Author Archives: dobroallen

“S’cuse Me While I Kiss This Guy”  Blues Lyrics Untangled You didn’t grow up in the Mississippi Delta during the 1940’s. No you didn’t. Shut up. More like the suburbs, with a Schwinn Sting Ray, and a crush on Farrah.  You are forgiven, therefore, for not catching every nuance of lyric springing from Field HollersContinue reading “S’cuse Me While I Kiss This Guy: Blues Lyrics Untangled.”

The Fabs didn’t grow up car crazy.  England isn’t a car culture the way Southern California (Or Texas)  is, and they didn’t have the money. At first, Mal Evans drove them everywhere in a crummy van with no heater.  John had no driver’s license until 1965.  Ringo had a Ford Zephyr for hauling drums  Apparently, George hadContinue reading “Beep Beep Mmm Beep Beep YEAH!”

The earliest Tour Buses for musicians were the tent revivals in the South. Those familiar with the details of the period know that there were various good reasons these folks needed to get out of town quickly and efficiently.  “I want to take a ride in the car Hank Williams died in” Wow. Just-Wow. Elvis drove hisContinue reading “10 Swingin’-est Tour Buses EVER”

Eagles – Witchy Woman (Link to “Live in Japan” video.) They say that a guy who shines shoes for a living walks around all day, and notices nothing but shoes. Similarly, a musician listening to the radio hears nothing but his instrument of choice. I’m what some call a “Rhythm guitarist”, so I always listen forContinue reading “Witchy Woman vs The Indians”

By the time you’re old enough to play worth a damn, you probably have a proceeding forehead. Those of us who eschew hair dye, Trump plugs, and Ted Danson rugs usually end up in the hat store. “You men who wear hats to cover up the fact that you’re going bald; You know we know, right?” -Some ChickContinue reading “If you MUST wear a hat…”

BILLY GIBBONS TOLD ME A SECRET If Jack Nicholson played guitar, he’d be Billy Gibbons. Monster talent, famous in every corner of the globe, funny, and mysterious.  I’ve rubbed elbows with the man a few times. Our encounters were always unannounced. He moves and speaks quickly. At a guitar festival, or an industry event, aContinue reading “Billy Gibbons Told Me a Secret”

Years of Agony and Ecstasy (Mostly Agony) hosting blues jams has been distilled into this simple flowchart. What began as my passive/ aggressive joke has been “shared” hundreds of times around the world. I guess “suck” is the universal language. 

The Fabulous Fifties: From the (Rickenbacher) Frying Pan to The Flying V So this guy walks in to a music store, January, 1950. He’s got a big gig coming up, playing in a cafetorium. Assuming the store has a selection of the latest and greatest, what are the options for a rig?   Telecaster? Ain’t got no.Continue reading “The Fabulous 50s: From the Frying Pan to the Flying V”

CADILLAC TAILFINS: AMERICAN APOTHEOSIS “Eureka!” exclaimed Archimedes.  The ancient greek scholar stepped into the bathtub, saw the water level rise, and thus understood the principle of displacement. Folks say the old boy went streaking through Syracuse in a burst of enthusiasm.  History doesn’t tell us where GM designer Harley Earl was at the moment heContinue reading “Cadillac Tailfins: American Apotheosis”

The Slingerland Songster, 1939. I guess they quit in 1940 because solid body electric guitars had no future. D’oh!