BY MONTE ADKISON "THE BLUES STALKER"
(Photos: Courtesy Stephen Wild)
Blues Stalker: David, I recently became a
big fan of yours after your U.S. release of "Skeleton Key." Please
tell fans like myself about your early career.
David Gogo: I've always had a guitar as far back as I can remember.
I was first inspired by seeing Elvis Presley on TV as a youngster and eventually
moved on to the Beatles, Stones, Kinks etc. My father's record collection
included Otis Redding, BB King, Hank Williams and others that have stuck
with me. I started playing professionally as a teenager and haven't looked
back!
B.S.: Your diversity with covers
by such artists as Depeche Mode and Stevie Wonder is an interesting approach.
How do you get such inspiration?
D.G.: I tend to think that there are two kinds of music,
good and bad. I always try to find the good stuff in everything I hear. When
I cover a song I try to put my own twist on it whether it's changing the
tempo (Signed, Sealed), or changing things stylistically (Personal Jesus).
Doing a carbon copy of the original with new vocals doesn't really make sense
to me.
B.S.: You performed at B.B. King's 80th birthday
celebration and had an audience with "the King" afterwards. Tell
us about that experience.
D.G.: What can I say? The man is a living legend, the King of the
Blues! He is such a graceful, generous dude. I actually played onstage with
him in Montreux years ago, trading licks with him and Otis Rush. Very exciting
and very surreal. These are my heroes and I'm on stage playing with them!
I hope I can learn to be as humble and cool as these guys some day.
B.S.: You also recently opened for Johnny
Winter at sold-out shows in Montreal or Toronto. How did that go? I talked
recently to Paul Nelson (Johnny's manager) and he said the group was quite
impressed with your playing.
D.G.: Johnny Winter is another hero. We've played quite a few shows
with him recently and it has been a pleasurable and successful experience.
With my style of music, to get the opportunity to play in front of a sold-out
audience of Johnny Winter fans is only going to be beneficial to my career.
Johnny is a great guy and the records he produced for Muddy Waters are some
of the best blues I've ever heard.
B.S.: You
have a reputation for being quite a comedian as well as musician. Is your
sense of humor evident in your performances?
D.G.: Yeah, I guess I've got the reputation as a funny guy. It helps
to cope with the craziness of life on the road. My humour comes out more
in the acoustic shows I do where it's a little easier to communicate with
the audience. I might get a little more brave as I listen to comedy as much
as music when I'm on the road.
B.S: You possess a unique ability to merge
blues, rock, and r + b in your works. Do you think this eclectic ability
increases your audience appeal?
D.G.: Once again, I try to find the good, the soul in everything
that I hear. I've never been afraid to mix elements of rock, soul, whatever
into my blues. Much to the chagrin of purists, I'm sure. It does make my
music a little more accessible; perhaps more exciting than some blues bands
out there. I try to turn people on to blues who might not normally be into
it.
B.S.: The Canadian blues scene seems to have
exploded in recent years. Do you play mainly in the Vancouver area or do
you tour coast-to-coast?
D.G.: I actually live on Vancouver Island, about one and a half
hours by ferry across the water from Vancouver. I travel all over Canada
and have to have two bands to make this possible. Canada is so huge that
the only way to make things work for me at this point is to have a western
band and an eastern band. I do solo acoustic performances, as well.
B.S.: I know with guitar players it is all
about gear. Tell me about your favorite gear.
D.G.: Oh God, I could go on all day! I have a ton of gear. Various
Stratocaster, a '59 355, a White Falcon, a flying V, on and on. My on stage
pedals are 2 Tube Screamers, a Vox wah, Boss stage tuner, Roland Leslie pedal
and vibrato. I usually play through a 100 watt Marshall Plexi head with a
4X12 cabinet.
B.S.: Any plans for a U.S. tour?
D.G.: We've just been getting into the U.S. recently and the response
has been very positive so far, both with our performances and "Skeleton
Key." American audiences are great and I look forward to playing down
there a lot more in the future.
B.S.: Any
chance your European fans will get you over there?
D.G.: I've played Europe before but not recently. This is something
that I have to remedy. I actually had a Dutch band at one time, great players.
Someone, please, get me back to Europe!!
B.S.: You were nominated in 2005 for the Maple
Blues Awards "Electric Act of the Year." You also have recorded
acoustically also, haven't you?
D.G.: I have one acoustic album in my catalogue called "Bare
Bones" which is available on my website-www.davidgogo.com. I'll be recording
a new acoustic album this summer for release in Canada only in the fall.
I've only done acoustic shows in Canada so far, and although it's fairly
different than my electric work, it's fun and people seem to like it.
B.S.: The late Stevie Ray Vaughan talked you
into committing seriously to blues. How did that come about?
D.G.: I was lucky to get to know Stevie a little bit when I was
young and it's an experience that will stay with me always. I hung out with
him whenever he'd play in Vancouver or Victoria and he really opened the
door for blues music-past, present, and future. I opened for Double Trouble
a couple of years back and thanked them for all they did, especially making
it valid for a guy like me to do what I do for a living.
B.S.: What new projects do you have in the
works for the future?
D.G.: Getting established in the U.S. is a priority. Lots of road
work ahead! Writing and recording the new acoustic album, producing other
artists, soundtrack work, the list goes on and on. It's almost like having
a real job!
Thanks, David. I'm hooked now and can't wait to hear more from you. Keep it coming!
© 2006 www.lahoradelblues.com