Low Down and Dirty

Gregg Allman was a movie buff. Several times I went to his bus or hotel room to interview him, only to find him absorbed in a film or TV show and we'd end up watching together until it ended, or until there was a natural break to start the interview. The two such times I remember best were once on his bus when he was watching The X Files as we spoke about the new additions of Jack Pearson and Oteil Burbridge.

Another end of an era. I never met Frank Beard, or Dusty Hill for that matter, but the news of Frank’s passing at age 77 hit me kind of hard. ZZ Top has just been part of the soundtrack of my life for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I have had some periods of being pretty close to Billy F Gibbons, who is now the last surviving member.

Smoke on the water... And fire in the sky. The other night, Ritchie Blackmore walked out on stage at Jones Beach and joined Deep Purple, the band he helped found in 1968, for the first time in 33 years. And he played their most famous song, the riff that every guitarist had to learn for decades - “Smoke On The water.” A one-song, one-time only reunion that sounded great.

Today is the 24th anniversary of Widespread Panic guitarist Mikey Houser’s passing. Here’s the obituary I wrote for Guitar World. At the time, Jambands.com did a fantastic roundup of other musicians talking about Houser when he passed, including our old friend Col. Bruce Hampton, who said, “there was probably no better spirit anywhere.” Also: I shared my 2003 GW feature on the post-Mikey panic here. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post.

Ghalia Volt is a total bad ass. I came across some videos of the Belgian guitarist playing hard-driving slide guitar and a drum kit simultaneously and needed to learn more. That’s what led to this interview. It wasn’t this video, but close enough. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post. Paid subs help me keep it free, and receive additional audio/video posts. Ghalia Volt , who now live sin New Orleans, has a new album. Burn The House Down on Ruf Records.

I interviewed Blow By Blow authors Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill about their Jeff Beck biography at the New York book launch a few weeks ago and wanted to share it with you here. Brad and Chris are both Guitar World mates, and Brad is the guy who hired me off the streets as Managing Editor in 1991 and changed my life. He has remained a close friend and trusted adviser. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post.

Joe Bonamassa and Gov’t Mule are touring together. I sure wish I could make a show, and think you should if you can. The double bill got me thinking about the time I helped make a Joe sit-in with Mule happen. Let me tell you the tale and share the videos I shot that night. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post. Paid subs help me keep it free, and receive additional audio/video posts.

Sometimes it just all comes together. There’s no better way to describe that makes a magic show happen. There is no formula, plan or guarantees. If there was, every show would be magical. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post. Paid subs help me keep it free, and receive additional audio/video posts. Monday night at City Winery New York, magic happened when Jaimoe took the stage with Friends of the Brothers.

An American Beauty: Grateful Dead 1965–1995, curated by Ricki Blakesberg and Jay Blakesberg is hanging at New York’s David Koransky Gallery until August 7. I attended the opening reception to give you an inside tour. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post. Paid subs help me keep it free, and receive additional audio/video posts. Jay Blakesberg with one of his most iconic portraits of Jerry Garcia.

I have been interviewing Derek Trucks for decades, probably since he was about 16. I did the first interview with him as a member of the allman Brothers Band, even before he played his first show with them, which you can read here. So it was a pleasure to interview him again last spring for a Premier Guitar cover story about Future Soul, their most recent album. And I’m happy to share it with you here. Please subscribe to Low Down and Dirty to support my work and never miss a post.