Blues News #698
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Blues News #698

We’re seriously into spring now, and are no longer bound to Geelong by the surrounding inclement weather, we can burst through to sunnier climes. (What are climes? “I’ll have two climes and minimum chips, thanks!”).
Anyhow, before that, we have The Detonators paying Sleepy Hollow a visit. The Detonators were formed in Melbourne way back in August 1997 and believe they have easily done more than 3000 gigs since then. Their original music, to which all members contribute, is best described as a lethal combination of early blues with a sprinkling of rockabilly and early rock n roll thrown in.
The band features bespectacled Rockbottom James on vocals and electric harmonica, Paulie Bignell on hollow body guitar, Doghouse Dave on slapping double bass with Eddie Fury on sticks and skins duty. There are six CDs in their arsenal and a book currently being written about the band’s exploits over 21 years which will be available late 2018.
The Detonators have had their music on the local film Charlie and Boots as well as the Australian crime TV series Underbelly, Thunder Road Brewing have used their songs in radio ads, and top-rated American TV series De Grassi High also uses Detonators music.
Once you have been kick started by The Dets, how about a trip up to the Maldon Blues Club. It’s only about two hours in your bluesmobile. The Maldon mob have their headquarters in the Maldon Hotel in the main street and on the afternoon of the 30th, they will be hosting The Hornets.
The Hornets have played around Melbourne for many years and have produced five critically acclaimed CDs. Everybody’s Guilty and Can’t Live With You were named in the top 10 releases for their respective years by The Age and Herald Sun. Not surprising really when you look at their pedigree.
The band consists of Craig Horne (vocals, songwriter, acoustic guitar), Jeff Burstin (acoustic/electric guitar), Wayne Duncan (bass guitar), Chris Tabone (drums), Wayne Burt (electric guitar) and Bruce Haymes (keyboards).
Patrick Donovan, Music Writer for The Age said that, Craig is “blessed with a deep soulful voice and writes Melbourne blues songs like no other”. Jeff Burstin is one of Australia’s leading guitarists. The first time Wayne Duncan played bass on a recording was back in 1966, on the Bobby and Laurie national number one hit Hitch Hiker. From there he went on to become an integral member of 70’s band Daddy Cool. Chris Tabone has played with many blues and country acts over the years, including Chris Wilson’s Spidermen, Barb Waters, country harmony band GIT, Wendy Rule, the list goes on. Wayne Burt founded the legendary Australian band Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, discovering its lead singer Joe Camilleri. Wayne wrote many of the band’s smash hits.
Aria Award winning Bruce Haymes started life playing keyboards with Russell Morris’ The Rubes and is now one of Australia’s leading piano players.
Check The Detonators on the 23rd at Sleepy Hollow, and The Hornets in Maldon on the 30th.