British bluesman Robin Davey, known for his work with Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse, The Hoax and Well Hung Heart, has launched a stunning attack on modern blues music.
Davey, the youngest ever inductee into the British Blues Hall of Fame, singles out blues superstar Joe Bonamassa for special attention in a social media post announcing the release of a new solo album, The Blues According To Gutbucket Slim.
"The album is my vision of what the blues can be," says Davey. "I grew up listening to Beck, I grew up listening to Rage Against The Machine. I also grew up listening to Lightnin' Hopkins, Stevie Ray Vaughan and BB King. I grew up listening to Guy Forsyth, who sings a song on this record.
"The blues today has been screwed up by Joe Bonamassa. His influence has permeated through the younger generations, and it hurts my ears. It is devoid of soul. It is all about maximising profits and maximising Joe's ego. I'm tired of the endless stream of white blues that dominates the Blues festival circuit. These people can't write songs; they have no creativity, and they all sound alike – their playing is so devoid of personality.
"There, I said it. This record will not be hugely successful. I don't know if anyone will hear it, but I'm putting it out so that it may help people think differently about what the blues can be."
"This album is not for the blues purists," he adds. "But that generation is gone, and we as a new generation have to think differently about it."
Davey describes the five-track, 15-minute The Blues According To Gutbucket Slim as sounding like a collaboration between Gorillaz and Jimi Hendrix.
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse, who support These Wicked Rivers on a run of UK dates in November and December (billed as Beaux Gris Gris & The Magic Three), will release a new album, The Age Of Women And Monsters, in January, before embarking on a UK headline tour. Full dates below.
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse tour dates
Nov 12: Metzingen Hirsch, Germany
Nov 13: Chur Streaming Hall, Switzerland
Nov 14: Dornach Wydekanteen, Switzerland
Nov 17: Eppstein Wunderbar Weite Welt, Germany
Nov 19: Berlin Brickhouse, Germany
Nov 20: Joldelund Gerd's Juke Joint, Germany
Nov 21: Tilburg Heyhoef-Backstage, Netherlands
Nov 22: Grolloo Café-Restaurant Hofsteenge, Netherlands
Nov 23: Verviers Spirit Of 66, Belgium
Nov 24: Venray Municipal Theater Venray, Netherlands
Nov 26: Leicester Academy, UK *
Nov 27: London The Garage, UK *
Nov 28: Norwich Arts Centre, UK *
Nov 29: Milton Keynes Crauford Arms, UK *
Dec 03: Birmingham O2 Institute, UK *
Dec 04: Bristol Thekla, UK *
Dec 05: Falmouth Cornish Bank, UK *
Dec 06: Portsmouth The Lens, UK *
Jan 28: Loughborough The Generator, UK
Jan 29: New Milton Forest Arts Centre, UK
Jan 30: Aldershot West End Centre, UK
Feb 03: Hull Adelphi, UK
Feb 04: Grimsby Yardbirds, UK
Feb 05: Manchester Deaf Institute, UK
Feb 06: Stourbridge Town Hall, UK
Feb 07: Leeds Farsley Old Woollen, UK
Feb 10: Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms, UK
Feb 11: Glasgow Rum Shack, UK
Feb 12: Newcastle Cluny 2, UK
Feb 13: Sheffield Yellow Arch, UK
Feb 14: Blackpool Waterloo, UK
Feb 16: Cambridge Junction, UK
Feb 17: Bristol Exchange, UK
Feb 18: Southampton The Brook, UK
Feb 19: Norwich Waterfront, UK
Feb 20: London 100 Club, UK
Nov 25: Dudenhofen Bürgerghaus, Germany (rescheduled date)
* with These Wicked Rivers, billed as Beaux Gris Gris & The Magic Three
Find Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse tickets.
