Joe Bonamassa: "I don't want to be a pop artist. I just want to be me" (Page 1 of 2)

Just thought I'd give you all a taste of the recent interview Joe and I did, which will be up online shortly at Rock N Roll Universe:

RNRU : This is certainly your most diverse album to date. Kevin has definitely broadened your musical scope the past two albums from what you were previously known for. Is there ever any concern that you might go too far and begin to alienate long time fans? How difficult is it for you as an artist to reconcile between what you know the fans will like and what you would like to do, musically speaking?

JB : I know what the fans like. I really do know. If I sang two verses, then soloed for fourteen minutes, sang a verse, then ended the song, the fans would be happy with that. (Laughs) They like to hear me play, because I've always been known as a guitar player. There's people who just want to hear me play guitar, with the song being secondary. There's also people who are more into songs. There's more new fans lately who like both. There are women fans who say, "Oh, I like this song." So what I try to do... we need to have some playing on here obviously, because I can't just turn into Slowhand and do eight bar solos overnight. And I can't turn into the blues rock jam guy who just solos all the time either.

I was slightly nervous about whether there was enough guitar playing on the album. Would people think that I've mellowed with age? But I looked at it this way - if I don't do it now, I'll never do it. Also, especially this summer we started playing these great festivals, and I got to go on after Steely Dan. Literally 4 minutes after they played at the North Sea Jazz Festival, with "Kid Charlemagne" and all those hits, then I have to go on. They have all these great songs and melodies, and I went, "I need to start collecting some of my own." Because if I have to compete at this level, I'm going to get my **** kicked by songs. I just got tired of going, "Well, this song is good because it's 14 minutes and there's a great solo in it." I just wanted a good song. So I figured if I didn't do it now, I'd never do it. It was a risk, but I'm so glad that the fans have accepted it. I now know that people like melody, and will accept me singing a song without a guitar solo.

RNRU: It's good to diversify yourself, you can't keep playing the same thing all the time or it'll get stale. Having said that though, I'm sure there's a faction of your fans who would love nothing more than for you to put out 'Blues Deluxe' over and over...

JB : 'Blues Deluxe, Vol II, Vol III and IV'. (Laughs) The other thing is, too, there's a certain sect of fans that would want me to do that, but not enough to fill up a 1500 seat theater. That's the problem. We're playing 1,200-1,500 seat theaters, they're coming from somewhere, but they're coming for different reasons now. Before, it was 400 dudes going, "Yeah! Yeah!" (Laughs) Now it's a bit different audience. Honestly I prefer the 1500 seat theater to the 400 seat club, where you don't want to sit down on the couch. (Laughs) It's a conscious decision, but it's never for radio play. I don't pander for radio play, I don't want to be a pop artist. I just want to be me. This record is kind of just who I am in a nutshell, only I've been too scared to let people in and show them this other side. Getting back to Kevin Shirley, he gave me the confidence to let people in, to be confident enough as a singer, writer and arranger, to show this other side and take the risk.

Will be posting the link to the entire interview here just as soon as it's up.

Rock N Roll Universe
www.rocknrolluniverse.com

"Where The Past And The Future Of Music Collide"