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Brian May on Rory Gallagher

Brian May nails it — the man and the musician. Both men of taste and decency. (A postscript: May mentions Donal, Rory’s brother who talks here about Rory: We went down to see Muddy and his band playing in a New York club called Ungano’s. The gig was very badly attended by the public, but it…

The Band

I guess the name couldn’t have been more prescient — THE band! IMHO this is the greatest band of all for many reasons as nicely set out in this documentary (yet another excellent installment to the Classic album series). The three primary and inextricably linked markers of their greatness: 1. indifferent to mainstream musical fashion;…

Bob Marley

Viewing this definitive, albeit hagiograhic, film on Bob Marley has reignited my interest in his music which I first came across, of course, via Clapton (two years earlier Jimmy Cliff and Johnny Nash gave me my first taste of reggae). It was when Sting came on the scene that my interest waned: about this time even Jagger’s silly effort…

Happy Birthday “Gatemouth”

A most versatile genius from a very special spot on the map, on the border of Louisiana and Texas. That explains his unique blend of big band, blues, country, cajun, blues, funk and swing. This sums up the man. bluesCajunClarence “Gatemouth” BrowncountryEric ClaptonfunkJazzKeith SperaSwing

The real “boss”: Gatemouth

Gatemouth died on this day in 2005. So many tributaries flowing seamlessly into this bona fide genius’s unique style which includes covering Led Zep’s “Rock and Roll” and the Stones’ “Ventilator Blues.” To give an idea of this man’s standing, Clapton was consistently upstaged by him: Clapton very graciously got Gatemouth as support on his 1995 tour…

Robert Johnson: rare new photograph

This in the Guardian (h/t to Bart van Klink) Until now, there were only two verified photographs of Johnson (1911-1938), who remains the most inspirational musician produced by the Mississippi Delta and the man Eric Clapton once anointed as “the most important blues musician who ever lived”. This weekend a third, newly cleaned-up and authenticated image…