Joe Bonamassa was nice enough to join me last week to talk about his latest albums/projects, plus, his upcoming show at the historic Fox Theater on November 18th. He told me how much he loves that place. I actually made a separate story just for his comments on the Fox.
Joe told me about his latest live album, Tales Of Time, which he recorded at the legendary Red Rocks concert venue in Colorado. He said that the weather was an issue with the two shows he played there to capture his live show. He said the weather was much better the second night, and that’s where most of the tracks come from.
Speaking of live albums, he already has another recorded and ready to drop next year. This one though is completely different. That one was recorded at the Hollywood Bowl with an orchestra. He told me about the challenges of making that album, and how proud he is of it since he’s lived out in southern California for a couple of decades. “It makes them completely different” was his response when I asked him if the orchestra breathed new life into these songs.
Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 is out, twenty years after the first Vol. 1. He spoke to the making of that album as well.
Does he still have the fire he had as a younger guitar player? “Yeah…the minute the fire goes away is when you got to hang it up.” He said he’s not there yet.
What about any legendary guitar players he hasn’t played with yet? He’s played with so many, there’s not many he hasn’t played with. He told me, which I’ve heard before, the bigger the star, the nicer the person.
I wrapped it up by asking about the late Jeff Beck. “To me, he was the greatest rock guitar player of all time. For six decades he was reinventing himself.” He spoke to seeing Jeff before the shows, playing his guitar in his dressing room. He said it was the most incredible thing. “He lives in rarified air.”
-Meltdown-