Greenose goes Bonametal with his 1000th post! (Page 1 of 2)

Hi Bonamasses

Well here it is, finally I have written by inauguration speech as the 22nd Bonametal on the forum!

There’s so much I could mention, but my three areas are Joe, the forum, and blues rock music in general.

Its now been about two years since I finally picked up on one of those Amazon recommendations and chose to take the plunge and buy one of Joe’s albums. The album I chose first was Blues Deluxe.  I can recall distinctly playing it for the first time and it still brings great enjoyment to hear it. A few days later I rushed out to get You & Me and have collected everything Joe has released since then.

Joe represents different things to people, to some he is a guitar god, to others a saviour of the blues, some see him as the only current guy who can be compared to greats in the past like Rory Gallagher, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others that have departed.

For me, he is not particularly any of the above, what he is to me is a superbly talented musician of my age who makes great music both on his albums and in concert. I try not to attach any labels other than that. He’s not the reinvention of any previous artist nor is he the same artist he was five years ago (why then do I hear cries for Pain & Sorrow or SRV covers??). Please let Joe develop in his own distinctive way. 2009 is certainly going to be a very significant year for him!

Well it was Valentines Day last year that I joined the forum (same date as Libby!). My first post was pretty innocuous, no-one else replied:

http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5051

And this post was my introduction to the forum, shortly before I saw Joe for ths first time:

http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5060

Since then it has been a very interesting ride, the forum has been great method for me to keep in touch with Joe’s news and other fans of Joe.  I feel I’ve made some friends during this time (I just wish some of you lived nearer!), and I’ve had the benefit of being able to learn about and share the music of many other great musicians through doing so, long may it continue! I look forward to meeting up with many of you in May! Thanks to you all for making me welcome in Joe's house. Remember we are all guests here!

As a graduate in politics, I’ve always been keen to have a little discussion or two, and I know some of what I may have written in the past may have irritated some of you. I hope on the whole though, I hope I have come across as well informed in these discussions and that the reason I feel the way I do has been understood. I’m a passionate believer in recognition for lesser-known musicians of the past and the present.  Hopefully some of the discussions have brought to your attention some good music, whether from an old great such as Peter Green, Albert Collins or Rory, or a modern act such as David Gogo, Oli Brown, Aynsley Lister and more…

Another passion of mine is for seeing and supporting live music.  This includes Joe of course, but also remember there are struggling musicians playing close to you every night of the week.  So my final suggestion would be to take note of some of the lesser names mentioned on this forum and check them out.  Joe is to my ears the best musician of his generation and in his field one of the best known, but there are also plenty of others waiting to be seen and heard!

Thanks for your time.  It’s a privilege for me to know you and to be in this exclusive club.

Peace to all!

Duncan