Ian Savage Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 If you've got a singer who can handle the story-spinnin' style of the lyrics, I've heard a couple of really good versions of 'House Rent Blues' (or 'One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer') over the years; it were made famous by George Thorogood. For bluesy/souly stuff which people are likely to at least have heard before (if that's a priority for your band!) you could do worse than spending an evening in with The Commitments, The Blues Brothers and Roadhouse on DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Blues is great for finding radically different interpretations, which you can plunder to make your own - eg "Stop Breaking Down": Robert Johnson, Jeff Healey, White Stripes. "Killing Floor": Muddy Waters, Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin (Lemon Song), Dr Feelgood. For sheer energy and fun it's hard to top Foghat's "Road Cases" album. Edited February 9, 2011 by spinynorman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='gary mac' post='1121286' date='Feb 9 2011, 12:54 PM']What is becoming clear through this thread, is that one mans idea of the blues can be very different to the next.[/quote] When I was younger I listened a lot to Rory Gallagher and what I'd now call blues rock. I never 'got' the classic blues stuff but the older I get, my taste in blues has got more down and dirty and dare I say ...ethnic. I used to be in a brillaint blues band, there was no rehearsals, no sound checks and you had to guess which harp the front man was using to find the key to the song. It was a great distraction from my main band where everything is done to military precision but stupidly, I walked and have regretted it every day since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 would you call this blues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 This a nice easy ZZ Top song which you can play while drinking your pint with your free hand (my favorite type) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='phil.i.stein' post='1120554' date='Feb 8 2011, 08:17 PM']more of a funk-blues thing really, but awesome for bass. the eponymous l.p. is well worth seeking out, especially their version of Dylans' 'ballad of hollis brown', and their version of 'voodoo'. of course getting someone with a voice like Aaron Neville is the hard bit.. [/quote] Possibly funky reggae? But it's definitely reggae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne58 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I think the venue and audience preference has to dictate how diluted the 'Blues' material becomes. Your average town centre pub, unless it's a Blues venue would probably require Soul/Blues (the Commitments/ Blues brothers take) However if you tried too many classic soul re- hashed songs at a Blues festival you may come a cropper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) [quote name='gjones' post='1121737' date='Feb 9 2011, 07:05 PM']Possibly funky reggae? But it's definitely reggae.[/quote] in as much as the guitars and keys emphasis is on the backbeat, i would agree. the bass is more funk, but the lyrical content and chord progression has a strong blues influence to my mind. with a rearrangement for a three piece band, i reckon it'd work at any blues gig. just thought i'd suggest something slightly different to the standards is all.. Edited February 9, 2011 by phil.i.stein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 On the subject of Z Z Top... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGHGLvkPcY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGHGLvkPcY[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='wayne58' post='1121765' date='Feb 9 2011, 07:21 PM']I think the venue and audience preference has to dictate how diluted the 'Blues' material becomes. Your average town centre pub, unless it's a Blues venue would probably require Soul/Blues (the Commitments/ Blues brothers take) However if you tried too many classic soul re- hashed songs at a Blues festival you may come a cropper.[/quote] Maybe. But after all, blues is a state of mind rather than a strict style of music. IMO of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne58 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='Conan' post='1121785' date='Feb 9 2011, 07:29 PM']Maybe. But after all, blues is a state of mind rather than a strict style of music. IMO of course.[/quote] Absolutely....... good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan670844 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='Mlucas' post='1120503' date='Feb 8 2011, 07:54 PM']Hi chaps and chapettes, my band is currently just building up a few blues covers for emergency use etc, but are struggling! We are a 3-piece band, so no prog keyboard solos! So far we have done: Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan Sweet Home Chicago - Blues Brothers Help! - The Beatles The Forecast Calls For Pain - Robert Cray Can anyone think of any chilled out blues we can cover?[/quote] try some electric era blues ! Need your love so bad by peter greens fleetwood mac cos the bass line and guitar will make you cry loads of great tunes by peter green jspencer kirwin, some amazing bass lines by john mcvice check it on youtube "peter green" anything by the john mayalls blues breakers check out the beano album anything by savoy brown stan webbs chicken shack (amazing player Stan's only geezer i know who can down a bottle of whisky and make his guitar sing like an angel) stuff by blodwyn pig the groundhogs some of their early stuff is very bluesey then you have the americans the three kings albert bb and the other fella ha ha ha johnny winter allman brothers robertus cray muddy waters this is only the surface its a whole different world make you own 1 4 5 tunes up have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegs Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Got To Move - Fleetwood Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Another revealing set of covers: "I Put A Spell on You", Screaming J Hawkins, Nina Simone, The Animals, Marilyn Manson ... and by the time you get to Manson it's almost back to Screaming J. I guess that's R&B rather than Blues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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