End Times Blues (feat. Gary Myrick)

#60 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series is the self explanatory, End Times Blues, featuring the ominous "tone for days" of Texas born guitarist, Gary Myrick. Gary started his career replacing Stevie Ray Vaughan in the Austin Texas band, Krackerjack, after Stevie Ray decided to give a solo career a shot. It wasn't long before Gary moved to LA and began his own solo career with Gary Myrick and The Figures. They had several charting albums and a couple of MTV hits (remember those?). And speaking of MTV hits...around this same time, Gary played on the smash John Waite "Missing You" album. In the early 90's, Gary formed Havana 3am with Clash bassist Paul Simonon and continued for several records even after Simonon left and singer Nigel Dixon passed away. By the mid 00's, Gary had become one of the LA Cats, playing with the likes of Big Audio Dynamite, Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Steve Jones, Wilson Pickett, Queen Ida, Bonnie Raitt, Todd Rundgren, Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder to name a few. Gary is currently working on a new Figures album. Here's the link to his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/manage/new-studio-album-gary-myrick


The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason) on drums and myself on bass. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. A new addition to the team, the Grammy winning and very bearded, Rob Schnapf (Beck, Booker T., Mavis Staples) brings his mad mixing skills to this one. And as always, masterful mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. 

Goin' Down Again (feat. Rick Richards)

#59 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Goin' Down Again, features some of the snottiest guitar playing I’ve heard since the giants (The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Stooges) roamed the planet. Georgia Satellites and Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds guitarist, Rick Richards, delivers a two minute and fourty second instructional on how to Rock! When I sent this track to Rick he could’ve declined or asked for another track that was in 4/4 instead of the crooked 3/4 that it is, but instead he dug the fuck in and turned it the hell up. I don’t know how old Rick is (old enough to have formed the Georgia Satellites in 1980) but, this is the kind of guitar playing normally excreted by youngsters and then dissipates as the years accrue. No signs of dissipation here. So, please do give yourself the pleasure of cranking this one up and enjoy the ride. 

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Andrew "the kid" Guterman (Rick Estrin) on drums and myself on bass. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. Mixed by the Grammy winning Godfather of Grunge, Jack Endino (Nirvana, Nando Reis) and as always, masterfully mastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering.

I Tell Myself (feat. Rudy Wallang)

Although Mumbai is not synonymous with the Blues (at least not yet), in Mumbai and most of India, guitarist Rudy Wallang is. And so we bring you #58 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, I Tell Myself, featuring Rudy Wallang. Rudy is the 2009 recipient of the Jack Daniels Music Awards - Best Guitar Player in India. He and his band, Soulmate, have played every NH7 (the Glastonberry and Coachella of South Asia) since it's inception in 2010. As a composer, producer and session player, Rudy has been involved in over 70 records and yet he still manages to find time to mentor younger players via The Rudy Wallang Band. He and Soulmate continue to tour internationally sharing stages with the likes of Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo & Gary Clark Jr., to name just a few. Check him out!

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Stevie Wonder) on drums and myself on bass. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. And Mixed and Mastered by the Grand Wizard of Greaseland, Christoffer "Kid" Andersen.