Hoodoo Man Still Gots That Voodoo Thang

Over the weekend I got the opportunity to see one of my guitar heroes, Colin James, perform here in Buttkick at the Regina Ex aka Buffalo Days.


Colin James (Munn) was born in and grew up in Regina. I remember catching him a few times when he was still in his teens playing house parties or with his first blues band The Hoodoo Men. He already had that something even way back then. And of course there was witnessing his big break of opening for Stevie Ray Vaughan in 1984 and then being asked to join SRV on stage. This clip is from '89 but the admiration James still had for his mentor and idol is pretty evident.



A star was born...soon afterwards Munn became James and he was off to conquer the rock/pop world, eventually settling in Vancouver. I actually tried to convince him, or his management at least, to play the Guitarman in my first TV movie...but he was riding a hot streak at the time and out of our price range, unfortunately. Feldman!!

James always circled around the potential of being a big break-out pop star in the vein of Bryan Adams, and though he hit big early on after he signed with Virgin, he never ever hit huge...and I, for one, was kinda grateful. It meant he's kept playing the blues all these years...which is where he seems right at home and certainly most comfortable. He performs his 'hits' perfunctorily, but burns up the blues like nobody else, certainly in Canada at least.

That said I hadn't seen James live in nearly two decades, so I was truly excited to watch the man play now as opposed to the boy of so long ago...though the boy still sure can play. His mastery of the guitar shone bright, but there was a quiet confidence and maturity evident in his vocals and working of the crowd...an artist and musician on top of his game. Supported by a wickedly tight backup band complete with horn section, the show was an energetic set of soul blues rock interspersed with a generous helping of some of his better known singles: Five Long Years, Just Came Back, Why Do You Lie, Voodoo Thing, and Van Morrison's Into The Mystic. It was a nice overview of his career as bluesman and pop/rock artist (including even some of his jump/swing big band tunes (I Will Be There) courtesy The Little Big Band sessions), but to be honest I wasn't there just to hear the 'hits', I was there to hear his guitar sing...

...fast...




...or slow.



Sweetness.


All and all a great show and a pleasure to watch the boy now turned man sing his soulful heart out whilst making his six string wail. He has a new CD out in the fall and I look forward to hearing it. But my fav memory of Munn/James is still from the Muddy Waters show I saw in 1982, which I wrote about back HERE while relating fav concert moments ever. When Waters left his his stool and made his way into the audience, Munn/James was the first out of his seat and dancing in the aisle...even though the signs at the door strictly prohibited standing, much less shaking ones tail feather. Munn/James got everyone on their feet (with a little help from the Mudman of course)...and witnessing that youthful unbridled enthusiasm for the blues that's still clearly evident in James' playing today...that was a moment I'll always treasure.


PS Also need to shoutout at local boy Jason Plumb (formerly of The Waltons) and his band The Willing who opened for James. Plumb showcased his still silky smooth voice and stellar songwriting with his customary modesty while ploughing through tunes from his new CD 'Wide Open Music' as well as sparkling renditions of Starlight Starbright, Protest Song, and of course, Satellite.



A real talent and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

Young Guns, Old Men, and You(tube)

Continuing the musical theme of this week...a big concert was just announced (okay, big for Buttkick) - Neil Young... with opening act Death Cab For Cutie (which is okay, but eastern Canada gets Wilco as the warmup...grrr!)

I was never a hardcore Young fan, and suppose I was more about electric Neil than acoustic Neil...but I do like and admire him, and really enjoyed some phases of his long and varied career. Like his mid-70's album run of Tonights The Night, Zuma, and On The Beach, which introduced me to the dark side of folk rock music. And then his 1980-ish run of Rust Never Sleeps, Reactor, and Live Rust, which made me start to think about issues and stuff yet still wanna bang my head at the same time.

He's an interesting cat...a musical artist who's managed to not only be a folk/hippie icon, but the Godfather of Grunge as well. There's a fantastic Charlie Rose interview with Young from last month...very insightful and entertaining....watch it HERE.

Anyway, my point today is how the concert going experience has changed since the the internets became part of everyday life. Way back when, like when I saw Cheap Trick in '78, or The Stones in 81, or Bowie in '83, or Iggy Pop in '84, or Waits in '87, or Jackson Browne in '93...there was a giddy excitement that always accompanied the outing. No, it wasn't from inhaling something illegal (I know what you're thinking), but from... 1) actually 'seeing' the band perform, and... 2) having no idea what songs they were going to play. That was always an exciting and nerve wracking surprise.... either for better or for worse.


But now, with the internets and the YouTubes, surprise is pretty much taken out of the equation. When the Young concert was announced, I immediately checked online to see if he's presently on tour. He is, over in Europe. A search for current set lists revealed the lineup of songs he played two nights ago in Berlin, Germany. A good mix of tunes...mostly electric...very nice --- presumably that's what he'll play this fall. Then a quick peruse of Youtube revealed a video of nearly every song from said set list, professionally filmed at Rock in Rio in Madrid about a month ago.

I watched a few clips (I could've watched the whole concert if I wanted...which kinda diminishes the 'seeing' a band/artist thrill)...and concluded that even at the age of 62, Young still has a lot of the "Hey Hey My My" in him...so today tickets were ordered (online) for the show when they went on sale.



Now, don't get me wrong...I'm looking forward to the concert (hell, Young's on Q Magazine's list of 50 Bands You Need To See Before You Die for crying out loud!). But the 'surprise' element won't really be a factor. I suppose I could exercise some discipline and not look up all this information we have at our internet fingertips...but like knowing your Xmas presents are hidden in your parents bedroom closet when you're a kid, it's really hard not to take a little peek.

And we all know when you do that, you still receive something at the end of the day...but you also kinda lose out on getting the most out of 'the experience'.

Oh well...Walk On.

Still Doing His Rock N' Roll Duty...

...creating a buzz, buzz, buzz.

It was a Canadian music flashback weekend...concert choices included folkie Bruce Cockburn (who I first saw live in the early 80's), Blue Rodeo (who I first saw live in the late 80's) and rock n' roller Kim Mitchell.

I went for Kim (as opposed to for a soda).

Because although my love for music extends to most all types and styles, I will admit, as Karen Walton recently stated, I'm a rocker at heart.

"This is rockland wonderland..."

I don't go out that often anymore. My hearing ain't what it was...my patience for the crowds and the drunks and the noise ain't what it was...my ability for staying up really late isn't what it was ---yeah, I'm getting old.

Sort of like Kim.

Mr. Mitchell just turned 55. Where do rock n' rollers go to die (if they aren't the Stones or Aerosmith or the Who or any of the other handful of superstars who've managed to survive long past their prime)? In Kim Mitchell's case, he kinda retired (at least from writing and recording), toured occasionally, and ultimately ended up taking a gig as Q107 Toronto radio's drive home dee-jay.

But when it's in your blood it's in your blood. Last year Kim began writing and recording again and this summer released 'Ain't Life Amazing', his first cd in over eight years.


And it's pretty damn good. A solid B+. If you're familiar with this classic Canadian rocker's tunes, listen to the title track. It's vintage Kim Mitchell and could be a show closer if his fans would allow it.

He also began touring again with more frequency, playing a lot of smaller venues across Canada over the past year. The stripped down band consists of Mitchell on guitar/vocals, Peter Fredette on bass and backing vocals, and a drummer. And this weekend they were in Buttkick.

"I am a wild party
Oi Oi Olé!"

So I ventured out to a club I'd never been before. The Drink. I'd describe it as sort of like the El Macambo but servicing a slightly lower class (if that's possible)...and the bar is in the middle instead of the back. A near brawl broke out at the entrance mere seconds after our arrival...you get the picture.

Anyway, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly...

First, the Bad. The sound sucked. One of the best things about the Kim Mitchell band is the harmonies and interplay between Mitchell and his longtime compadre Fredette. Not this night. Drums much too loud, vocals way too low, and little to no separation between the bass and guitar. It was like it was mixed for a much larger venue because the further back you went (like, to where you couldn't actually see the stage), it started to sound not bad. But up close? Like listening to a big ol' wall of Mud.

The Ugly. In general, the clientele reinforced why I don't go out that often anymore. Yes, the Drink is something of a 'rocker bar', but that doesn't mean unattractive and fall-down drunk is the only way to be. Between the long-haired dopeheads stumbling into walls to the 17-year-old wannabe groupie chicks dancing on the bar a la Coyote Ugly to the plethora of forty-something 'cougars' stalking anything male...let's just say I kept my eyes forward and on the stage at all times. Make no eye contact...stay outta trouble.

Finally, the Good. Mitchell's guitar wizardry managed to shine through the shitty sound mix. The old guy can still play. And he seemed like he was having a ball. Smiling, chatting a lot between songs, jumping and twirling around the stage (especially during some of his tunes like 'Million Vacations' and 'Paradise Skies' from his days with Max Webster, a 70's Canadian band that still holds a fond place in the heart of a lot of us old folks), This and the advantage of a smallish club that allowed one to be less than fifteen feet from the stage (the last time I saw him was in the early 90's at a large outdoor grandstand venue) were some of the bonuses.

So some good, though his new look took some adjustment. You see, today he looks like this...


Whereas he used to look like this...


That's how he be when I met him back in the early 90's. We sat down for about an hour at the offices of his management to discuss Kim appearing in my movie Guitarman. He was always my first choice to play the pivotal role, and months and months of pestering finally led to a sit down in Toronto. I was determined to have a real guitarist, even though everyone else wanted to take an actor and 'transform' him.

But I wanted to believe this character could really play a wicked guitar, plus I thought if we got a known axe grinder, we could use that artist's stage persona to our advantage. And we contacted Sting's people and Angus Young's people and Slash's people and Johnny Winter's people. Some phone conversations took place but there was next to no interest. Plus we didn't have a lot of money to offer. But Kim seemed genuinely interested and so I pitched and sold and he listened and nodded.

I thought we had him...



But the next day he called and said that as much as he liked the story and wanted to do it, he just wasn't an actor...he seemed really hung up about possibly making a fool of himself. It was a pass (I still used Mitchell's look at the time as a model for the musician we ultimately cast: Jack Semple).

But he was gracious and polite and funny...much like the persona he projects onstage. A regular guy...the people's rocker...a self-proclaimed Canuck 'hoser' who still reacts almost with surprise at the adoration he continues to receive.

Like he did last night.

I'll leave you with a song, and though it feels like it should be 'Rock N' Roll Duty' or 'Go For Soda', I gotta go with the sentimental favourite 'Patio Lanterns'...



As soon as he strummed the opening chords, the crowd in all its aged ugly drunken glory seemed to become 16 again. Lighters were held aloft as they swayed and sang along to lyrics of teenage summer nights and first love. The music washed over us, and for a brief moment, those patio lanterns were the stars in our skies once more, lighting up our lives.



Keep on struttin' your stuff, Kim. You're still the original guitarman in my book (screenplay/movie).

In A Concerted Effort To Get My Mojo Working...

...and back on the horse again, it's time to talk some music....as in...Best. Concert. Ever.

But let's get real...it's too tough to pick just one. Hart categorized them last week, and I kinda liked how he did it. So we're stealing that format and crashing ahead (and since I've already gushed about Steve Earle and Tom Waits, I'm considering them exempt)...

Funnest Concert... have to go with Iggy Pop at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver in '84...you see, they have rubber tires installed under the entire dance floor, so the whole room 'bounced' for over two hours...'No Fun?' Fun!

Honourable Mention goes to Barenaked Ladies in '98 or '99 at Molson Amphitheatre... those boys know how to put on a great show and have a ball doing it...so did I.

Coolest Concert... Canadian indie band Grapes of Wrath in '84 or '85 - why? I dunno, it was a small club and the band played a stellar set...but then when the encore concluded, they didn't stop....and started taking cover requests...and hearing the Grapes doing songs like The Cars 'Just What I Needed'; The Police's 'Message in a Bottle'; and closing with a mashup of BTO's 'Taking Care of Business' blended with U2's 'I Will Follow' made it truly memorably cool...

But can't go without mentioning seeing early Black Crowes in 1990 before they broke big, and early Elvis Costello and early Police (like in 1979 on their first N. American tours promoting their first albums)...didn't really know who they were at time but knew they were worth checking out...and they were all good shows, however it's looking back on them that makes them cool as opposed to seeming really cool at the time.

Best Funk Fest... had to be Prince in Buttkick, Saskatchewan in 2003...the little man formerly known as The Artist took the stage and blazed through more than two hours of gospel/soul/jazz-inspired funk a la James Brown interspersed with maybe only half a dozen of his hits, but it didn't matter! (though 'Nothing Compares 2 U', 'How Come U Don't Call Me' and 'Snows in April' done unplugged on the piano was 'voice as instrument' magic)...the Purple One reigned supreme that night...(and if I had to pick just one show, this would probably be it)

Craziest Concert... in a hockey arena around 1980, following opening act The Greg Kihn Band, Ted Nugent swings over the crowd on a vine wearing only a loincloth to the strains of 'Cat Scratch Fever'... a show of which I remember very little having been numbed by some herb that led to me blacking out and tumbling into the row of people below me, totally freaking out two PYT's that accompanied me...I found out later it was black hash laced with opium - kids...don't do drugs!

Coolest Alt-Country Concert... without question, Dwight Yoakam in 1999 at Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto...I dig Dwight...

Biggest Concerts... Rolling Stones in '81 (85,000 in Boulder Stadium, Colorado)...David Bowie (in Bomber Stadium in Winnipeg - around 30,000)...and Phil Collins (35,000 in Skydome Toronto) - I think it was '94...took place the same night as the OJ Simpson freeway chase.

Biggest Small Concert... Bryan Adams when he was on top of the world in '90 or '91 at a tiny club in Vancouver as part of some charity benefit. Wasn't the biggest Adams fan but he put on a heck of a show and was right there in front of me!

Earliest Concert... the first live show I ever saw was The Stampeders in '78 I think, but my first 'real' concert - like with strobe lights and smoke bombs and screaming girls - was Cheap Trick in early '79 riding the wave of their hits 'Surrender' and 'I Want You To Want Me'..."squeal"

Most Disappointing Concert.... unfortunately (cuz I'm a huge fan) it was Van Morrison - 1997 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto - where the back up singer was called upon by the Big Man to sing lead vocals on over 50% of his songs...including 'Domino'?...and 'Moondance'??? as Van stood off to the side or just plain left the stage. People were booing. And the sound was muddy. And it was hot and stuffy. Yeah, it sucked.

Still Hope To See... U2, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, ACDC, Bob Mould...

Wish I'd Seen... The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Who, Stevie Ray Vaughn...

I'm going to close with Best Concert Moment Ever...and that goes to Muddy Waters. I've seen a lot of the old bluesmen live... Howlin' Wolf, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, James Cotton...but it was the Mudman who made the biggest impression.

When I saw him it was 1982, in a small college auditorium classroom...he was quite old...had to be helped out onto the stage and spent the show sitting on a stool, just picking his guitar and playing the blues...

Further setting the scene, Mississippi had no help here. The acoustics were okay, but there weren't any special effects or sexy background singers, no flashy lightshow (I can't remember if it was just fluorescents overhead, but for the purpose of this story, let's say there was). The man had nothing to carry him but his voice, his guitar, his band, and his reputation. But I was mesmerized for an hour and a half: "Blow Wind Blow', 'Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Baby Please Don't Go', 'Mojo Working'....wow.

And then he launches into 'Mannish Boy'...and the mostly white buttoned-down college crowd perks up, recognizing that familiar chord riff...duh duh duh duh..."When I was a young boy"... Duh duh duh duh... "At the age of five"...Duh duh duh duh... and I felt myself rising up out of my seat, but look around nervously...there was security everywhere - this was supposed to be a 'sit and listen' show - but then Waters growls: "I spell it 'M' ..."... the crowd begins to clap along ... " Aaaaa child!"... 'N!'..."That rabble spell MAN!"...

Oh my...

Then he gets to the part where he wails 'Ain't that a man'... and slowly he stands up from the stool and grabs the mike..."I said ain't that a man!" He's literally quivering...spitting out the words as the band continues to play behind him. I can't help myself. Start jumping up and down and screaming 'Wooohooo!!!' I wasn't alone. The room just lost it.

Security starts scrambling to keep order...but Waters ignores them and makes his way down the steps at the front of the stage and joins the now standing front row of the crowd (I was about 4 rows back). The man could barely walk, but lo and behold he was grooving. And perhaps it was what he did every show...you know, showbiz theatrics, but for those few minutes I honestly believed that the music had somehow flowed through his veins and made him rise up and dance...Halleluiah!

"Maannnnnn!"

Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy



Best. Concert. Moment. Ever.

Muddy Waters passed away the following year. I felt blessed to see him and experience him, live and in concert.

Let's hear some of your concert stories...