Bat Shit Crazy (feat. Buzz Campbell)

#125 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Bat Shit Crazy is a master class in Rockabilly guitar playing featuring the great Buzz Campbell. Born in Dallas, Texas, of course, because that's where great guitarists grow like weeds. Buzz was inducted into Doo-Wop and early Rock & Roll by his father and uncle and although quite good at it, he was content with guitar being a hobby. Then on his twenty first birthday he saw the Stray Cats at the Bacchanal in San Diego, California and life would never be the same. Buzz quit college and yes, dedicated himself to Rock & Roll. In no time Buzz was gaining attention and momentum and while playing with The Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash he was approached by Jocko Marcellino, one of the founding members of the revivalist Doo-Wop group, Sha Na Na. The gig with Sha Na Na led to Buzz meeting Lee Rocker, bassist for the Stray Cats, which began a lifelong friendship and collaboration. And just like in the storybook, in 2008, The Buzz Campbell Band opened for the Stray Cats European Farwell Tour. That tour established Buzz internationally and he has since been tearing it up around the world and on this track! Enjoy!

The backing band on this track is my Bay Area neighbor, Scott Amendola, (Nels Cline, Charlie Hunter) rocking the shit out of the drums and myself on rhythm guitar and bass. Mellifluously mixed and mastered by the infamous F-Bomb.

Johnny On The Nod, Pt. 2 (feat. John Medeski)

#124 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Johnny On The Nod, Pt. 2, features the ubiquitous and brilliant, John Medeski on the Hammond B3. When we originally sent this track to John it was over six minutes long and being the badasss and generous musician that he is, he sent us back multiple great takes varying from inside to outside. So, when it came time to comp something together the tape fairies guided me to creating a Part 1, being what we previously released (NTK-19) and Part 2 which appears before you presently. Maybe someday down the line, we'll release the full 6:36 minute dance mix!. For those of you three people that are not hip to Medeski, John was a founding member of the pioneering acid jazz trio Medeski, Martin & Wood and now plays with EVERYBODY; Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, George Porter Jr., Phil Lesh, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Youssou N'Dour, John Zorn, Iggy Pop...you get the idea. John and I met and played together twenty-something years ago in Porter Square, Cambridge, at the memorial service for our fallen comrade Mark Sandman. Another of our friends and Sandman alumni, Mike Rivard of Club D'elf, was kind enough to reconnect us. Medeski is definitely in my fantasy band and this track is a little taste of how it might sound. (Anybody out there know Jeff Beck??? : )))). Well, until then...ENJOY!

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Marcus David (Nick Gravenites) on drums and myself on bass. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA with overdubs at Medeski's place. Mellifluously mixed and mastered by the infamous F-Bomb.