Lillian Axe is a hard rock band that released it’s first cd in 1988,
since then they have released seven cd’s. Most people feel their 1993
cd Psychoschizophrenia was their masterpiece with vocalist Ron Taylor.
The newest cd “Waters Rising” is a perfect mix of heavy metal, hard
rock, and softer acoustic pieces that some times get near classical
music but still has a heavy feel to it.
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Before we talk about this new masterpiece “Waters Rising” lets get
some back round on Steve Blaze. He is the leader of Lillian Axe as
well as producing, engineering, song writer, keyboards and guitar
wizard.
Steve started out listening to Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Kiss,
Scorpions, and Judas Priest among others. The First record he bought
was Alice Cooper’s “Schools Out”.
Steve started playing guitar before he was a teenager and by nineteen
was playing guitar on a record for Jim Dandy (former singer for Black
Oak Arkansas).
A few years later Steve formed Lillian Axe. They made four cd’s,
touring around the world and had four videos on MTV. For those of you
too young to remember MTV, it was a cable channel that had 24-7 rock
videos. With none of the #rap they have today, sorry I’ve digressed.
After their 1993 Psychoschizophrenia cd and tour it was finely time to
take a hiatus.
Lillian Axe cd’s
1988 Lillian Axe
1989 Love and War
1992 Poetic Justice
1993 Psychoschizophrenia
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1995 Steve Blaze had a new band called “Near Life Experience” This
time he would be the lead vocalist as well as guitar wizard and
songwriter. They recorded five cd’s but only three are still in print and
you may want to order them soon before they sell out. They are only
available through their website or at concerts.
Near Life Experience is:
Steve Blaze - lead vocalist and guitar
Richard Kendrick – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Eric Morris – bass
Rob Hovey – drums
1999 Lillian Axe releases “Fields of Yesterday” (B sides)
2000 Steve Blaze joins an old 1970’s/80’s rock band he had loved as a
teen called Angel.
They are working on a cd and do concerts from time to time.
2002 Lillian Axe releases “Live”
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2005 Steve Blaze releases his first solo cd “Random Acts of Blindness”
The cd is dedicated to his father, who passed away in 2002.
Steve sings and plays all the instruments. It’s soft and mellow with a lot
of acoustic guitars.
Steve said it’s still very touching for him listen to.
2007 Lillian Axe releases “Waters Rising”
Steve Blaze said Lillian Axe had spent ten years recording and touring
with very little time off. After 12 years of no new studio recordings
“Waters Rising” is the first studio record since their highly
acclaimed 1993 cd “Psychoschizophrenia”. They have gone through many
changes both personal and with solo projects. The record industry
has changed very much in the last 12 years plus there is no MTV for
their videos. For Lillian Axe to reestablish themselves would take a
lot of hard work. After four years of working on and tweaking “Waters
Rising” it was finely released. The wait is well worth it as “Waters
Rising” is a masterpiece. Steve says this was a new beginning for the
band. He tried to get the songs to work off each other. Sometimes
there were melodic theme, a dynamic theme, or even a lyrics theme so
Steve spent a lot of time to get all songs to work together to take
you on a journey from the start to the end. When you were done you
don’t feel you heard disjointed songs but one big piece that works
together. One of the great things about “Waters Rising” after you get
past just getting to know the killer songs, is all the hidden sounds
and layering. Put head phones on and check out “Fields of Yesterday”,
“Until the End of the World”, or really any song. You will find what I
call the hidden song. Most bands put out bonus tracks. Lillian Axe’s
bonus is the deepness of each track. Steve said they layered the music
with keyboard pads, another guitar part, and neat sound effects. Some
thing’s showed up that they didn’t even plan on or know how they got
on the song. If it sounded good they left it in.
Steve said “Waters Rising” is about the pressure we have in our lives
due to all the responsibility we have as we get older. Water rising is
how you either drown or get strong and swim through it. These are some
of the lines from the song.
Waters Rising – Music and Lyrics by Steve Blaze
I felt the waters rising up on me
I drowned a thousand times but washed up from the sea
Well I can take it, so I can break it
Melt it slowly
Fireflies paint the skies
Do we really need to burn?
And everything I see
Is jaded from the light that I used to follow
And everything I need
Slips right through the cracks as I watch it wash away
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“Fields of Yesterday” Steve said is kind of the song that defends Lillian Axe.
It has many different elements in the song that all have to work
together to make this epic like song. The song is about how mankind
has evolved spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Now we have evolved
up to this point but it looks like were ready to heading right back
down. Steve feels we as humans have great potential but we’re it messing
up.
Fields of Yesterday – Music and Lyrics by Steve Blaze
Then I saw a sign near the corners of my mind
In the fields of yesterday
Looking back it’s been so long
My burning passion keeps my hunger going strong
But, I still can’t see something’s stopping me
From the lake of knowledge I thirst for desperately
Just to drink of easily
Steve’s diversity in music goes beyond heavy metal, hard rock and pop.
It goes in to classical music and new age which he likes very much and
can even deal with some country. This is very evident in the music
Steve writes with portions of all in his songs (except country). His
listening taste has continued to grow over the years. Some of the
newer bands Steve likes now are My Chemical Romance, Chevelle and Type
O Negative. By far his favorite new band is Muse, he loves the guitar
work of Matt Bellamy.
Steve’s diversity has now moved into writing and performing all the
music as well as the narration to a five part documentary. The
documentary is being written by author Dr. Alfred Adams who has
written books about the “End Times” biblical prophesy (Nearing
Midnight I & II). Steve Blaze said as a Christian he hopes to spread the
word and reach more people, and be able to create more music. They’re
hoping this will be on TV or maybe picked up by 1200 theaters.
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Steve Blaze has teamed up with Guilford Guitars to create the new
Blaze model guitar. The guitar features an alder body with hand
carved figured maple top and a rock maple neck. Original Floyd Rose
Tremolo, Buzz Feiten tuning system, and Seymour Duncan Blackout
humbucker pickups make this guitar ready to rock. For more
information click here.
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Steve Blaze is an accomplished guitarist as anyone can tell after
listening to Lillian Axe, Near Life Experience or his solo record.
Recently (Dec.2007) “Guitar Player” magazine rated Steve Blaze as one
of the most underrated guitarists. Among some of the others who shared
the list with Steve are Rory Gallagher, Ronnie Montrose, Robbie
Krieger (Doors), Rick Darringer, Andy Powell/Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash)
and the one Steve was the most proud of being on the list with Matt
Bellamy of Muse. Muse of course being the band he loves the guitar
work of the most. If you really would like to hear Steve give his
guitar a work out, listen to the song “5″ on Waters Rising. This is a
song from his solo cd that was added on to Waters Rising just to
satisfy all the fans who have asked him to do a shredding record
over the years. Steve said he is more into the songs than just a
record of shredding. What Steve did was to make one song of all the
shredding styles he knew and put them into the song “5″. “Five” has a
lot of guitars on it, I mean a lot of guitars with so many different
styles you will not be able to keep up with as they blaze by.
This is a killer end to a great cd but it is just one example of the
reason Steve Blaze is in “Guitar Player” magazine as one of the most
underrated guitarists. The rest of the reason is for what he has done
on all the other songs in the last 20 years.
Currently Lillian Axe is working on a new cd for release some time
around September 2008 and will follow it with a tour.
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In my opinion Lillian Axe’s Waters Rising is a masterpiece. It has set
a new level for bands to try in reach. From the opening of the first
song to the close of the last song this record takes you on a great
journey.
The songs played on the podcast:
1. Quarantine
2. Fields of Yesterday
3. The 2nd of May
4. Waters Rising
Lillian Axe Website
Lillian Axe MySpace page
Steve Blaze Website
Steve Blaze MySpace page
Near Life Experience
031 - Lillian Axe - Waters Rising Is The Masterpiece The Grammies Must Not Have Heard [32:00m]:
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To talking about the childhood of Jimmy D. Lane (born 1965) is to talk about the who’s who of Chicago blues. See Jimmy D. Lane’s father is Jimmy Lane but he used his step fathers name for a stage name. The world knows him as Jimmy Rogers. Jimmy Rogers played guitar in Muddy Waters All Stars along with Little Walter and Otis Spann. All four had their own record deals with Chess Records. Jimmy D. Lain remembers “Pops” would have his friends from work come over to the house. Friends like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Albert King, BB King, and Howlin’ Wolf . Jimmy said, as an eight year old he didn’t really know the importance of “pops” and his friends. He did not care who Howlin’ Wolf was he just wanted Mr. Burnett (Howlin’ Wolf) to not be so loud.
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Jimmy D. Lane was more interested in Jimmi Hendrix and Ceram than Jimmy Rogers and his friends. The funny thing is Hendrix, Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and many others of the time were looking to Jimmy’s dad and friends for their inspiration. To young Jimmy, Jimmy Rogers was just “pop” the one making him take out the garbage at night. Jimmy says he kind of came in the back door to the Chicago Blues by way of the English blues rockers. Wile still young he played around with an acoustic guitar given to him by movie star John Wayne. Jimmy went over and over his dad’s old records as well as Muddy Waters, Albert King, Robert Lockwood Jr. and Jimi Hendrix to learn all he could from them.
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After getting out of the Airborne Division in 1983 Jimmy worked construction jobs, then one day he heard Jimi Hendrix playing “Hey Joe” on the radio. From then on Jimmy D. Lane know what he wanted to do. For the next four years Jimmy worked construction by day and studded the guitar by night.
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Jimmy D. Lane had his own band and in 1987 became the lead guitarist in Jimmy Rogers Band also. This was a tuff job for Jimmy traveling to do his dad’s gigs then going back out on their brakes to tour with his band.
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The 1st record made by Jimmy D. Lane is the 1995 “Jimmy D. Lane” It has 12 songs by Jimmy and one by his dad. That’s about all I could find out about that record, it’s like the cd has vanished. In fact a lot of places call his 2nd cd “Lone Gone” his 1st cd.
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The 2nd record made by Jimmy D. Lane is the 1997 “Long Gone”
Personnel:
Freddie Crawford - bass
Jimmy D. Lane - vocal, guitar, tambourine
John Koenig - acoustic & electric guitars, tambourine
Also: Jim Keltner
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The first time I heard this cd I was at work and could feel a cold was coming on. I was tired and had a sore throat. Not in the mood to work hard. Put this cd on and a hour latter there was a smile or grin on my face, was not thinking about the sore throat, the adrenaline was pumping and a lot of work was done. This cd “Long Gone” really rocked me in to a good mood. Starting off with the Hendrix song “Hear My Train A Comin” not one of my more favorite Hendrix songs but Jimmy D. Lane does a good job of it. Then “Obsession Babies” which Lane wrote but has a good Hendrix sound to it. This is fellow by another Lane song “Lone Gone” this is more like a Stevie Ray Vaughan like song. At this point Lane slows things down with “I Shell Be Released”. With so many Bob Dylan songs Lane could pick from he pulls out a real winner. A song everyone will know but has not been over played and your ready to hear this beautiful version Lane does. Lane’s six minute version of Muddy Waters “Rolling Stone” is great. It’s like Jimi Hendrix mixed with Robin Trower. Strong vocals and inspired guitar playing even the drummer has the Mitch Mitchell sound down. Later Jimmy D. Lane does the old John Lee Hooker song “Boom Boom”. Weather you like The Yardbirds, The Animals or the original by the man him self John Lee Hooker, Jimmy D. Lane makes it his own song with good guitar licks and a lot of power behind it. Lane throws out two more songs he has written, both good rockin blues. “Oh What A Feelin’” Jimmy again shows his strong vocals and fellows it with strong lead guitar. Sorry to say I’m not for-mill-ur with Albert Kings version of “California”. After seeing Albert’s name as composer I sure could hear his stile of playing. Lane has Albert’s guitar phrasing down so good and the feel is there too. Jimmy D. Lane opened with a Jimi Hendrix song and closes with one of his own. You get hints of both Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan in “Tears Without A Shoulder”. Let me make this very clear when I say songs sound like Hendrix or Vaughan. Lane is not copying their licks and just replaying them, no, Lane is making completely new songs. Somewhat like Robin Trower sounded like Hendrix but by no means was he copying Hendrix songs. Robin was making completely new songs. This is true of Jimmy D. Lane also.
This whole cd shows that Lane can write good songs, sing strong, and play exceptional lead guitar with real feeling in both the voice and the strings. “Long Gone” is over ten years old and sounds just as fresh as the day it was recorded. This cd is well worth getting you will not be able to get enough of it for quit a wile.
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In 1997 wile Lane was bouncing from shows with his band and shows with Jimmy Rogers and his band they stopped in to Ocean Way Studio. Jimmy Rogers was going to recorded a new cd with some of his old friends and admirer’s. Lowell Fulson, Johnnie Johnson, Ted Harvey, John Koening, Freddie Crawford, Jimmy D. Lane, Kim Wilson, Carey Bell, Taj Mahal, Jeff Healey, Stephen Stills, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant all showed up to work with Jimmy Rogers. The Rolling Stones had booked the studio down the hall for the same days so in between working on Bridges to Babylon Mick Jagger and Keith Ritchards would run down the hall to work with Jimmy Rogers All-Star band. Jimmy D. Lane said everyone had a great time getting together and working on the record. The only sad thing was that Van Morrison really wanted to be a part of it and was unable because of previous commitments. If you have never heard this record “Blues Blues Blues” by Jimmy Rogers All-Stars you are really missing out on a great blues record. In my opinion Jimmy Rogers and Stephen Stills doing “Sweet Home Chicago” is the best song I’ve ever heard Stephen Stills do, ok how about the best blues song. Rogers and Jagger are great on “Don’t Start Me Talking” perhaps one of the best things Jagger has done in quit some time. Through all the songs on the record Jimmy D. Lane is playing guitar with all these great cats. On “Goin’ Away Baby” Rogers and Jagger are singing Kim Wilson is blowing harp, Keith Richards is playing guitar wile Jimmy D. Lane plays lead guitar. There are few people that can say they played lead guitar for Jagger and Richards.
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The 3rd record made by Jimmy D. Lane is the 1998 “Legacy”
Personnel:
Per Hanson - drums
Freddie Crawford - bass
Jimmy D. Lane - guitar
Also:
Hubert Sumlin - guitar
Sam Lay - drums
Jimmy Rogers - guitar
Carey Bell - harp
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The predecessor “Long Gone” was rock n’ roll firmly in bedded in the blues. “Legacy” is the blues in bedded in rock. Lane’s blues playing is at an all time peek, song after song he keeps delivering heart felt leads with powerful vocls. The first track “Hey Little Girl” you will get to hear on the podcast, it’s a fun buggy rolling rock song to get everything going. “Clue Me” Jimmy’s got that a tuff angry voice that really makes the lyrics special. I’ve never heard Memphis Slim do “Four O’Clock in the Morning” but I can’t believe it is better than Jimmy’s version. The guitar playing is what people except out of Eric Clapton or Dickey Betts when they peek. The bad thing about the song is you know sooner or latter it has to end but for 7:09 your in heaven. “Going Downtown” is a fun up beat romp with Carey Bell giving us some good harp playing. “Another Mule Kickin’ In My Stall” is a Muddy Waters song that Jimmy D. Lane and Jimmy Rogers play together. You can almost see the two of them smiling as they play together on this fun song. For the nine minutes of “In the Bed” Jimmy and band show they can play the blues/rock like the very best of them. The drum beat stands out always right there so you can’t forget where you’re going. Carey Bell’s harp is mournful Jimmy is playing fast, slow, loud, soft and everything in-between. At the beginning of the Mercy Dee Walton song “One Room Country Shack” you hear Jimmy Rogers say he just wants to pass the ball on to his son and for him to keep the ball rolling till someone else picks it up. This is the last record Jimmy Rogers recedes two months later on December 19, 1997 he passes away. Besides the great legacy of music he passes on to us perhaps the best of the legacy is just getting started. Jimmy D. Lane is the legacy and he is standing solid. Oh the song “One Room Country Shack” like everything else on the record it’s great. The next five songs are all the some the feel the grove the playing it’s all good and that is the ending track on the record”It’s all Good”. In the podcast “It’s all Good” is just our 2nd song, hey were just getting started.
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The 4th record made by Jimmy D. Lane is the 2004 “It’s Time”
Personnel:
Jimmy D. Lane - vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums
Tommy Shannon - bass guitar
Chris Layton - drums
Celia Price - piano, Hammond b-3 organ
Mike Finnigan - Hammond b-3 organ
Larry Faucette – congas
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Five years had past sense the last record and it’s very obvious that Jimmy D. Lane has grown very much. Wile “Long Gone” and “Legacy” have more good songs on them than most artist will have in all their courier. “It’s Time” takes more chances than just putting out another great record of great guitar playing. This record digs deeper into the music for a more meteor blues sound. Somewhat like Jimi Hendrix when he went from “Are You Experienced” and “Axis Bold as Love” into “Electric Ladyland”. The musicianship was a lot more noticeable. Not as many sound affects, loops, feed backing and face pace songs. You really got to hear interplay of the band working with each other as musicians. Trying out different stiles of rock and blues along with different instruments.
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Jimmy D. Lane and Eddie Kramer
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Eddie Kramer was brought in to produce and engineer this record. Jimmy said Eddie jumped into the project right from the beginning and it was a great help because he is so know-lige-able about producing. Jimmy is also a producer but he felt that would be like a doctor operating on him self. It’s better to bring someone in to do it for you. Eddie Kramer was also the engineer for Jimi Hendrix, Beatles “All You Need Is Love/Baby You’re a Rich Man”, Rolling Stones “Beggars Banquet”, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Kinks, David Bowie, and many more.
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Next was the rhythm section of Tommy Shannon on bass and Chris Layton drums. Better known to most of us as Double Trouble, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s old band. Jimmy had been old friends with Stevie, Tommy and Chris back when they play at Antone’s in Austin Texas. Getting a rhythm section like this is great because Tommy and Chris have worked together for almost 25 years and for 10 years with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Jimmy plays a lot like Stevie so Double Trouble would be a perfect fit.
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We also have Mike Finnigan on Hammond b-3 organ and Larry Faucette on congas both just happen to know Eddie Kramer from the Hendrix days. Both men had played on “Electric Ladyland”. Mike Finnigan went on to play keys with some big name’s solo artist. People like Big Brother and the Holding Compaany, Stephen Stills, Dave Mason, Peter Frampton, CSN, Rod Stewart, Buddy Guy, Ringo Starr and as always many more.
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“It’s Time” brings in different styles for a more diverse record. Jimmy gives us rock n’ blues, good old electric blues, soft laid back Blues, Chicago style acoustic blues, and just strait forward rock. The first song on this cd is the last one in the podcast. “What Makes People” is Jimmy at his best good rock n’ blues (yell, like I wont say “at his best” about another song). This first track really get you going, with a good foot stumper beat and good vocals. The next songs “‘Til I Loved You” and track 4 “Ain’t It a Pity” as well as track 6 “Stuck in the Middle” are softer blues song more beautiful than the ruff edge of the others. “‘Til I Loved You” moves at a pretty good clip wile the other two are slower. All three are beautiful songs. “Half Love” more of a blues rocker and “Bad Luck” more blues than rock both sound like Eric Clapton’s voice. Has Jimmy been learning Eric Clapton’s stile for so long he is even picking up on the voice now. Let me make this very clear we do not want any rumors starting, Eric is not on this cd. “Half Love” is in the podcast so you can judge for your self if it sounds like Eric Claption. Wile your at it also check out Jimi Hendrix like guitar playing. This is one of the things I love so much about Jimmy D. Lane how he is able to take the sounds of the people I grow up loving, mix them together and put out a completely new song that draws from them with out coping them. This is very much what Eric Claption, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and so many others did with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James and yes Jimmy Rogers. They heard something they liked changed it around and put out something new. Speaking of Elmore James (funny how that works in : - ) the best blues song on this record has got to be Elmore James’s “My Bleeding Heart”. Re-titled “Bleeding Heart” as it is also done on Jimi Hendrix’s record “War Heroes”. Jimmy D. Lane levees the other two way behind in his rendition of this song. Strong heart felt blues guitar, each note well picked and timed. He plays it soft and unhurried, later harder and quicker, with a good drum beat and beautiful organ playing, this is a real gem. This version should be a staple of any blues radio station. Unlike most long tracks (10:28) you never get bored or wish it would end. Would you like to hear something more tridental like acoustic Chicago Blues? Well you’ve come to the right place, after years of playing with the old master (Pops) Jimmy can really lay it down too. Acoustic guitar even in that Eric Claption voice, sound like your back in the fifties except for the nice cd quality. “Hand on the Door” is a fine rockers wile “24-7″ is more of the blues rocker. Each song would fit into any classic rock radio station’s play list with out a wonder as to why it is there, just why haven’t I not heard this before. Good question why haven’t we heard any of these songs on the radio? As always if you like these songs in the podcast call your radio station and tell them to play songs by Jimmy D. Lane. Tell them if they play Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page or Jagger and Richards try out the Jimmy D. Lane. He’s played with all of them and can do as good or better than any of them. Have you ever heard of a rock n blues pop hit? Neither have I but that’s the only way I know how to describe the last song. “Salina” works as a very nice ending for what I feel is an exceptional record. Jimmy’s not trying to blow you away with his last track (he just did that with “Bleeding Heart”) he’s just giving you a nice way out. When I say “Salina” could be a rock n blues pop hit. This is not meant to be disrespectful some pop songs can be good, there just more accessible to a larger grope of people. This song would appeal to a wide range of people and is just an in joy able ending to a exceptional record.
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Play list for podcast is:
1. It’s All Good - (1998) Legacy
2. Half Love - (2004) It’s Time
3. 24-7
4. ‘Til I Loved You
5. What Makes People
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Jimmy D. Lane’s records
1995 - Jimmy D. Lane
1997 - Long Gone
1998 - Legacy
2004 - It’s Time
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Jimmy D. Lane also appears on:
Jimmy Rogers “Blue Bird” 1994
Jimmy Rogers All-Stars “Blues Blues Blues” 1999
Hubert Sumlin “I Know You” 1998
Henry Townsend “My Story” 2001
Bob Margolin “All-Star Blues Jam” 2003
Ralph Bassinger “Waiting For My Train” 2007
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Jimmy D. Lane MySpace Page
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Were you keeping up with all the Jimmy’s?
We had Jimmy D. Lane, Jimmy Rogers, Jimi Hendrix and who was the other Jimmy?
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Thanks to Jimmy D. Lane for all his help in making this show happen.
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033 - Jimmy D. Lane - The Son a of Blues Legend Is Well On His Own Way [35:11m]:
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