On the Tony Coleman Interview

This might be the best interview I've ever read! ~ Janine Harty, President Blues Lovers United of San Diego, San Diego, California (USA)

Damn Dave, the artist spotlight interview is GREAT! He lays that sh*t down with no sugar on it. And taco bell is not Mexican food. Damn straight any more then what's passing for blues. Great piece Dave... ~ Tommy Eliff, Blues Musician, Long Beach, California (USA)

That was a bit of fresh air. I agree with almost everything except the Clapton part. Maybe he never heard his early work and his work with Spann, Aretha, and King Curtis, just to name a few works. Plus, the truth is that BB may not have HAD all those gigs if it weren't for Clapton, Bloomfield, and a few other white guys. ~ Steve Freund, Blues Musician, Vallejo, California (USA)

A most enlightening and enjoyable interview from the world's best blues drummers. Thanks to David Mac & BLUES JUNCTION. ~ Otis Grand, Blues Musician, London, England

Fantastic interview - GO TONY GO!!! I played Club Hey Hey in Houston one time way back then too and met Tony around that time when Lucky Peterson hired Tony and me to do a festival gig in Switzerland. Tony was indeed very opinionated but a great drummer. He had great stories about getting fired from BB's band because he would move BB's amp off to the side if he was directly in front of his drums. It wasn't an ego thing, wanting to be seen. He could read BB's cues better when he wasn't right in front of him. I would love to meet him again. This was great reading. ~ Sarasota Slim, Blues Musician, Saint Petersburg, Florida (USA):)

OMG, what a cool cat.... Not just because I agree with everything he says. I saw him play a lot with The Silent Partners in Austin and he is quite possibly the best drummer I have ever seen. Having had to witness Ms. Popovic up close, well... he nails it!!  ~ James Meredith Austin, Texas (USA)

We played with Hubert Sumlin in Buenos Aires in 1993, the same night BB King played in a theater. After the show, Tony and several other of BB King's musicians came to the club where we were playing with Hubert. When he called Tony to play, I gave him the place on drums and stayed right there, behind him learning how to do it. Tony, made a presentation of luxury to talk about Hubert Sumlin, I finished using in the CD "Made In Argentina". He say: "One more time for Mr. Hubert Sumlin, American Blues legend right here in Argentina, one of the masters of Blues guitar". He showed great respect for Hubert. He and Kenny Johnson are the two best drummers I saw from behind. ~ Adrian Flores Navegantes, Brazil

I last saw Tony in 2011 when I opened a show for BB. I have known him many years and I respect his music and his attitude about it and though his observations may cause disagreement or discomfort, Tony Coleman has brought up many important topics that people who love Blues music should think and talk about. I bet there will be a lot of reaction to his interview and we'll all learn a lot. ~ Bob Margolin Blues Musician. High Point, North Carolina (USA)

This is an excellent interview with Tony Coleman. Very to the point with no holds barred. A long overdue message... I applaud Tony for his honesty and openness. Well worth reading. ~ Greg Slim Lively Johnson, President of the Cascade Blues Association, Beaverton, Oregon (USA)

Excellent! That's a big dose of truth right there. ~ Claudia, West Bradenton, Florida (USA)

I have to admit that, uncomfortable as it is at times, I'm in agreement with just about all that Tony says in this interview. The analogy of McDonald's burger versus his grandmother's, the "undressing" of the musical acts...spot on. ~ David Portland, Oregon (USA)

My harp player turned me onto your interview with Tony Coleman. This cat is so on the damn money it hurts! I LOVED every line of this interview, especially that shit about these phony motherfuckers who got a choke hold on the "Blues Scene." I'm a white boy lost in the blues, ain't never played nothing' else. Rod Piazza and I started out with George Smith and Big Mama in the mid 60's. We played the Golden Bear many times with everybody you can think of. I'm a purist and love to play in the "gutbucket" style. Being a white dude I consider myself a blues interpreter. It's so fuckng fun to try to get as close to the real shit as possible and to know I'll never be that. I dig it.  I have given my whole life to it. 50 some years of poverty level living, and I'd do it all over again in a second. The backbiting, chicken-shit politics in this fucking “shitstem” makes me sick. If you are any good at what you do, you're a huge threat to their phony little clique. I'm proud to be a white cat layin' the shit down the way it was meant because just like Tony says it's from the soul with pure honest emotion. Nothing fancy, just real and powerful... ~ Buddy Reed Blues Musician, Arcata, California (USA)

In general....

David, I am a big fan of great journalism and therefore a fan of yours. Your knowledge, background and love of this music burns brightly through your work. You just can’t fake it. Even though everybody it seems is trying to do just that. I graduated from Columbia with a Bachelors Degree in journalism, so I know from which I speak. Keep up the good work. I look forward to what you have coming up in May. ~ Chris, New York, New York (USA)