JOE BONAMASSA - The supreme discipline

21. September 2016

Joe Bonamassa

JOE BONAMASSA - The supreme discipline

One can accuse Joe Bonamassa of a lot, but certainly not that he walks through the area without any awareness of music history. "Muddy Wolf At Red Rocks" (2015) was the name of the live recording released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray, which actually originated from the "Thee Kings" predecessor tour in 2014 and which reworks the blues with songs by and in the spirit of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. One year later, the eleven-strong band - including drummer Anton Fig and three female choir singers - were working on creating a rock palace for the blues kings. But even though Joe likes to remember the success of the tour, the guitarist and singer still sets a crazy release and tour pace. So it pays off that the 39-year-old US-American, unlike many other successful musicians, is always at least ten months a year in the studio or on stage. With this workload you can work through a lot, but you can also position yourself broadly musically.

eclipsed: Talking about the importance of the three blues kings is like carrying the famous owls to Athens, isn't it?

Joe Bonamassa: (laughs) What do you mean?

eclipsed: That's right, in English they say carry coals to Newcastle.

Bonamassa: Okay, I see. Then we unconsciously chose the right recording location with the Greek Theatre. On the other hand the saying fits, because as a blues guitarist it is almost impossible not to deal with the Kings. But this is a very pleasurable activity, as you will hopefully hear clearly on our recording.

eclipsed: Apropos Greek Theatre: You pay homage not only to musical greats, but also to historical concert venues. After the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Vienna Opera House, the Beacon Theatre and the Radio City Music Hall in New York, the open-air area in Griffith Park in Los Angeles is now open..

Bonamassa: That simply fit to play this music in a place that was opened in 1930. I am always particularly motivated in such an environment. Not that I don't also play my ass off in a multipurpose hall, but to play in such venues is like playing a wonderful old guitar.

eclipsed: And everyone knows you're a passionate guitar collector. But not old valuable guitars, also cheaper, rather weird or inconspicuous guitars, as a guitar dealer from Münster told me, where you already appeared twice to buy different models.

Bonamassa: Oh yes, it's more of an addiction than a passion. Sometimes I think that is the main reason for me to be a professional musician at all and to tour worldwide. How else would a music freak from New York State like me get to go on a guitar shopping tour in a beautiful German city like Münster with a buddy like Henrik Freischlader? But the guitars aren't just for lovers, sometimes I really think while trying them out that this one guitar might have exactly the right sound for this or that intro or solo.

Lest mehr im eclipsed Nr. 184 (Oktober 2016).