Your peers are always going to be an influential force in you Musical Evolution. Aric, Scott and I began our journeys in different places. We converged for a few years in the mid 80’s then we each took separate paths again.
At the end of The Roach Days, the three of us drifted apart. I got married. A year later Aric got married and soon after he moved to Lafayette to go to attend Purdue University. Scott went on to nursing school. Our paths would cross occasionally but we all seemed to have plenty going on. It was during this period that I was introduced to New Age and began to pursue ambient electronic music. Aric drifted towards Stevie Ray Vaughan the women of country music like The Dixie Chicks and Gretchen Wilson. Scott somehow got tangle up in the blues. Not the up tempo brass section Chicago Blues like the Blues Brothers but the crusty, twangy Ralph Macchio Crossroads blues. I have no idea how that happened. OK maybe I have some idea. I seem to recall him tracing that evolutionary step to Gary Moore who had transitioned to blues. All I know is that I can’t take very much of it.
I love the Blues Brothers. I even drove to Celina, Ohio to see a Blues Brothers tribute band. They were fantastic by the way and the buffet was good. I just can’t get into that typical delta blues stuff. It all sounds the same to me. The structure of First Line, repeat First Line then commentary on the First Line. I recognized the relevance and the contribution to our musical culture but like, that twangy country music and gangsta rap, it all sounds the same and after a couple of tracks, I’m ready for the check.
With all that being said, even though I give Scott a hard time about the blues, I have to appreciate the exposure. There really are some good nuggets buried in there I just would rather not spend the time or money looking for them.
Still over the years Scott has been a great source of inspiration on My Musical Evolution and sometimes we are in perfect sync. for example in the same week this year, we both bought Johnny Horton best of compilations. He came over with his to our Saturday morning coffee and I told him “You aren’t going to believe this!” as I showed him the one I bought that week.
Below are a few tracks that Scott has shared with me over the years. Some that I like and others that I don’t. I’m sure he thinks the same thing about the Jazz or dubstep that I share with him.
Alvin Lee & Ten Years After – The Bluest Blues
Taj Mahal – Fishin’ Blues
B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone I always tell Scott that the thrill was gone for me after the 8th time he said it.
Gary Moore – Still Got The Blues
Albert Collins – I Ain’t Drunk
Clarence Gatemouth Brown – Caldonia