Walter Trout, who has played alongside some of the greatest names in Blues, spoke to DNA in an email interview
Walter Trout stirred many souls with his fiery guitar playing skill and passionate voice when he was in the country last year. The South Californian Blues guitar legend, rated as the sixth greatest Blues guitarist of all time by a BBC radio poll, is all set to cast his spell one more time with his showmanship and raw power when he jams at Bandra’s MMDRA Grounds on Feb 3 for the Johnnie Walker One Tree Festival. Popularly known as Fred, magic happens when Trout plays. The artist, who has played alongside some of the greatest names in Blues, including John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Canned Heat over the last 35 years, spoke to DNA in an email interview
Congratulations for being named as the BEST Blues Artist ever by Dutch Radio listeners
Thank you very much! I am quite honoured to have had my song chosen by the people of Holland.
UK charts tip you as one of the top six guitar players. How does inching ahead of wizards like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Satriani feel?
It feels great, but I always try to keep these things in proper perspective and just try continue doing my best.
Will you be playing numbers from Full Circle in Mumbai?
Yes! I will be doing many songs with my band, and then I will bring up my special guests, Guitar Shorty and Bernard Allison — who appeared with me on Full Circle. We will play songs that appear on the CD and also some special “one time only” jamming.
Who do you claim as your influences? Was it Michael Bloomfield who got you hooked to guitar?
That’s right! Before I heard him, I was already playing guitar, but his playing opened up my ears to a whole new way of playing blues guitar.
What are your favorite memories as a member of Canned Heat and Bluesbreaker?
There are too many to mention and a lot of them are not for the public! But I would have to say one of my favorite memories is the times we got to appear and to jam with BB King, who I consider the all time greatest blues musician.
You have been accused of playing too many notes, while you play lead by people who call themselves blues purists? How do you measure up to that?
I play from my heart and I play what God puts into my heart to play. You either like it or you don’t — I can’t be bothered trying to please every critic. My concern is to play with honesty. If I do that — it doesn’t matter if I play one note or ten thousand — as long as I mean every one of them.
Your band was coined The Walter Trout Band and later it became The Free Radicals. Why?
I thought the band needed an identity, such as the Bluesbreakers with John Mayall, so we became the Free Radicals.
What is the future of classic blues rock in this age?
I think this music is timeless. There will be always be an audience for music that is heart felt and played on real instruments by real human being. I am very happy that the people of India have embraced this music and have embraced me in the beautiful way that they have. I look forward to come back and perform in India.
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