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Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 24 Apr 2008, 19:43
by jwanzong
From Willy and the Poor Boys to Rea and Rich Boys!

Oxford displays the current definition of artist as:
">>A learned person; a person who creates art
>>A follower of a pursuit in which skill comes by study or practice and one who makes their craft a fine art "
This definition really translates to "Artists" vs. "Legends". Artists include those who have learned the art of compilation and layering rather than first hand creation. While these artists may be good at their 'craft' and may earn substantial profits it is rare they will ever get defined as a LEGEND. Artists, and their fans, measure their success by the number of times their song is downloaded and the frequency of play it gets on MTV. Artists tend to give away all of themselves, their values, morals and all the tricks up their sleeves as fast as possible and then die a miserable empty death. Legends hone their skills and look for ways to bring something new to the market rather than bleeding the current trendy cash cow by making a tweak or two to what's been done a 100 times before. Legends pay tribute to their roots. Legends LOVE their instruments. Legends honor their heroes and prove that is is still cool to have heroes! A legends' music is richly infused with references that are not always made for the sake of the audience but more for the feeding of their artistic sole. Legends evolve but never loose who they really are at their roots. Legends never give all their cards away because they are still finding them. Legends die in glory and become the next generation of heroes. Perhaps Oxford needs to update it's definitions!

Chris Rea may have started as an artist back in the 70's and many still tag him with his payday hits of Fool and Road to Hell but the time has come to judge him on his ENTIRE journey and his bold body of work. His work in the last 5 years has been nothing short of legendary. He has managed to single handedly cut a path through a deadening industry and create a buzz that reminds me of the early days of CCR, Santana, Robin Ford and other legendary artists. There is a grass roots feel to his compilations and an emphasis on show casing instruments, eras, styles and methods. To hell with making it mainstream, pop or commercial. This is real music - music for those who want to put on a records and sit back with a glass of wine and a cigarette and marvel at the sounds. And God Bless his return to vinyl! Oh the smell and feel of an actual album!

To carve out a piece of the market place as Mr Rea has done and to package it as something new and exciting it an amazing feat. His latest works are tributes to the best of the old, packaged with the best of the new! The art work is staggeringly well thought out, captivating and story telling. It tells the story of not just one man's journey from hell and back but those who paved the road to the BLUES via their own roads to hell. Chris Rea has thrown back in the faces of those who doubted that anything not mass produced could be successful and that anything educational could be viewed as art (Yes I did say Educational! Blue Guitars should be required in all music schools). He has proven an industry wrong and done so with class and skill. If you want to learn the history of the blues - look no further than this man's work. The question remains - how could one man, coming back from the brink of death see this so clearly when no one else could? The answer possibly is that Chris stopped worrying about earning long enough to listen to his yearning. He also had the foresight to trust that others also had the same craving for this type of product! Obviously the entertainment executives need new antennas because they are missing the musical revolution that is hiding under the mountains of cheap dollars made from fast-food type music. Chris Rea has proven than a dollar earned by bearing your sole and honoring your heroes is better than five dollars earned by selling your sole!

If you have not purchased Stoney Road, Blue Jukebox, Blue Guitars or The Return of the Hofner Blue Notes you simply must do so. There is no greater musical investment for your dollar these days. You are buying history in the making and the work of a TRUE LEGEND! And it's just [EDIT: Please don't use this word] good music! Well done Chris Rea!

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 24 Apr 2008, 21:00
by Jim M
WELL SAID !!
Jim

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 24 Apr 2008, 21:06
by lilybee
Wow, nicely done Jenn, :D

And I thought I was Chris´ biggest fan... :D

lilybee

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 25 Apr 2008, 17:02
by Tina3
This is a fanastic tribute to Chris.Well done and well said. :) :)
Tina :)

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 25 Apr 2008, 18:22
by Chris
Hi everyone,
Great review! I think Chris should read it, therefore could someone please send it to chrisrea.com? A link would be enough.
Take care,
Chris

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 25 Apr 2008, 19:13
by Tina3
Hi Chris,
Chris wrote:Great review! I think Chris should read it, therefore could someone please send it to chrisrea.com? A link would be enough.
I thought this was a great idea and I done as you suggested. :) I hope no one is offended :)or maybe I should have left it for jwanzong ???
Tina :) :)

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 25 Apr 2008, 22:36
by imagemkr
Great Job! We need more of this type if exposure here in the US for Chris.

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 26 Apr 2008, 02:53
by jwanzong
Tina3 wrote:Hi Chris,
Chris wrote:Great review! I think Chris should read it, therefore could someone please send it to chrisrea.com? A link would be enough.
I thought this was a great idea and I done as you suggested. :) I hope no one is offended :)or maybe I should have left it for jwanzong ???
Tina :) :)
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to whomever forwarded it to Chrisrea.com. I meant to do it but got sidetracked with work.

My ONLY complaint about the latest compilation.....I keep having a heart attack thinking the cd's will warp in the car (because they look like my old 45's - many of which ended up as potato chip bowls or candy dishes afer spending a day in the car's hot sun). But I can't truly complain because it makes me smile every time I stop myself from panicking that they warped.

Not sure if anyone is interested but I am reading a good book right now on the roots of Credence Clearwater Revival and there are some great references to Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Willie and the Poor Boys and the whole era during which Chris's style took root. It really puts his ambitions and efforts on a much higher plain because that was the era of music stripped down to it's bare essentials - just musicians and their instruments. Perhaps John Forgerty should have worked with Chris for a bit and reconnected with his roots because it does appear, despite my love for John Forggerty's work, that he has traded his roots for revenge on the music industry. It just goes to show you how one musician can dwell in the pigshit while another (a.k.a. Chris) (who has also been saddled with other HUGE obstacles) can rise above it all and continue the era of these legends - and in fact bring these legends back to the current mainstream of the industry! I believe in 50 years from now people will use Chris's name in the same sentence with his heroes.

Love this site - Thanks Bart for all the effort you put into it!
Jennifer

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 26 Apr 2008, 06:17
by Chris
Hi Jennifer,

Could you please write what's the title of the book, who published it etc., you have been reading?
A piece of advice, if I may: just copy your CDs for you car and use only copies on your car player. They won't be so valuable should the sun destroy them. Especially in California!
Over here, in Warsaw, we are getting ready for Mark Knopfler's gig in early May and for Bob Dylan visiting a small students' club in June.
Thank you.
Have a nice weekend,
Chris

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 26 Apr 2008, 08:27
by Bart
jwanzong wrote:Love this site - Thanks Bart for all the effort you put into it!
Jennifer
Jennifer;

Thank you very much for these kind words... Yes, I do invest lotst of time (although not always seen by the visitors, things change often at the background) and money in this site, but I never forget that it is actually members like yourself and so many other dear friends (you know who I mean) "on board" that MAKE the site come to live... Withouth you there wouldn't be so much to read, so much fun and so much arguing... So in the other direction I am always (trust me, that is always on my mind when working on the site) very thankfull for all the great members that help me make this the world's biggest Chris Rea fan community (it is, isn't it?).
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !! :D :D

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 26 Apr 2008, 15:26
by Tina3
Hi Jennifier,
As long as you are not upset that I did it even though it was your post that gave us the information.Like Chris (hello to you too :) ) as well could you give me the name of that book you are reading please as it sounds very interesting.John Fogerty is yet another great singer.I love his latest album. :)
Tina :)

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 21:20
by lilybee
Thank you very much for these kind words... Yes, I do invest lotst of time (although not always seen by the visitors, things change often at the background) and money in this site, but I never forget that it is actually members like yourself and so many other dear friends (you know who I mean) "on board" that MAKE the site come to live... Withouth you there wouldn't be so much to read, so much fun and so much arguing... So in the other direction I am always (trust me, that is always on my mind when working on the site) very thankfull for all the great members that help me make this the world's biggest Chris Rea fan community (it is, isn't it?).
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!
THANK YOU Bart :D This IS THE most popular Chris Rea forum I know of, and I sooo enjoy the "reading, fun, and arguing" with those dear friends on board... 8)

Lily B.

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 29 Apr 2008, 09:26
by Tina3
Hi Everyone,
I agree with these comments too.Bart you have the BEST C.R. site on the net.
Tina :)

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 29 Apr 2008, 13:37
by TescoGirl33
I second that, Bart. You have a wonderful site here, jam packed with information about THE MAN. I come on this site almost every day, although you don't always see me. :D

Re: Review For Blues Review Tx, USA

Posted: 29 Apr 2008, 22:34
by mark hughes
There's no greater site on the Internet! I come on here most days although I don't post as much as I could I've been here a couple of years and watched this place change, and change for the better! Love the new format Bart. :D

Just one thing though........as we have quite a few regular visitors now is there any chance of bringing back 'chat'? I remember the Friday night sessions but I can understand why you took it of as the users dwindled a little.

Any support to convince Bart?