Good Ol' Classic Blues Songs

Dave W · May 15, 2014, 09:37:10 AM

Bumps Blackwell was always a jazz and early rock & roll guy. Not a good ol' classic blues guy.

Most popular music has some blues influences. That doesn't make Sam Cooke a blues guy or Bumps Blackwell a blues authority. And DP playing a blues tune in DP style doesn't qualify either.

Posting five videos in one post to try and prove a point is reminiscent of a certain departed person. It's not going to convince anybody. And it really slows down my browser. What's next, prefacing your posts with "as we all know?"

uwe · May 15, 2014, 02:23:43 PM

Lawyers give evidence, that's our job. And if one ignores an "ah, it's all Smoke on the Water" mindset and actually listened to what DP and affiliates do on those tracks they might hear something that just might challenge their preconceptions. If one wants one's preconceptions to be challenged that is. I listen to vastly varying music - even Blues

if this guy qualifies under the scrutiny of the Blues Secret Police -

and I've found out that if you listen closely you tend to learn or notice something new everytime.

You crack jokes about former members who were kicked out against my opinion, I accepted the democratic vote. But incidentally both Terry and "As we all know" were more open to revising their view in the face of argument than some other people here who wallow in their preconceptual complacency.

Dave W · May 15, 2014, 04:09:00 PM

Quote from: uwe on May 15, 2014, 02:23:43 PM
Lawyers give evidence, that's our job. And if one ignores an "ah, it's all Smoke on the Water" mindset and actually listened to what DP and affiliates do on those tracks they might hear something that just might challenge their preconceptions. If one wants one's preconceptions to be challenged that is. I listen to vastly varying music - even Blues if this guy qualifies under the scrutiny of the Blues Secret Police -
.....

and I've found out that if you listen closely you tend to learn or notice something new everytime.

You crack jokes about former members who were kicked out against my opinion, I accepted the democratic vote. But incidentally both Terry and "As we all know" were more open to revising their view in the face of argument than some other people here who wallow in their preconceptual complacency.

Oh please! Those two were the least likely to change anything. They were both much too busy stirring up trouble, one a gullible troll and the other a pathological attention-seeker.

Yes, Tom and I must be the arbiters of what is and isn't real blues. Not that we want to be, but when faced with an invasion of 70s arena rock bands in this thread, we'll spring into action. With apologies to Potter "I know it when I see it" Stewart, we know it when we hear it. And we know what isn't.

uwe · May 15, 2014, 04:47:35 PM

I was waiting for that argument to come: ""I know it when I see/hear it". That must have crept under our scientific proof radar here.

Except that you guys don't listen, you compartmentalize.

I also herewith call the unwarranted and undeserved demotion of Deep Purple from "stadium rock" to mere "arena rock". Insult to injury, the people laughed, when (s)he said burn!!!

4stringer77 · May 16, 2014, 08:14:28 AM

Basvarken · May 16, 2014, 09:40:38 AM

Nah, can't be real Blues since there is no Deep Purple nor anal sex involved.
As we all know... real Blues can only be played on an early EB made lefty while wearing a mediaeval peasant costume with an open crotch.

When in doubt please consult Inspector U.W. "Horny" Frankfurter of the Global Music Missionary Institute.

westen44 · May 16, 2014, 02:20:07 PM

I've seen discussions elsewhere similar to this one. Such discussions can take many forms. Sometimes it seems blues purists have some kind of test that must be passed to determine if someone is really a "bluesman" or not. I suppose if people want to look at it that way, that's okay. Ultimately, though, I don't care how someone gets labeled. I've seen people argue whether Hendrix was a bluesman or not. Once again, I don't care. I think he was heavily influenced by the blues. Whether he passes the "blues test" or not just doesn't matter to me. If I were going to be critical of him, though, I'd be more critical of the direction his music was taking during his latter period. Some people, of course, think that's when his music was at its best. It's a matter of opinion.

If you really slow down Clapton's solo on "Sunshine of Your Love," that really sounds bluesy to me. Is the song a blues song? Probably not. Once again, I don't care. I don't see what the point is in this thread. But I guess that's my problem. Maybe I'm not interesting enough or perceptive enough.

As I type this, I'm listening to the Hendrix Axis album. One reviewer labeled it as "jazz metal." But is it jazz or metal, or jazz metal? Probably not. It doesn't matter. I don't know what's so important about labels. To quote a line from Wayne's World when somebody was supposedly quoting Kierkegaard--"If you label me, you negate me."

Highlander · May 16, 2014, 04:10:39 PM

You just stopped me in my tracks, Michael... the only time I've ever heard that expression used was a band I was in in '83 as a self-titled instrumental we did was described as quirky jazz metal... never thought of Axis as jazz-metal...

This is blues...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFvAvsHC_Y

nofi · May 16, 2014, 04:30:17 PM

if you wear panty hose and a wig you can't be a blues guy.

Highlander · May 16, 2014, 04:34:54 PM

Have you seen the pic of Duane on the gatefold of the above LP, Tom ... ?

Mind you, you have a point...

Uwe... a lawyer of your grade should easily be able to present evidence to prove this case in your favour...

westen44 · May 16, 2014, 05:07:59 PM

Quote from: Highlander on May 16, 2014, 04:10:39 PM
You just stopped me in my tracks, Michael... the only time I've ever heard that expression used was a band I was in in '83 as a self-titled instrumental we did was described as quirky jazz metal... never thought of Axis as jazz-metal...

This is blues...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFvAvsHC_Y

I'd never heard the description before. I ran across it last night.

Q Magazine said--

"Axis dazzles as the Experience creates a genre short-lived, probably because nobody else could play it: jazz metal might be the appropriate tag."

4stringer77 · May 16, 2014, 08:08:14 PM

I think of Hendrix more as a mix of post modernist blues/ R&B and surrealist expressionism

Anyhow, my last posts were tongue in cheek, but to back up Uwe, Ritchie definitely could feel the blues. Dig his licks on this tune.

Dave W · May 16, 2014, 09:03:59 PM

I'm no blues purist. Hell, I'm not even a big blues fan. Music evolves. But no matter how many stadium rock band videos are posted to deliberately derail this thread, you're not going to convince anyone but yourselves that it's even remotely near classic blues. I know it when I hear it, and DP ain't it.

This thread is ruined. Post away.

4stringer77 · May 16, 2014, 10:03:55 PM

No need to get flustered Dave. I hear the blues in what Blackmore played in the context of that Deep Purple song. If you can't, maybe Uwe's right and you weren't listening. I wouldn't say they qualified as stadium rock at that point in their career yet either. Here's a more traditional blues song dealing with heartache.

Dave W · May 16, 2014, 11:58:14 PM

I'm not flustered, but I'm mighty irritated at what this thread has become.

Yes, most stadium rock bands were/are influenced by blues. So what? That doesn't make their music classic blues. The DP song you posted is not even remotely close.

I'm done posting in this thread for now. nofi can let me know if it ever gets back on track.