A New Bay Area Street Mercenary

Hi, everyone!

Just spent the last 3 months first getting introduced to Joe Bonamassa's work and then getting fully obsessed. It's a particularly fast-moving virus!

I credit Amazon.com for getting me hooked; Joe's "Had to Cry Today" CD came up as an Amazon recommendation (something I rarely heed) and I was curious to listen to someone I'd never heard of. I've gotten to that sad age where all of the new groups coming out always seem to be falling short of the crank factor I look for (read that as demand), or the bands that used to crank have atrophied. I took a chance, because I was interested to hear what a guy sounded like whose name came up as a recommendation around blues guitarists, but had a Blind Faith song as the name of his album (I honestly thought he might not have known). 

Well, color me impressed. By "Travellin' South", I was calling my wife from the road (LisaG, who joined the street team faster than me), stating "This is the s*it!" I heard American and British blues, mixed with country, influences from Rory Gallagher to Robin Trower to Page to SRV (finally, a new blues player whose most obvious influence isn't SRV first!). I even heard a little Thin Lizzy rhythm in there (in the live DVD recording- Live at Rockpalast- we now have "Everything").

Give you a little idea of "who I am"; I'm not usually a "joiner". I have lived in the Bay Area for nearly 20 years, but I still have the Pennsylvania Coal Mine Area soul, which means I am opinionated and if something gets through my skepticism, I'm hooked for a long time. The only other online music board I've ever joined was for the late Warren Zevon, pretty much based on how much his music influenced me as a teen. I saw that guy through all the ups and (mostly) downs of his career, and even helped promote albums after his death. I was part of the online team that marched to local record stores and called radio stations to promote any gigs and new recordings there might be. I even did the unthinkable, which was have people from the Bulletin Board actually come visit me for parties around major releases.

I think I might be useful to the Street Team.

As of now, I've spread the word about Joe to the "in crowd" at work, and talked a few people into going to the September 20th show in the City based solely on my recommendation- CD unheard. Of course, like a good pusher, they get one free of charge form me, and that should send them into a frenzy.

I'm eagerly anticipating the live show. If it goes as well as I think it might, there's a good chance this addiction could go into overdrive and have me hounding  KFOG and other stations to up their ante. We shall see...

Anyways, that's me! Talk to you later, folks!