1 00:00:20,737 --> 00:00:24,088 [Joe] You know, you ever find yourself backstage around 7:25 2 00:00:24,262 --> 00:00:25,481 on a show day? 3 00:00:34,403 --> 00:00:37,014 We could be discussing collective bargaining agreements 4 00:00:37,188 --> 00:00:40,148 or we could be most likely discussing guitars and amps. 5 00:00:42,454 --> 00:00:45,153 And I always will politely excuse myself. 6 00:00:48,243 --> 00:00:50,549 And around 7:25, I always tell people 7 00:00:50,723 --> 00:00:52,769 and sometimes they get confused when I say it, I go, 8 00:00:52,943 --> 00:00:55,424 "Excuse me, I gotta go become the other guy." 9 00:01:00,646 --> 00:01:04,172 And, um, they always try to write off the blues. 10 00:01:04,346 --> 00:01:06,696 Always write off the blues. Nobody likes the blues. 11 00:01:06,870 --> 00:01:09,264 Well, we'’ve proven that there'’s at least 9,000 people 12 00:01:09,438 --> 00:01:12,745 tonight that like the blues.[crowd cheering] 13 00:01:13,833 --> 00:01:16,749 [blues music playing] 14 00:01:26,498 --> 00:01:29,675 ♪ Who killed John Henry♪ 15 00:01:32,330 --> 00:01:35,116 ♪ In the battle of Sinners and saints♪ 16 00:01:39,294 --> 00:01:42,297 ♪ Who killed John Henry♪ 17 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:48,303 ♪ In the battle of Sinners and saints♪ 18 00:01:48,477 --> 00:01:51,132 [man] I don'’t think he wants to be part of the machine. 19 00:01:51,306 --> 00:01:54,265 I don'’t think he wants to be part of major label corporate America 20 00:01:54,439 --> 00:01:57,268 that need to have a pop song to cross over. 21 00:01:57,442 --> 00:01:59,836 I think he is absolutely comfortable and confident 22 00:02:00,010 --> 00:02:03,144 in this genre that he has created 23 00:02:03,318 --> 00:02:06,756 and sub-genre which, by the way, is almost all him now. 24 00:02:06,930 --> 00:02:08,845 ♪ I don'’t want Your cold iron shackles♪ 25 00:02:09,019 --> 00:02:14,546 This blues rock, blues, rock area that he is number one in. 26 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,724 He has more number one blues albums than anyone else 27 00:02:18,898 --> 00:02:21,292 in blues history, more than B.B. King, 28 00:02:21,466 --> 00:02:23,076 more than Stevie Ray Vaughan 29 00:02:23,251 --> 00:02:25,601 more than Eric Clapton, more than Buddy Guy. 30 00:02:25,775 --> 00:02:29,648 Joe Bonamassa is the number-one Billboard blues artist, 31 00:02:29,822 --> 00:02:32,651 and you can'’t take that away from him. 32 00:02:32,825 --> 00:02:36,220 But ask most people and they'’ll say, "Bona who?" 33 00:02:37,874 --> 00:02:41,356 ♪ In the battle of Sinners and saints♪ 34 00:02:45,925 --> 00:02:49,233 ♪ I'’m a long way From Colorado♪ 35 00:02:49,407 --> 00:02:53,063 ♪ A long way from my home♪ 36 00:02:53,237 --> 00:02:56,371 ♪ Gimme the hammer that Killed John Henry♪ 37 00:02:56,545 --> 00:02:59,417 ♪ '’Cause it won'’t Kill no more♪ 38 00:02:59,591 --> 00:03:02,638 ♪ Gimme the hammer that Killed John Henry♪ 39 00:03:02,812 --> 00:03:05,945 ♪ '’Cause it won'’t kill me♪ 40 00:03:06,119 --> 00:03:09,166 ♪ Gimme the hammer that Killed John Henry♪ 41 00:03:09,340 --> 00:03:11,734 ♪ '’Cause it won'’t kill me♪ 42 00:03:13,475 --> 00:03:15,303 [Joe] Hi. Hi. 43 00:03:15,477 --> 00:03:17,566 [birds chirping]Okay, so now, 44 00:03:17,740 --> 00:03:21,961 I received a letter from you for an outstanding bill 45 00:03:22,135 --> 00:03:23,876 for $100 which I paid 46 00:03:24,050 --> 00:03:26,270 even though it was against my better judgment. 47 00:03:26,444 --> 00:03:29,621 On my birth certificate I was born 48 00:03:29,795 --> 00:03:31,971 in New Hartford, New York, 49 00:03:32,145 --> 00:03:34,931 May 8, 1977. 50 00:03:35,105 --> 00:03:38,064 It was reportedly to be a painful birth, 51 00:03:38,239 --> 00:03:42,330 because my original due date was May 5, 1977. 52 00:03:42,504 --> 00:03:44,810 And I decided to spend an extra three days 53 00:03:44,984 --> 00:03:47,987 um, interned, 54 00:03:48,161 --> 00:03:52,165 and I think they were just about to go in 55 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:57,170 and, you know, manually remove me by force, 56 00:03:57,345 --> 00:03:59,216 and I decided to come out voluntarily. 57 00:03:59,390 --> 00:04:01,697 [interviewer chuckles]So, that'’s the story. 58 00:04:01,871 --> 00:04:05,048 Like, what do they say? The old saying, "What starts bad ends bad." 59 00:04:05,222 --> 00:04:07,833 [blues music playing] 60 00:04:43,173 --> 00:04:45,567 [Kevin] It'’s been interesting to watch him with the suit thing 61 00:04:45,741 --> 00:04:47,656 because he'’s also gone through periods, 62 00:04:47,830 --> 00:04:49,919 and I'’m not sure how much he sees it. 63 00:04:50,093 --> 00:04:54,271 But he went through a period when he started getting recognized more and more. 64 00:04:54,445 --> 00:04:56,795 And it took him a minute to 65 00:04:56,969 --> 00:04:59,842 learn how to deal with the success 66 00:05:00,016 --> 00:05:01,496 that was coming his way. 67 00:05:01,670 --> 00:05:05,674 And he'’s managed to deal with it by 68 00:05:05,848 --> 00:05:08,416 being sort of bipolar about the thing. 69 00:05:08,590 --> 00:05:13,029 He is Joe, with his baseball cap on and his blue jeans 70 00:05:13,203 --> 00:05:18,426 and at 7:25 he puts on the suit for an 8:00 show. 71 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,211 And he slicks his hair back. He puts on the sunglasses. 72 00:05:21,385 --> 00:05:23,256 And then he has a glass of wine. 73 00:05:23,431 --> 00:05:26,129 And Joe Bonamassa the recording artist comes out. 74 00:05:26,303 --> 00:05:27,913 And then he'’s a different guy. 75 00:05:28,087 --> 00:05:30,089 Then he becomes a little bit Howard Hughes. 76 00:05:30,263 --> 00:05:33,179 He becomes a little standoffish. 77 00:05:33,354 --> 00:05:35,443 He becomes a little isolated. 78 00:05:35,617 --> 00:05:37,706 And it'’s great. We just let him be like that. 79 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,709 [drums playing][crowd cheering] 80 00:05:58,466 --> 00:06:01,077 [Joe] The other guy is the guy in the suit and the sunglasses. 81 00:06:01,251 --> 00:06:02,948 and that whole persona. 82 00:06:03,122 --> 00:06:04,820 And it'’s not only just that outfit, 83 00:06:04,994 --> 00:06:07,605 it'’s a stage persona in the sense that, like, 84 00:06:07,779 --> 00:06:10,042 when I suit up, and I go out and play, 85 00:06:10,216 --> 00:06:12,088 that'’s a different side of my personality. 86 00:06:12,262 --> 00:06:13,916 That'’s-- That'’s not, you know-- 87 00:06:14,090 --> 00:06:15,787 I'’m not that outgoing offstage, 88 00:06:15,961 --> 00:06:17,876 I'’m not that confident offstage. 89 00:06:18,050 --> 00:06:20,226 [Kevin] And then at the end of the show, 90 00:06:20,401 --> 00:06:22,141 he normally dresses down quickly, 91 00:06:22,315 --> 00:06:24,840 puts on his baseball cap, puts a backpack over him, 92 00:06:25,014 --> 00:06:27,059 and he walks straight through the crowd 93 00:06:27,233 --> 00:06:28,670 that have watched him play all night 94 00:06:28,844 --> 00:06:31,107 and they don'’t know this guy is going out. 95 00:06:31,281 --> 00:06:32,935 And he walks through them and onto his bus, 96 00:06:33,109 --> 00:06:34,371 and no one stops him. 97 00:06:34,545 --> 00:06:36,721 It'’s fantastic. He really is two people. 98 00:06:36,895 --> 00:06:38,027 He'’s two-faced. 99 00:06:38,201 --> 00:06:40,638 [crowd cheering] 100 00:06:57,612 --> 00:07:01,050 [big band jazz music playing] 101 00:07:06,490 --> 00:07:09,624 [Joe] My family has been into music for a long time. 102 00:07:09,798 --> 00:07:11,713 My great-grandfather played trumpet. 103 00:07:11,887 --> 00:07:14,411 He was a very talented young trumpet player, 104 00:07:14,585 --> 00:07:16,413 who could have done great things, 105 00:07:16,587 --> 00:07:18,981 but for the fact that he had a family. 106 00:07:19,155 --> 00:07:20,765 So, in order to make money, 107 00:07:20,939 --> 00:07:23,072 he would teach trumpet and play local gigs. 108 00:07:23,246 --> 00:07:26,075 My great-grandfather, "Buddha" Bonamassa, really lived by that. 109 00:07:26,249 --> 00:07:28,469 He took care of business, and he took care of his family. 110 00:07:28,643 --> 00:07:31,384 There'’s also a rumor that he ran numbers for the Mafia, 111 00:07:31,559 --> 00:07:35,171 which being Italian-American descent, 112 00:07:35,345 --> 00:07:39,044 at the time, in the town that I grew up in, makes sense. 113 00:07:39,218 --> 00:07:42,178 [music continues] 114 00:07:42,352 --> 00:07:44,528 His son, Leonard Sr., 115 00:07:44,702 --> 00:07:46,748 played trumpet, followed in his footsteps, 116 00:07:46,922 --> 00:07:48,227 played big band jazz. 117 00:07:48,401 --> 00:07:51,753 And my father, being a product of the '’60s, 118 00:07:51,927 --> 00:07:54,059 played a Gibson SG. 119 00:07:54,233 --> 00:07:57,454 [man] And Joe kind of followed in step. 120 00:07:57,628 --> 00:08:00,109 He saw the passion I had for music 121 00:08:00,283 --> 00:08:02,111 and wanted to play like Dad. 122 00:08:02,285 --> 00:08:04,635 It didn'’t take him too long to learn how to play like dad. 123 00:08:04,809 --> 00:08:06,768 And he walked right by me 124 00:08:06,942 --> 00:08:08,596 when he was six and a half years old. 125 00:08:08,770 --> 00:08:11,424 And then I knew that he had 126 00:08:11,599 --> 00:08:13,339 an amazing gift, a talent. 127 00:08:13,514 --> 00:08:15,951 [blues music playing] 128 00:08:17,343 --> 00:08:20,869 [Joe] And then, I blindly followed all three of them 129 00:08:21,043 --> 00:08:22,392 into the music business 130 00:08:22,566 --> 00:08:24,786 when I was 11, just about to turn 12. 131 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,876 I convinced my parents that I wanted to be in a band 132 00:08:28,050 --> 00:08:30,922 be in a blues band, play guitar, you know? 133 00:08:31,096 --> 00:08:34,056 I just wanted to make some money so I could buy a Fender amp. 134 00:08:35,361 --> 00:08:38,060 I think I did okay. 135 00:08:38,234 --> 00:08:41,150 [blues music playing] 136 00:08:42,891 --> 00:08:44,370 I started playing at the age of four. 137 00:08:44,545 --> 00:08:46,372 My father put a guitar in my hand. 138 00:08:46,547 --> 00:08:49,724 We got him a Chiquita guitar, 139 00:08:49,898 --> 00:08:53,336 um, which is a short and scaled-down model 140 00:08:53,510 --> 00:08:55,077 of a solid body electric guitar 141 00:08:55,251 --> 00:08:56,731 actually designed for airplane use. 142 00:08:57,993 --> 00:09:00,343 And I think it was the perfect guitar for him, 143 00:09:00,517 --> 00:09:01,692 and he was able to play it. 144 00:09:01,866 --> 00:09:04,216 And by the time he was five, 145 00:09:04,390 --> 00:09:05,653 five and a half years old, 146 00:09:05,827 --> 00:09:08,090 he was playing chords on a guitar. 147 00:09:08,264 --> 00:09:12,007 And he never looked back from that point. 148 00:09:12,181 --> 00:09:15,010 [Joe] When I was 11 and 12, 149 00:09:15,184 --> 00:09:18,883 I was sitting in with a lot of national, 150 00:09:19,057 --> 00:09:20,929 internationally well-known blues artists. 151 00:09:21,103 --> 00:09:22,713 It'’s where I met B.B. King. 152 00:09:22,887 --> 00:09:25,760 This is when I met Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. 153 00:09:25,934 --> 00:09:27,936 Anybody who would have me. I was a little kid 154 00:09:28,110 --> 00:09:29,938 that crashed the party in upstate New York. 155 00:09:30,112 --> 00:09:31,853 "Oh, here comes Joe with his Telecaster." 156 00:09:32,027 --> 00:09:34,725 He was 13 years old. What can you expect? 157 00:09:34,899 --> 00:09:37,380 He'’s fantastic. He'’s fantastic. 158 00:09:37,554 --> 00:09:41,427 We got a call and asked if Joe would like to open up for B.B. King 159 00:09:41,602 --> 00:09:42,994 in downtown Rochester. 160 00:09:43,168 --> 00:09:46,171 and there was like 8,500 people at the show. 161 00:09:46,345 --> 00:09:47,738 That was his first big show. 162 00:09:47,912 --> 00:09:50,001 And it was the day before his 12th birthday. 163 00:09:50,175 --> 00:09:54,049 And he opened up, and he just took the crowd. 164 00:09:54,223 --> 00:09:56,660 It was just amazing to see the response from the crowd. 165 00:09:56,834 --> 00:10:00,359 So after that happened, we get a telephone call from NBC. 166 00:10:00,533 --> 00:10:02,187 It was the Jane Pauley people. 167 00:10:02,361 --> 00:10:04,450 They wanted to do a segment on him. 168 00:10:04,625 --> 00:10:06,931 There was a show called Real Life with Jane Pauley. 169 00:10:07,105 --> 00:10:10,152 It'’s about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. 170 00:10:10,326 --> 00:10:12,458 The fantasies that 13-year-olds have 171 00:10:12,633 --> 00:10:14,330 about what they'’ll do when they grow up 172 00:10:14,504 --> 00:10:16,985 involve everything from playing major league sports 173 00:10:17,159 --> 00:10:18,987 to playing in a big-time band. 174 00:10:19,161 --> 00:10:22,294 Bill Schechner has found one young man too busy for fantasy. 175 00:10:22,468 --> 00:10:23,556 He'’s living it. 176 00:10:23,731 --> 00:10:26,603 [school bell ringing] 177 00:10:28,605 --> 00:10:30,563 [Bill] In the hallway of a crowded school, 178 00:10:30,738 --> 00:10:33,392 there is no reason to notice Joe Bonamassa. 179 00:10:33,566 --> 00:10:35,351 He'’s simply another 13-year-old 180 00:10:35,525 --> 00:10:37,309 at an awkward stage of life. 181 00:10:37,483 --> 00:10:39,703 [Young Joe] Oh, shoot. That could cause a problem. 182 00:10:39,877 --> 00:10:41,400 -X. -[teacher] Good. 183 00:10:41,574 --> 00:10:42,663 [Bill] Often doing well. 184 00:10:42,837 --> 00:10:44,142 -One hundred. -[teacher] Terrific. 185 00:10:44,316 --> 00:10:45,927 Sometimes messing up. 186 00:10:46,101 --> 00:10:48,799 No, I had to find my report. 187 00:10:48,973 --> 00:10:51,236 I had to rummage through all that.All right. 188 00:10:51,410 --> 00:10:53,282 '’Cause I dropped my folder and it doesn'’t... 189 00:10:53,456 --> 00:10:56,415 [Bill] Just one more kid, until he picks up a guitar, 190 00:10:56,589 --> 00:10:58,417 and the boy lost in the crowd 191 00:10:58,591 --> 00:11:00,985 becomes the performer drawing a crowd: 192 00:11:01,159 --> 00:11:02,683 Smokin'’ Joe. 193 00:11:02,857 --> 00:11:05,860 [blues music playing] 194 00:11:10,038 --> 00:11:12,649 [Young Joe] I feel secure with a guitar in my hand. 195 00:11:14,782 --> 00:11:17,393 A lot of people say you have to say something 196 00:11:17,567 --> 00:11:18,960 when you play guitar. 197 00:11:19,134 --> 00:11:22,137 And I feel that my hands are doing the talking 198 00:11:22,311 --> 00:11:23,529 instead of my mouth. 199 00:11:23,704 --> 00:11:25,749 I feel really comfortable, 200 00:11:25,923 --> 00:11:28,012 '’cause I have something in my hand, you know, 201 00:11:28,186 --> 00:11:29,884 something I'’ve always had in my hands 202 00:11:30,058 --> 00:11:31,189 since I can remember. 203 00:11:31,363 --> 00:11:34,105 [music continues] 204 00:11:34,279 --> 00:11:36,978 [B.B.] Playing blues music, 205 00:11:37,152 --> 00:11:39,545 it'’s timing. 206 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,940 You don'’t always know where the children get this from. 207 00:11:43,114 --> 00:11:45,943 You don'’t really know. But all I know is he got it. 208 00:11:46,117 --> 00:11:48,729 I think that'’s the best I can say. He does have it. 209 00:11:48,903 --> 00:11:50,818 [blues music playing] 210 00:12:19,020 --> 00:12:21,109 ♪ Thrill is gone♪ 211 00:12:23,198 --> 00:12:25,330 ♪ Thrill is gone Away from me♪ 212 00:12:25,504 --> 00:12:28,290 [Len] After the Jane Pauley show aired, we received many phone calls 213 00:12:28,464 --> 00:12:31,467 from a lot of different professional management firms. 214 00:12:32,729 --> 00:12:34,687 We heard from Stevie Ray Vaughan'’s manager, 215 00:12:34,862 --> 00:12:37,473 the New Kids on the Block'’s law firm. 216 00:12:37,647 --> 00:12:39,562 They were hot at the time in the early '’90s. 217 00:12:39,736 --> 00:12:42,478 Um, Columbia Records flew us down to New York 218 00:12:42,652 --> 00:12:44,349 and they wanted to talk with Joe. 219 00:12:44,523 --> 00:12:46,177 And so, a lot of things were happening 220 00:12:46,351 --> 00:12:48,876 from this little tiny village of Yorkville, New York. 221 00:12:49,050 --> 00:12:52,836 And my wife and I go, "What do we do here?" 222 00:12:53,010 --> 00:12:57,145 It was a very confusing time to know what to do for him. 223 00:12:57,319 --> 00:12:59,582 And what he wanted to do.[Len] Yeah. 224 00:12:59,756 --> 00:13:02,150 After the Jane Pauley show aired, 225 00:13:02,324 --> 00:13:06,458 this is where the Weismans came in, Joe'’s management. 226 00:13:06,632 --> 00:13:09,287 And they flew up here and talked with us, 227 00:13:09,461 --> 00:13:11,289 and they'’re great people. 228 00:13:11,463 --> 00:13:13,248 And Joe is still with Roy Weisman, 229 00:13:13,422 --> 00:13:17,078 and they'’ve been together ever since. 230 00:13:17,252 --> 00:13:18,775 They were a family operation, 231 00:13:18,949 --> 00:13:21,430 and I think we could relate to that 232 00:13:21,604 --> 00:13:22,997 and appreciate that. 233 00:13:27,784 --> 00:13:30,700 [Roy] My father was the manager to many of the great 234 00:13:30,874 --> 00:13:34,095 stars from the original era of the record business. 235 00:13:34,269 --> 00:13:36,010 He managed people like Frank Sinatra, 236 00:13:36,184 --> 00:13:39,752 Liza Minnelli and Paul Anka, Sammy Davis. 237 00:13:39,927 --> 00:13:42,320 I got to meet most of those people and spend time with them. 238 00:13:42,494 --> 00:13:43,887 I stayed at Frank Sinatra'’s house. 239 00:13:44,061 --> 00:13:45,802 I got to fly on the plane with him. 240 00:13:45,976 --> 00:13:47,325 It was cool. 241 00:13:47,499 --> 00:13:50,589 Well, I don'’t know if he was working for me, 242 00:13:50,763 --> 00:13:52,374 or I was working for him. 243 00:13:53,331 --> 00:13:54,680 I'’m not quite sure. 244 00:13:54,855 --> 00:13:56,595 I mean, that'’s debatable. 245 00:13:56,769 --> 00:13:59,163 [Roy] I saw a lot of shows from the wings, with Sinatra. 246 00:13:59,337 --> 00:14:01,731 And, I mean, he was the ultimate professional. 247 00:14:01,905 --> 00:14:03,951 He loved to start on time. 248 00:14:04,125 --> 00:14:06,301 His show was at 8:00, he started 8:00. 249 00:14:06,475 --> 00:14:08,042 And Bonamassa is the same way. 250 00:14:08,216 --> 00:14:11,001 First of all, I saw the tape from the Jane Pauley show. 251 00:14:11,175 --> 00:14:14,657 Anybody involved in music, I mean, 252 00:14:14,831 --> 00:14:17,399 could realize that, at 13 years old, 253 00:14:17,573 --> 00:14:22,012 Joey could play the guitar better than anybody I ever saw at that age. 254 00:14:22,186 --> 00:14:24,667 If you want to do something big in the music business, 255 00:14:24,841 --> 00:14:26,930 you'’ve got to get involved with young artists. 256 00:14:27,104 --> 00:14:30,412 And by de facto, we end up with Bloodline, 257 00:14:30,586 --> 00:14:32,414 which was Berry Oakley Jr., 258 00:14:32,588 --> 00:14:35,069 Waylon Krieger, Erin Davis, Aaron Hagar, 259 00:14:35,243 --> 00:14:37,332 Joe Bonamassa and Lou Segreti. 260 00:14:37,506 --> 00:14:40,944 All put together and around for Joe Bonamassa. 261 00:14:41,118 --> 00:14:43,816 That was another good idea Roy had, 262 00:14:43,991 --> 00:14:46,558 is, you know, what do we do with Joey 263 00:14:46,732 --> 00:14:49,213 in between the time 264 00:14:49,387 --> 00:14:53,522 he'’s trying to develop his voice, or for us to find out 265 00:14:53,696 --> 00:14:55,524 if he was gonna have one 266 00:14:55,698 --> 00:14:59,354 that would be compatible with his guitar playing. 267 00:14:59,528 --> 00:15:02,966 And I said to him, "What do we do now?" 268 00:15:03,140 --> 00:15:05,882 And he says, "Dad, don'’t worry about it." 269 00:15:06,056 --> 00:15:08,711 By the way had no idea. [laughs] 270 00:15:08,885 --> 00:15:11,409 Definitely, he said, "Dad, don'’t worry about it. 271 00:15:11,583 --> 00:15:15,022 I got these kids, they all have famous parents." Bah, bah, bah... 272 00:15:15,196 --> 00:15:19,374 Anyway, that was a chapter in itself that was unbelievable. 273 00:15:19,548 --> 00:15:22,725 I mean the band ended up getting signed to EMI. 274 00:15:22,899 --> 00:15:25,946 It took three years to get the first record out. 275 00:15:32,169 --> 00:15:35,564 [Kevin] The Bloodline album was released in 1994. 276 00:15:36,652 --> 00:15:38,828 And then the record company had Bloodline 277 00:15:39,002 --> 00:15:41,439 doing all sorts of promotion all over the country 278 00:15:41,613 --> 00:15:46,053 and playing late night television shows like Conan O'’Brien. 279 00:15:46,227 --> 00:15:48,359 Ladies and gentlemen, carrying on the family business 280 00:15:48,533 --> 00:15:51,101 is the name of the game with my next guest, Bloodline. 281 00:15:51,275 --> 00:15:52,885 Features the sons of Miles Davis, 282 00:15:53,060 --> 00:15:54,409 Robby Krieger of The Doors, 283 00:15:54,583 --> 00:15:56,541 and Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers, 284 00:15:56,715 --> 00:16:00,197 as well as teenage guitar wizard Smokin'’ Joe Bonamassa. 285 00:16:00,371 --> 00:16:02,460 Please welcome, Bloodline! 286 00:16:02,634 --> 00:16:04,332 [blues music playing] 287 00:16:16,518 --> 00:16:18,433 [Kevin] And they even went on Mike and Maty 288 00:16:18,607 --> 00:16:20,565 to play the new single.What are we playing today? 289 00:16:20,739 --> 00:16:22,089 "Calling Me Back.""Calling Me Back"? 290 00:16:22,263 --> 00:16:23,960 And the CD is?[both] Bloodline. 291 00:16:24,134 --> 00:16:26,136 Fire it up guys. Here'’s Smokin'’ Joe. Make us proud. 292 00:16:26,310 --> 00:16:28,312 Here we go.[audience applauding] 293 00:16:28,486 --> 00:16:30,184 Two, three four... 294 00:16:34,927 --> 00:16:39,367 [Joe] We made the record. Phil Ramone attempted to produce the first recordings. 295 00:16:39,541 --> 00:16:42,109 Mark Hudson attempted to produce the first recordings. 296 00:16:42,283 --> 00:16:45,329 Finally, the only guy that really kind of tamed the beast 297 00:16:45,503 --> 00:16:47,592 and could actually get a record out of us 298 00:16:47,766 --> 00:16:50,334 was a guy named Joe Hardy, who lives in Houston, 299 00:16:50,508 --> 00:16:54,251 who produces a lot of the ZZ Top catalog. 300 00:16:54,425 --> 00:16:57,298 And Joe was not a diplomat. 301 00:16:57,472 --> 00:17:00,518 He didn'’t care, and he just needed to make the record. 302 00:17:00,692 --> 00:17:02,303 Joe is, uh... 303 00:17:03,956 --> 00:17:06,655 just this incredible guitar player. I mean, it'’s freakish. 304 00:17:06,829 --> 00:17:09,005 It'’s sort of like a cat on it'’s hind legs or something. 305 00:17:09,179 --> 00:17:11,399 You can'’t believe that this guy can play 306 00:17:11,573 --> 00:17:14,619 so maturely for a 16-year-old. 307 00:17:14,793 --> 00:17:17,492 [blues guitar playing] 308 00:17:17,666 --> 00:17:21,365 During that process, there were a lot of fundamental differences between Joe 309 00:17:21,539 --> 00:17:23,411 who was the prodigy, and the "sons of." 310 00:17:23,585 --> 00:17:25,108 Everyone was great kids, 311 00:17:25,282 --> 00:17:27,763 but the "sons of" didn'’t have the work ethic 312 00:17:27,937 --> 00:17:29,634 that Joe Bonamassa had. 313 00:17:29,808 --> 00:17:31,201 And that was apparent. 314 00:17:31,375 --> 00:17:33,334 All Joe wanted to do was play guitar 315 00:17:33,508 --> 00:17:37,642 and do... make music, you know, do this stuff. 316 00:17:37,816 --> 00:17:40,515 The kids, all they wanted to do, they were a few years older, 317 00:17:40,689 --> 00:17:42,734 they wanted to have fun and didn'’t want to work that hard. 318 00:17:42,908 --> 00:17:45,520 I think everybody is more conscious of what they do 319 00:17:45,694 --> 00:17:47,739 when I'’m around.[all laugh] 320 00:17:47,913 --> 00:17:49,089 Yeah, right. 321 00:17:50,829 --> 00:17:53,615 But--Yeah, but you'’re an old man in a kid'’s body 322 00:17:53,789 --> 00:17:57,184 Oh, that'’s right. I think of myself as an old man in a kid'’s body. 323 00:17:57,358 --> 00:18:00,056 [blues rock music playing] 324 00:18:00,230 --> 00:18:04,626 I understand that some pudgy 18-year-old going, "Hey guys, 325 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,672 let'’s try to make these tunes, something out of these songs. 326 00:18:07,846 --> 00:18:10,197 And by the way, I don'’t wanna play alternative music. 327 00:18:10,371 --> 00:18:12,808 I don'’t wanna do this. We should make it... 328 00:18:12,982 --> 00:18:15,419 And, by the way, I want long guitar solos," 329 00:18:15,593 --> 00:18:19,119 I understand how that'’s a toxic element to the band. 330 00:18:19,293 --> 00:18:21,904 And then we were about to make the next record 331 00:18:22,078 --> 00:18:24,559 and Berry Oakley and Waylon Krieger come to me 332 00:18:24,733 --> 00:18:27,083 and say that they don'’t wanna be in a band with Joe. 333 00:18:27,257 --> 00:18:29,477 And I'’m like, "Are you kidding me? 334 00:18:29,651 --> 00:18:31,827 We just, we have about five years with this thing. 335 00:18:32,001 --> 00:18:34,917 And you guys wanna... We'’re about to make the second record for EMI, 336 00:18:35,091 --> 00:18:37,615 and you wanna break this up at this point?" And they'’re like, "Yeah." 337 00:18:37,789 --> 00:18:40,879 You know, I could tell with my conversations with him, 338 00:18:41,053 --> 00:18:43,186 he was having a lot of frustration. 339 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:46,972 Or frustrations with the members, 340 00:18:47,147 --> 00:18:49,018 the egos of these kids, 341 00:18:49,192 --> 00:18:51,412 and whatever problems they had 342 00:18:51,586 --> 00:18:54,154 or whatever medicine they were taking. 343 00:18:54,328 --> 00:18:58,506 And it got to a point where, 344 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:03,511 you know, it was serious money we had invested already. 345 00:19:03,685 --> 00:19:06,340 And at the end of the day, I let it fall apart. 346 00:19:06,514 --> 00:19:11,171 That was a hard moment for me, because I had to go back to my boss, 347 00:19:11,345 --> 00:19:14,174 who was my father at that time, and say, "Listen, by the way, you know, 348 00:19:14,348 --> 00:19:17,829 this project that our company has a fortune of money invested into? 349 00:19:18,743 --> 00:19:19,875 We got to write that off." 350 00:19:20,049 --> 00:19:23,270 And I went to Roy, and I said to him, 351 00:19:23,444 --> 00:19:26,838 I said, "Listen, you got two choices, okay? 352 00:19:28,144 --> 00:19:29,841 The first choice is okay. 353 00:19:30,015 --> 00:19:33,280 You got to tell Bloodline, all those guys, to get lost. 354 00:19:33,454 --> 00:19:35,195 And your second choice 355 00:19:35,369 --> 00:19:37,414 is whether you want to stick with Joey, 356 00:19:37,588 --> 00:19:40,939 which I think you should, and develop him into an artist." 357 00:19:41,113 --> 00:19:43,986 And that basically was our conversation, 358 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:45,857 because he realized at that point 359 00:19:46,031 --> 00:19:48,773 that Bloodline was falling apart anyway. 360 00:19:48,947 --> 00:19:51,602 And that, either he went all the way 361 00:19:51,776 --> 00:19:53,517 with Joey or forget about it. 362 00:19:53,691 --> 00:19:56,390 Two things happen when you turn 18. The band breaks up. 363 00:19:56,564 --> 00:19:58,870 Well, that'’s partly my own fault. 364 00:19:59,871 --> 00:20:02,961 Two, nobody cares when you'’re 18. 365 00:20:03,135 --> 00:20:07,401 '’Cause now you'’re just-- You'’ve gone from chosen one 366 00:20:07,575 --> 00:20:12,319 to you are lopped into the same pile of guitar players 367 00:20:12,493 --> 00:20:14,059 that everybody else is. 368 00:20:14,234 --> 00:20:15,800 And I didn'’t sing. 369 00:20:16,627 --> 00:20:18,499 And I was fat. 370 00:20:18,673 --> 00:20:22,633 Not exactly what you call "show business material." 371 00:20:22,807 --> 00:20:24,331 And I have a long last name, 372 00:20:24,505 --> 00:20:27,595 which, to this day, people can'’t pronounce. 373 00:20:27,769 --> 00:20:30,598 My big question, as I said before, 374 00:20:30,772 --> 00:20:34,689 that if he could develop a voice around that talent 375 00:20:34,863 --> 00:20:36,256 he had to play the guitar, 376 00:20:36,430 --> 00:20:38,475 it would be all over. 377 00:20:38,649 --> 00:20:42,087 [Joe] When I was in Bloodline, I had no interest in singing. 378 00:20:42,262 --> 00:20:43,611 I was just a guitar player. 379 00:20:43,785 --> 00:20:46,396 I loved being the guitar player. It was cool. 380 00:20:46,570 --> 00:20:48,790 I was living with my parents. 381 00:20:48,964 --> 00:20:52,533 And I was helping Dad out with the guitar shop. 382 00:20:52,707 --> 00:20:54,839 And I was making demos at the house, 383 00:20:55,013 --> 00:20:56,798 trying to get my voice up. 384 00:20:56,972 --> 00:20:59,801 After Bloodline, a different set of circumstances came about. 385 00:20:59,975 --> 00:21:01,933 I was looking into a new musical direction, 386 00:21:02,107 --> 00:21:03,413 tried to do some stuff. 387 00:21:03,587 --> 00:21:05,676 And I decided, "Well, now or never." 388 00:21:05,850 --> 00:21:07,939 I was 18, I was like, "Now or never." 389 00:21:08,113 --> 00:21:10,812 If I don'’t start singing now, I'’m never going to do it. 390 00:21:10,986 --> 00:21:13,728 And I'’ll always go through life wondering if I ever could. 391 00:21:13,902 --> 00:21:15,207 So I just started singing, 392 00:21:15,382 --> 00:21:16,948 just belting stuff out in my room. 393 00:21:17,122 --> 00:21:18,210 ♪ I miss you♪ 394 00:21:18,385 --> 00:21:19,864 ♪ I hate you♪ 395 00:21:20,038 --> 00:21:22,954 I did some work with Little Steven. 396 00:21:23,128 --> 00:21:26,044 [Roy] Van Zandt, from Springsteen'’s band. 397 00:21:26,218 --> 00:21:28,786 And that was his next little thing, 398 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,442 because at that point, there was like nothing going on. 399 00:21:32,616 --> 00:21:35,184 And Little Steven was interested in making some demos with Joe. 400 00:21:35,358 --> 00:21:37,055 And they go off, and they make some demos, 401 00:21:37,229 --> 00:21:40,320 and Joe'’s singing. 402 00:21:41,277 --> 00:21:43,192 And it'’s great to hear him sing. 403 00:21:43,671 --> 00:21:45,107 But... 404 00:21:46,500 --> 00:21:48,806 he'’s got Joe in a direction that'’s kind of like 405 00:21:48,980 --> 00:21:50,678 not really where Joe wants to be. 406 00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:54,638 ♪ The subway'’s Temporary grace♪ 407 00:21:56,379 --> 00:21:59,861 ♪ A pantomime on A cigarette break♪ 408 00:22:01,906 --> 00:22:06,258 ♪ Norton Fibler Takes his place♪ 409 00:22:06,433 --> 00:22:11,002 ♪ The politician'’s Got no face♪ 410 00:22:11,176 --> 00:22:13,353 Kinda, I didn'’t know what to do. 411 00:22:13,527 --> 00:22:14,963 I didn'’t know what direction. 412 00:22:15,137 --> 00:22:17,095 I'’m in Utica, New York. 413 00:22:17,269 --> 00:22:19,881 Not exactly a place where things are happening. 414 00:22:20,055 --> 00:22:21,491 I'’m at home. 415 00:22:21,665 --> 00:22:24,407 It'’s one of those things where, 416 00:22:24,581 --> 00:22:27,062 even though I had nothing going on, 417 00:22:27,236 --> 00:22:30,021 the pressure of time, felt exhausting. 418 00:22:30,195 --> 00:22:34,069 It felt like I needed to change my trajectory 419 00:22:34,243 --> 00:22:35,244 really, really quick. 420 00:22:35,418 --> 00:22:37,725 And Phil Ramone'’s label 421 00:22:37,899 --> 00:22:40,205 signed me to a development deal. 422 00:22:42,773 --> 00:22:46,473 [Phil] Prodigies come few and far between. 423 00:22:47,517 --> 00:22:51,347 I saw him take an audience apart. 424 00:22:53,436 --> 00:22:56,178 He'’s so musical and untrained, 425 00:22:56,352 --> 00:22:58,833 which I loved, '’cause there was nothing that held him back. 426 00:22:59,007 --> 00:23:01,183 Nothing ever held him back from doing anything. 427 00:23:01,357 --> 00:23:04,360 And we were all set to do some demos 428 00:23:04,534 --> 00:23:06,449 and make some recordings with Terry Manning 429 00:23:06,623 --> 00:23:09,191 in the Bahamas. 430 00:23:09,365 --> 00:23:13,456 And right before I was supposed to get on the plane, 431 00:23:13,630 --> 00:23:15,676 the label shut down. 432 00:23:20,550 --> 00:23:22,596 So I was back to square one. 433 00:23:22,770 --> 00:23:26,861 Again now, a year later, and I was just lost. 434 00:23:27,035 --> 00:23:29,603 And I asked Roy 435 00:23:29,777 --> 00:23:32,562 to call around and see if somebody would hire me 436 00:23:32,736 --> 00:23:36,261 just as a guitar player, you know, go play with whoever. 437 00:23:36,436 --> 00:23:38,742 And I said to him, "If you want me to do that, 438 00:23:38,916 --> 00:23:41,745 I'’m happy to do that, look for a gig for you. 439 00:23:41,919 --> 00:23:45,445 But, if you have any desire to be the man 440 00:23:45,619 --> 00:23:48,273 and the front man, 441 00:23:48,448 --> 00:23:49,840 now'’s the time to go for it, 442 00:23:50,014 --> 00:23:51,538 because you'’re in your early 20s. 443 00:23:51,712 --> 00:23:55,367 And in the end, if that doesn'’t work out, 444 00:23:55,542 --> 00:23:57,631 you still have plenty of time to find another career." 445 00:23:57,805 --> 00:24:00,547 So he starts calling A&R people that he knew in New York, 446 00:24:00,721 --> 00:24:03,680 one of which being Michael Caplan at Epic. 447 00:24:03,854 --> 00:24:07,945 He sent my little cassette demos around, and Michael Caplan hears it. 448 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,687 He goes, "I like it." 449 00:24:10,861 --> 00:24:14,517 And Roy goes, "Oh, so one of your artists needs a guitar player?" 450 00:24:14,691 --> 00:24:16,563 He goes like, "You'’re not hearing me. I like it. 451 00:24:16,737 --> 00:24:19,304 I wanna see about signing Joe." 452 00:24:20,262 --> 00:24:23,700 Which completely blindsided me. 453 00:24:24,832 --> 00:24:27,878 So I met with Michael at that point, 454 00:24:28,052 --> 00:24:30,446 and he goes, "Okay, here'’s what we'’re gonna do. 455 00:24:30,620 --> 00:24:32,274 You'’re gonna make a demo for me 456 00:24:32,448 --> 00:24:34,798 of '’A New Day Yesterday,'’ from Jethro Tull." 457 00:24:34,972 --> 00:24:37,497 He plays me this song, "A New Day Yesterday." 458 00:24:37,671 --> 00:24:39,586 I was like, "Oh, that'’s cool." 459 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,111 So I had this idea of making it a two-four feel, and I make him a demo. 460 00:24:43,285 --> 00:24:45,809 I send him the song two days later, and he calls me up, 461 00:24:45,983 --> 00:24:49,639 he goes, "Have you ever heard of Tom Dowd?" I'’m like, "Yeah, I know who Tom Dowd is." 462 00:24:49,813 --> 00:24:51,859 [Kevin] Tom Dowd was a legendary record producer 463 00:24:52,033 --> 00:24:54,078 who had produced everyone from Aretha Franklin 464 00:24:54,252 --> 00:24:56,690 to Ray Charles, The Allman Brothers 465 00:24:56,864 --> 00:24:59,083 Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart. 466 00:24:59,257 --> 00:25:01,521 My father graduated Stuyvesant High School, 467 00:25:01,695 --> 00:25:05,742 which was the math and science high school in New York City. 468 00:25:05,916 --> 00:25:08,005 And he was a sergeant in the US Army. 469 00:25:08,179 --> 00:25:11,879 And he was working with the cyclotrons. 470 00:25:18,886 --> 00:25:21,584 [reporter] The energy that generates the heat of the sun 471 00:25:21,758 --> 00:25:23,543 and operates the solar system 472 00:25:23,717 --> 00:25:26,154 comes under the will of humankind. 473 00:25:26,328 --> 00:25:28,156 The blast changes the atomic structure 474 00:25:28,330 --> 00:25:29,984 of everything it hits. 475 00:25:30,158 --> 00:25:32,464 Stone and steel are turned into gas. 476 00:25:34,902 --> 00:25:37,905 [Dana] The Manhattan Project was a web of universities 477 00:25:38,079 --> 00:25:39,820 the government had harnessed together, 478 00:25:39,994 --> 00:25:41,517 so it was all very top secret. 479 00:25:44,259 --> 00:25:47,044 After the United States dropped the bombs in Japan, 480 00:25:47,218 --> 00:25:49,177 he goes back to community college in New York, 481 00:25:49,351 --> 00:25:51,919 and he has to take a couple more physics and chemistry classes 482 00:25:52,093 --> 00:25:53,398 in order to graduate. 483 00:25:53,573 --> 00:25:55,792 So he walks into the first day of class 484 00:25:55,966 --> 00:25:58,403 and there'’s a periodic table on the wall. 485 00:25:58,578 --> 00:26:00,667 [reporter] For years, scientists have tried to 486 00:26:00,841 --> 00:26:03,278 break up this atom by shooting neutrons at its core. 487 00:26:03,452 --> 00:26:05,759 But the whirling electrons seemed impenetrable. 488 00:26:05,933 --> 00:26:08,413 Then finally scientists broke through those walls 489 00:26:08,588 --> 00:26:10,024 with a slow neutron, 490 00:26:10,198 --> 00:26:12,504 releasing 500 million volts of energy 491 00:26:12,679 --> 00:26:14,376 and forming two new atoms, 492 00:26:14,550 --> 00:26:16,857 barium and krypton. 493 00:26:17,031 --> 00:26:19,599 And he knows that there'’s more elements that exist 494 00:26:19,773 --> 00:26:21,296 because he had just helped discover them. 495 00:26:21,470 --> 00:26:22,906 So he dropped out of school. 496 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,953 And there was a newspaper article, 497 00:26:26,127 --> 00:26:27,781 probably in The New York Times, 498 00:26:27,955 --> 00:26:29,652 and it'’s Fischer studios, 499 00:26:29,826 --> 00:26:32,568 and they were looking for engineers. 500 00:26:32,742 --> 00:26:34,352 And he was like, "Hold on a second. 501 00:26:34,526 --> 00:26:37,747 I'’m a physicist and a chemist, and I play ten instruments. 502 00:26:37,921 --> 00:26:40,097 I think I could probably fill this role." 503 00:26:40,271 --> 00:26:42,926 Just about every record that I'’ve grown up with and just love, 504 00:26:43,100 --> 00:26:44,536 he'’s been involved with. 505 00:26:44,711 --> 00:26:46,800 And when I found out I had the opportunity 506 00:26:46,974 --> 00:26:48,628 to work with him on "A New Day Yesterday," 507 00:26:48,802 --> 00:26:52,370 I was like, "This is gonna be an opportunity of a lifetime". 508 00:26:52,544 --> 00:26:57,201 Joey has no telltale weakness or ballistic 509 00:26:57,375 --> 00:26:59,247 as a guitarist. 510 00:26:59,421 --> 00:27:01,466 He can play blues. 511 00:27:01,641 --> 00:27:05,122 He can play jazz. He is fast. 512 00:27:05,296 --> 00:27:08,212 Next thing you know, we get signed to Epic, make a record with Tom Dowd, 513 00:27:08,386 --> 00:27:10,475 which was a legendary experience for Joe, 514 00:27:10,650 --> 00:27:13,522 to make a record with somebody like that as his first record. 515 00:27:13,696 --> 00:27:16,656 ♪ '’Cause I feel you♪ 516 00:27:16,830 --> 00:27:20,660 ♪ I don'’t want to But I need you, baby♪ 517 00:27:28,319 --> 00:27:30,495 [Joe] He took a real interest in my life and career. 518 00:27:30,670 --> 00:27:32,802 He took a real interest in me personally. 519 00:27:32,976 --> 00:27:36,371 '’Cause he saw that unbridled enthusiasm and he knew, 520 00:27:36,545 --> 00:27:38,939 if I kept singing and writing, I would do good things. 521 00:27:39,113 --> 00:27:40,636 And he was right. 522 00:27:40,810 --> 00:27:43,291 I'’ve always kept that notion in the back of my mind. 523 00:27:43,465 --> 00:27:45,946 Just keep improving yourself. 524 00:27:50,254 --> 00:27:55,912 ♪ I miss you, I hate you '’Cause I feel you♪ 525 00:27:56,086 --> 00:28:00,438 ♪ I don'’t want to But I need you, yeah♪ 526 00:28:00,612 --> 00:28:02,614 ♪ I miss you, I hate you♪ 527 00:28:02,789 --> 00:28:05,008 [Roy] Of course, in classic Sony style, the record gets made. 528 00:28:05,182 --> 00:28:07,707 And by the way, the record was supposed to be a record 529 00:28:07,881 --> 00:28:10,361 of no pressure. 530 00:28:10,535 --> 00:28:12,363 We'’re not looking to get on radio, 531 00:28:12,537 --> 00:28:15,627 Joe will sing his songs, and that'’s the end of it. 532 00:28:15,802 --> 00:28:17,325 That was in the year 1999. 533 00:28:17,499 --> 00:28:22,504 And Sony has its first bad reporting 534 00:28:22,678 --> 00:28:25,028 quarter, six months, whatever you want to call it. 535 00:28:25,202 --> 00:28:27,030 And all of a sudden, everything dried up. 536 00:28:27,204 --> 00:28:30,468 It went from everyone'’s excited to promoting this thing 537 00:28:30,642 --> 00:28:32,296 to nobody'’s interested in anything. 538 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:34,734 So they dropped Joe. 539 00:28:34,908 --> 00:28:39,086 We decided to pick up the pieces as Joe and Roy 540 00:28:39,260 --> 00:28:41,784 and put these records out ourselves. 541 00:28:41,958 --> 00:28:43,264 And from that moment forward, 542 00:28:43,438 --> 00:28:45,048 we started to make our own records 543 00:28:45,222 --> 00:28:46,963 and own our own records. 544 00:28:47,137 --> 00:28:50,793 ♪ Woke up dreaming I was gonna die♪ 545 00:28:53,709 --> 00:28:57,104 ♪ Woke up dreaming I was gonna die♪ 546 00:28:59,062 --> 00:29:01,369 ♪ '’Cause my baby said her♪ 547 00:29:01,543 --> 00:29:03,893 ♪ Said her last goodbyes♪ 548 00:29:04,067 --> 00:29:05,765 [Roy] You know, I'’m in the music business, 549 00:29:05,939 --> 00:29:08,463 and I'’m running it like a loser, and the business is crashing. 550 00:29:08,637 --> 00:29:11,074 I mean, the industry is falling apart. It'’s now the year 2001. 551 00:29:11,248 --> 00:29:13,337 I mean, Napster'’s just obliterated the industry. 552 00:29:13,511 --> 00:29:16,558 ♪ Reached out for her And she was not there♪ 553 00:29:16,732 --> 00:29:19,039 And I ain'’t playing this pop shit anymore. 554 00:29:19,213 --> 00:29:21,258 I don'’t wanna hear about radio. 555 00:29:21,432 --> 00:29:27,395 It was a knee jerk reaction to this being told 556 00:29:27,569 --> 00:29:29,876 that I have to be fit into a certain mold, 557 00:29:30,050 --> 00:29:31,878 have to be a certain type of artist. 558 00:29:32,052 --> 00:29:35,403 I'’m gonna make a fucking blues record, start to finish. 559 00:29:35,577 --> 00:29:38,449 And from that, the idea of Blues Deluxewas born. 560 00:29:38,623 --> 00:29:41,104 And I felt home when I did it. 561 00:29:41,278 --> 00:29:44,412 And I felt like this is how I wanted to make music. 562 00:29:44,586 --> 00:29:46,675 You have to go through the bad experiences 563 00:29:46,849 --> 00:29:49,199 to get to that point. 564 00:29:49,373 --> 00:29:52,463 But once you have the "I got nothing to lose," 565 00:29:52,637 --> 00:29:54,117 that'’s when you'’re the most dangerous. 566 00:29:54,291 --> 00:29:56,816 [blues rock music playing] 567 00:30:12,527 --> 00:30:16,705 We did Blues Deluxe and we did a record called Had To Cry Today, 568 00:30:16,879 --> 00:30:18,968 which is kind of like in the same vein, 569 00:30:19,142 --> 00:30:21,101 they were both produced by a guy named Bob Held, 570 00:30:21,275 --> 00:30:24,191 who did a very good job on those records. 571 00:30:24,365 --> 00:30:26,976 And it started to feel like we had some traction. 572 00:30:27,150 --> 00:30:28,848 We'’re still in the van. 573 00:30:29,674 --> 00:30:31,807 And we'’re still struggling. 574 00:30:31,981 --> 00:30:34,244 Along the way, while Joe is evolving, 575 00:30:34,418 --> 00:30:37,247 I wasn'’t able to make any money from the project. 576 00:30:37,421 --> 00:30:39,902 So I think the first time I ever got paid 577 00:30:40,076 --> 00:30:42,949 from the Joe Bonamassa project was in the year 2007. 578 00:30:43,123 --> 00:30:45,168 I think at that point, I was-- 579 00:30:45,342 --> 00:30:46,996 I had met Joe in 1991. 580 00:30:47,170 --> 00:30:49,869 So, we'’re looking at, it was year 16. 581 00:30:50,043 --> 00:30:53,437 Roy began to feel I was kind of stagnating as an artist, 582 00:30:53,611 --> 00:30:56,745 like just, we'’re still "barroom" at this point, 583 00:30:56,919 --> 00:30:59,966 And I was thinking about changing producers and trying 584 00:31:00,140 --> 00:31:03,186 to introduce maybe another influence to Joe. 585 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:07,190 And this friend of mine suggested to me, 586 00:31:07,364 --> 00:31:09,540 did I know this producer Kevin Shirley? 587 00:31:09,714 --> 00:31:11,499 And I said, I did not. 588 00:31:11,673 --> 00:31:13,675 And he showed me his discography. 589 00:31:13,849 --> 00:31:16,504 And when I looked at Kevin'’s discography, 590 00:31:16,678 --> 00:31:19,420 and I saw the kind of records that he was making, I'’m like, 591 00:31:19,594 --> 00:31:22,945 "That is exactly the kind of producer I need to put with Joe." 592 00:31:23,119 --> 00:31:27,602 Somebody that understands mainstream rock 593 00:31:27,776 --> 00:31:31,562 from like the '’70s, like real rock, like Led Zeppelin-kind of rock. 594 00:31:31,736 --> 00:31:35,523 And also can maybe take Joe'’s blues influence 595 00:31:35,697 --> 00:31:37,525 and bring it together as well. 596 00:31:37,699 --> 00:31:39,527 So lo and behold, I get Kevin'’s number, 597 00:31:39,701 --> 00:31:41,964 and I gave Kevin a call and introduce myself. 598 00:31:42,138 --> 00:31:44,662 And he'’s at a place in his career 599 00:31:44,836 --> 00:31:47,404 where he'’s looking to make an album with somebody 600 00:31:47,578 --> 00:31:49,929 that was also more organic 601 00:31:50,103 --> 00:31:52,279 than he had been working with at that time. 602 00:31:52,453 --> 00:31:55,108 With the major labels, he was doing a lot of acts. 603 00:31:55,282 --> 00:31:58,328 And we had a conversation. I said, "Well, if you want something more organic, 604 00:31:58,502 --> 00:32:01,027 you'’ve come to the right place. As a matter of fact, it'’s so organic, 605 00:32:01,201 --> 00:32:02,637 we don'’t have money to pay you." 606 00:32:02,811 --> 00:32:04,073 [laughs] 607 00:32:04,247 --> 00:32:06,989 [blues music playing] 608 00:32:15,128 --> 00:32:17,478 ♪ Ain'’t no heaven Or burning hell♪ 609 00:32:17,652 --> 00:32:20,220 ♪ Ain'’t no heaven Or burning hell♪ 610 00:32:20,394 --> 00:32:23,136 ♪ When I die where I go♪ 611 00:32:23,310 --> 00:32:25,355 ♪ Ain'’t nobody know♪ 612 00:32:25,529 --> 00:32:27,575 ♪ Ain'’t no heaven Or burning hell♪ 613 00:32:27,749 --> 00:32:30,970 [Joe] We have a decent three-piece band 614 00:32:31,144 --> 00:32:34,147 that we'’ve put together with Kenny Kramme on drums 615 00:32:34,321 --> 00:32:37,063 and Eric Czar, we kind of set sail with that. 616 00:32:37,237 --> 00:32:40,022 That was our power trio, and it was-- 617 00:32:40,196 --> 00:32:43,156 we were able to get in a van, go out, 618 00:32:43,330 --> 00:32:45,549 couple crew guys, maybe one guy, two guys. 619 00:32:45,723 --> 00:32:46,986 It was lean and mean. 620 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:49,118 We had to load our own gear, set up own gear, 621 00:32:49,292 --> 00:32:51,164 turn down our own gear, and sell CDs, 622 00:32:51,338 --> 00:32:54,167 and, you know, that'’s honest work. 623 00:32:54,341 --> 00:32:57,170 [blues music playing] 624 00:32:59,781 --> 00:33:01,913 Roy would mention that we were kind of looking 625 00:33:02,088 --> 00:33:03,785 for a change in the production, 626 00:33:03,959 --> 00:33:07,397 and we needed somebody that worked on the big stage. 627 00:33:07,571 --> 00:33:11,010 My initial reaction was, "Why would Kevin Shirley want to produce me?" 628 00:33:11,184 --> 00:33:13,403 Like, Kevin does big-time records, 629 00:33:13,577 --> 00:33:17,668 you know, like Zeppelin and Black Crowes and Iron Maiden. 630 00:33:17,842 --> 00:33:19,453 I was like, "Why the hell was he..." 631 00:33:19,627 --> 00:33:23,457 My opinion was Kevin was gonna listen 632 00:33:23,631 --> 00:33:27,200 to the work up and to that point, 633 00:33:27,374 --> 00:33:31,334 go, "There'’s no way that I'’m gonna do this 634 00:33:32,857 --> 00:33:36,513 under any foreseeable circumstances, whatsoever." 635 00:33:36,687 --> 00:33:38,515 [blues music playing] 636 00:33:44,695 --> 00:33:46,697 ♪ I'’m takin'’ the hit♪ 637 00:33:46,871 --> 00:33:48,873 ♪ Paying the price♪ 638 00:33:49,048 --> 00:33:52,660 Anyway, to my surprise, 639 00:33:52,834 --> 00:33:56,011 I find myself being visited by Mr. Shirley 640 00:33:56,185 --> 00:33:58,970 in St. Charles, Illinois. 641 00:33:59,145 --> 00:34:01,973 A random spot for him for our first encounter, 642 00:34:02,148 --> 00:34:07,283 but we needed-- we had a show there at Chord on Blues. 643 00:34:08,197 --> 00:34:10,243 Kevin sees the show, 644 00:34:10,417 --> 00:34:12,462 comes on the tour bus, he goes, 645 00:34:12,636 --> 00:34:15,030 basically, paraphrasing this, 646 00:34:15,204 --> 00:34:18,294 "I dig the playing, the tone'’s good, 647 00:34:18,468 --> 00:34:21,254 songs are bad, band'’s gotta go." 648 00:34:22,124 --> 00:34:23,691 Those were the magic words, 649 00:34:23,865 --> 00:34:26,737 because I had seen the limitations of my group. 650 00:34:26,911 --> 00:34:29,305 So he said okay, and then we made a plan 651 00:34:29,479 --> 00:34:31,655 to go into the studio to do the first album, 652 00:34:31,829 --> 00:34:33,918 and then I brought Jason Bonham in. 653 00:34:34,093 --> 00:34:38,967 And then called me in 2005 654 00:34:39,141 --> 00:34:41,970 to play on You and Me album for Joe. 655 00:34:42,144 --> 00:34:43,972 The first album he produced for Joe. 656 00:34:44,146 --> 00:34:45,191 Carmine Rojas. 657 00:34:45,365 --> 00:34:47,280 You know, we all have history 658 00:34:47,454 --> 00:34:50,065 of all kinds of music, similar music, 659 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,068 '’cause we all have done blues, 660 00:34:53,242 --> 00:34:55,114 we have done rock, we have done jazz, 661 00:34:55,288 --> 00:34:56,898 we have done country. 662 00:34:57,072 --> 00:34:59,944 And Rick Melick and all players 663 00:35:00,119 --> 00:35:03,252 at the top of their game, at the top of their field. 664 00:35:03,426 --> 00:35:06,212 Triple-A session players, amazing live players, 665 00:35:06,386 --> 00:35:08,127 incredible pedigrees, all of them. 666 00:35:08,301 --> 00:35:11,391 David Bowie, Rod Stewart, I mean, the top of the top. 667 00:35:11,565 --> 00:35:13,219 So when we got to the studio, 668 00:35:13,393 --> 00:35:16,570 he finally got to see how it was having a band 669 00:35:16,744 --> 00:35:20,443 of incredible musicians support him. 670 00:35:20,617 --> 00:35:23,098 And I remember thinking 671 00:35:23,272 --> 00:35:25,405 that the guy was setting up these guitars 672 00:35:25,579 --> 00:35:29,496 and I remember going, "Excuse me, when does Joe get here?" 673 00:35:29,670 --> 00:35:33,804 And he looked around, went, "I'’m Joe." 674 00:35:33,978 --> 00:35:35,458 [laughs] I was like, 675 00:35:35,632 --> 00:35:38,157 "Oh! Hi, I'’m Jason. Nice to meet you." 676 00:35:38,331 --> 00:35:41,464 Joe really got to experience for the first time, a producer 677 00:35:41,638 --> 00:35:44,467 that was hands on musically, from what he told me, 678 00:35:44,641 --> 00:35:46,077 that he could relate to. 679 00:35:46,252 --> 00:35:49,255 Somebody that could also get him to do something 680 00:35:49,429 --> 00:35:51,257 that he wasn'’t comfortable doing. 681 00:35:51,431 --> 00:35:53,955 And, I remember after the first record, 682 00:35:54,129 --> 00:35:55,565 after that record was made, 683 00:35:55,739 --> 00:35:58,307 Kevin told me we had a lot of work to do, 684 00:35:58,481 --> 00:36:00,701 but I think I can, over time, 685 00:36:00,875 --> 00:36:04,835 take Joe to a place that would be a place 686 00:36:05,009 --> 00:36:08,404 he could have a very long-term and successful career. 687 00:36:10,450 --> 00:36:13,061 ♪ They said you Wouldn'’t believe♪ 688 00:36:14,367 --> 00:36:18,022 ♪ What a paradise this was♪ 689 00:36:18,197 --> 00:36:21,939 ♪ Till every Adam and Eve Tom, Dick and Harry♪ 690 00:36:22,113 --> 00:36:25,465 ♪ Started fighting For what he loved♪ 691 00:36:25,639 --> 00:36:29,773 ♪ So, we fortified The ramparts♪ 692 00:36:29,947 --> 00:36:33,560 ♪ And we built The mighty towers♪ 693 00:36:33,734 --> 00:36:37,564 ♪ But it was plain to see We never were free♪ 694 00:36:37,738 --> 00:36:40,393 ♪ From the tyranny Of the hour♪ 695 00:36:41,611 --> 00:36:44,266 [crowd cheering] 696 00:36:45,702 --> 00:36:48,357 [Kevin] And so, then we got asked to do a second album. 697 00:36:48,531 --> 00:36:50,403 And that was all good and well, 698 00:36:50,577 --> 00:36:52,927 except that I think we got about two days 699 00:36:53,101 --> 00:36:56,278 into the first session, and I got a call from Roy, 700 00:36:56,452 --> 00:36:59,238 who asked me to wrap up the session, '’cause we were gonna call it. 701 00:36:59,412 --> 00:37:01,501 It wasn'’t working for Joe. 702 00:37:01,675 --> 00:37:04,634 He'’d apparently got very upset when I had asked him to do a harmony vocal 703 00:37:04,808 --> 00:37:06,245 on top of a lead vocal, 704 00:37:06,419 --> 00:37:08,812 and he was very uncomfortable with it. 705 00:37:08,986 --> 00:37:13,077 [Joe] We started doing the second album in Malibu, California. 706 00:37:13,252 --> 00:37:16,646 And what I loved about the first album so much 707 00:37:16,820 --> 00:37:19,170 was it was like we played the song and it was done. 708 00:37:19,345 --> 00:37:22,261 And then the second album, it turned out it was like, 709 00:37:22,435 --> 00:37:25,916 because of the nature of the material, 710 00:37:26,090 --> 00:37:27,831 it was requiring more overdubs. 711 00:37:28,005 --> 00:37:31,400 ♪ You'’d better stop♪ 712 00:37:31,574 --> 00:37:33,533 ♪ Before♪ 713 00:37:33,707 --> 00:37:37,058 ♪ You tear me all apart♪ 714 00:37:37,232 --> 00:37:39,843 ♪ You'’d better stop♪ 715 00:37:40,017 --> 00:37:41,845 ♪ Before♪ 716 00:37:42,019 --> 00:37:46,720 ♪ You go and break my heart♪ 717 00:37:47,764 --> 00:37:49,766 ♪ Oh, whoa♪ 718 00:37:49,940 --> 00:37:51,725 ♪ You better stop♪ 719 00:37:51,899 --> 00:37:53,901 It was kind of fighting me. 720 00:37:54,075 --> 00:37:55,555 And I was like, "I don'’t know." 721 00:37:55,729 --> 00:37:57,426 I really freaked out in the sense 722 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:00,081 that I'’m not sure if this is the right idea. 723 00:38:00,255 --> 00:38:02,605 So we did some acoustic tracks, 724 00:38:02,779 --> 00:38:04,346 and then we did another session. 725 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,740 On that other session, we cut a song 726 00:38:06,914 --> 00:38:10,657 that I'’ve played literally every show since that day. 727 00:38:10,831 --> 00:38:13,486 And it'’s one of my big, 728 00:38:13,660 --> 00:38:17,185 you know, show-stopping songs that Kevin had heard 729 00:38:17,359 --> 00:38:19,492 when he was in South Africa. 730 00:38:19,666 --> 00:38:21,842 ♪ People would tell me♪ 731 00:38:22,016 --> 00:38:25,715 ♪ As they pass me by♪ 732 00:38:27,935 --> 00:38:30,241 ♪ No matter if I live♪ 733 00:38:30,416 --> 00:38:37,074 ♪ No matter if I die♪ 734 00:38:39,338 --> 00:38:40,817 [Kevin] I brought the song to him, 735 00:38:40,991 --> 00:38:42,906 a song that I used to play in a band 736 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:44,778 back in the '’80s in South Africa. 737 00:38:44,952 --> 00:38:46,693 A song called "Sloe Gin," 738 00:38:46,867 --> 00:38:51,001 which was a song that Tim Curry and Michael Kamen had written. 739 00:38:51,175 --> 00:38:55,092 And it was one of those desperate blues that I thought 740 00:38:56,137 --> 00:38:57,878 somebody could cover really well. 741 00:38:58,052 --> 00:39:00,271 And Joe seemed to be the perfect person to do it. 742 00:39:00,446 --> 00:39:03,100 It wasn'’t a traditional 12-bar blues structure, 743 00:39:03,274 --> 00:39:07,191 but it was a very down, desperate, dark, 744 00:39:07,366 --> 00:39:11,674 slow bluesy song with quite involved changes. 745 00:39:11,848 --> 00:39:14,808 The chorus had the lyric, 746 00:39:14,982 --> 00:39:16,897 "I'’m so fucking lonely." 747 00:39:17,071 --> 00:39:19,465 At that point in time. 748 00:39:19,639 --> 00:39:22,032 We were still trying to get our records in Walmart, 749 00:39:22,206 --> 00:39:26,297 and we run a family show, so the song was so strong, 750 00:39:26,472 --> 00:39:30,998 I knew where this was gonna be a live staple forever. 751 00:39:31,172 --> 00:39:35,219 So we kind of compromised and we did "I'’m so damn lonely." 752 00:39:35,394 --> 00:39:37,700 And that became the version. 753 00:39:37,874 --> 00:39:40,877 And that was pretty much 754 00:39:41,051 --> 00:39:45,621 the first really big song I had. 755 00:39:45,795 --> 00:39:49,277 You know, it wasn'’t a radio hit, but it was for the fans. 756 00:39:49,451 --> 00:39:51,758 It was something that anchored the ship. 757 00:39:51,932 --> 00:39:54,369 [blues music playing] 758 00:40:53,559 --> 00:40:57,693 After Sloe Gin, we had toured extensively, 759 00:40:57,867 --> 00:41:00,000 comes time to make another album. 760 00:41:00,174 --> 00:41:05,005 I'’m living in California, and I met a girl in Georgia, 761 00:41:05,179 --> 00:41:06,615 who I love dearly, 762 00:41:06,789 --> 00:41:10,271 so much so that I decided, 763 00:41:11,185 --> 00:41:12,795 blindly, 764 00:41:12,969 --> 00:41:15,102 that I was going to move to Georgia. 765 00:41:15,276 --> 00:41:18,845 I wrote this song because when I was moving to Georgia, 766 00:41:19,019 --> 00:41:23,153 there was a new thing called Google Earth 767 00:41:23,327 --> 00:41:25,460 that Kevin had on his computer 768 00:41:25,634 --> 00:41:28,332 and he goes, "Look I just looked up the address of the house 769 00:41:28,507 --> 00:41:29,682 that you rented. 770 00:41:29,856 --> 00:41:31,814 You live in a stone quarry." 771 00:41:31,988 --> 00:41:33,424 [chuckles] 772 00:41:33,599 --> 00:41:36,863 And I wrote the song "Story of a Quarryman" 773 00:41:37,037 --> 00:41:38,604 during that week of being 774 00:41:38,778 --> 00:41:40,954 "Dear John'’d" at the airport in mourning, 775 00:41:41,128 --> 00:41:44,871 but, it'’ll forever be known as the "Quarryman." 776 00:41:45,045 --> 00:41:46,307 [laughs] 777 00:41:46,481 --> 00:41:49,005 [blues rock music playing] 778 00:41:58,928 --> 00:42:02,802 ♪ Gonna buy me a bucket And a hammer and nails♪ 779 00:42:05,892 --> 00:42:08,895 ♪ Board up the windows And head for the trails♪ 780 00:42:11,985 --> 00:42:15,249 ♪ And that'’s what I get For sticking my chin out♪ 781 00:42:17,991 --> 00:42:22,169 ♪ Well, a kick in the teeth And a mind full of doubt♪ 782 00:42:26,260 --> 00:42:29,785 ♪ I brought this on With my own hands♪ 783 00:42:32,919 --> 00:42:36,096 ♪ Precious disgrace From my own hands♪ 784 00:42:39,099 --> 00:42:42,145 ♪ If I could freeze time In my own hands♪ 785 00:42:42,319 --> 00:42:44,234 ♪ Story of a Quarryman♪ 786 00:42:49,065 --> 00:42:52,808 And I remember, she dropped me off at the airport 787 00:42:52,982 --> 00:42:54,680 because I needed to come back to California 788 00:42:54,854 --> 00:42:56,420 to finish the album which would become 789 00:42:56,595 --> 00:42:58,335 The Ballad of John Henry. 790 00:42:58,509 --> 00:43:02,035 And I remember getting a text message on the plane 791 00:43:03,253 --> 00:43:06,735 basically confirming what I knew was coming, 792 00:43:06,909 --> 00:43:10,043 that she was showing me the door. 793 00:43:10,217 --> 00:43:13,786 And it was one of the few times 794 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:16,832 in my life that I was truly heartbroken. 795 00:43:17,616 --> 00:43:19,835 In the sense that I went from 796 00:43:20,009 --> 00:43:23,404 the happiest guy in the world to a hot mess. 797 00:43:23,578 --> 00:43:25,188 It was one of these stories, 798 00:43:25,362 --> 00:43:27,060 he just got swept off his feet. 799 00:43:27,234 --> 00:43:29,236 Next thing you know, he'’s moving to Georgia. 800 00:43:29,410 --> 00:43:32,543 And before you know it, he'’s moving back to LA. 801 00:43:32,718 --> 00:43:34,328 And it'’s like, what happened? 802 00:43:34,502 --> 00:43:36,591 It'’s like, he got it. 803 00:43:36,765 --> 00:43:39,855 And he'’s in love with a woman who'’s in love with a woman. 804 00:43:40,029 --> 00:43:41,596 It was not pretty, 805 00:43:41,770 --> 00:43:43,511 and I shouldn'’t laugh, but nevertheless, 806 00:43:43,685 --> 00:43:46,253 it was a hell of a story. And he came out of that... 807 00:43:46,427 --> 00:43:49,256 I remember starting the record, he was in love. 808 00:43:49,430 --> 00:43:52,128 Ending the record, he was broken-hearted. 809 00:43:52,302 --> 00:43:56,437 And at the end, this record represents, I think, both of that. 810 00:43:56,611 --> 00:43:59,832 And I remember the cast of characters in the studio. 811 00:44:00,006 --> 00:44:01,572 We'’re all living in this big house, 812 00:44:01,747 --> 00:44:05,272 and the console and the room was downstairs. 813 00:44:05,446 --> 00:44:08,449 And it was probably some of the most laughs 814 00:44:08,623 --> 00:44:11,670 and the most tears at the same time. 815 00:44:11,844 --> 00:44:15,717 Because we had Anton Fig, Blondie Chaplin, 816 00:44:15,891 --> 00:44:17,980 Carmine Rojas, Rick Melick. 817 00:44:18,154 --> 00:44:22,593 And at one point in time, 12 bottles of wine 818 00:44:23,594 --> 00:44:26,075 wasn'’t enough for the household. 819 00:44:26,249 --> 00:44:27,860 And this is in a day! 820 00:44:29,296 --> 00:44:35,041 And it was just this inspired, heartbroken 821 00:44:36,433 --> 00:44:42,396 session that I wish I could bottle that series of events 822 00:44:42,570 --> 00:44:44,311 and that type of emotion 823 00:44:44,485 --> 00:44:48,576 because some of my most emotive playing, some of my best songs 824 00:44:48,750 --> 00:44:54,538 came from this heartbreak. 825 00:44:54,713 --> 00:44:57,585 And that record in particular 826 00:44:57,759 --> 00:45:01,371 is punctuated by the happiest I'’ve ever been, 827 00:45:01,545 --> 00:45:05,158 and the saddest I'’ve ever been in two halves. 828 00:45:05,332 --> 00:45:08,248 [slow blues music playing] 829 00:45:19,650 --> 00:45:24,525 ♪ Shape, that I'’m in♪ 830 00:45:24,699 --> 00:45:29,660 ♪ Never let her down A day in my life♪ 831 00:45:31,619 --> 00:45:33,708 ♪ Dreams♪ 832 00:45:33,882 --> 00:45:36,015 ♪ All around me♪ 833 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:41,281 ♪ As I see the time Pass me by♪ 834 00:45:43,283 --> 00:45:47,548 ♪ Never trade you For the world♪ 835 00:45:49,289 --> 00:45:55,034 ♪ Never do the things I used to♪ 836 00:45:55,208 --> 00:45:57,645 ♪ I guess I'’m not Good enough♪ 837 00:45:57,819 --> 00:45:59,821 ♪ This I see♪ 838 00:46:01,649 --> 00:46:05,827 ♪ And I'’ll remember Happier times♪ 839 00:46:08,438 --> 00:46:10,310 [Kevin] And Joe was so distraught. 840 00:46:10,484 --> 00:46:13,182 And we'’d been working on "Happier Times." 841 00:46:13,356 --> 00:46:16,359 And I came into the room, and he was crying, he was so unhappy. 842 00:46:16,533 --> 00:46:21,190 ♪ Life, it hits me♪ 843 00:46:21,364 --> 00:46:23,714 [Kevin] And I remember coming up to him and saying to him, 844 00:46:23,889 --> 00:46:25,629 "Everything that you feel, 845 00:46:25,804 --> 00:46:28,328 I want you to put in this guitar. 846 00:46:29,720 --> 00:46:34,029 And I'’m gonna make a long loop of the guitar solo." 847 00:46:34,203 --> 00:46:37,467 ♪ Not the place I wanna be♪ 848 00:46:37,641 --> 00:46:40,122 "And just play it. Try and tap into what you have, 849 00:46:40,296 --> 00:46:41,994 and just play it over these changes. 850 00:46:42,168 --> 00:46:44,083 Just play it and play it and play it. 851 00:46:44,257 --> 00:46:45,736 I won'’t stop anything. 852 00:46:45,911 --> 00:46:48,000 It'’ll just go for five minutes, and just play it." 853 00:46:48,174 --> 00:46:50,393 And, you know, to this day, 854 00:46:50,567 --> 00:46:54,484 that'’s one of his most amazing guitar solos I think. 855 00:46:54,658 --> 00:46:56,704 And he doesn'’t remember cutting it. 856 00:46:57,836 --> 00:46:59,838 [Joe] That also was the record that went boom. 857 00:47:00,012 --> 00:47:03,363 It was like, "Okay, now we have something." 858 00:47:03,537 --> 00:47:08,368 And that material, that tour, that band, those songs, 859 00:47:08,542 --> 00:47:12,024 that was what would have been now 860 00:47:12,198 --> 00:47:14,417 leading us up to May 4, 2009, 861 00:47:14,591 --> 00:47:16,898 when we first played the Royal Albert Hall. 862 00:47:17,072 --> 00:47:18,813 That'’s when you arrived on the big stage. 863 00:47:18,987 --> 00:47:21,598 That'’s when I knew I was arriving on the big stage. 864 00:47:21,772 --> 00:47:24,123 Whether I could stay there or not, 865 00:47:24,297 --> 00:47:26,081 that was another question. 866 00:47:26,255 --> 00:47:29,302 [crowd cheering][upbeat rock music playing] 867 00:48:09,472 --> 00:48:12,301 ♪ Tell me how high♪ 868 00:48:12,475 --> 00:48:16,392 ♪ Cotton has to grow♪ 869 00:48:18,960 --> 00:48:22,050 ♪ Tell me how high♪ 870 00:48:22,224 --> 00:48:25,662 ♪ Cotton has to grow♪ 871 00:48:25,836 --> 00:48:27,664 [Roy] Here we are now, 872 00:48:27,838 --> 00:48:30,058 and we'’ve been touring for four, five, six years in Europe, 873 00:48:30,232 --> 00:48:33,932 and Joe is really starting to generate some traction with the audiences. 874 00:48:34,106 --> 00:48:36,847 He'’s moved from clubs to small theaters. 875 00:48:37,022 --> 00:48:39,763 We just played Shepherd'’s Bush Empire in London. 876 00:48:39,938 --> 00:48:42,941 And the opportunity to book Royal Albert Hall presents itself. 877 00:48:43,115 --> 00:48:45,160 And of course, we were gonna take that opportunity. 878 00:48:45,334 --> 00:48:47,554 How could we not? But I'’m gonna be honest with you, 879 00:48:47,728 --> 00:48:49,643 I had no idea if we could fill that place. 880 00:48:49,817 --> 00:48:51,558 And we had to record it. 881 00:48:51,732 --> 00:48:53,342 You just can'’t-- 882 00:48:53,516 --> 00:48:55,518 You can'’t just get a gig like that. 883 00:48:55,692 --> 00:48:57,912 You never know if you'’re ever gonna get back to it. 884 00:48:58,086 --> 00:49:00,959 But it'’s also a quarter of a million dollars. 885 00:49:01,133 --> 00:49:03,613 At that point in time, we were all in. 886 00:49:03,787 --> 00:49:05,920 We had just that amount of money 887 00:49:06,094 --> 00:49:08,314 to keep our company running for the year. 888 00:49:08,488 --> 00:49:11,143 And we went to a bank, and we asked for a loan. 889 00:49:11,317 --> 00:49:12,840 We were declined. 890 00:49:13,014 --> 00:49:16,322 [Roy] This moment was the biggest risk that Joe and I 891 00:49:16,496 --> 00:49:19,586 were ever gonna take in our career. We literally put the house up. 892 00:49:19,760 --> 00:49:22,502 So on one hand, you'’re on top of the world, 893 00:49:22,676 --> 00:49:24,765 you'’re at the Royal Albert Hall on paper, 894 00:49:24,939 --> 00:49:27,637 and life is grand, but behind the scenes, 895 00:49:27,811 --> 00:49:29,204 we could have went out of business. 896 00:49:29,378 --> 00:49:35,471 So we were really at a crossroad with our company, 897 00:49:35,645 --> 00:49:37,996 and we were playing in the big sandbox, 898 00:49:38,170 --> 00:49:41,042 but we didn'’t have big sandbox money. 899 00:49:41,216 --> 00:49:44,045 I remember when I was four, like really taking interest in it, 900 00:49:44,219 --> 00:49:47,657 and my dad would sit me down and, you know, play me records. 901 00:49:47,831 --> 00:49:49,616 He brought home, one day, 902 00:49:49,790 --> 00:49:52,619 the video cassette, farewell Cream concert, 903 00:49:52,793 --> 00:49:54,316 recorded at the Albert Hall. 904 00:49:54,490 --> 00:49:57,972 And I remember so clearly, 905 00:49:58,146 --> 00:50:00,670 watching everything that Eric Clapton played, 906 00:50:00,844 --> 00:50:02,846 and going, "I don'’t know what that is. 907 00:50:03,021 --> 00:50:04,544 But that'’s really cool." 908 00:50:04,718 --> 00:50:07,938 I asked my parents for a guitar, and I would sit in my room 909 00:50:08,113 --> 00:50:10,724 for hours and hours and hours, my parents would have to kick me out, 910 00:50:10,898 --> 00:50:12,421 "Go outside, play basketball, 911 00:50:12,595 --> 00:50:14,554 go ride your bike, do something, get some exercise," 912 00:50:14,728 --> 00:50:18,036 '’cause I would just be fixated on trying to recreate the sounds 913 00:50:18,210 --> 00:50:20,038 and I made a decision right then and there. 914 00:50:20,212 --> 00:50:21,865 I said, "This is what you need to do. 915 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:24,303 I don'’t want a real job. I want to be a guitar player. 916 00:50:24,477 --> 00:50:26,087 And I want to play the Royal Albert Hall." 917 00:50:35,096 --> 00:50:37,098 [Lindsay] This has been 20 years in the making. 918 00:50:37,272 --> 00:50:39,405 And this is sort of-- not graduation, 919 00:50:39,579 --> 00:50:43,713 but accumulation of, you know, all these years of hard work 920 00:50:43,887 --> 00:50:48,196 and, you know, day after day, and so we'’re all very excited. 921 00:50:48,370 --> 00:50:51,939 [Len] He'’s been performing in front of people since he'’s been five years old. 922 00:50:52,113 --> 00:50:53,680 He has more miles on a guitar 923 00:50:53,854 --> 00:50:56,552 than most 60 year olds do, that played all their life. 924 00:51:18,879 --> 00:51:21,011 [Joe] So here we are, at age 32 925 00:51:21,186 --> 00:51:23,492 and 20 years in the music business professionally, 926 00:51:23,666 --> 00:51:25,625 and I'’m about to do this. 927 00:51:25,799 --> 00:51:28,584 It is as daunting as it is exciting. 928 00:51:28,758 --> 00:51:31,413 And it'’s as scared as I'’ve ever been, really, 929 00:51:31,587 --> 00:51:34,982 because we can only get one shot at it to make it right. 930 00:51:35,156 --> 00:51:37,071 And I really wanted to make it right. 931 00:51:40,205 --> 00:51:44,948 We have the date 2009, May 4th, 932 00:51:45,123 --> 00:51:47,777 and we had to fill it. 933 00:51:47,951 --> 00:51:51,825 So at the end, we had the whole house of cards on it. 934 00:51:51,999 --> 00:51:53,957 And we didn'’t know what was gonna happen. 935 00:51:54,132 --> 00:51:56,525 [Joe] It weighed heavily on me, '’cause I had to be good. 936 00:51:56,699 --> 00:51:58,527 Well, you could wake up with a head cold. 937 00:51:58,701 --> 00:52:02,357 I mean, I can list 10,000 things that could go wrong 938 00:52:02,531 --> 00:52:04,446 and one thing they can go right. 939 00:52:04,620 --> 00:52:10,060 And it was really, really critical 940 00:52:10,235 --> 00:52:13,934 that not only we perform, but perform well. 941 00:52:14,108 --> 00:52:15,979 [crowd cheering] 942 00:52:16,154 --> 00:52:19,157 [slow synthesizer playing] 943 00:52:48,011 --> 00:52:51,450 [no audible dialogue] 944 00:54:08,396 --> 00:54:10,050 I'’d written Eric Clapton a letter 945 00:54:11,399 --> 00:54:15,447 that Paul Stewart had hand delivered. 946 00:54:15,621 --> 00:54:18,145 And I gave Eric my e-mail. 947 00:54:19,538 --> 00:54:21,583 And it took a few months, 948 00:54:21,757 --> 00:54:25,718 but I got an e-mail from a very strange e-mail address. 949 00:54:25,892 --> 00:54:28,242 And I was like, "I don'’t know who this is, 950 00:54:28,416 --> 00:54:30,070 but I think I know who this is." 951 00:54:30,244 --> 00:54:31,854 And I replied, and it was Eric, 952 00:54:32,028 --> 00:54:34,117 and we'’d come up with the idea of doing 953 00:54:34,292 --> 00:54:36,250 "Further On Up the Road." And nobody knew about it. 954 00:54:36,424 --> 00:54:37,817 The only tell was, 955 00:54:37,991 --> 00:54:40,167 there was a small Tweed amp on stage. 956 00:54:40,341 --> 00:54:41,995 And it was the sixth song. 957 00:54:42,169 --> 00:54:44,519 And I remember very vividly when we were playing, 958 00:54:44,693 --> 00:54:46,434 and I stopped after the fifth song, 959 00:54:46,608 --> 00:54:48,958 and I go, "Ladies and gentlemen, Eric Clapton." 960 00:54:49,132 --> 00:54:50,656 And he walks out and I go, 961 00:54:50,830 --> 00:54:52,788 "I can'’t believe I pulled this off," right? 962 00:54:52,962 --> 00:54:54,529 I mean, this is, like, 963 00:54:54,703 --> 00:54:56,705 if it all ended that day, 964 00:54:56,879 --> 00:54:59,926 you'’d have been like "Man, this is, like, I did it." 965 00:55:00,927 --> 00:55:03,756 Thank you and good evening, London. 966 00:55:03,930 --> 00:55:06,019 [crowd cheering] 967 00:55:06,193 --> 00:55:08,630 Good evening, thank you very much. 968 00:55:08,804 --> 00:55:11,329 My family'’s here, my mom and dad are here. 969 00:55:11,503 --> 00:55:14,462 This is the greatest honor of my life to play this building. 970 00:55:15,985 --> 00:55:19,162 I set out 20 years ago to, you know, play the guitar, and I said, 971 00:55:19,337 --> 00:55:21,600 "One day, if I could ever make it to the Albert Hall, 972 00:55:21,774 --> 00:55:23,602 that would be the coolest thing in the world." 973 00:55:23,776 --> 00:55:25,952 And here I am, so thank you very much! 974 00:55:26,126 --> 00:55:28,781 [cheering continues] 975 00:55:31,740 --> 00:55:36,049 And the first song I ever learned how to play on electric guitar 976 00:55:36,223 --> 00:55:39,574 was "Further On Up the Road," and we'’ve been playing that 977 00:55:39,748 --> 00:55:42,229 on our tours in celebration of the Albert Hall. 978 00:55:42,403 --> 00:55:46,102 So, I'’m very proud to say, the first song 979 00:55:46,276 --> 00:55:48,148 and the man is here tonight, 980 00:55:48,322 --> 00:55:51,194 Mr. Eric Clapton is gonna come out and play and sing with us. 981 00:55:51,369 --> 00:55:52,892 [crowd cheering] 982 00:55:53,066 --> 00:55:55,460 It was all so full circle. 983 00:55:56,939 --> 00:55:59,942 It just was a lifelong dream. 984 00:56:00,116 --> 00:56:03,511 And it really meant the world to me that Mr. Clapton came, 985 00:56:03,685 --> 00:56:05,687 and I can never repay him. 986 00:56:39,765 --> 00:56:42,681 ♪ Further on up the road♪ 987 00:56:42,855 --> 00:56:46,685 ♪ Someone'’s gonna hurt you Like you hurt me♪ 988 00:56:46,859 --> 00:56:50,210 ♪ Further on up the road♪ 989 00:56:50,384 --> 00:56:53,866 ♪ Someone'’s gonna hurt you Like you hurt me♪ 990 00:56:55,128 --> 00:56:58,044 ♪ Further on up the road♪ 991 00:56:58,218 --> 00:57:01,047 ♪ You just wait and see♪ 992 00:57:01,221 --> 00:57:04,746 ♪ Gotta reap Just what you sow♪ 993 00:57:04,920 --> 00:57:08,446 ♪ That old saying is true♪ 994 00:57:08,620 --> 00:57:12,232 ♪ You gotta reap Just what you sow♪ 995 00:57:12,406 --> 00:57:15,931 ♪ That old saying is true♪ 996 00:57:16,105 --> 00:57:19,805 ♪ Just like you Mistreat someone♪ 997 00:57:19,979 --> 00:57:23,069 ♪ Someone'’s gonna Mistreat you♪ 998 00:57:23,243 --> 00:57:26,812 ♪ You been laughing Pretty baby♪ 999 00:57:26,986 --> 00:57:30,511 ♪ Someday you'’re Gonna be crying♪ 1000 00:57:30,685 --> 00:57:33,775 [Joe] I owe him a debt of gratitude that I could never repay. 1001 00:57:33,949 --> 00:57:36,430 The fact that he took time out of his busy life 1002 00:57:36,604 --> 00:57:41,261 to come and play, solidified and gave the moment 1003 00:57:41,435 --> 00:57:43,829 the weight that I was hoping it would get. 1004 00:57:44,003 --> 00:57:45,874 It wasn'’t just the gig that came and went. 1005 00:57:46,048 --> 00:57:49,138 It was like the night Eric Clapton came out with me. 1006 00:57:49,312 --> 00:57:51,880 Because when we started this thing, and we took that chance, 1007 00:57:52,054 --> 00:57:54,535 we had no idea what the outcome was gonna be. 1008 00:57:54,709 --> 00:57:56,494 [Joe] You know, a lot of people say, 1009 00:57:56,668 --> 00:57:58,887 "You don'’t really know when your big moment'’s gonna come, 1010 00:57:59,061 --> 00:58:00,976 and a lot of times, you don'’t even realize it." 1011 00:58:01,150 --> 00:58:03,631 I realized it very, very clearly that that was the day. 1012 00:58:03,805 --> 00:58:06,808 [Roy] And it'’s turned out to be a turning point in his career, without question. 1013 00:58:06,982 --> 00:58:12,335 I mean, after that night, I think the British press saw that as almost like 1014 00:58:12,510 --> 00:58:14,642 a handing of the baton. 1015 00:58:14,816 --> 00:58:17,515 That was the big moment, and then it came out on DVD. 1016 00:58:18,428 --> 00:58:20,605 And it just, 1017 00:58:20,779 --> 00:58:25,697 in America, it exploded in the sense where all of a sudden, 1018 00:58:25,871 --> 00:58:28,090 I was playing 500 seaters, now I'’m playing 5,000 seaters. 1019 00:58:28,264 --> 00:58:30,702 That'’s the story. 1020 00:58:30,876 --> 00:58:34,314 But damn, I look like I was having fun on that DVD. 1021 00:58:34,488 --> 00:58:38,013 I look back at it and go, "Man, I was having a lot of fun that night." I wasn'’t. 1022 00:58:38,187 --> 00:58:39,624 [crowd cheering] 1023 00:58:39,798 --> 00:58:41,669 It was pedal to the metal, and I knew... 1024 00:58:41,843 --> 00:58:43,453 Thank you! 1025 00:58:43,628 --> 00:58:45,281 ...that my whole career was on the line. 1026 00:58:45,455 --> 00:58:47,762 [cheering continues] 1027 00:58:53,768 --> 00:58:56,031 Eric Clapton. 1028 00:59:24,233 --> 00:59:27,019 My name is Joe Bonamassa. It'’s been an honor to be in this building. 1029 00:59:27,193 --> 00:59:30,544 Thank you very much.[crowd cheering] 1030 00:59:49,694 --> 00:59:53,393 One of the great things about working with Kevin Shirley over the years, 1031 00:59:53,567 --> 00:59:56,265 and I have this genome as well, 1032 00:59:56,439 --> 00:59:58,093 is every so often, 1033 00:59:58,267 --> 01:00:02,228 Kevin feels the need, and I second that motion, 1034 01:00:02,402 --> 01:00:06,798 feel the need to throw a cherry bomb in the world. 1035 01:00:06,972 --> 01:00:08,713 Like, just going, "Well, we'’ve done this, 1036 01:00:08,887 --> 01:00:11,193 let'’s do something completely different." 1037 01:00:12,499 --> 01:00:15,633 So, we did the Albert Hall. We kept touring. 1038 01:00:20,463 --> 01:00:22,640 [no audible dialogue] 1039 01:00:27,514 --> 01:00:30,082 I had been having long conversations with Joe 1040 01:00:30,256 --> 01:00:35,217 about embracing world music and incorporating it into blues. 1041 01:00:38,090 --> 01:00:44,705 ♪ It'’s been an Athens To Athens kind of Day and night♪ 1042 01:00:44,879 --> 01:00:48,143 Kevin had found this studio in Santorini, Greece. 1043 01:00:51,669 --> 01:00:55,934 And the idea was to make like more of a world-sounding album. 1044 01:00:56,108 --> 01:01:01,026 And we were gonna import some musicians from Athens that didn'’t speak any English 1045 01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:03,593 and they were gonna play on these tunes that weren'’t written. 1046 01:01:03,768 --> 01:01:06,814 When language and physical expression 1047 01:01:06,988 --> 01:01:09,208 sometimes are at odds, 1048 01:01:09,382 --> 01:01:11,297 and you can'’t communicate with somebody, 1049 01:01:11,471 --> 01:01:14,169 rhythm and tonality all speak to each other. 1050 01:01:14,343 --> 01:01:16,476 There is a universal language of music. 1051 01:01:16,650 --> 01:01:20,436 You could go in and do the juras and the bouzouki and the baglamas, 1052 01:01:20,610 --> 01:01:22,438 all these Greek instruments that we used. 1053 01:01:22,612 --> 01:01:24,919 [Joe] And it was great. And it was really, 1054 01:01:25,093 --> 01:01:27,835 probably the most fun we'’ve ever had making a record. 1055 01:01:28,009 --> 01:01:30,446 Hello, Japan. Greetings from Santorini, Greece. 1056 01:01:30,620 --> 01:01:33,188 We'’re just finishing up recording my brand-new CD. 1057 01:02:14,534 --> 01:02:17,058 ♪ Don'’t cry♪ 1058 01:02:17,232 --> 01:02:19,321 ♪ Don'’t cry♪ 1059 01:02:20,279 --> 01:02:22,542 ♪ Anymore♪ 1060 01:02:26,241 --> 01:02:28,853 ♪ It'’s over now baby♪ 1061 01:02:31,420 --> 01:02:35,511 ♪ Don'’t cry no more♪ 1062 01:02:35,685 --> 01:02:37,078 I was very happy with the results, 1063 01:02:37,252 --> 01:02:40,647 even more so when Claude Nobs heard the record, 1064 01:02:40,821 --> 01:02:43,389 and was so taken with our approach 1065 01:02:43,563 --> 01:02:45,695 to this universal language of music, 1066 01:02:45,870 --> 01:02:47,654 which I think he totally got. 1067 01:02:47,828 --> 01:02:51,484 And then he invited Joe to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1068 01:02:51,658 --> 01:02:53,312 and bring the Greek musicians with him. 1069 01:02:53,486 --> 01:02:55,314 The first time I heard this, I said, 1070 01:02:55,488 --> 01:02:57,316 "One day you have to do an acoustic set." 1071 01:02:57,490 --> 01:03:00,275 Well, thank you!I'’m so proud that it will occur. 1072 01:03:00,449 --> 01:03:03,061 [Joe] It restarted the conversation about this acoustic thing 1073 01:03:03,235 --> 01:03:04,671 that we wanted to do. 1074 01:03:04,845 --> 01:03:08,370 And why don'’t we put together a group 1075 01:03:08,544 --> 01:03:10,590 of, like, world musicians. 1076 01:03:10,764 --> 01:03:14,681 And I remember when we worked on Dust Bowl, 1077 01:03:14,855 --> 01:03:16,291 we just kinda huddled in the corner 1078 01:03:16,465 --> 01:03:18,119 and just went through a couple verses, 1079 01:03:18,293 --> 01:03:21,035 and the band glued itself together in ways-- 1080 01:03:21,209 --> 01:03:22,907 I was like, "This is gonna be great." 1081 01:03:23,081 --> 01:03:24,517 ♪ Lifting me up♪ 1082 01:03:26,214 --> 01:03:28,303 ♪ Tearing me down♪ 1083 01:03:30,349 --> 01:03:32,786 ♪ All you give me Is indecision♪ 1084 01:03:32,960 --> 01:03:35,006 ♪ The classic runaround♪ 1085 01:03:35,180 --> 01:03:37,878 ♪ Bringing me higher♪ 1086 01:03:38,052 --> 01:03:40,359 ♪ Keeping me whole♪ 1087 01:03:41,621 --> 01:03:44,798 ♪ Now I feel like I'’m living♪ 1088 01:03:44,972 --> 01:03:47,018 ♪ Living in a dust bowl♪ 1089 01:03:49,237 --> 01:03:51,849 To say we did an acoustic show live at the Vienna Opera House, 1090 01:03:52,023 --> 01:03:54,025 it just had a nice ring to it. 1091 01:03:55,026 --> 01:03:56,723 And maybe we'’ll fall on our face. 1092 01:03:56,897 --> 01:04:00,118 You know what? Maybe this will be a complete and utter disaster 1093 01:04:00,292 --> 01:04:02,076 from the first note. 1094 01:04:02,250 --> 01:04:05,427 Or it could be one of the coolest things we ever do. 1095 01:04:05,601 --> 01:04:07,734 And there'’s no guarantees in life. 1096 01:04:07,908 --> 01:04:10,041 And they could say a lot of things about me. 1097 01:04:10,215 --> 01:04:11,869 But they can'’t say we don'’t take a risk, 1098 01:04:12,043 --> 01:04:14,088 and we don'’t put everything out there on the table. 1099 01:04:14,262 --> 01:04:16,874 And it'’s gonna be something else. 1100 01:04:17,918 --> 01:04:19,833 ♪ Hard to find true within♪ 1101 01:04:20,007 --> 01:04:21,400 [Kevin] Rehearsals went really good. 1102 01:04:21,574 --> 01:04:24,098 I mean, the foundation of this whole show 1103 01:04:24,272 --> 01:04:26,144 is Joe playing the acoustic guitar. 1104 01:04:26,318 --> 01:04:28,842 And then we have to introduce all these elements to it, 1105 01:04:29,016 --> 01:04:32,672 and so that becomes more three-dimensional. 1106 01:04:32,846 --> 01:04:36,154 [man] That'’s the beautiful thing about music is it'’s constantly changing. 1107 01:04:36,328 --> 01:04:37,938 It'’s morphing. 1108 01:04:38,112 --> 01:04:40,027 It'’s doing things that-- It doesn'’t stay the same. 1109 01:04:40,201 --> 01:04:42,900 It keeps you fresh, it keeps your mind sharp 1110 01:04:43,074 --> 01:04:44,423 and it keeps you young. 1111 01:04:44,597 --> 01:04:46,816 [Kevin] It'’s about music in general. 1112 01:04:46,991 --> 01:04:48,818 It really is the universal language. 1113 01:04:48,993 --> 01:04:51,865 Even English changes and German changes, 1114 01:04:52,039 --> 01:04:54,955 and all the languages change, and they develop over time. 1115 01:04:55,129 --> 01:04:57,610 Yet somehow, the music language is the same. 1116 01:04:57,784 --> 01:04:59,699 And it goes across the ages. 1117 01:04:59,873 --> 01:05:02,789 The same melodic structure has been around forever. 1118 01:05:02,963 --> 01:05:04,965 I mean, it'’s different from country to country, 1119 01:05:05,139 --> 01:05:08,534 but they get incorporated going back almost to birdsong. 1120 01:05:08,708 --> 01:05:10,710 Before music, with the Gregorian chants 1121 01:05:10,884 --> 01:05:13,756 and all the music through the middle ages through classical, 1122 01:05:13,931 --> 01:05:15,671 they'’re all based on the same thing. 1123 01:05:15,845 --> 01:05:18,979 That language never changes. From the beginning of time, 1124 01:05:19,153 --> 01:05:23,157 there'’s 12 half steps in the Western scale, 1125 01:05:23,331 --> 01:05:25,290 there'’s quarter notes in Indian scales, 1126 01:05:25,464 --> 01:05:30,295 but these same 12 notes make up the way everything gets played. 1127 01:05:30,469 --> 01:05:32,210 You know, the emotions we get from music 1128 01:05:32,384 --> 01:05:36,823 all come from these very basic 12 notes 1129 01:05:36,997 --> 01:05:40,827 and thumping something to keep the tempo. 1130 01:05:41,001 --> 01:05:42,350 It'’s really... 1131 01:05:43,612 --> 01:05:44,962 It'’s really... 1132 01:05:46,180 --> 01:05:49,314 inexplicably wonderful music. 1133 01:05:51,098 --> 01:05:52,099 Amazing. 1134 01:06:30,398 --> 01:06:31,965 ♪ Devil rises...♪ 1135 01:06:32,139 --> 01:06:34,054 [Joe] Something I'’ve learned traveling the world, 1136 01:06:34,228 --> 01:06:37,536 playing blues rock to everybody from, you know, 1137 01:06:37,710 --> 01:06:42,497 people in the UK to Hong Kong to Australia to Russia, 1138 01:06:42,671 --> 01:06:46,632 to Tel Aviv, Israel and Mumbai, India. 1139 01:06:46,806 --> 01:06:50,157 They clap in the same spots, it'’s uncanny. 1140 01:06:50,331 --> 01:06:53,508 And it just blows me away every time. 1141 01:06:53,682 --> 01:06:56,903 And you go, "Wow, really, music is a universal language. 1142 01:06:57,077 --> 01:06:59,123 It'’s in the DNA." 1143 01:06:59,297 --> 01:07:01,864 ♪ See that Brown-haired woman♪ 1144 01:07:02,039 --> 01:07:04,215 ♪ Coming back this way♪ 1145 01:07:05,781 --> 01:07:07,044 ♪ Yeah♪ 1146 01:07:27,586 --> 01:07:30,110 [crowd cheering]This is one of the coolest things I'’ve ever done. 1147 01:07:30,284 --> 01:07:34,245 And it'’s one of the coolest things 1148 01:07:34,419 --> 01:07:36,290 that a musician can do, 1149 01:07:36,464 --> 01:07:39,772 is to take your basically your strong point, 1150 01:07:39,946 --> 01:07:42,122 which is basically my guitar playing 1151 01:07:42,296 --> 01:07:47,040 and reduce it down to the point where you play a little bit, 1152 01:07:47,214 --> 01:07:48,998 but not all the time. 1153 01:07:49,173 --> 01:07:51,914 And now you have to sing. Now you have to rely on the songs. 1154 01:07:52,089 --> 01:07:54,308 I learned that people will still cheer 1155 01:07:54,482 --> 01:07:56,397 if there'’s not a four-minute guitar solo, 1156 01:07:56,571 --> 01:07:58,530 at the end of a song. They actually like the song. 1157 01:07:58,704 --> 01:08:00,532 [acoustic guitar playing] 1158 01:08:00,706 --> 01:08:03,100 ♪ Everybody knows you♪ 1159 01:08:05,363 --> 01:08:06,494 From the top. 1160 01:08:06,668 --> 01:08:08,670 [acoustic guitar playing] 1161 01:08:12,370 --> 01:08:14,894 [Joe] Since Kevin came in the picture in 2005, 1162 01:08:15,068 --> 01:08:16,678 it'’s always been song first. 1163 01:08:16,852 --> 01:08:19,290 But this is really now the beginnings of where, 1164 01:08:19,464 --> 01:08:22,771 you know, like, "Okay, let'’s try to get the best song." 1165 01:08:24,860 --> 01:08:27,124 Yeah, so solo, but we need to go to-- 1166 01:08:27,298 --> 01:08:29,952 It needs to go to a different place. 1167 01:08:30,127 --> 01:08:32,651 Is that going to be fun to solo over, at D minor? 1168 01:08:32,825 --> 01:08:34,827 Yeah, you can record that. You can... 1169 01:08:35,001 --> 01:08:37,221 Just D minor to A minor. 1170 01:08:37,395 --> 01:08:38,700 Before we write it. 1171 01:08:38,874 --> 01:08:41,529 Before, you know, I'’m not Mozart. 1172 01:08:42,878 --> 01:08:46,143 You know, we'’re not...I'’ve already done it. 1173 01:08:46,317 --> 01:08:50,277 We'’re not going straight to disc here. Hold on. Let me... 1174 01:08:50,451 --> 01:08:52,540 It'’s gotta serve the solo, melodic solo. 1175 01:08:52,714 --> 01:08:54,368 That'’s what it'’s gotta serve. 1176 01:08:54,542 --> 01:08:57,110 [Joe] D minor is a good choice.Yeah, I thought it was nice. 1177 01:09:14,301 --> 01:09:16,782 [Joe] I can tell you, just having a bag full of good songs 1178 01:09:16,956 --> 01:09:18,697 makes the recording process a lot easier 1179 01:09:18,871 --> 01:09:21,352 and also makes the process of putting together 1180 01:09:21,526 --> 01:09:23,136 a live show a lot easier. 1181 01:09:28,446 --> 01:09:30,317 You are Mozart. You just didn'’t realize it. 1182 01:09:30,491 --> 01:09:31,753 [laughs] 1183 01:09:31,927 --> 01:09:33,102 [Kevin] Yeah. 1184 01:09:34,713 --> 01:09:38,456 [Anton] When you play music, it'’s very difficult to be objective 1185 01:09:38,630 --> 01:09:40,588 and subjective all the time. 1186 01:09:40,762 --> 01:09:43,200 It'’s almost like looking at a puzzle. 1187 01:09:43,374 --> 01:09:46,028 You can look at it from above or you can be involved 1188 01:09:46,203 --> 01:09:48,161 in the pieces going together. 1189 01:09:48,335 --> 01:09:50,946 So when you'’re playing, sometimes you can be too involved 1190 01:09:51,120 --> 01:09:53,601 in the pieces to see the big picture. 1191 01:09:53,775 --> 01:09:56,256 And that'’s where a producer comes in, '’cause they'’re able to. 1192 01:09:56,430 --> 01:09:59,303 ♪ Different shades of blue♪ 1193 01:09:59,477 --> 01:10:01,043 By the riff.Yeah. 1194 01:10:01,218 --> 01:10:03,394 I think a riff, and I don'’t think do the retard, 1195 01:10:03,568 --> 01:10:05,439 and I think end on the tonic. 1196 01:10:05,613 --> 01:10:08,747 Don'’t leave it hanging there.[strumming] 1197 01:10:10,357 --> 01:10:12,664 Yeah.[Joe] All right. 1198 01:10:13,969 --> 01:10:16,624 Anton, I think that you want the chorus just to be big. 1199 01:10:16,798 --> 01:10:18,583 The solo is gonna be monstrous. 1200 01:10:18,757 --> 01:10:20,498 It'’s gonna be titanic. 1201 01:10:20,672 --> 01:10:22,064 Titanoboa. 1202 01:10:30,769 --> 01:10:33,380 [song playing through speakers] 1203 01:10:54,662 --> 01:10:56,621 ♪ The sun'’s been shining♪[Kevin] How good is he? 1204 01:10:56,795 --> 01:10:58,187 ♪ Down on me day and night♪ 1205 01:10:58,362 --> 01:11:00,233 Sounds great. 1206 01:11:00,407 --> 01:11:02,714 [Joe] Well, I mean that'’s the nature of blues music 1207 01:11:02,888 --> 01:11:06,587 is to play spontaneous and improvise over changes. 1208 01:11:06,761 --> 01:11:09,416 In theory, it shouldn'’t be the same way twice, you know? 1209 01:11:09,590 --> 01:11:11,200 I'’ve never engineered a solo. 1210 01:11:11,375 --> 01:11:12,593 I never liked that. 1211 01:11:12,767 --> 01:11:14,813 I never liked doing it that way. 1212 01:11:14,987 --> 01:11:16,728 So you gotta be able to push yourself 1213 01:11:16,902 --> 01:11:19,296 and try new things and try things that are not 1214 01:11:19,470 --> 01:11:21,559 in your comfort zone. 1215 01:11:21,733 --> 01:11:23,082 ♪ Broke your heart♪ 1216 01:11:23,256 --> 01:11:25,345 [Kevin] You gotta record the first notes, 1217 01:11:25,519 --> 01:11:28,043 when he'’s playing. 1218 01:11:28,217 --> 01:11:30,394 Bonamassa doesn'’t like to feel safe. He likes a challenge. 1219 01:11:30,568 --> 01:11:31,960 It'’s a rock blues album, 1220 01:11:32,134 --> 01:11:33,310 but curved differently. 1221 01:11:33,484 --> 01:11:34,789 So that'’s Bonamassa, 1222 01:11:34,963 --> 01:11:36,617 '’cause we never do anything traditional. 1223 01:11:36,791 --> 01:11:38,750 ♪ You won'’t admit♪ 1224 01:11:38,924 --> 01:11:42,493 ♪ But it'’s starting To make you weep♪ 1225 01:11:42,667 --> 01:11:47,802 ♪ When you got Nothing left to lose♪ 1226 01:11:48,934 --> 01:11:50,675 ♪ Might sound good♪ 1227 01:11:50,849 --> 01:11:53,852 ♪ But I'’m not sure That'’s true♪ 1228 01:11:54,940 --> 01:11:56,855 ♪ You carry the pain around♪ 1229 01:11:57,029 --> 01:11:59,205 ♪ And that'’s what Sees you through♪ 1230 01:12:04,384 --> 01:12:07,039 ♪ The different shades Of blue♪ 1231 01:12:07,213 --> 01:12:10,347 [Carmine] Joe, he searches, he wanders. 1232 01:12:10,521 --> 01:12:12,436 You know, he tries many different things. 1233 01:12:12,610 --> 01:12:14,002 He tries different kinds of music. 1234 01:12:14,176 --> 01:12:15,830 He plays in different kinds of bands. 1235 01:12:16,004 --> 01:12:19,007 He'’s always searching, which is actually beautiful. 1236 01:12:19,181 --> 01:12:23,142 ♪ Tell by the way You hang your head♪ 1237 01:12:23,316 --> 01:12:25,405 [Joe] I can'’t keep just using the same playbook. 1238 01:12:25,579 --> 01:12:27,364 And I have to challenge myself. 1239 01:12:27,538 --> 01:12:29,540 If it'’s your playing, can you take it outside? 1240 01:12:29,714 --> 01:12:31,585 If you keep doing this and you could do this, 1241 01:12:31,759 --> 01:12:33,979 if you have a different bunch of musicians behind you, 1242 01:12:34,153 --> 01:12:36,416 how is that challenging? How is that, you know-- 1243 01:12:36,590 --> 01:12:38,244 Are you getting pushed enough? 1244 01:12:38,418 --> 01:12:40,681 The better the musicians are that Joe plays with, 1245 01:12:40,855 --> 01:12:42,901 the better he plays. 1246 01:12:43,075 --> 01:12:46,861 ♪ In my eyes Every way that'’s nice♪ 1247 01:12:47,035 --> 01:12:50,822 ♪ You show you'’ve got a heart That'’s made of ice♪ 1248 01:12:50,996 --> 01:12:52,432 ♪ And I know♪ 1249 01:12:52,606 --> 01:12:56,175 ♪ Fire and water♪ 1250 01:12:56,349 --> 01:12:59,439 ♪ Must have made you Their daughter♪ 1251 01:12:59,613 --> 01:13:02,964 ♪ You'’ve got what it takes♪ 1252 01:13:03,138 --> 01:13:07,752 ♪ To make a poor man'’s Heart break♪ 1253 01:13:09,536 --> 01:13:12,060 Kevin'’s great about changing up the band every once in a while. 1254 01:13:12,234 --> 01:13:14,759 Even the greatest players in the world, if they stare at me long enough, 1255 01:13:14,933 --> 01:13:16,674 they'’d be like, "Ugh, he just did this." 1256 01:13:16,848 --> 01:13:18,763 ♪ Well, my trying♪ 1257 01:13:18,937 --> 01:13:21,287 ♪ Ain'’t done no good♪ 1258 01:13:21,461 --> 01:13:26,771 ♪ I said my trying Ain'’t done no good♪ 1259 01:13:26,945 --> 01:13:28,163 ♪ You don'’t make no effort♪ 1260 01:13:28,337 --> 01:13:30,818 ♪ No, not like you should♪ 1261 01:13:30,992 --> 01:13:33,604 ♪ Lazy♪ 1262 01:13:33,778 --> 01:13:35,301 ♪ You just stay in bed♪ 1263 01:13:35,475 --> 01:13:39,044 ♪ Lazy♪ 1264 01:13:39,218 --> 01:13:40,437 ♪ You just stay in bed♪ 1265 01:13:41,655 --> 01:13:43,570 ♪ You don'’t want no money♪ 1266 01:13:43,744 --> 01:13:44,963 ♪ You don'’t want no bread♪ 1267 01:13:45,137 --> 01:13:47,748 ♪ Ah! Come on♪ 1268 01:13:51,186 --> 01:13:53,232 [music continues] 1269 01:14:01,327 --> 01:14:03,024 [Kevin] One of the things that I really wanted 1270 01:14:03,198 --> 01:14:05,157 to have on this album was I wanted to experiment 1271 01:14:05,331 --> 01:14:07,159 with two drummers playing. 1272 01:14:07,333 --> 01:14:10,336 And I wanted to try and make it a real rhythmical powerhouse 1273 01:14:10,510 --> 01:14:12,381 behind Joe playing and I wanted 1274 01:14:12,556 --> 01:14:14,166 to cut everything without keyboards. 1275 01:14:14,340 --> 01:14:16,342 So it was really about getting some more aggression 1276 01:14:16,516 --> 01:14:19,040 out of Joe and having him be quite vital. 1277 01:14:19,214 --> 01:14:20,694 ♪ On the stone and steel♪ 1278 01:14:20,868 --> 01:14:23,218 [blues music playing] 1279 01:14:23,392 --> 01:14:26,265 ♪ Done my fair share of♪ 1280 01:14:27,571 --> 01:14:29,137 ♪ Mountain climbing♪ 1281 01:14:30,356 --> 01:14:32,576 ♪ Mountain climbing♪ 1282 01:14:32,750 --> 01:14:36,797 ♪ Whoa Troubles I'’ve got them♪ 1283 01:14:38,059 --> 01:14:39,278 ♪ Mountain climbing♪ 1284 01:14:40,366 --> 01:14:43,064 ♪ Mountain climbing♪ 1285 01:14:43,238 --> 01:14:46,764 ♪ Whoa, it'’s blues At the bottom♪ 1286 01:14:46,938 --> 01:14:49,157 [Anton] There'’s perfect metronomical time. 1287 01:14:49,331 --> 01:14:50,811 You know, you put on a metronome. 1288 01:14:50,985 --> 01:14:54,336 And then there'’s the human time, 1289 01:14:54,511 --> 01:14:57,035 which is like your heartbeat, 1290 01:14:57,209 --> 01:14:58,776 you know and... 1291 01:14:58,950 --> 01:15:00,560 But when people play, 1292 01:15:00,734 --> 01:15:04,738 they tend to kind of push certain sections 1293 01:15:04,912 --> 01:15:07,698 and pull back on certain sections, you know? 1294 01:15:07,872 --> 01:15:11,136 I always say like time and heartbeat equals feel. 1295 01:15:11,310 --> 01:15:13,312 [blues music playing] 1296 01:15:19,536 --> 01:15:22,277 ♪ Feel like I'’ve been A prisoner♪ 1297 01:15:23,583 --> 01:15:25,585 ♪ Of my own design♪ 1298 01:15:27,195 --> 01:15:30,242 ♪ I'’ve been such A bad listener♪ 1299 01:15:31,330 --> 01:15:33,637 ♪ But I hear you tonight♪ 1300 01:15:33,811 --> 01:15:36,030 ♪ Let'’s drive♪ 1301 01:15:38,555 --> 01:15:40,382 ♪ Into the night...♪ 1302 01:15:40,557 --> 01:15:43,734 [Joe] You know, sometimes we'’re self-loathing blues rock people. 1303 01:15:43,908 --> 01:15:47,215 We question ourselves a lot. We question if what we'’re doing is right. 1304 01:15:47,389 --> 01:15:50,349 We question what we'’ve done in the past, has it been right? 1305 01:15:50,523 --> 01:15:53,613 Is it right or wrong? It'’s all obviously worked out for me. 1306 01:15:54,875 --> 01:15:58,270 I went to him after we came up with a song 1307 01:15:58,444 --> 01:16:00,794 that he suggested I write a melody, 1308 01:16:00,968 --> 01:16:02,796 I came up with the melody on the spot. 1309 01:16:02,970 --> 01:16:05,364 And we recorded it in like two or three takes. 1310 01:16:05,538 --> 01:16:08,193 A song called "No Place for the Lonely." 1311 01:16:08,367 --> 01:16:11,065 And we were at dinner afterwards and we were just talking about the day, 1312 01:16:11,239 --> 01:16:13,764 and I go, "You know what, Kevin? You know what you and I 1313 01:16:13,938 --> 01:16:16,375 know how to do pretty well at this point? 1314 01:16:16,549 --> 01:16:17,855 It'’s make blues rock." 1315 01:16:18,029 --> 01:16:20,814 ♪ Someone to hold me♪ 1316 01:16:20,988 --> 01:16:25,036 ♪ Like you used to hold me♪ 1317 01:16:25,210 --> 01:16:30,737 ♪ But there'’s no good place For the lonely♪ 1318 01:16:32,130 --> 01:16:35,742 ♪ '’Cause this place Is no good♪ 1319 01:16:35,916 --> 01:16:37,875 ♪ For the lonely♪ 1320 01:16:38,049 --> 01:16:40,268 [Kevin] Sometimes I give him a solo, and I'’ll key it up, 1321 01:16:40,442 --> 01:16:41,922 and he doesn'’t even know what key it is. 1322 01:16:42,096 --> 01:16:43,271 And so I'’ll just say, 1323 01:16:43,445 --> 01:16:44,838 "All right, here we go, Joe. 1324 01:16:45,012 --> 01:16:47,319 Here comes the solo. It'’s coming in two bars, 1325 01:16:47,493 --> 01:16:49,495 and it'’s about that tempo. 1326 01:16:50,496 --> 01:16:51,540 And then you'’re in." 1327 01:16:51,715 --> 01:16:53,107 And so he'’ll sit with the guitar 1328 01:16:53,281 --> 01:16:55,196 and not know what'’s coming in, 1329 01:16:55,370 --> 01:16:56,894 what key is coming in. 1330 01:16:57,068 --> 01:16:59,548 And then I get... 1331 01:17:01,507 --> 01:17:05,554 him without thinking too much, then he has to be reactive 1332 01:17:05,729 --> 01:17:08,906 to what'’s going on, '’cause he has so much that'’s cerebral. 1333 01:17:09,080 --> 01:17:11,473 I need him to be visceral. 1334 01:17:11,648 --> 01:17:15,173 When we get those moments, I love those moments. They'’re amazing. 1335 01:17:15,347 --> 01:17:17,610 Like the solo on "No Good Place for the Lonely." 1336 01:17:17,784 --> 01:17:21,048 Was voted in the top 100 guitar solos of all time. 1337 01:17:21,222 --> 01:17:25,183 And that was a one-take, one-performance, unedited take. 1338 01:17:25,357 --> 01:17:27,228 And when I heard that, 1339 01:17:27,402 --> 01:17:29,578 I'’m like, "We don'’t have to do that again, we'’ve got that." 1340 01:17:29,753 --> 01:17:32,494 And that shows, like, true genius. 1341 01:17:32,669 --> 01:17:34,671 [energetic guitar solo playing] 1342 01:18:14,972 --> 01:18:16,800 [Joe] But at the end of the day, I mean, 1343 01:18:16,974 --> 01:18:19,628 we'’re talking about music that'’s 100 years old or more, 1344 01:18:19,803 --> 01:18:21,935 that everybody'’s played and perfected 1345 01:18:22,109 --> 01:18:25,025 and the masters perfected it and the British reinterpreted it 1346 01:18:25,199 --> 01:18:28,376 and reinvented it and I reinvented or reinterpreted 1347 01:18:28,550 --> 01:18:30,465 what the British did and so on and so on. 1348 01:18:30,639 --> 01:18:32,816 And then there'’s been all these new kids 1349 01:18:32,990 --> 01:18:34,774 that are doing great. 1350 01:18:34,948 --> 01:18:37,081 So at the end of the day, what are you gonna do with... 1351 01:18:38,169 --> 01:18:39,648 We can do it one, four, five. 1352 01:18:39,823 --> 01:18:42,260 You fuck it up. Make it sound... 1353 01:18:42,434 --> 01:18:44,305 Make it challenging to the listener. 1354 01:18:44,479 --> 01:18:47,308 Make it challenging to yourself to play and come up with 1355 01:18:47,482 --> 01:18:51,182 and make it something that can actually... 1356 01:18:53,793 --> 01:18:57,710 be listened to, but they also know that 1357 01:18:57,884 --> 01:18:59,538 that'’s you. 1358 01:18:59,712 --> 01:19:01,409 It couldn'’t be anybody else. 1359 01:19:01,583 --> 01:19:03,585 Like, "Who'’s that? Oh, that'’s gotta be Joe. 1360 01:19:03,760 --> 01:19:05,674 He'’s at it again. 1361 01:19:05,849 --> 01:19:07,894 Messing with tradition and all things 1362 01:19:08,068 --> 01:19:10,549 that we hold near and dear to our hearts. 1363 01:19:10,723 --> 01:19:14,466 Let me give it a one-star review on Amazon.com." 1364 01:19:16,685 --> 01:19:19,688 [sharply crescendoing music] 1365 01:19:35,922 --> 01:19:37,924 [rock music playing] 1366 01:19:51,590 --> 01:19:53,810 I'’ve always had an affinity for the blues. 1367 01:19:53,984 --> 01:19:56,116 I always default to the blues. 1368 01:19:56,290 --> 01:19:57,944 I always love the blues. 1369 01:19:58,118 --> 01:20:01,556 But I'’m not a blues musician, in the sense that 1370 01:20:01,730 --> 01:20:05,125 I'’m too musically adventurous 1371 01:20:05,299 --> 01:20:07,388 to just stick to those paths. 1372 01:20:07,562 --> 01:20:10,435 So that'’s why making records 1373 01:20:10,609 --> 01:20:13,568 with Black Country Communion was so exciting 1374 01:20:13,742 --> 01:20:18,617 because it allowed me to play music 1375 01:20:18,791 --> 01:20:20,924 that was in my wheelhouse 1376 01:20:21,098 --> 01:20:25,580 but didn'’t fit in my wheelhouse as a performer. 1377 01:20:25,754 --> 01:20:29,280 It allowed me to be unapologetically 1378 01:20:29,454 --> 01:20:30,672 a rock and roll guitar player. 1379 01:20:30,847 --> 01:20:32,849 [rock music playing] 1380 01:20:51,171 --> 01:20:53,086 ♪ It'’s cold on the mountain♪ 1381 01:20:54,174 --> 01:20:56,176 ♪ It'’s cold in the wood♪ 1382 01:20:56,350 --> 01:20:58,831 ♪ My life is a fountain♪ 1383 01:20:59,005 --> 01:21:02,313 After we worked in Greece, I had met Glenn Hughes 1384 01:21:02,487 --> 01:21:05,925 and we had jammed together at this Guitar Center thing. 1385 01:21:06,099 --> 01:21:08,797 And Glenn came out and played and we did "Mistreated" 1386 01:21:08,972 --> 01:21:10,190 and it was fun. 1387 01:21:10,364 --> 01:21:11,583 And Glenn was great. 1388 01:21:11,757 --> 01:21:13,846 And we figured out real quickly 1389 01:21:14,020 --> 01:21:16,631 that he and I played off each other very well. 1390 01:21:16,805 --> 01:21:18,633 And in the audience that night, 1391 01:21:18,807 --> 01:21:21,158 was Joe'’s manager, Roy Weisman, 1392 01:21:21,985 --> 01:21:23,508 and Kevin Shirley. 1393 01:21:23,682 --> 01:21:25,727 I remember coming off into the dressing room 1394 01:21:25,902 --> 01:21:29,079 and I heard the unmistakable foot stomping 1395 01:21:29,253 --> 01:21:34,301 of Kevin rushing down into the dressing room to announce, 1396 01:21:34,475 --> 01:21:36,825 "I got it! 1397 01:21:37,000 --> 01:21:38,653 We need Jason Bonham, 1398 01:21:38,827 --> 01:21:40,264 and we need 1399 01:21:40,438 --> 01:21:43,354 Derek Sherinian. Okay?" 1400 01:21:43,528 --> 01:21:46,792 And we were like, "Uh, okay." 1401 01:21:46,966 --> 01:21:51,014 So, I saw Glenn and Joe performing on stage, and they were really good. 1402 01:21:51,188 --> 01:21:54,147 It was actually great. I was knocked out. I was like, "Wow!" 1403 01:21:54,321 --> 01:21:56,454 There'’s a rock thing going on with Glenn'’s voice 1404 01:21:56,628 --> 01:21:58,195 and Glenn'’s great bass playing. 1405 01:21:58,369 --> 01:22:01,111 And then Joe is such a talented musician. 1406 01:22:01,285 --> 01:22:03,417 He could have been playing in a bluegrass band 1407 01:22:03,591 --> 01:22:05,289 or a soul band or whatever. 1408 01:22:05,463 --> 01:22:08,118 I mean, he'’s really got all of these elements 1409 01:22:08,292 --> 01:22:10,424 in his guitar playing and they'’re all in his head. 1410 01:22:10,598 --> 01:22:13,819 And I saw him playing this rock stuff and I was like, "Wow! 1411 01:22:13,993 --> 01:22:16,213 We have a real opportunity here 1412 01:22:16,387 --> 01:22:18,258 to open up the fan base." 1413 01:22:18,432 --> 01:22:20,434 The English radio and press, 1414 01:22:20,608 --> 01:22:23,263 I knew would eat him up if he started playing rock. 1415 01:22:23,437 --> 01:22:26,005 [blues music playing] 1416 01:22:41,978 --> 01:22:44,502 [Joe] And before you know it, we did one album 1417 01:22:44,676 --> 01:22:46,504 in like four days. 1418 01:22:46,678 --> 01:22:49,550 Half the time we were waiting for Jason to show up. 1419 01:22:49,724 --> 01:22:52,031 It'’s just my inside joke of always being late. 1420 01:22:52,205 --> 01:22:53,728 I'’m never on time. 1421 01:22:53,902 --> 01:22:55,904 And for a drummer that has bad time, 1422 01:22:56,079 --> 01:22:57,602 it just shouldn'’t happen. 1423 01:22:57,776 --> 01:23:00,083 Which actually kinda gave us the opportunity 1424 01:23:00,257 --> 01:23:02,476 to get our shit together, song-wise. 1425 01:23:02,650 --> 01:23:04,652 Like so many of these bands that are made up, 1426 01:23:04,826 --> 01:23:07,220 they are four unique characters. 1427 01:23:07,394 --> 01:23:10,180 Glenn has got this history of classic rock. 1428 01:23:10,354 --> 01:23:13,226 But since the '’70s, he'’s been doing everything from funk to metal. 1429 01:23:13,400 --> 01:23:16,534 Jason is, you know, obviously rooted in Led Zeppelin 1430 01:23:16,708 --> 01:23:18,188 and has played with them 1431 01:23:18,362 --> 01:23:20,233 and he'’s a great exponent of the kind of style 1432 01:23:20,407 --> 01:23:21,713 of drumming of his dad. 1433 01:23:21,887 --> 01:23:23,280 And then I'’d known Derek Sherinian 1434 01:23:23,454 --> 01:23:25,543 from my days when I produced Dream Theater. 1435 01:23:25,717 --> 01:23:28,285 And I'’ve always been wanting to do something with him, 1436 01:23:28,459 --> 01:23:30,243 because I love the technicality of his playing. 1437 01:23:30,417 --> 01:23:34,639 Well, it'’s rare that you can find a band, four people, 1438 01:23:34,813 --> 01:23:38,295 that all have that same skill to hear the song, learn it, 1439 01:23:38,469 --> 01:23:41,776 and to not only learn how to play the song 1440 01:23:41,950 --> 01:23:43,126 in preparation to record it, 1441 01:23:43,300 --> 01:23:46,825 but to come up with cool parts. 1442 01:23:46,999 --> 01:23:49,480 And the sounds that are gonna be on the record. 1443 01:23:49,654 --> 01:23:54,528 Some of these songs, they just started as little ideas and Glenn did his thing. 1444 01:23:54,702 --> 01:23:56,617 He has this great way of words. 1445 01:23:56,791 --> 01:23:58,706 He'’s got this great swagger. 1446 01:23:58,880 --> 01:24:02,188 He'’s a true rock guy. It'’s like I pretend to be that, 1447 01:24:02,362 --> 01:24:04,234 but he is that guy for sure. 1448 01:24:04,408 --> 01:24:05,974 Bro, I don'’t think I should do this. 1449 01:24:06,149 --> 01:24:07,889 I just said it to Kevin. 1450 01:24:08,064 --> 01:24:09,804 It'’s so like Seven Dwarfs shit. 1451 01:24:09,978 --> 01:24:11,545 It'’s so metal.[laughing] 1452 01:24:11,719 --> 01:24:13,417 ♪ Oh♪ 1453 01:24:13,591 --> 01:24:16,159 It'’s so not me to do that.[Joe] Don'’t do it then. 1454 01:24:16,333 --> 01:24:19,510 I'’d rather just let the audience figure it out. 1455 01:24:19,684 --> 01:24:23,862 [vocalizing] 1456 01:24:24,036 --> 01:24:26,560 It'’s the whitest thing in the world. 1457 01:24:26,734 --> 01:24:29,563 We really finished up the first record 1458 01:24:29,737 --> 01:24:32,436 and it was sort of an experiment to see if it would work. 1459 01:24:32,610 --> 01:24:34,786 It really took me by surprise, when we first get it 1460 01:24:34,960 --> 01:24:37,223 and I saw where it charted on the first album. 1461 01:24:37,397 --> 01:24:39,051 Yeah, I think that the band was skeptical 1462 01:24:39,225 --> 01:24:41,445 until the record came out and did so well. 1463 01:24:41,619 --> 01:24:44,230 Especially in England. It was the number-one rock record. 1464 01:24:44,404 --> 01:24:46,102 And when it did so well, 1465 01:24:46,276 --> 01:24:48,539 I think they realized that there was a market for it 1466 01:24:48,713 --> 01:24:50,976 and was something that was serious. 1467 01:24:51,150 --> 01:24:53,370 [Joe] We did the second one at a studio on Sunset Boulevard 1468 01:24:53,544 --> 01:24:55,241 called East West and we had a great time. 1469 01:24:55,415 --> 01:24:56,895 You know, Kevin is the fifth Beatle. 1470 01:24:57,069 --> 01:24:59,376 Yeah, he'’s the fifth Beatle in that band, 1471 01:24:59,550 --> 01:25:01,813 because really, he helped put it together, 1472 01:25:01,987 --> 01:25:04,207 and he really is a member of the group. 1473 01:25:04,381 --> 01:25:06,470 [Kevin] They each have their own solo careers. 1474 01:25:06,644 --> 01:25:09,299 And this is one of those things where there is 1475 01:25:09,473 --> 01:25:11,039 an idea for the band, 1476 01:25:11,214 --> 01:25:13,999 it'’s like, "Let'’s be a classic rock band." 1477 01:25:15,348 --> 01:25:18,308 If you left each of them to make the decisions, 1478 01:25:18,482 --> 01:25:20,614 it would be a different band and that'’s where I come in. 1479 01:25:20,788 --> 01:25:24,009 I'’m sort of, I channel all these brilliant musicians 1480 01:25:24,183 --> 01:25:27,317 into like a toothpaste tube with the red and the whites 1481 01:25:27,491 --> 01:25:29,928 and the blue and the green, and put them all onto the brush, 1482 01:25:30,102 --> 01:25:33,410 and then it becomes the toothpaste, you know? 1483 01:25:33,584 --> 01:25:35,325 To brush the teeth of the rock world. 1484 01:25:35,499 --> 01:25:36,630 [chimes] 1485 01:25:36,804 --> 01:25:38,154 It'’s a band full of sergeants 1486 01:25:38,328 --> 01:25:39,546 but we do need a general sometimes 1487 01:25:39,720 --> 01:25:41,592 to kind of make a decision. 1488 01:25:41,766 --> 01:25:44,203 [upbeat drum solo playing] 1489 01:25:44,377 --> 01:25:48,903 We then toured the following summer in 2011. 1490 01:25:49,077 --> 01:25:50,862 And we did nine weeks. 1491 01:25:51,036 --> 01:25:54,387 And, as I put it, about seven weeks too many. 1492 01:25:54,561 --> 01:25:57,564 The nature of this group is it really is great in small doses. 1493 01:25:57,738 --> 01:25:59,740 [blues music playing] 1494 01:26:01,089 --> 01:26:04,963 For me, after the second week, it became hard work. 1495 01:26:05,137 --> 01:26:07,531 And after the third week, 1496 01:26:07,705 --> 01:26:09,750 it became really hard work. 1497 01:26:09,924 --> 01:26:11,012 After the ninth week, 1498 01:26:11,187 --> 01:26:13,058 it was like, I was ready to go. 1499 01:26:13,232 --> 01:26:15,060 There were some great nights of music 1500 01:26:15,234 --> 01:26:17,062 and then there were some average nights of music, 1501 01:26:17,236 --> 01:26:19,107 and it just couldn'’t... 1502 01:26:19,282 --> 01:26:22,676 A lot of factors had to line up for it to be a great night. 1503 01:26:22,850 --> 01:26:24,896 So I returned home, 1504 01:26:25,070 --> 01:26:28,378 armed with a high dose of burnout, 1505 01:26:28,552 --> 01:26:33,426 and a high dose of, I don'’t wanna even look at the guitar. 1506 01:26:33,600 --> 01:26:38,823 So much so, that I didn'’t play the guitar when I got home. 1507 01:26:38,997 --> 01:26:42,566 But we had a session booked to finish Dust Bowl. 1508 01:26:42,740 --> 01:26:46,744 And I remember sitting at the village in Santa Monica, 1509 01:26:46,918 --> 01:26:49,964 blowing takes and blowing solos 1510 01:26:50,138 --> 01:26:54,142 that I normally could play in my sleep. 1511 01:26:54,317 --> 01:26:55,796 It'’s just because I just... 1512 01:26:55,970 --> 01:26:57,885 It wore me down. 1513 01:26:58,059 --> 01:27:00,453 That was just the universe telling me I was doing too much. 1514 01:27:00,627 --> 01:27:02,238 And that was the universe telling me 1515 01:27:02,412 --> 01:27:05,241 that I shouldn'’t be in a band, at that point. 1516 01:27:07,982 --> 01:27:09,810 You know, it was just the universe telling me 1517 01:27:09,984 --> 01:27:11,856 a lot of things, that you can'’t be all things 1518 01:27:12,030 --> 01:27:14,250 to all people and you have to prioritize 1519 01:27:14,424 --> 01:27:16,817 and kinda slow it down a little bit. 1520 01:27:16,991 --> 01:27:20,430 Downshift a gear and be happy with that. 1521 01:27:20,604 --> 01:27:23,041 And I learned a lot of good lessons 1522 01:27:23,215 --> 01:27:24,782 in the summer of 2011. 1523 01:27:24,956 --> 01:27:29,090 And it was very difficult to keep perspective. 1524 01:27:29,265 --> 01:27:32,442 ♪ I'’m looking for redemption♪ 1525 01:27:34,095 --> 01:27:37,011 ♪ Love'’s hallowed ground♪ 1526 01:27:39,100 --> 01:27:42,800 ♪ Yeah, I'’m praying For forgiveness♪ 1527 01:27:44,192 --> 01:27:47,283 ♪ And I'’ve searched around♪ 1528 01:27:48,980 --> 01:27:51,722 ♪ But there'’s none To be found♪ 1529 01:28:25,756 --> 01:28:27,323 [Kevin] The history of blues music 1530 01:28:27,497 --> 01:28:29,237 is very closely associated 1531 01:28:29,412 --> 01:28:31,979 with the "Crossroads" and Robert Johnson 1532 01:28:32,153 --> 01:28:34,547 who was a performer in the 1930s. 1533 01:28:35,983 --> 01:28:38,943 He used to crash all these juke joints looking for a gig, 1534 01:28:39,117 --> 01:28:42,294 and mostly people didn'’t think he was very good. 1535 01:28:44,383 --> 01:28:46,254 And then he disappeared for a year or two 1536 01:28:46,429 --> 01:28:48,256 and no one knows what happened to him. 1537 01:28:48,431 --> 01:28:51,695 And he came back and started playing in these places 1538 01:28:51,869 --> 01:28:55,263 with a style and technique that no one had even seen before. 1539 01:28:59,790 --> 01:29:02,923 He apparently sold his soul to the devil 1540 01:29:03,097 --> 01:29:07,232 at the Crossroads for a life as an incredible musician. 1541 01:29:15,501 --> 01:29:18,199 [crowd cheering] 1542 01:29:29,820 --> 01:29:33,693 And these 29 or 30 recordings that we have of him, 1543 01:29:33,867 --> 01:29:36,653 stand as like the benchmark for all blues music 1544 01:29:36,827 --> 01:29:38,916 as we know it today. 1545 01:29:39,090 --> 01:29:42,572 ♪ I got stones in my passway♪ 1546 01:29:42,746 --> 01:29:45,531 ♪ And my road seem Dark as night♪ 1547 01:29:45,705 --> 01:29:47,968 [Joe] We went down to the Crossroads, 1548 01:29:48,142 --> 01:29:50,406 and it was kind of a pilgrimage 1549 01:29:50,580 --> 01:29:52,625 to come down to the Mississippi Delta 1550 01:29:52,799 --> 01:29:56,412 and see where the forefathers of the blues, 1551 01:29:56,586 --> 01:29:58,936 the music that you love so dearly 1552 01:29:59,110 --> 01:30:01,982 and play every day and listen to, see where it all began. 1553 01:30:02,156 --> 01:30:04,594 [music continues] 1554 01:30:07,031 --> 01:30:09,947 And you start thinking about it in terms of this place, 1555 01:30:10,121 --> 01:30:13,820 and while we'’re here, it'’s Robert Johnson, 1556 01:30:13,994 --> 01:30:18,085 Mississippi John Hurt, Charlie Patton, Son House. 1557 01:30:18,259 --> 01:30:20,087 All these guys, you know, 1558 01:30:20,261 --> 01:30:24,701 they'’ve been covered and talked about and revered and loved. 1559 01:30:24,875 --> 01:30:28,226 All this mystery basically started, 1560 01:30:28,400 --> 01:30:29,923 basically where I'’m standing. 1561 01:30:30,097 --> 01:30:32,056 [music continues] 1562 01:30:32,230 --> 01:30:36,190 ♪ I got a good woman That I'’m loving hard♪ 1563 01:30:36,364 --> 01:30:38,541 ♪ She don'’t mean a thing♪ 1564 01:30:38,715 --> 01:30:41,413 Right now, I'’m looking at Highway 61. 1565 01:30:41,587 --> 01:30:43,371 You know, a sign for Highway 61. 1566 01:30:43,546 --> 01:30:45,373 And it'’s like, you know, 1567 01:30:45,548 --> 01:30:47,898 I learned how to play slide guitar 1568 01:30:48,072 --> 01:30:50,335 from listening to Johnny Winter. 1569 01:30:50,509 --> 01:30:55,383 And doing the Dylan cover of "Highway 61 Revisited." 1570 01:30:55,558 --> 01:30:59,431 I mean, there'’s something about this part of the world musically 1571 01:30:59,605 --> 01:31:03,740 that'’s mystical, and the Crossroads represent... 1572 01:31:05,785 --> 01:31:07,831 where blues began. 1573 01:31:13,184 --> 01:31:15,882 ♪ Stones all in my pass♪ 1574 01:31:16,796 --> 01:31:18,842 When you go down to Rosedale, 1575 01:31:19,016 --> 01:31:20,452 and you go down, there'’s one street, 1576 01:31:20,626 --> 01:31:23,150 a strip of buildings, and then there'’s levees, 1577 01:31:23,324 --> 01:31:26,502 and you go, "Okay, this is where Charlie Patton wrote about '’High Water Everywhere.'’" 1578 01:31:26,676 --> 01:31:28,982 This is where it all felt right 1579 01:31:29,156 --> 01:31:33,900 and it all book-ended from myth to story to music, 1580 01:31:34,074 --> 01:31:37,077 but this feels authentic to me. 1581 01:31:38,818 --> 01:31:40,907 This is where they said Robert Johnson sold his soul. 1582 01:31:41,081 --> 01:31:44,955 But, you know, in our world, Kev, 1583 01:31:45,129 --> 01:31:47,827 this is where it all started for Robert Johnson, 1584 01:31:48,001 --> 01:31:49,699 who paved the way for guys 1585 01:31:49,873 --> 01:31:51,178 like Muddy Waters and Howlin'’ Wolf 1586 01:31:51,352 --> 01:31:52,876 the generation later. 1587 01:32:00,536 --> 01:32:03,364 [Kevin] The story was that if an aspiring blues man 1588 01:32:03,539 --> 01:32:06,454 waited by the side of a deserted country road 1589 01:32:06,629 --> 01:32:08,587 in the dark of a moonless night, 1590 01:32:08,761 --> 01:32:11,547 then Satan himself might come 1591 01:32:11,721 --> 01:32:14,071 and tune his guitar, 1592 01:32:14,245 --> 01:32:17,030 sealing a pact for the blues man'’s soul 1593 01:32:17,204 --> 01:32:21,948 and guaranteeing a lifetime of easy money, women and fame. 1594 01:32:23,036 --> 01:32:25,517 And this is where they said Robert Johnson 1595 01:32:25,691 --> 01:32:28,520 sold his soul to the devil, right there at the Crossroads. 1596 01:32:28,694 --> 01:32:31,349 Wow.Is there anything attractive about fame, 1597 01:32:31,523 --> 01:32:34,657 women and money that you'’d sell your soul for? 1598 01:32:36,659 --> 01:32:40,097 I mean, when you put it in those terms, it doesn'’t seem like a bad deal. 1599 01:32:43,535 --> 01:32:45,145 And you get your guitar tuned. 1600 01:32:46,669 --> 01:32:48,932 By the way, I'’ve sold out for much less in my career. 1601 01:32:49,106 --> 01:32:50,847 [both laugh] 1602 01:32:52,805 --> 01:32:55,416 [Kevin] Just a mile down the road, there'’s a farm... 1603 01:32:55,591 --> 01:32:57,027 There'’s the levee. I can see the levee. 1604 01:32:57,201 --> 01:32:58,637 They said the levee'’s around here... 1605 01:33:14,871 --> 01:33:17,613 And so the idea came up to celebrate the music 1606 01:33:17,787 --> 01:33:20,050 of Muddy Waters and Howlin'’ Wolf. 1607 01:33:20,224 --> 01:33:23,009 I was born in a little town called Rolling Fork. 1608 01:33:23,183 --> 01:33:26,622 I was raised up in Clarksdale... 1609 01:33:28,014 --> 01:33:31,931 raised up out on the Stovall Plantation. 1610 01:33:32,105 --> 01:33:35,979 And finally in 1943, I moved to Chicago. 1611 01:33:38,634 --> 01:33:42,333 [Joe] The first concert, we pay tribute to two of the seminal 1612 01:33:42,507 --> 01:33:44,465 figures in Chicago blues. 1613 01:33:44,640 --> 01:33:47,164 Two huge influences on me 1614 01:33:47,338 --> 01:33:52,343 and, really, my conduit into the British blues, 1615 01:33:52,517 --> 01:33:54,606 which I really got into when I was a kid. 1616 01:33:55,738 --> 01:33:58,610 The program begins with Muddy Waters. 1617 01:34:02,266 --> 01:34:04,311 ♪ I put a tiger in your tank♪ 1618 01:34:04,485 --> 01:34:06,096 [Joe] One of the things I'’ve always noticed 1619 01:34:06,270 --> 01:34:08,620 about the blues forefathers, our heroes, 1620 01:34:08,794 --> 01:34:11,536 there'’s a dignity to their life. 1621 01:34:11,710 --> 01:34:13,625 It wasn'’t that they were rich men. 1622 01:34:13,799 --> 01:34:16,367 They were destitute and poor, but there was a dignity, 1623 01:34:16,541 --> 01:34:20,153 it was a quiet dignity that they all carried themselves with. 1624 01:34:21,807 --> 01:34:24,070 ♪ I put a tiger in your tank♪ 1625 01:34:33,689 --> 01:34:35,386 ♪ I like the way You'’re looking♪ 1626 01:34:35,560 --> 01:34:37,693 ♪ Love your little car♪ 1627 01:34:41,348 --> 01:34:43,046 ♪ But the tires are too slow♪ 1628 01:34:43,220 --> 01:34:45,962 ♪ They can'’t go very far♪ 1629 01:34:46,136 --> 01:34:49,182 I found with the tribute shows in the last three years, 1630 01:34:49,356 --> 01:34:53,186 my limitations as an artist and singer, especially, 1631 01:34:53,360 --> 01:34:58,104 have given the music a different twist. 1632 01:34:58,278 --> 01:35:01,542 You know, I can'’t walk up there and sing "Spoonful" like Howlin'’ Wolf. 1633 01:35:01,717 --> 01:35:05,459 I can'’t walk up there and sing "Spoonful" like Jack Bruce. 1634 01:35:05,633 --> 01:35:07,592 But I can sing it like myself 1635 01:35:07,766 --> 01:35:12,423 and do it with my utmost conviction. 1636 01:35:12,597 --> 01:35:15,426 ♪ Want you to feel good So you jump and you shout♪ 1637 01:35:15,600 --> 01:35:18,168 [blues music playing] 1638 01:35:18,342 --> 01:35:20,387 [Anton] Yeah, we were actually on the bus kinda studying 1639 01:35:20,561 --> 01:35:22,389 some of the old tapes, and it'’s just classic. 1640 01:35:22,563 --> 01:35:24,522 And they had such style and grace, 1641 01:35:24,696 --> 01:35:27,264 the way Muddy Waters and Howlin'’ Wolf 1642 01:35:27,438 --> 01:35:29,788 and a lot of the other guys were playing. 1643 01:35:29,962 --> 01:35:32,922 It'’s just so beautiful and so it'’s kinda really 1644 01:35:33,096 --> 01:35:36,273 like an honor to be playing the music. 1645 01:35:36,447 --> 01:35:39,189 You know, the thing about Joe is that he has been able 1646 01:35:39,363 --> 01:35:43,062 to take the blues and put it on a stadium level. 1647 01:35:43,236 --> 01:35:45,108 So it'’s like really, like huge. 1648 01:35:45,282 --> 01:35:46,762 It'’s almost like arena blues. 1649 01:35:46,936 --> 01:35:49,242 ♪ I would rather be dead♪ 1650 01:35:50,678 --> 01:35:53,203 ♪ Sleeping six feet In the ground♪ 1651 01:35:56,423 --> 01:35:58,425 [blues music playing] 1652 01:36:25,975 --> 01:36:29,152 ♪ How many more years♪ 1653 01:36:29,326 --> 01:36:31,937 [Roy] That'’s a big opportunity for Joe and for us in general, 1654 01:36:32,111 --> 01:36:34,592 to be able to celebrate other people'’s music, 1655 01:36:34,766 --> 01:36:39,597 do it in a way that supports a whole category of music known as the blues. 1656 01:36:39,771 --> 01:36:43,775 And ultimately it is a tribute to my influences, 1657 01:36:43,949 --> 01:36:45,472 but it'’s also done under 1658 01:36:45,646 --> 01:36:47,953 the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation. 1659 01:36:48,127 --> 01:36:50,913 And the idea is to not only bring the blues 1660 01:36:51,087 --> 01:36:52,392 to another generation, 1661 01:36:52,566 --> 01:36:54,307 but it also is to raise money 1662 01:36:54,481 --> 01:36:57,615 so we can get kids some instruments in schools. 1663 01:36:57,789 --> 01:37:00,531 And if you give one kid the seed 1664 01:37:00,705 --> 01:37:02,272 and it grows and it comes out 1665 01:37:02,446 --> 01:37:03,969 to be the next big blues rock star. 1666 01:37:04,143 --> 01:37:05,797 Then I go, "You know what? I'’ve done my job." 1667 01:37:05,971 --> 01:37:09,018 I'’ve done what I set out to do so many years ago. 1668 01:37:09,192 --> 01:37:12,630 Not only have I developed a little career for myself, but I'’ve also helped others 1669 01:37:12,804 --> 01:37:15,285 the same way B.B. King helped me when I was 12 years old. 1670 01:37:15,459 --> 01:37:16,982 So that'’s kind of full circle. 1671 01:37:17,156 --> 01:37:19,637 Unfortunately, the funding for that stuff 1672 01:37:19,811 --> 01:37:21,334 has really dried up. 1673 01:37:21,508 --> 01:37:23,336 And if you don'’t keep the blues 1674 01:37:23,510 --> 01:37:26,949 somewhat in people'’s minds and in their hearts, 1675 01:37:27,123 --> 01:37:29,516 you know, it could easily fade away. 1676 01:37:29,690 --> 01:37:33,259 ♪ Don'’t you know We'’re riding with the kings♪ 1677 01:37:33,433 --> 01:37:36,697 [Roy] And consequently from that, the Three Kings was born. 1678 01:37:36,872 --> 01:37:38,874 And you know, this is a really interesting 1679 01:37:39,048 --> 01:37:42,181 opportunity for Joe, because talk about three artists 1680 01:37:42,355 --> 01:37:43,835 that really meant something to him, 1681 01:37:44,009 --> 01:37:46,533 in that, at the soul of who he is. 1682 01:37:46,707 --> 01:37:49,710 [blues music playing] 1683 01:37:58,110 --> 01:38:00,112 ♪ When your down and out♪ 1684 01:38:01,548 --> 01:38:04,421 ♪ And you feel real hurt♪ 1685 01:38:07,946 --> 01:38:11,558 ♪ Come on over♪ 1686 01:38:11,732 --> 01:38:14,735 ♪ To the place where I work♪ 1687 01:38:17,695 --> 01:38:20,654 ♪ And all your loneliness♪ 1688 01:38:22,656 --> 01:38:25,659 ♪ I'’ll try to soothe♪ 1689 01:38:27,531 --> 01:38:29,446 ♪ I'’ll play the blues For you♪ 1690 01:38:29,620 --> 01:38:32,579 [crowd cheering] 1691 01:38:44,026 --> 01:38:46,115 ♪ If you'’re down and out♪ 1692 01:38:47,899 --> 01:38:51,294 ♪ And you feel real hurt♪ 1693 01:38:54,123 --> 01:38:57,517 ♪ Come on over♪ 1694 01:38:57,691 --> 01:39:00,216 Freddie, Albert and, of course, 1695 01:39:00,390 --> 01:39:02,261 a mentor of mine, Mr. B.B. King. 1696 01:39:02,435 --> 01:39:05,830 And by paying tribute to them is not saying I'’m one of them. 1697 01:39:06,004 --> 01:39:10,661 It'’s music that I'’ve adored and loved and worshipped, 1698 01:39:10,835 --> 01:39:12,880 and to get the opportunity to play 1699 01:39:13,055 --> 01:39:16,754 in front of people with these great giant bands, 1700 01:39:16,928 --> 01:39:20,192 you know, 7-piece, 8-piece, 11-piece. 1701 01:39:23,326 --> 01:39:25,981 ♪ Just come on in♪ 1702 01:39:29,941 --> 01:39:31,812 ♪ You might run across♪ 1703 01:39:33,640 --> 01:39:37,079 ♪ Some of your old friends♪ 1704 01:39:39,168 --> 01:39:42,127 ♪ All your loneliness♪ 1705 01:39:43,476 --> 01:39:46,044 And the third concert, we paid tribute 1706 01:39:46,218 --> 01:39:47,828 to more on the guitar side, 1707 01:39:48,003 --> 01:39:49,526 Eric Clapton, 1708 01:39:49,700 --> 01:39:52,355 Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, 1709 01:39:52,529 --> 01:39:55,662 book-ending it. The difference being the people 1710 01:39:55,836 --> 01:39:59,971 that Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page learned from, 1711 01:40:00,145 --> 01:40:02,017 we were tributing at the front. 1712 01:40:02,191 --> 01:40:04,323 And by the time, three years later, 1713 01:40:04,497 --> 01:40:06,238 we got to the students. 1714 01:40:06,412 --> 01:40:08,414 And I'’m a student of the students. 1715 01:40:08,588 --> 01:40:10,199 And that'’s one of the biggest things 1716 01:40:10,373 --> 01:40:12,201 that'’s not lost on me is the fact that this music 1717 01:40:12,375 --> 01:40:13,941 is passed down. 1718 01:40:14,116 --> 01:40:17,206 Almost, you know, it takes on a different form 1719 01:40:17,380 --> 01:40:18,642 every time it'’s passed down. 1720 01:40:18,816 --> 01:40:20,861 [rock music playing] 1721 01:40:40,751 --> 01:40:42,318 And every so often, 1722 01:40:42,492 --> 01:40:44,189 you kinda have to shuffle the deck of cards 1723 01:40:44,363 --> 01:40:46,626 and bring the blues back into the forefront, 1724 01:40:46,800 --> 01:40:49,238 or at least attempt to do that. 1725 01:40:49,412 --> 01:40:52,980 And that'’s what the whole Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is designed to do. 1726 01:40:53,155 --> 01:40:55,461 It'’s designed to give away instruments and money 1727 01:40:55,635 --> 01:40:59,378 and promote all things blues in whatever, what style 1728 01:40:59,552 --> 01:41:01,902 of blues you like or what background or culture you'’re from. 1729 01:41:02,077 --> 01:41:05,080 I mean, it'’s like, that music moves people for a reason. 1730 01:41:05,254 --> 01:41:07,082 It has been for 100 years. 1731 01:41:07,256 --> 01:41:11,129 And it'’s all done without the help of computers 1732 01:41:11,303 --> 01:41:14,045 and it'’s honest, and it'’s honest music. 1733 01:41:14,219 --> 01:41:17,222 And whether it stacks up to what stuff'’s supposed to sound like today, 1734 01:41:17,396 --> 01:41:18,397 I don'’t care. 1735 01:41:21,444 --> 01:41:24,882 ♪ I get lost in alibis♪ 1736 01:41:26,579 --> 01:41:29,234 ♪ Sadness can'’t prevail♪ 1737 01:41:31,367 --> 01:41:37,112 ♪ Everyone knows Strong love can'’t fail♪ 1738 01:41:38,809 --> 01:41:40,985 ♪ Don'’t be pretending♪ 1739 01:41:43,509 --> 01:41:45,816 ♪ About how you feel♪ 1740 01:41:48,253 --> 01:41:49,994 ♪ Don'’t be pretending♪ 1741 01:41:52,910 --> 01:41:55,086 ♪ That your love is real♪ 1742 01:41:57,262 --> 01:41:59,308 ♪ Don'’t be pretending♪ 1743 01:41:59,482 --> 01:42:02,311 [Roy] I sometimes wonder myself, how hard is it to do this day in and day out? 1744 01:42:02,485 --> 01:42:04,574 And there'’s nobody more passionate than Joe Bonamassa. 1745 01:42:04,748 --> 01:42:07,054 when it comes to playing an instrument as a living. 1746 01:42:07,229 --> 01:42:10,319 There'’s no question in my mind that he loves what he does. 1747 01:42:10,493 --> 01:42:12,930 But you gotta wonder, still, how hard is it to do that 1748 01:42:13,104 --> 01:42:14,105 day in and day out? 1749 01:42:14,279 --> 01:42:15,976 To pick up an instrument, 1750 01:42:16,151 --> 01:42:18,892 and to give yourself to an audience in a way 1751 01:42:19,066 --> 01:42:22,244 where you'’re leaving every bit of emotion and soul 1752 01:42:22,418 --> 01:42:24,637 that you have on the stage when you walk off. 1753 01:42:24,811 --> 01:42:27,249 I mean, I don'’t think most people understand how hard that is. 1754 01:42:27,423 --> 01:42:28,815 ♪ Pretending♪ 1755 01:42:31,078 --> 01:42:33,080 ♪ Pretending♪ 1756 01:42:41,524 --> 01:42:43,743 [Joe] The next generation of the blues is gonna look 1757 01:42:43,917 --> 01:42:46,093 completely different than what it does now, 1758 01:42:46,268 --> 01:42:47,791 and what it did in the '’60s, 1759 01:42:47,965 --> 01:42:50,881 and certainly what it sounded like in the '’20s. 1760 01:42:51,055 --> 01:42:53,449 The youth of this generation 1761 01:42:53,623 --> 01:42:56,974 has access to an infinite amount of information, 1762 01:42:57,148 --> 01:42:58,671 an infinite amount of music, 1763 01:42:58,845 --> 01:43:01,065 an infinite amount of influences that will be mixed up 1764 01:43:01,239 --> 01:43:03,328 and it'’s gonna sound completely different 1765 01:43:03,502 --> 01:43:07,419 than how people like myself and my contemporaries 1766 01:43:07,593 --> 01:43:10,509 who are now in their early 40s listen to it. 1767 01:43:15,688 --> 01:43:18,952 I can say I played slide at the Crossroads, there you go. There'’s a bucket list thing. 1768 01:43:19,126 --> 01:43:22,869 So I'’m very interested to see where the influences are gonna come from, 1769 01:43:23,043 --> 01:43:25,785 and how the blues is going to be interpreted 1770 01:43:25,959 --> 01:43:28,875 in the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years. 1771 01:43:29,049 --> 01:43:30,703 After I'’m dead, I don'’t care. 1772 01:43:30,877 --> 01:43:33,097 [interviewer laughs] 1773 01:43:59,123 --> 01:44:01,430 ♪ Who draws the crowd And plays so loud♪ 1774 01:44:01,604 --> 01:44:04,259 ♪ Baby, it'’s the guitar man♪ 1775 01:44:05,738 --> 01:44:08,785 ♪ Who'’s gonna steal the show You know, baby♪ 1776 01:44:08,959 --> 01:44:11,266 ♪ It'’s the guitar man♪ 1777 01:44:11,440 --> 01:44:14,878 ♪ He can make you love♪ 1778 01:44:15,052 --> 01:44:17,881 ♪ And he can make you cry♪ 1779 01:44:18,055 --> 01:44:23,930 ♪ He will bring you down And then he'’ll get you high♪ 1780 01:44:25,410 --> 01:44:31,634 ♪ Something keeps him going Miles and miles a day♪ 1781 01:44:31,808 --> 01:44:36,421 ♪ To find another Place to play♪ 1782 01:44:38,597 --> 01:44:40,947 ♪ Night after night Who treats you right♪ 1783 01:44:41,121 --> 01:44:43,820 ♪ Baby, it'’s the guitar man♪ 1784 01:44:45,125 --> 01:44:46,953 ♪ Who'’s on the radio♪ 1785 01:44:47,127 --> 01:44:50,914 ♪ You go and listen To the guitar man♪ 1786 01:44:51,088 --> 01:44:57,268 ♪ Then he comes to town And you see his face♪ 1787 01:44:57,442 --> 01:45:03,492 ♪ And you think you might Like to take his place♪ 1788 01:45:04,884 --> 01:45:08,497 ♪ Something keeps Him drifting...♪ 1789 01:45:08,671 --> 01:45:10,803 That was in that photo. 1790 01:45:12,762 --> 01:45:14,633 It'’s what? Four? 1791 01:45:14,807 --> 01:45:16,374 Four generations.Four generations. 1792 01:45:16,548 --> 01:45:17,941 That trumpet is from about probably 1793 01:45:18,115 --> 01:45:19,812 the mid-1920s to early 1930s. 1794 01:45:19,986 --> 01:45:21,161 But it started the whole-- 1795 01:45:21,336 --> 01:45:22,772 Yeah, it started it. 1796 01:45:22,946 --> 01:45:24,469 The whole musical thing. 1797 01:45:24,643 --> 01:45:26,950 ♪ You want to get The meaning♪ 1798 01:45:27,124 --> 01:45:30,301 ♪ Out of each And every song♪ 1799 01:45:30,475 --> 01:45:34,697 ♪ So you find yourself A message and the words♪ 1800 01:45:34,871 --> 01:45:36,960 ♪ To call your own♪ 1801 01:45:37,134 --> 01:45:39,615 ♪ You take them home♪ 1802 01:45:41,007 --> 01:45:45,185 But you can'’t be in Rosedale, Mississippi without... 1803 01:45:46,317 --> 01:45:47,536 stopping here. 1804 01:45:47,710 --> 01:45:50,016 One of my favorite Robert Johnson songs 1805 01:45:50,190 --> 01:45:53,150 is a song called "Hot Tamales." 1806 01:45:53,324 --> 01:45:58,938 And here is most likely the inspiration for that song. 1807 01:46:00,505 --> 01:46:04,509 And oddly enough, it says Joe'’s. 1808 01:46:04,683 --> 01:46:08,208 So, White Front Cafe, Joe'’s Hot Tamale place. 1809 01:46:08,383 --> 01:46:09,862 So there you go. 1810 01:46:10,036 --> 01:46:11,995 You can'’t come all this way not say 1811 01:46:12,169 --> 01:46:13,736 a little something about that. 1812 01:46:13,910 --> 01:46:18,871 And it'’s a Mississippi historical preservation site, 1813 01:46:19,045 --> 01:46:20,351 as it should be. 1814 01:46:20,525 --> 01:46:22,135 See, just a gem. 1815 01:46:22,309 --> 01:46:23,833 There you go. 1816 01:46:24,007 --> 01:46:26,792 ♪ Something keeps Him moving♪ 1817 01:46:26,966 --> 01:46:30,230 ♪ But no one Seems to know♪ 1818 01:46:30,405 --> 01:46:35,888 ♪ What it is that Makes him go♪ 1819 01:46:36,062 --> 01:46:39,283 ♪ Then the lights Begin to flicker♪ 1820 01:46:39,457 --> 01:46:42,982 ♪ And the sound Is getting dim♪ 1821 01:46:43,156 --> 01:46:45,855 ♪ The voice begins To falter♪ 1822 01:46:46,029 --> 01:46:49,293 ♪ And the crowds Are getting thin♪ 1823 01:46:49,467 --> 01:46:52,470 ♪ But he never Seems to notice♪ 1824 01:46:52,644 --> 01:46:59,303 ♪ He'’s just got to find Another place to play♪ 1825 01:47:02,480 --> 01:47:06,441 ♪ Fade away♪ 1826 01:47:08,965 --> 01:47:13,448 ♪ He'’s got to play♪ 1827 01:47:15,537 --> 01:47:19,889 ♪ Fade away♪ 1828 01:47:48,439 --> 01:47:52,878 ♪ Got to play♪ 1829 01:47:55,141 --> 01:47:58,536 ♪ Fade away♪