Any Son Seals Fans?

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 28 Oct 2006 1:10 pm

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nQOZa9MrnO8

Please excuse the lame visuals.

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"I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back." --Henny Youngman

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 28 Oct 2006 5:40 pm

The "lame visuals" weren't nearly as irritating as all the mindless prattle before the music started.

He's okay, I guess...but that band is kickass good! Just one of the many instances where I thought the backup band was better than the "star".

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 28 Oct 2006 6:02 pm

Son Seals is one of the real guys... no polish, no BS, just real down home blues. Without guys like him the band in the background you like so much wouldn't exist.

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 29 Oct 2006 10:17 am

Back in the early '80s, I saw Son Seals at Desperados in D.C., when he was at the top of his game with his health and energy intact. As a straight-up meat & potatoes electric bluesman, he was a heavy hitter who, if anything, carried the band rather than the other way around. For live performance I really preferred him to somebody like Buddy Guy, who may have twice the talent but has to be an "entertainer" and seems unable to get through a single tune without one stunt or another. Recordings are another matter, of course.

Chris Spencer · Post by **Chris Spencer** » 30 Oct 2006 2:15 pm

Back when I was a younger(circa 1982)my band mates and I were going to see Son at the University of Arkansas. We were big into the blues so we went to the local BBQ establishment to get into the right vibe and Son walks in shortly after us to load up too. I got him to sign a paper napkin for me. I wonder what ever happened to it.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 30 Oct 2006 7:45 pm

Yeah, I like him, and saw him periodically in his prime, starting when I lived in Chicago in 1972. Back then he was backing up people like Junior Wells, but he was overwhelmingly powerful. He was definitely rough and ready, but was the real deal, in the flesh, born to play blues kind of guy. You never had to ask "What kind of music is he playing?". He also didn't play a ton of notes, but would squeeze the devil out of the ones he did play. Just get some BBQ, collard greens, beans, cornbread, and a cold beer, and sit a spell and feel the blues, 'cause he served 'em up exactly one way - intense.

I also preferred his live performances to recordings. But I honestly think that was true of most of the great traditional bluesmen. The best places to hear blues are a rough-and-ready club or outside at a fish-fry or barbecue. IMO, of course.

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 2 Nov 2006 6:11 pm

Yes, health was a real problem for him there at the end. And his final CD was sad. But back in about 1980 he had some kind of blues album of the year award.

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"I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back." --Henny Youngman

William Steward · Post by **William Steward** » 7 Nov 2006 3:58 am

I have to agree with Donny and I thought the guy with the Stratocaster was a much more interesting guitar strangler. As usual the guitar players nearly drowned out the Hammond solo....laying out never seems like an option for most guys with electric guitars!