Domingo 30 Mar 2008, 16:39
I've been cruising around LastFM in search of Blues related groups to join and I though to myself, "why don't I put a summary of Blues groups together?" So I did.
Below is my list. I haven't included ALL groups. I know that there must be many artist-specific groups that I missed.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD GROUPS!
I've included some of my thoughts about the groups that I'm familiar with. These are my opinions; not necessarily the facts.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD COMMENTS OF YOUR OWN!
IF YOU'RE A LEADER FOR ONE OF THESE GROUPS, PLEASE CHIME IN!
With a little luck this list will help a few users find some nice groups to have some fun at. It's all about spending some down time with "the blues", so dawdle away!
Here's the list, in no particular order:
blues rock
Description: They say that "the blues had a baby and they call it Rock & Roll!" This is the place where the blues and rock merge and form that sound that makes you shake your ass and feel the music!
BluesRok's opinion: This group has great potential. It's been dormant for a long time, so members just have to be reminded that it's there and that it's awake now. Join it, follow it, and let's see what happens!
Blues Artist of the Week
Description: Each week another blues artist. Pick, nominate, discover, vote, discuss or promote your blues artist of the week.
BluesRok's opinion: Purplezorro runs a great group here. It's fun to stop in weekly and cast your vote, or just pop in to see how it's going. The members have great blues charts, and it's a friendly group. This group is well worth joining!
Sonny Landreth
About The Group: The Sonny Landreth group is for all fans who love real music!!!
BluesRok's opinion: One visit to this page and you'll have to click the "Join this group" button! William has to be the hardest working leader on LastFM. This group is about more than just Sonny Landreth, (but if you've never heard Sonny's slide guitar work, you're in for a real treat). There is a really great "corkboard" that personalizes the group and brings members together. You'll just have to visit the page to see what all the fuss is about!
Blues Rock & Roots Rock
Description: Blues-rock is a hybrid musical genre combining elements of the blues with rock and roll, with an emphasis on the electric guitar. It began to develop as a particular style in the mid-1960s in England and the United States through the work of bands such as Cream and The Rolling Stones, who experimented with music from the old bluesmen like Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.
BluesRok's opinion: This small group features a nice description of what constitutes the genre. I hope this group thrives because it's got some nice character.
Mofro
Description: A group in support of blues-rock group Mofro.)
BluesRok's opinion: Mofro is a blues-rock group that oozes a swampy sound. The group could use some more activity, but it's a great place to discover the band.
Blues Harp
Description: It's all about the Blues Harp or Harmonica Blowers here.
BluesRok's opinion: This is a young group that's dedicated to a specific aspect of the blues, but what a great aspect! Who doesn't hear the blues harp and FEEL the blues?
BLUES!
Description: Music played with passion and great Guitar!
BluesRok's opinion: This is a large group and it's well run. It's a great place to discover all aspects of the blues; new and classic!
Bonnie Raitt
Description: Group for those who appreciate the music of Bonnie Raitt.
BluesRok's opinion: More people need to discover Bonnie Raitt–or maybe not; we'll gladly keep her to ourselves! Probably everyone on this planet has heard her distinctive guitar and vocals, as she has performed with everybody who's anybody. This is a fine place to explore a wonderful artist!
Robben Ford
Description: Robben Ford: one of the rarest guitar players in the history of music who can entertain and chill you out in the same time!
BluesRok's opinion: Robben is a favorite artist of mine. He moves effortlessly between blues, rock, jazz, anything! He's a phenominal guitarist. Check him out here.
Taj Mahal
Description: Gonna buy you a cheverolet just to do somethin' for you…
BluesRok's opinion: Love Taj, and you will too!
Doug MacLeod
Description: A group dedicated to Doug MacLeod, one of the last remaining Bluesmen who learned from the old masters.
BluesRok's opinion: I missed my chance to see Doug here in my hometown. The leader of this group, Achiel, knows Doug personally, so he brings great knowledge and interest to the group.
Blues-Rock
Description: A group for fans of blues-rock. Everyone is welcome to join. Everyone is welcome to post.
BluesRok's opinion: I haven't explored this page much yet, but it's on my "to-do" list. It looks like an active group and they're dedicated to my favorite genre, so it's gotta be good!
Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Description: For fans of the new pedal steel man!
Gov't Mule
Description: For fans of the band.
BluesRok's opinion: This is one of my favorite bands, but sadly, this is a piss-poor group! That's not the fault of the members, but of a leader who doesn't seem to care about the group. Journal entries don't get approved, Discusions are not permitted. The leader cares more for ESPN and pop music than this great band. Gov't Mule fans deserve better.
R. Crumb
Description: Group from "Heroes of the Blues" cards.
The Roadhouse Podcast
Description: A group of dedicated blues fans and listeners of The Roadhouse Podcast - the finest blues you've never heard.
BluesRok's opinion: The leader of this group runs a great internet radio program; "The Roadhouse Podcast" I listen to it at work sometimes. Expect to learn about the Blues here! Well woth a visit or joining.
Joe Bonamassa
Description: A group for everybody is listening and admiring the music of american blues artist Joe Bonamassa.
BluesRok's opinion: Joe is a great young guitarist. I listen to him all the time. I really should visit this group more!
Warren Haynes
Description: For fans of Reverend Haynes - preaching his blues as the hardest working man in showbiz… From Gov't Mule to The ABB - and all points in between.
BluesRok's opinion: Wow, Warren is such a great artist! He writes songs that move you, he plays in several bands, and he's jamed with so many artists. Come to this group to discover Warren Haynes and you'll be rewarded nicely!
Ronnie Earl
Description: Fine like a bite of luxury food, sweet like a taste of home-made wine, the delightful music of Ronnie Earl is here!
Fat Possum Records
Description: Fat Possum Records is the home of artists like Asie Payton, Fiery Furnaces, Junior Kimbrough, T-Model Ford, The Black Keys etc.
Duane Allman
Description: Fans of one of the greatest guitarists ever, Duane Allman.
BluesRok's opinion: You may know that Duane Allman was a great slide guitarist for the legendary Allman Brother Band, and that he's dead. You may not realize that he's the genius behind Derek and the Domino's "Layla" and that he played with Arethra Franklin and others. I can't say enough about Duane Allman, so if you want to know more, visit his group page!
Pre-War Blues
Description: Dedicated to the old stuff.
BluesRok's opinion: This looks like a good place to learn about how the blues began.
Blues Boogie
Description: Blues for real!
Old People, New Music
Description: Are you 30+ but still love new music? Do you find yourself with nothing to say to your generation as they stream out to buy Kenny G and Dire Straits while you're buying Agent Simple, Frog Pocket and Akir? Then this group is for you, you weird old bastard! (For the hard of reading - if you're under thirty, DON'T JOIN!)
BluesRok's opinion: Okay, so this isn't really a "blues group", but it could be! If enough of us old farts join it, we'll blusify the charts!
Not The Same Old Blues Crap
Description: A group for those who like, or are interested in Blues Trash, Trashy Punk and Alternative Blues & Rock 'n' Roll.
BluesRok's opinion: What's new on the fringe of the blues? Check it out!
Underappreciated Artists
Description: This is a group for anyone who feels that their favourite musical artists are underappreciated. It may be that they are not widely known so do not get the attention you feel they deserve, or maybe they are unfairly disregarded by people who don't even bother to give them a chance.
BluesRok's opinion: Here's another group that needs "blusification". Who needs more love than blues artists? Tell 'em about it here!
Guitar Blues
Description: Blues music is arguably the best music in the world but there is a genre that is even better! Yes. It is good old guitar driven blues. Artists such as Walter Trout, Joe Bonamassa, Aynsly Lister, Bernard Allison, Indigenous, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and of course, Clapton and SRV. The list goes on and on. Just give them a listen and you will see that Guitar Driven Blues is the best music on the planet!
BluesRok's opinion: Take the guitar out of the blues and you've ripped out it's heart! This group is about the axe slingers of the blues. It's a really good place to discover artists.
Blues
Description: The blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on a pentatonic scale and typically on a characteristic twelve-bar chord progression. The form evolved in the United States from the spirituals of African slaves, along with their work songs, praise songs, field hollers, shouts, and chants. The use of blue notes and the prominence of call-and-response patterns in the music and lyrics are indicative of the blues' West African pedigree. The blues has been a major influence on later American and Western popular music, finding expression in ragtime, jazz, big band, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and country music, as well as conventional pop songs and even modern classical music.
Concert Stories
Description: Plato once said, “Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.” If that’s true, then live music is to the soul what a bath is to the body; an opportunity to immerse one’s self into music and let it wash away all of the bullshit that occurs in life. That might explain why you feel so damn good at a concert. Think about it. The music is loud; the crowd is swaying, no phones, no conversation, just total immersion in music. This group is dedicated to that feeling you get at a concert.
It’s also a place to tell others about what happened at the show! Tell us about that time when you took your girl to see her favorite band and she disappeared—only to show up later wearing the bass player’s shirt! If you’re that girl, tell us about the time that you went to see your favorite band and you got backstage and stole the bass player’s shirt. Tell us about the drum solo or the light show. List the shows you’ve seen. This is the group that’s all about CONCERTS! All genres are welcome here.
BluesRok's opinion: I'm partial to this group because I started it! Go there. Join it. If you like the look, give some kudos to WilliamNI, (he pimped it up for me). This isn't a blues only group, but I'd love to see more blues-folks there!
Robert Cray
Description: If you like Robert Cray's music, have seen him in concert, or just like his soulful bluesy style, join this group.
BluesRok's opinion: Here's another group that I started, so excuse me while I promote it! Robert Cray introduced me to the blues. When I discovered Cray, my family said that I "changed as a person". While I still don't know what that means, I still do love Cray's style! Join us!
Keb' Mo'
Description: Keb' Mo' draws heavily on the old-fashioned country blues style of Robert Johnson, but keeps his sound contemporary with touches of soul and folksy storytelling. He writes much of his own material and has applied his acoustic, electric, and slide guitar skills to jazz and rock-oriented bands in the past as well.
BluesRok's opinion: One listen to the talented and expressive Keb' Mo' and you'll have to join his group.
The Blues People
Description: This is for the proper blues fans and enthusiasts, but id also like the group to be open for young members like myself to find out about and learn about blues like i did. its great stuff. we take all blues people right from the blind lemon jefferson and early blues fans up to the modern black keys blues revolution.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Description: It's a Cold Shot, Baby!
BluesRok's opinion: I wish he was still with us.
BB King
Description: Fans of The Blues Master and Lucille!
Harmonica Players
Description: Welcome to the society of harmonica players! If you are a REAL harmonica player then join this society to talk about the truely wonderful instrument called harmonica, make music and have fun!
Real Deal Blues
Description: All the blues groups on these sites have a lot of crap on the charts that isn't blues. This is the Real Deal Blues Group. If your sick of seeing The Beatles topping charts in blues groups this group is for you.
BluesRok's opinion: There's nothing wrong with the goal of having "all blues charts", or screening applicants to obtain that goal. Having said that, beware; this is an exclusive, elitist group, where a 17 year old who has scobbled only a few songs passes judgement on you. If he doesn't like your charts, you don't get in. He hasn't bothered to post an avatar for the group. Applicants should be prepared to wait for weeks to be denied, or he'll just ignore your application indefinately.
Just The Blues
Description: If your charts are not mostly blues artists, you ain't gettin' in this one…But here, the goal is a pure blues group chart built in honor of the greats.
BluesRok's opinion: Here's another group where a kid acts as gatekeeper to all who dare to apply. He's scrobbled under 300 songs in the last year but he's a 'blues expert'. I think he wants to be just like "Real Deal Blues"…such low aspirations!
Robert Johnson
Description: I believe I'll dust my broom.
Blind Willie Johnson
Description: Name: Willie Johnson
Blues Brasil
Description: Grupo em português pra falar sobre blues em qualquer idioma. Uma alternativa para os bluesmen do Brasil trocarem informações e etc.
BluesRok's opinion: I don't understand a single word, but if they love the blues, I love them. I'd like to visit Brazil someday…the women there look like they could give a man a real case of the blues!
Blues - Italia
Description: Per i fan italiani del Blues, o anche per i fan del Blues italiano.
BluesRok's opinion: Like the Brasil group, I don't understand a word, ahh, but those Italian women!
Delta Blues
Description: if you like old classical delta blues,join this group! ;)
Canadian Blues
Description: A group for lovers of Canada's great blues scene!
BluesRok's opinion: I'll have to visit this group, eh?
UK Blues
Description: For fans of British r&b/blues/rock/pop music! Thanks for bringing America's greatest cultural contribution to the rest of ze world back to our collective attention.
Guitar Gods
Description: For fans of those who can JAM on the guitar!
BluesRok's opinion: The leader of this group wants more blues reflected in the charts and discussions…let's oblige!
Eric Clapton
Description: Clapton is God.
BluesRok's opinion: We have it in writing, Clapton must really be God.
Jimi Hendrix
Description: Have you ever been experienced?
BluesRok's opinion: Okay, we've established that Clapton is God. It's my opinion that God listens to Hendrix!
Quality Blues
Description: jump blues, country blues, city blues, piano blues, harmonica blues, guitar blues, it don't really matter
Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise
Description: A group for people who have been on, are going on, will be going on or just want to go on a Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise.