Even as hundreds of thousands of blues fans were crowding into Grant Park for the Chicago Blues Festival, local media articles were once again writing the obituary for the blues. This one in the Chicago Journal is better written than most I've read (one spelled Barry Dolins' name wrong). The sad part is, however, that those in the article proclaiming the blues dead are actually in the blues business.
So, hell, who knows. Maybe we're all circling the drain and we don't know it.
I sometimes wonder why I keep up this blog. It costs me time and money, and the only benefit it brings is the occasional "thank you" from a blues fan or musician. But I keep doing it. I'm not sure why.
So why do you do it? Those of you out there who are writers, photographers, publishers, musicians, blues society members? Why are you even bothering, considering everybody and his brother believes the blues is dead?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
11 comments:
Hello Karen,
I'll tell you why a lot of people, like you, mr. Koester, mr. Iglauer etc. are spendind they time and money.
Because they (we!) love blues music! Love always will be more important than somebodys bussines.
Both blues and blues-rock have 1% contribution to all music bussines in USA. I'm asking - so what?
Really, you shouldn't worry. Blues is a feeling - it's somewhere in your heart. Forever and ever.
All the best, Tony
www.myspace.com/chicagobluesrevue
Karen,
The reason I take pictures of the blues artists is because it's in my blood. I miss it when I can't take pictures. I want the rest of the world to be able to see how much they Love what they do. I want to leave a record behind when I'm dead and gone of what the blues is today so it won't ever be totally forgotten so it will never die. So they can write all they want about it being a dying art but if the blues dies, then the roots of a lot of musicians and bands will die also. Many groups got there start from the songs and the talented musicians of the blues and they still pull from those roots today. So how can you kill the roots without killing the tree?? What we leave today will help to keep the tree alive for future generations. There are new young artists if you look you will see a younger generation is on the move in the blues but they are learning and very busy and don't have time to advertise. They want to get all the can from the greats while there is still time. Look at my web site (www.hampton-photos.com) and you will see pictures of the younger ones, C4, RJ and Red just to name a few. Watch some of the video we shoot on youtube.com/hamptonphotos of Andy and Randy and the others. The blues has been said to be a dying art from the start and how long has it been around now? Everything has a season and it's just off season for now but it will be in season very soon wait and see. Mary Hampton a/k/a (the Picture Lady) Photographer
The blues is the coolest music in the history of the world. It will NEVER die.
If anyone saw the new, hot blues group BACK DOOR SLAM at Buddy Guy's Legends club this past Tuesday night, they know that the blues just got a new defibrilator that will raise the dead!
Just as Stevie Ray Vaughan gave the blues a jump start 25 years ago, this group will do the same.
Don't listen to the captious Cassandras, the crepe hangers of the blues.
Get your mojo workin' and let the good times roll!
Hey Karen
You have to realize, and you probably know because you work for the media, that most reporters are just damn lazy, and its easier to write the expected then to research what is really going on. That is why you, and I do what we do. Our blogs are the cure for bad reporting by the mainstream media. BTW, as far as kids and the blues. I teach a blues history class at the local university, and it is one of the most popular classes on campus, plus the popularity of the class has spread to the community. The blues is everywhere!:-)
Hang in there and thanks for keeping the blues alive!
Tom Gary
Blues Historian
Good question! I don't have the answers, but those that do it--just do it. Whether it is playing it, singing it, writing it, documenting it or writing about it. I've written tons of blues music reviews for now defunct websites, harmonica publications and blues magazines. I think I made $50 for my article in Blues Access magazine on Sam Myers back in the day. Any other payment usually was in the form of keeping the cd (or lp) that I reviewed. Now I'm blogging about this genre that has been pronounced dead more than once, but it'll outlive me by a long shot. So, I don't know why I did it then and I don't know why I do it now. I just do it. Anyway--
See ya--
Rick
Hi Karen-
This is Nap. We met at the big Delmark show earlier this year at Legends.
I think we all do it because we love the music. The folks writing the articles about the death of blues are right and wrong. The blues music industry (along with the music indusrtry itself) is dying. However, I would argue that the music itself is alive and well. We have traditionalists like the guys at Blue Bella Records and more modern blues musicians like Ronnie Baker Brooks and Tab Benoit keeping the music alive. The problem is the economy, the inability of the record labels to adapt to new realities of technology (not an easy problem to solve!), and the infighting between "traditionalist" and "modernists" blues camps hurts the business end.
I know a number of people who are good players who play for fun and make their money elsewhere because the money just isn't there. The music will never die but the business is on life support.
By the way, count me in as one of those thanking you for the blog and your book!
Nap
www.myspace/naptabion
you do a good job . the conbination of a bad economy high fuel prices ,inflation ,high rents ,urban renewal,aging audience , changing tastes in music all are contributing to a decline of interest in the blues. the blues is going through the exact same changes that new orleans jazz revival experienced.
Hi Karen! Found your blog through some referrals from Chicago Blues where I find most of my videos because I run the site.
I was born in Chicago on the South Side. My buddy, Richard Black and I live the blues because it is life. Black is still kickin it out there but I take the blues to Spain. After I entertain my Spainish audience with a bit of Spanish guitar I take out the electric and wail on my own - they love it. Just no one here knows the blues - you had/have to live it. They love to have the sounds in the air and so do I.
I started playing at 12 years old at the Old Towne School of Folk Music when it was an old barn room and taught everyone I knew how to play so I had someone to play with. The folkies used to get pissed when I kicked out a lick on the folk guitars. It was Muddy Waters got me drunk when I was 16 and taught me the first blues licks. Dragged me into afterhours bars near Ohio street. Ahh the days. Are they still there?
Keep up the good work. The Blues can't actually die because it is about the soul. Unless the soul and the misery in life disappear there will always be a Blues artist and people will always hear the call. Check out Richard Black one of the last Blues Screamers from the southside. He won't be with us long now.
Are you into Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Susan Tedeschi, classic Southern Soul Queens like Ann Peebles and new retro-soul shouters like Sharon Jones?
Then you've got to check out Los Angeles' Nikki O'Neill Band - playing at the Wheeling Freedom Fest on 4th of July.
Featuring Nikki O'Neill (vocals, lead guitar), and Chicagoans Josh "Cartier" Cutsinger (bass) and Rich Lackowski (drums.)
Nikki O'Neill Band
Showtime: 3-4 PM, July 4
Event: Wheeling 4th of July Freedom Fest
Location: Park Distric property (by St. Joseph the Worker Church)
Info: http://wheeling.il.us/Community/SpecialEvents/FreedomFest.htm
Nikki O'Neill Band Official Site:
www.nikkioneill.com
www.guitarwoman.com
(Nikki featured in Sue Foley's upcoming book with Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Deborah Coleman, Ana Popovic, and more)
"Hearing Nikki O'Neill is like Chrissie Hynde singing to John Lennon in Otis Redding's kitchen. She takes everything she's learned about life, puts it ina blender and purs out a glass of soul!"
- Will Ray (The Hellecasters, Steve Earle, Solomon Burke)
Hey, Nikki O'Neil Band - That's basically an advertisement, not a comment. Would you like to support this blog by purchasing advertising space? Of course not, not when you get free publicity, eh?
You know what? This is exactly what I'm talking about.
the reason the blues is dying is because people will NOT give new blues artists a chance. CLUBS WONT BOOK NEW YOUNG ARTISTS PERIOD.
I am a guitar player from minneapolis.
I was the regional winner for guitarmageddon's (guitar center's) blues contest. according to them, in the top 20 out of 10,000 applicants in the country. big whoop.
I am one of the top blues guitar players in the country, and i am NOT influenced by SRV. I do NOT play a strat. I do NOT use a pedalboard. gee fancy that. I am a guitar performance graduate from berklee. Someone who has the musical knowledge to play Danny Gatton, Wes Montgomery and Eric Johnson but the LOVE OF THE BLUES AND KNOWLEDGE TO PLAY IT RIGHT WITHOUT OVERPLAYING. because no one will book my blues band, i have been forced to play COUNTRY gigs. Dance variety gigs.
my blues band has played tons of major festivals and venues. I have opened for Willie smith, indigenous, chris duarte, etc.
but the club scene in MLPS is so STUPID, we had to start playing Variety gigs. Classic rock gigs. dance gigs. wedding gigs. jazz gigs - to make any money. no one will TOUCH you if you are blues - and the MAIN BLUES VENUES WON'T EVEN CALL US BACK, because we are all 25.
we can't book the big clubs unless we play britney spears. we can't play the blues venues because they won't give young guys a chance.
I spend hours a day on the phone booking clubs. my band is versatile enough to play anything, but we need to play - so we take the other gigs. believe me, we would play the blues gigs first - and for less money to play the gigs we want and the style we want - BUT YOU GIVE ME A BOOKER OR CLUB OWNER WHO WILL CALL YOU BACK - LISTEN TO YOUR PR KIT AND CD AND BOOK YOU.
So.
Why is the blues dying?
ARTISTS WHO PUT EVERYTHING THEY HAVE INTO BLUES AS A CAREER - HAVE THE TALENT - HAVE A NEW VOICE - HAVE EVERYTHING - are IGNORED because they are young.
IT WONT MOVE ON UNLESS YOUNG GUYS ARE GIVEN A CHANCE.
i have finally gotten jaded.
Post a Comment