“Why do I have to impress 10 people when a thousand people are saying, ‘Hey, man – I dig this’?”: Joe Bonamassa is done with criticism from blues purists
Joe Bonamassa is embracing his difference as a modern blues player, and says he’d much rather put his own spin on the genre than appease the purists.
The blues is drenched in history, with so many greats having paved the way for artists like Bonamassa to come along, from B.B. King to Buddy Guy. With so many inspiring players having shaped its early beginnings, there are many out there who believe it’s a genre that should be honoured and left unchanged.
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In JoBo’s case, he’s done with trying to please this community of blues lovers, and feels his superpower as a player is in his personal touch on a genre that so many of us respect.
He tells Guitar World, “What I interpret the blues as is different from what other people interpret the blues as. I’m long past the point of caring. There’s nothing I can do to change people’s opinions about me, nor do I wish to.”
He adds, “It doesn’t matter, because when I look at our last set of gigs and I see full arenas, I think, ‘We did something right, and the music struck a chord with a large number of people.’
“So do I placate the minority of folks, or do I play an arena gig with blues songs that nobody else is doing? I’d rather do the latter. Why do I have to impress 10 people when a thousand people are saying, ‘Hey, man – I dig this’?”
Even while doing things his own way, there’s no doubt that Bonamassa pays his respects to the guitar greats. Back in early July, he wrapped a trio of shows in Cork, Ireland paying tribute to the legendary Rory Gallagher.
After the shows, he reflected on what he called “the biggest honour and greatest challenge” in a post on Instagram. He wrote, “I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and to have conquered my own self-doubt in accepting this incredible honour and responsibility.
“I hope we all did Rory right and played these shows in his spirit. I hope he would have been proud to see the love from his hometown carrying his legacy on. An honour of a lifetime for that I will never forget. Thank you Donal, Daniel, Eoghan and the entire Gallagher family for your trust.”
Joe Bonamassa’s new album Breakthrough is available to buy or stream now. He is also currently on tour in the US.
The post “Why do I have to impress 10 people when a thousand people are saying, ‘Hey, man – I dig this’?”: Joe Bonamassa is done with criticism from blues purists appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
