Thu 2 Jul 2009
This week hear an interview with Rod Piazza and songs from his brand new record Soul Monster.
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Rod Piazza has been making blues records since way back in 1967. At that time the group was called The Dirty Blues Band. Rod’s interest in the blues goes even farther back to the mid-fifties, when he would listen to his older brother’s records. Artists like Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, and Big Joe Turner. Rod was also learning how to play the guitar and harmonica at this time. Lucky for us, when The Dirty Blues Band was first starting out they found Rod was better at playing the harp and singing than playing the guitar. He quickly put the guitar away, giving his fans more opportunity to hear him blow harp. The Dirty Blues Band only made two records. By 1970 Rod found himself in a band called Bacon Fat with west cost blues legend George “Harmonica” Smith. Rod would open the show, then later George would take over. The show would always end with the two harmonica players together on stage.
In the early eighties Rod formed the Mighty Flyers and released their first record called Radioactive Material. Since then he’s released about 17 records, most with the Mighty Flyers and some as a solo artist. In the show you will hear Rod talk more about working with George “Harmonica” Smith and the difference between his solo records and the ones with the Mighty Flyers.
Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet’s new record came out June 16, 2009 on Delta Groove Productions. The CD kicks off with the title track “Soul Monster.” From the very first notes, you know this is going to be an enjoyable trip. Rod will tell us about how the song “Soul Monster” came about. Also why he wrote the song “Cheap Wine,” and why he did a remake of one of his songs from the 1992 CD Alphabet Blues. Some other songs you should know about on the CD: “Key to the Highway,” many fans over the years have heard Rod do this live and have asked him to release it, so here you go. “Sunbird” was a song Rod had produced for a George “Harmonica” Smith record. Jimmy Reed’s “Can’t Stand to See You Go” is a song that Rod said he always liked the cord changes on because they were a little different and the lyrics were good. Henry Carvajal the guitarist for the Mighty Flyers sings kind of a doo-wop song called “Talk to Me”, very good job.
Be sure to go to Delta Groove Productions or any CD outlet to buy Soul Monster you will love it.
Song in this weeks podcast are:
Soul Monster
Cheap Wine
Tell Me About It Sam
Expression Session
Rod Piazza at Delta Groove Productions
Buy Rod Piazza’s Soul Monster from Delta Groove Productions
Check out other great artists at Delta Groove Productions,
Like the new ones by Candy Kane, Bobby Jones, Jason Ricci, or The Insomniacs.
Buy Rod Piazza Cd’s from Amazon.Com
Thanks to thank Frank Vigil for letting us use one of his photos of Rod & Miss Honey. If you would like to see more really good photos this band or other blues bands go to the Frank Vigil Website.
I’d like to thank Rod Piazza for taking time out of his busy day to do this interview and big thanks to Jody Best for all her help in setting everything up.
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Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
formerly A1 Artist Spotlight. Com
by A1 Mark