BLUES MAESTRO ROCKY ATHAS TALKS WORKING WITH JOHN MAYALL, TOURING WITH THE KINKS AND WHAT GIVES HIM THE MOTIVATION TO WRITE MUSIC.

(photo credits; Arnie Goodman)

For this week's blog post, I got the pleasure to speak with the legendary Rocky Athas. Rocky Athas is a phenomenal Blues guitarist who's worked with the likes of Joe Walsh, Buddy Miles and Glenn Hughes. Not to mention that he was apart of the renowned Bluesbreakers band with John Mayall and even worked with him on his albums 'Tough' and 'A Special Life'. Athas is a huge inspiration to any musician, he has dedicated his entire life to creating some pretty electrifying records. I simply had to ask if Rocky would do an interview with me and when he agreed, I didn't know where to start with the questions, there's just so much to know! He truly has had an incredible career and shared some fascinating stories with me ...

You put so much raw emotion into your guitar playing, that it can really be felt. Has it always been a form of escapism for you?

Thank you for the compliment, Holly. Your visceral reaction is the ultimate goal of making music and connecting with people. Music has always been my life, not an escape, and I have to be totally in the moment and connected to the song's meaning in order to deliver an authentic performance. Being "present" is the only way that I can capture that emotion and paint a picture with the music.

How did the process of working with artists like Buddy Miles differ from working with the likes of Black Oak Arkansas? 

Those two experiences are different for sure but the unifying thread running between both of them is a prominent guitar driven performance. I personally enjoy the more Blues Rock style of music we did on The Bluesberries album with Buddy Miles and Double Trouble but I also like to rock, like the music that Black Oak Arkansas is so well known for. I was very lucky that both situations just let me be me.

There's been a lot of great guitar players that hailed from Texas, including one of my personal favourites, T Bone Walker. Did you ever get a chance to see him playing live and was he an influence on you growing up as a guitar player?

Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to see him play live, he had already passed but like you, Eric Clapton, and SRV, I love what he gave us musically. The gorgeous chord progressions in Stormy Monday are one of my all-time favorites to play live. It's so much more than the traditional I-IV-V blues progression and so full of melody that it inspired Bluesville and Last Of The Blues which are both included on The Essential Rocky Athas series.

The UK had a strong Blues scene that gave us The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack. However bands like The Beatles and The Who took another path right next to The Kinks who you toured alongside with band ‘Lightning’. What was the Texas Blues crowd’s response to someone as English as Ray and Dave Davies?

It was very enthusiastic! I believe people can and do enjoy and appreciate any form of music as long as it is performed well. Those were awesome shows and I loved the Kinks and their timeless songs. Who didn't love You Really Got Me? The Kinks inspired us to pull out all the stops and our drummer even did back flips all the way out to the edge of the stage at the end of the encore. I still get messages from fans that remember that show.

When did you and John Mayall make a connection and how did playing on the album ‘Tough’ first come about?

That's a great question and one I wondered about myself after he called me! lol. John said he saw me play one night and that my performance made an impression on him. Of course, at the time, I knew nothing about his feelings, I was just doing my thing. Then, he heard my albums on the BBC and when he prepared to make a band change, he said he remembered me, contacted my website, got my phone number and called me. That's exactly how it happened. No audition. We met at the studio a few weeks later in Los Angeles and recorded Tough and immediately started touring. I definitely wasn't looking to put my band on hold but it seemed like when opportunity knocks....you should answer the phone. Things were going so good with the release of Miracle and Voodoo Moon that it was actually a difficult decision but one that I don't regret.

When you’re not recording or on tour, do you still get a chance to go and see live bands, if so, who have you seen recently?

Definitely. The last show I went to was Paul McCartney and it was a once in a lifetime experience! I also really look forward to reading the lineup at festivals that we are playing at and watching other artists during festivals. It's always an awesome atmosphere. That's how I saw Trombone Shorty and I was just blown away with his show.

What gives you motivation to sit down and write a song?

That's another great question that doesn't have a simple answer. Music is art. Art is music. Inspiration comes from so many sources. There is no one right or wrong way to do it. Often, when I am sitting around the house watching Steve Wilkos and tinkering with my guitar, I hit a pretty cool riff and instinctively know that it feels good. Sometimes, it is a story idea first like No More Breath, which was written about my son's near fatal car accident. Sometimes, it's just a mood that I need to convey like the instrumental To My Friend (SRV) and Rachel, when she was a newborn. Every song on Shakin' The Dust has a personal story to tell.

Who over the years, has given you the best piece of advice?

That's easy! My mother. She said, "Never give up on your dream of playing music." I still love music and was brought up in a family of music lovers. I was fortunate that my parents were so supportive and tolerated the loud noise from my bedroom as a kid.

If the phone rang tonight while at home and a voice said ‘I would love to work with you’, who would you hope it would be?

There are loads of people that I would love to collaborate with like Philip Sayce from Canada, and Walter Trout, who I jammed with when he was in town, but my dream call would have to be for Paul Rodgers to call because I just love his great bluesy rock voice. I can hear him singing my songs. And as long as we're throwing it out there, a call from my childhood inspirations, Paul McCartney and Ringo would be answered in a hurry. lol.

(photo credits; Arnie Goodman)

What is your opinion of people doing virtual gigs from their bedrooms and is it something you would entertain in the future?

I understand why people are doing it but I don't think it's necessarily something I can do because I prefer to perform with a full band. Having the band lay down a foundation gives me the room I need to stretch out and improvise. I feed off of their energy.

In 2015, you released the ‘Essential Rocky Athas Volumes’, featuring a cover of Cream’s ‘White Room’. Who would you love to hear cover one of your songs?

I have had the unique experience of having fans ask if they can copy my music and I am always incredibly touched. It's super gratifying to know that your music connected. Today, I would love for Joe Walsh and The Eagles to cover Lifeline from Shakin' The Dust. I met and recorded with Joe a few years ago and he's a super nice guy and Lifeline would really fit their style.

Coming right up to date, have you been working on any new projects this year and has this lockdown period given you time to try out something new?

Yes, we started recording before the lock down and have 8 songs in various stages of production.. When Covid-19 hit, we had to completely shut down recording and the studio closed down, as well, so we are just waiting to get back to normal and cut the last two songs for the new album. Fingers crossed, I hope to get that out as soon as I can. Health and safety first, if you know what I mean, and then everyone can Play it LOUD again!

I want to give a huge thanks to Rocky for agreeing to do this interview. I am a huge fan and can't wait to hear more of his work. He truly is a legend!!