recommendations are coming from you all, then it will be worth investigating.

I was a big fan of the The Flying Burrito Brothers - Poco - Buffalo Springfield. There's another "oldie" I saw in Toronto not too long ago - Chris Hillman, who was one of the original Bryds and went on to play with the Flying Burrito Bros (and the great Gram Parsons) and the Souther - Hillman - Furay Band. Chris is now in his early 60's and living up in Santa Barbara and still tours regularily.

I know there's an 1969-1972 Anthology album I've seen on amazon.com with 43 tracks and it sells for about $15.00 - taht's the one I would go for.

I laughed about your comment about screaming girls.

I mentioned in another post that when I was younger, I saw Jimi Hendrix in concert opening for - get this..!! - the Monkees. I think myself and about 3 other people were there specifically for Jimi. The rest of the audience - alot of screaming 15 and 16 year old girls were there for Davy, Mickey, Michael and ??? (who was the other one..??).

Wasn't Danny fantastic..??

Well, thanks again for your response, Cathy - you've given me a couple of great ideas.

Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.

Mark

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

cathysiler wrote:

Finally, and I don't wish to offend anybody, but I really enjoy being at concerts with "older" people. I'm not so sure I could take a Joe concert w/screaming girls!! And I have never been to a blues festival, show or even the Blues Cruise where there was ANY drama!!!

If I had watch Joe through screaming girls, I would surely be arrested!

"There is nothing to it.  You only have to hit the right notes at the right time and the instrument plays itself."---Johann Sebastian Bach

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Nancy in Chicago wrote:

Mark, love this discussion and the thought put into it.

I can't help but note that a large majority of Joe's fans are "of a certain age".  I believe that's because all the really great music we cut our teeth on was by artists whose main influence was the blues. So we grew up having a love for blues and blues/rock and a thirst for it that is very hard to fill these days. Frankly, I think the quality of music coming out of the industry sucks. It's practically unlistenable. I can count on one hand the new artists I find worth listening to. So I wind up going back to my old favorites like Zepplin, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, Doors, etc. When I first heard Joe, it struck that chord in me that said yes, this is MY music.

I think the problem is that there are so few new artists doing the blues and especially blues/rock. When I was growing up there was a ton of it. Now you have to search it out. I fear that it will remain just a niche market because there's no money it and that's what the music industry is all about these days. I feel very fortunate that Joe does it for love and not money and that I have a least some new music to feel passionate about again.

I dont think there is so much a shortage of artists or good artists playing electric guitar blues or blues rock I seem to be finding more and more of it through the forum and thru blues review magazine.Its just a search and find rather than being able to go to a store or hear it on the radio like it used to be.there are also a ton of great artists from europe or other places around the globe that are way under our radars here in the states. there are alot of blues rockers that are american who spend a majority of their touring in europe.I also think many blues artists do alot of regional turing and dont always make the national scene,probably due to economics. And I thoink your right about that there is no money in it. I know alot of people in their30's and 40's  50's that just dont know that there is great stuff out there music that they would certainly be interested in if put in front of them. Its just not filtered into therir lives through the radio the way it was in the past.Or when was the last time a local cd reviewer reviewed anything in blues out side of a few big name artists.

Your rock candy baby
Your hard sweet and sticky

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

markgtrplyr wrote:

I mentioned in another post that when I was younger, I saw Jimi Hendrix in concert opening for - get this..!! - the Monkees. I think myself and about 3 other people were there specifically for Jimi. The rest of the audience - alot of screaming 15 and 16 year old girls were there for Davy, Mickey, Michael and ??? (who was the other one..??).

the other one was Peter.  And quit dissin' my teen crushes! smile

Great musicians have a language & vocabulary that transcends the usual barriers & touches us on a more primitive , basic & yet complex level....

...I'll always have London in my heart, and in my soul...

27 (edited by markgtrplyr 2007-04-30 18:27:54)

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Donna wrote:
markgtrplyr wrote:

I mentioned in another post that when I was younger, I saw Jimi Hendrix in concert opening for - get this..!! - the Monkees. I think myself and about 3 other people were there specifically for Jimi. The rest of the audience - alot of screaming 15 and 16 year old girls were there for Davy, Mickey, Michael and ??? (who was the other one..??).

the other one was Peter.  And quit dissin' my teen crushes! smile

A thousand apologies, Donna- damn insensitive of me. I forgot the power of those teen girl crushes.

I remember having this huge crush on a girl - Donna Jackson - in middle school in Anaheim, but she wouldn't give me the time of day - her heart belonged to somebody named Bobby Sherman (now there's a name from the past that will definitely date you..!). To this day, if I hear the name Bobby Sherman (which, fortunately, is very, very rare, it immediately conjures up an image of her and being being jilted. The upside was that that rejection may have been my first introduction to feeling "blue".

Today, I live by the creedo - women - you can't live with them and you can't do most of the positions without them..!!  smile

Let me guess - your crush was on Davy Jones..!!

Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.

Mark

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

markgtrplyr wrote:

Let me guess - your crush was on Davy Jones..!!

Ok, really, Mark...how hard was THAT to figure out.   But I must clear this up after doing some checking...I wasn't quite a teen yet!

And to bring this back on topic, since I don't want Jim to relegate this to the "off topics" section....(HI JIM!)... I found all of Joe CDs at my local Barnes and Noble.  Not in the 'blues' section, either, but in Pop/Rock.  I bet they have some Monkees there too, and I'm sure they could order me a Bobby Sherman.  *sigh*  (what a cutie!)

Great musicians have a language & vocabulary that transcends the usual barriers & touches us on a more primitive , basic & yet complex level....

...I'll always have London in my heart, and in my soul...

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

at cd stores:

supply+demand=not blues

joe bonamassa cds = pop/rock section


with the attitude of music today, blues cannot get bigger or more popular because any evolution of blues music is considered pop/rock section of selling cds.  Santana, Los Loney Boys, etc. all pop/rock. Yuppies probably wouldn't know to look in a different section for it!

its sad

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

NPB:

I think this is EXACTLY what it comes down to.

I might be wrong on this, but I recall when I was younger and your ONLY option was vinyl that records really did have their own unique section.

Hell, I can remember a great store that had sections on COMEDY / military bands / choir music / etc - they REALLY had it broken down.

You're right - now it's all consolidated into the closest fit - IF you're lucky enough to make the cut.

But if $$$$ sales per square foot of floor space is the issue and you're the store owner / manager- and you have the choice of stocking "Joe Bluesman", for example, who is a gifted player / singer / songwriter who might sell 500 cd's a year - or Clay Aiken (no offense to those who like the guy..!) who sells 5,000 cd's a year, I guess it's a no-brainer.

Yeah - it's sad..!

Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar, is either, unsolvable or isn't a problem.

Mark

Re: Blues CDs in Stores / Big Responsibility

Jane H. wrote:

but we can change it I think
just keep testitfying in a positive way
whoever you want to get through to focus on how good it can be for them as opposed to how pathetic it is
works sometimes

only way to change it is for Joe to sell 5000 copies a year like Clay Aiken.
The power of the purse.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool