Blues Historian Review: Hot Buttered Blues

OK, you didn't think I actually sat through this garbage to see the real bluesman Louisianna Guitar Red did ya! Oh! The things I do for you people. This is an old movie from 1995 that I found at a video store and I just had to buy it. Certainly this movie will not go down as one of the greats. It is terrible even by adult film standards, and that is very, very low! Thank goodness, Red is blind, and couldn't see what was going on, in fact, I doubt he even knew it was a porn film! Our hero shows up in the beginning of the film singing the blues on a street corner, supposedly in the 1960s. He gets harassed by the police and leaves. Then he shows up later in the film to play a few songs. Red is the real deal although I believe he is now deceased. His real name was Cardell Boyette. Also, Red only sings and plays guitar. During his set people have there clothes on!

The movie is very forgettable and Ron Jeremy makes yet another appearance in an adult flick so I think you can just imagine how bad it is. There is also another band in what I can only describe as what a bunch of porn actors, trying to act as the stereotypical bluesmen on a normal day. Needless to say in all my years of performing (as a bluesman:-) I have never, ever, not even on my best day, ever had that kind of luck! (Ok, the story is we get into music to meet chicks, but hey guys here is the dirty little secret. IT DON"T WORK!!)

God bless ya, Louisanna Red. I hope that you had a great time, and made a lot of money.

Technical Problems

I have no clue why I am having problems with my browsers, but neither one is working right and it is have a very negative impact on my blog. I am trying to figure out what is going on, as soon as I can fix it, I will start posting again. Hopefully by tomorrow night at the latest.

Tom
Blues Historian

You Got To Be Kidding!!

Okay, hype is one thing, but this is ridiculous. There is a band from Knutsford England, Blues and Snake, that is some sort of combo of thrash metal, blues, (trust me barely blues, but it is in there especially the song dirty women from their myspace page. Of course dirty woman starts out okay, until the guy sings and ruins it, and I thought the Germans couldn't sing! ACK!!! It reminds of the German punk band Labach from the 70s.) However, it is the article from Manchester Evening News that really bothered me. First, why call them anything close to a blues band or a slice of delta blues like the title. If this is the future of the blues, then it is time to put the blues out of its misery, because this is NOT THE BLUES. I sorry, I actually understand the teen angst thing, and the need for loud screaming obnoxious music, but kids, stick to the punk, and metal, and leave the blues to the old guys. Second, why all this crap about Robert Johnson! For the Millionth time it was TOMMY JOHNSON who sold his soul to the devil not Robert. Here is what David Sue wrote about the band.

But much like Jack and Meg White, Blues& Snake know that when it comes to SERIOUS blues music, you have a duty to create your own sense of dark, twisted theatre. These four, pasty-white kids, who hail originally from glamorous Knutsford, transplant the listener to the mythical crossroads where Robert Johnson made a pact with the devil.

Serious Blues music!!! Oh please! Get over yourself. 90 percent of blues, is music to chase the blues away. WTF is this creating a dark twisted theater about?????? Serisouly, Dave, get the history straight. Dont be so damn lazy, and just pull things, as they say in jolly ol England, OUT OF YOUR ARSE, . BTW, if you want to know what the lyrics for Crossroads is really talking about, and the true story of Robert Johnson then read this POST.

However, we can't let the kids off easy. Here is a quote from the article from them:

"The best blues is all about putting on an act,'' says the band's guitarist Paul Vickers. ``It's all about drawing the listener into your world. Of course, we're not 100-year-old bluesmen who hang about with prostitutes! We're 20-year-olds from the north of England. But it's important to create a world which draws people in. It's all quite tongue-in-cheek what we talk about in our songs.''

HUH?!??!?!?!?!?! Putting on an act?!?!?? Okay, maybe Elwood, and Jake Blues were putting on an act, BUT THEY WEREN'T REAL. Clapton??? Is he putting on act?? BB???? Muddy???? hmmmmmmmmm. Putting on a show, yes, putting on an act no. I can see your confusion, I mean the Stones, and Zeplin were putting on an act when they did blues song, but the real deal bluesman, no way. Furthermore what is the bit about 100 year old bluesmen and prostitutes??? hmmmmm, must be an English thing.

I think the bottom line, is that you need to respect the music, respect the players who came before you, and respect the history, because if you don't then you are just another rock/metal/punk band pretending to be a blues band, and trust me guys, people who know and love the blues don't take kindly to posers.

UPDATE

Check out the comments. Ash from the band has corrected information from the reporter. Like always the guy who wrote the story waxed a little too poetically about the band, and added quotes that they didn't say, or that they called themselves a blues band. I like the kids honesty, and I also realize that reporters are pretty lazy. Like I always say, if you like something don't rely on the critics. BUY THE CD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom