Working For Buddy Guy -Jimbo Mathus
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- čas přidán 30. 10. 2023
- Jimbo Mathus talks about making albums and touring with Buddy Guy.
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i drove buddy on tour,2 times. Total gentleman....said he never rode a tourbus over 300 miles,he would rather fly. On 1 tour drive,it was close to 500 miles,he decided to ride,set up in the back lounge,with his box heater,and called me SMOOTH AS SILK when i dropped him at the hotel. Best compliment ever. THANKYOU MR. GUY!
Saw Buddy Guy in a small club in the late 80’s. He came on and said, “I sure got the blues today, and I’m here to tell you about it.” And went into his set.
As Jimbo said, when I was 5 in 1967, my parents took me and my 2 older siblings to see Herman’s Hermits and The Who were opening on their first ever US tour. Destroyed their gear at the end of their set, along with any hope my parents had for their kids to have a normal life.
So glad you’re talking to Jimbo Mathus. He's one of the real flamekeepers of our generation (I'm in my mid fifties too). Well worth listening to, musically and otherwise.
I LOVE SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS!!
Sweet Tea is how I found Jimbo. I was driving through Chicago and had XRT on the radio and heard this crazy music. I pulled over on the side of the interstate and hoped that the DJ would run down the songs and sure enough they did. Got home and got the record. Best modern blues record since the Muddy Waters records that Johnny Winter produced for Big Sky. Chased Jimbo down from the credits on Sweet Tea. Crazy music!
Back in the late 70's to early 90's, I worked for a local juke box company which serviced black bars, Bar-B-Que's, clubs, and house joints. One Friday, my boss handed me a box of records and sent me to a joint called the Ranch located on the outskirts of town. The Ranch was simply a shotgun shack next to a horse barn and coral, with a juke box and folding chairs scattered throughout. While changing out the 45's, I heard someone shout "Hey venderman, you like the blues don't you?" I responded "yeah' I love the blues." He came back "I knew you would. I have someone you'll want to meet" He called over a man from he other side of the room and said, "this is Buddy Guy." My mind was a total blank. I didn't have a clue who Buddy Guy was. After a short awkward silence, he said somewhat bewildered "Buddy has played with the Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters..." I blurted out "Yeah, I've heard of Muddy Waters." After another long awkward silence the guy, introduced as Buddy, finally said "They dont play my stuff on juke boxes. He doesn't know who I am", turned away and walked off. I'm not sure which of us 3 was the most embarrassed. I finished my work and left without saying another word.
To stretch this thread even further, in the late 80's the brother of Norman Dolph purchased that same vending company. He was the first person to record and produce the Velvet Underground recording (known as the Norman Dolph Acetate) in 1966. Of course I didn't know who the Velvet Underground was either at the time.
I met Buddy Guy at the Val-Air Ballroom in Des Moines about 25 years ago. Hung out back stage with him before his show. Nice to me and I appreciated his time with me. I had him read a liner for my radio blues show. He was amused I asked for a second take, but he was a nice guy.
So great to meet Jimbo. He’s an American treasure!
Why am I not surprised that you know Jimbo? This is *awesome*!
I was incredibly lucky to interview him for a little college music rag called Nadine, and this was just as Damn Right I Got The Blues came out, so he was really 'in a comeback.' I had seen him in Minneapolis the year before, randomly, and was just flabbergasted at what he did. As Jimbo says here, there was a fair bit of schtick, but he was playing a JCM 800 Marshall half stack and kind of hit the right spot between Dave Mustaine and Muddy Waters. Mind boggling show. He was extremely gracious in teh interview, even though I was some 19 year old college kid writing for a publication that probalby hadn't ever noticed anything about blues ever. But as Jimbo said, in many ways a shy, reserved guy offstage, but a gentleman through and through. I got comped tickets to his next show after New Haven, drove up there, and after the interview he said, 'Make sure you come by and say hellow backstage after the first set.' So I took my Gibson ES-Artist, an odd early 80's contraption that had some extra electronics in it but that was fundamentally a 335 without f-holes. Mine was black, wtih fancy binding on the body and neck, and I pulled it out of the case asking if he would autograph it and he said, right away, 'Damn there son, you got yourself a Lucille ther don't you?' Again, no airs at all, a really kind, friendly guy.
Been waiting for someone to highlight Sweet Tea!! It’s the swampiest stinky heavy blues record I’ve ever heard. Listen to the producers use of the plate reverbs-it’s sick. SUPREME production. Buddy’s most urgent sounding record ever!
Great stories man!
A local DJ played the whole album of sweet tea which was rare and i stayed for the whole ride and was introduced to Buddy and love the weirdness and prog of that blues album.
Jimbo is the man. Buddy Guy's 'Sweet Tea' and 'Blues Singer' are among Buddy's best records for sure
Yeah Sweet Tea was an awesome album. I remember when it came out and Buddy done an interview and said he used a Bassman absolutely cranked and turned like all the knobs as far as they'd go and just took all the treble out or something like that. I've still got the album to this day.
Thank you for bringing this to us. Buddy is a force of nature. It's gonna hurt when we lose him.
Jimbo rules & he's right. That album is AMAZING. Blew my hip buddies minds when it came out.
It's the best.
Thanks much, Otis for all this insider info. Sweet Tea is a magnificent album!
I'd been listening to Buddy for many years by then. I could tell that this album was really pushing it, but in a fabulous way. Really something diffrent that was just jammin'. I love this album so much. Also, I used to gang out at Legends for over ten years. Sometimes you could go chat with Buddy outside the club in a nuce summer day. One night he walked up to me, playing wild, and put his guitar in front of me while he us behind and put his fingers over mine and played for several minutes. He had been watching me play aur guitar prior to that, lol. What a great vibe in that club. Sometimes I'd go there by myself. Met all kinds of great musicians there who were all winderful to hang wuth. I even hugged Eric Clapton there. I have been living in California for nune years and iften miss my Chicago roots. Again, thx
Otis, for this interesting stuff about Buddy. Fantastic album and intervuew here. Peace and love
Out of all the pickers I taught Jumbo Mathis how to play working man blue's. It was a weird gig . Memphis Missouri of all places. Good guy Clarksdale Mississippi
Thanks brother. Dig it. You're appreciated.
Thanks for this gentlemen! Can't wait to head to the Virginia Theatre to see Buddy Guy in Champaign next week.
Thank youth for sharing so many great stories concerning the music we enjoy ☮
Jimbo rules and any hill country. Buddy and junior wells on hoodoo man blues album, an insane influence
amazing amazing interview Otis man what would we do without you now that you started this ❤
JM is a fascinating guy. I loved the Squirrel Nut Zippers; it's quite a leap from that music to old country blues, and it surprises me a little to find out this is the same guy who was in that band. Speaks to breadth of vision, and ability, on his part. Excellent interview!
Love this. Jimbo is the real deal.
That sweet tea album is wild, raw n heavy. Just listened to it. It’s really good, emotive.
Saw Buddy Guy before the pandemi at the Bedford blues festival near Dallas. One of my favorite legends, awesome concert!
Mathus is an exceptional communicator. Every word counts! As well as every pause. Thank you both.
Jimbo is the man… met him when he and one of his different bands would play out at Hopson’s up in Clarksdale… if you get a chance to see/hear him… do it…
Buddy Guy is a phenomenal talent… but subject to his moods. I saw him down at Jazz Fest one year… I guess he felt that the crowd wasn’t into his music… so he asked if ‘they’ wanted to hear some Hendrix… he played a couple of songs… then asked if ‘they’ wanted to hear some SRV… played a few of his songs… finally got pissed, pulled the cable out of his Strat and walked off the stage…
But other times, he’s been stellar!!
Jimbo and Buddy… two of the best at what they do…
I know that six year old thing. Thank God it's still happening even though I hardly play out these days I'm always singing and playing to the spirits of an empty room. Thank you Otis. You and your crew always inspire.
I had the privilege of seeing Buddy Guy in 1988. It was beyond belief and he frequently channeled Jimi.
Buddy Guy a living Legend.
Great interview
So much wonderment to unpack here, and to go and listen to, and to imbibe. Thank you for yet another amazing interview and conversation.
A small correction: Buddy Guy is from the small community of Lettsworth in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Baton Rouge is app. 37 miles due east. Pointe Coupee also is the birthplace of Rep. - and later ambassador - Lindy Boggs and the author Ernest Gaines. Ruston, LA is app. 172 miles north of Pointe Coupee, very near the Arkansas border.
Thanks, Otis for another great interview and for turning me on to a new artist--Jimbo Mathus. I have heard of Squirrel Nut Zippers but didn't know anything about Jimbo. Of course, love Buddy Guy. One of the greatest. Lived in Chicago in the late '80s and early '90s, and went to Legends often and saw Buddy play a bunch. Got a real Blues education there. Back then he was often sitting at the end of the bar and he was always very approachable and cordial.
Great history and stuff that you will never hear on mainstream. Otis you're channel will be here forever and thank God for future generations and they will be never forgotten. God bless you.
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Man, what great stories Otis, thanks so much for having Jimbo on! I was lucky enough to see Buddy Guy when Jimbo was opening for him. An absolutely killer show at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT. Saw the Squirrel Nut Zippers a couple of years before that when they played at UConn. Absolutely amazing musicians - Jimbo is the real deal!
Love Jimbo, have had the honor of opening for the Zippers a few times over the years when they pass through Tucson. Such a fun storyteller.
Just was up in Chicago several months ago and stopped by Legends. Saw him a couple of times back "in the day". Has a lot of his family that work there, and someone just came down to New Orleans that said he showed up the night they were there. Love him, and love these stories, Otis.
Sweet Tea is my favorite Buddy Guy album and I saw that tour. Jimbo is a treasure all his own
Thanks so much for this interview. I knew nothing of this Jimbo but realized right away he is the real deal and a music lifer totally invested in his craft and with deep insights into what the true nature of the artistry is and what makes it work. Only right that he should be tasked with bringing forwardout of the legend Buddy Guy an undiscovered expression of what’s in him. I admire people like this and find them very satisfying to listen too.
9:42 "you're screwed!" LOL, man, aint it the truth! Thanks, Otis!
i like this guy.
I love listening to the stories. Very informative. Thank you for sharing and doing what you love. ❤
Great interview. Buddy's one of my top favorite artists. I love his singing as much as his guitar playing.
The Sweet Tea album is great. I didn't like it at first, because it's definitely a different flavor of blues. Raw and hard. But It fits Buddy's voice well Imo.
Wow. Love that album.
I love this little gems you send out Ottis
Sweet Tea was probably the strongest album Buddy did in many years up to that point…playing & singing were on fire during those sessions. So of course he hated it. Lol.
I LOVED the "Sweet Tea" album. The only blues album I like more is "Hard Again" by Muddy Waters.
Otis you continue to blow my mind with these wonderful cats you interview. I will definitely be checking out Sweet Tea after this. Kudos to Jimbo. Love the Charlie Patton one also. What a talent.
That's my favorite Buddy Guy album. I had forgotten that Jimbo was on it.
This just is freaking awesome!!!
Would’ve never guessed that guy came from the Squirrel Nut Zippers good show
1 small correction Jimbo,RICHARD Innes on drums with you & Larry Taylor,not ‘Steve’. RIP Mole & Bigfoot…
Otis, keep these great 1 on 1 coming! And anyone that has never heard Buddy Guy-Sweet Tea, you need to........
“when that happens to you, you’re screwed” 😂
Had a girlfriend from Chicago who took me to Buddy Guys bar, cool place she was going to I truce me to him because she said he often talks to people in his bar but he was touring in Japan, cool bar& love his music Tha ks Otis
Buddy Guy is the greatest
Know bout Jimbo by way of Left Lane Cruiser 👍
❤
All I can think is,,, what a life!
Hell of an album you made there Jimbo! Always wondered where the Black Keys got their mojo!
It smokes
In my more cynical moods, I'd say this was a manager's idea to cash in on the North Miss popularity at that time when RL and Junior were peaking.
Agreed, reminds me of "Electric Mud"
vaudeville pupets dreams buddy guy potty mouth art music osul omgur i love this dude.....this is a cat i outta met some day hmmmm anyway thanks again brother otis - stephen jules otis career rubin
I guess I'll have to give Sweet Tea another try.
But, like Buddy, when I first heard it ,I did not like it.