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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → A RIVAL TO JOE BONAMASSA: THOMMY LONG!
It seems there is another young bluesman on the scene, everybody: Thommy Long. Thom's been playing since he was six, and he seems to have the chops and intuition to rival Joe Bonamassa. Check out the myspace: www.myspace.com/thefunkfactory
You know how there are good players? And how there are the outstanding players that the good players are compared to? Like Joe, Thom is one of those types. I wonder what Bonamassa would think... 
Hard to tell by listening to the songs on the website if he will really "rival" Joe. The songs he did he covered in the traditional style. Joe covers a song and "Bonamassa-izes" it. Thommy does show he can cover traditional songs well and has what I consider a very good "blues voice". I would like to hear more of him.
I think he is very good.. I dont dig his choice in covers. Red House again!!! Ha.. Im being picky I guess.. I wish him the best of luck. Its a hard road. But he looks young and willing to go out there and pound pavement!!
Joe B
Haha, "red house" will become a running gag if you mention it one more time, Joe! 
But it sounds good ... has he released something?! Didn´t read anythin about that on his site ...
Eva
I heard this before it seems that someone comes along now every week making that statement all though he sounds good can here compose and arrange and write like Joe as well. their are a lot of Guitar slingers out there most of them Play Great But Joe Is A 5 tool Player I wish him luck like JB said its A long way too the top if you want to play the Bluez
Peace
Bluezman
I think what might be the cause of this phenomenon is that many bands are still in the stage of their career where they take requests at their gigs or are barely just past that stage. If you ever get a chance to listen to whats being requested its amazing how locked in the general public is to a very small selection of tunes and artists. Red House is one of those. I cant tell you how many times friends of mine in bands have complained about having to play certain tunes wherever they play but their in the situation that if they dont honor the requests then the clientel end up leaving the gigs and the band may then not get that gig again. Its certainly best for the artists sanity if he's in the position of being able to make the choice of whats played.
On another aspect of a similar situation is where ive heard major recording artists complain about having to be locked forever into playing certain tunes that they had as top hits at one time in the past. One artist had said that a certain song had made the bands career for them but he considered it the worst thing that ever happened to him in his life as he could never, not even one day for 30 years get away from that song, like a spector that haunts him all his life ! But if the band refuses to play those songs their touring days would grind to a stop. Joe has seemed to somehow be able to pull of getting around this situation, perhaps because there's been no major radio play of any of his music.
I think he is very good.. I dont dig his choice in covers. Red House again!!! Ha.. Im being picky I guess.. I wish him the best of luck. Its a hard road. But he looks young and willing to go out there and pound pavement!!
Joe B
First off..I LOVE a good rendition of "Red House"..Take it over "Freebird" or "Mustang Sally" any day. Pretty ballsy to call this kid Joe's rival. A future Blues/Rock star maybe, but it's an insult, IMHO, to post his intro here this way. I guess I'm just old and cranky! That said, I wish him a long and successful career! I love the young'ins! Cathy
he sounds good, i wouldn't compare him to joe, to me it doesn't sound like he is near that level. there are others i consider equal to joe, this guy isn't close. my opinion only.
Am I the only one that cringes when I read or hear the word "RIVAL"? I get the exact feeling during interviews with Joe and they say "the next Stevie Ray Vaughan." I don't mean that in a disrespectful way Joe. I think you understand what I'm trying to say. It's sort of doesn't make sense comparing anyone to anyone else. (WOW that's deep huh?) Just my opinion I guess.
I have seen people a lot better than that never get past their local bar, the main thing he has going is his voice but a good technical voice with no passion is like listening to a computer.
The guitar playing was reasonable but nothing special at all, I'm quite happy to spend money going to see a decent blues jam but this guy would be something I would expect to see for free at the moment.
Don't replicate - innovate!
but good luck to him - however he is certainly no rival for Joe. Don't even kid yourself...
Am I the only one that cringes when I read or hear the word "RIVAL"? I get the exact feeling during interviews with Joe and they say "the next Stevie Ray Vaughan." I don't mean that in a disrespectful way Joe. I think you understand what I'm trying to say. It's sort of doesn't make sense comparing anyone to anyone else. (WOW that's deep huh?) Just my opinion I guess.
I hear you thestepchild. I remember that "the next Stevie Ray Vaughn" reference and thinking "this guy doesn't do Texas blues". Joe is blues-rock but his style sets him apart from others in the blues-rock category.
not too bad...but not Joe either.
I have seen people a lot better than that never get past their local bar, the main thing he has going is his voice but a good technical voice with no passion is like listening to a computer.
The guitar playing was reasonable but nothing special at all, I'm quite happy to spend money going to see a decent blues jam but this guy would be something I would expect to see for free at the moment.
Don't replicate - innovate!
but good luck to him - however he is certainly no rival for Joe. Don't even kid yourself...
gotta agree. he is good compared to the regular joe(pun not intended) nowhere close to the world class talent of joe, not even close to people far below joe.
hmm I've been looking for someone in Ohio to jam with... Maybe I'll get in contact with him
Logan
Hi Logan
We have some great guitarists here in the Cleveland area - Butch Armstrong, Alan Greene, Frankie Starr, Bill Capauno, Tyrone Hornbuckle, just to name a few, all just one notch below Joe in talent and second to almost no one else. All these guys participate or host jam nights at least once or twice a week around town and are open to jam with whoever pops in.Some of the best stuff ive ever seen played has happened at some of those jams over the years. A really great one will be coming up soon - the Armstrong Bearcat annual Thanksgiving day jam at Cebars. Butch Armstrong , Alan Greene, Cy Sulak + many more will be there.
I see you live in Brecksville, have you ever seen Armstrong Bearcat perform at Rockin On The River in Cuyahoga Falls ?
Bob
hmm I've been looking for someone in Ohio to jam with... Maybe I'll get in contact with him
Logan
Thommy sent me a message on myspace this morning.
This is part of what he said.
"Hey Duncan. Thank you! I like Joe a lot as well as Warren Haynes.
Also, I saw some post on Joe's site about me being a "rival" to him. I wouldn't consider myself a rival to Joe or anything like that."
Hope that clarifies that for you. As well as a promising talent, Thommy also seems to be a nice guy. I hope Thommy does not mind me using his words in this way, I wish him good luck in his career, as indeed Joe did.
http://www.myspace.com/thefunkfactory
http://www.myguitarspace.com/profile/thomlongmusic
Thanks for all the input guys. I'm just trying to put a slice of bread on my plate. I've been in top 40 bands that made $900 a gig for a four piece band, but that just made me sick playing radio tunes, in all honesty. So I quit doing that for playing blues and jazz and have dwindled my income severely. It's all about having fun in my opinion!
Though my live recordings may not be top notch quality, it is a simple stereo recording with two shure sm57's and a tape deck. I hardly EQ it just because I'm a lover of lo-fi material. Yeah, I agree the general public does ask to hear the same ole numbers quite often, but I don't mind personally because the feel is never the same, the solos are never ever the same, plus it's interesting at least to hear what is going on at that point in time.
May the glory of harmony be with you all!
Unfortunately the music scene around Cincinnati is somewhat stagnant. I do drive to Kentucky to go to blues jams and I host one every Sunday in Oxford, and co-host one on Thursdays in the hometown of Miami University.
TL
the general public does ask to hear the same ole numbers quite often, but I don't mind personally because the feel is never the same, the solos are never ever the same, plus it's interesting at least to hear what is going on at that point in time. TL
I agree and know how you feel bro. I have a trio here in Hawaii and for some reason a lot of people like hearing the same old tunes that, in our eyes, have been done to death. Being musicians, sometimes it's our job to appeal more to the audience members than to ourselves and we do what we have to do.
Keep on goin man! keep playing, practicing, and improving...because thats all we can do right?
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → A RIVAL TO JOE BONAMASSA: THOMMY LONG!
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