TIRED OF THE BLUES

www.bighornmusic.com/Johnny/Rhino/

Does it drive you crazy to go to a club where musicans are jamming and listen to hour after hour of mindles three chord noodling they like to call the blues? One of the songs on the Rhino's CD SWING SHIFT MACHINE OPERATOR is TIRED OF THE BLUES. While this song has gotten more air play than any other, it was inspired by the Rhino's early days in bands.

Gigs were often four hours long and when material ran out there was nothing like a slow blues to kill time. Often the Rhino would make up lyrics, two verses, then let the guitar player play a solo of one or two times around the three chord music track. Like a race of fat guys it would lumber on until time was up.

If someone complained the reply "Why it is the blues! sacred music of the black man." Of course you would leave out that the black man had made it an art form not an exucuse for musical laziness.

Today the contemporary musician slinks out to the car, Gets blasted, then comes in an bores everyone with his pentatonic noodling. Sign up group or individual after sign up group or individual boring there spouse and friends to tears. There associates want to encourage there love of music but secretly wish the were home watching the washing machine.

The club, of course, just wants there group of friends to buy drinks and food. So they put up with it and even bring in the leaders of the snooze. They would not ask if they could jam a song or and extended idea. "Thats not the blues you just don't understand."

The Rhino loves a good blues song in the mix. It can get the toe tappin and be very clever. But, as for Jam night, "I've paid my dues and I'm Tired of the Blues.