Caroline Miller (CM) interview with Dale Storr (Dale) - May 2010
Dale: Intense!!!
I love playing with King King. I recorded their debut EP and did the first tour. It was brilliant. I’ve played with Alan since about 2003 so I definitely think there’s a chemistry on stage when were all playing together. You get a certain magic happening between musicians when they play together long enough. Alan is one of my all time favourite guitarists so it’s an honour to play alongside him. I have never been pushed on stage like I have with Alan. Often when I think I’ve said all I have to say in a solo Alan will push me into taking another turn which brings things out of you onstage that wouldn’t normally happen. Also being on the road with Alan and Lindsay together is a scream. We never stop laughing, nobody is safe….King King are really reaching for new heights and I can’t ever see them peaking. It just gets better and better. I’m looking forward to recording with them soon on their new album. ‘Superb Duck!’
CM: You have played in many big bands which one stands out to you?
Dale: From a playing point of view and intensity on stage, nobody comes close to King King. I have many great memories of playing with Eugene Hideaway Bridges across Europe. We had a fantastic band with Silvio Galassi on Bass and Nicolai Marangoni on drums, a great rhythm section. But it was not very musically challenging from a piano players point of view. Eugene has a fantastic voice and is a great showman but the job was a supporting role. I like more involvement on stage. I’ve also had some killer shows with Sheffield’s old blues legend Frank White over the years. He’s another one like Alan Nimmo that really pushes you on stage. That’s what I like and in turn, anybody that’s played with me since I’ve gone solo gets pushed just the same. It all makes for a better show and comes across to the audience when you’re really ‘on it’.
Dale: I guess I got into the Blues through my Parents record collection which was all Rock n’ roll, 50’s Rn’B, Country etc. I was hooked on cats like Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Booker T and the MG’s, Early Elvis etc. When you look into what music inspired all these guys to play you end up at the Blues. In fact Fats Domino’s music is nothing but early blues material ‘cleaned up’ for the 50’s pop market. I play a lot of Fats’ material on my solo shows. I also listened to Jools Holland a lot at school and his music and playing pointed the way to all my future blues piano heroes.
CM: Who were the influences on your musical career?
Dale: Carrying on from the previous question, I was hooked on this infectious style of piano I heard Jools playing so when I looked into his influences I discovered Dr.John! Hearing Dr.John for the first time (I was about 15) completely blew me away. I was not prepared for it at all. Since then New Orleans piano music has become my lifelong passion. It encompasses blues, funk, jazz, latin, classical even, but always rooted in blues. From Dr.John I discovered other major influences including Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair, Tuts Washington, Huey Smith etc and the one guy who has become my biggest influence and always will be, James Carroll Booker. He was a genius New Orleans pianist like no other. I could write you a book on him and how he has shaped my playing and my life.
Dale: It’s not their fault. I think it’s the environment they are brought up in. We are all subjected to countless ‘talent’ shows on TV and the media are constantly telling us what we should be listening to which is mainly new chart pop music. I stopped listening to all that when I was at school. I luckily was brought up listening to my parents records but young kids don’t get a chance today to hear ’proper’ music. And they don’t realise that most of the new so called RnB has it’s roots in Blues anyway
CM: What other styles of music have you drawn inspiration from?
Dale: Many. More so as times gone on. New Orleans music encompasses a lot of different styles apart from blues such as latin and funk. I’m really getting into latin rhythms and play around with those feels on solo shows merging it with blues riffs. Also Country has always been a big influence to. Floyd Cramer has been a big influence on my playing. When I’m playing ballads or fast rock n’ roll numbers alike I’ll stick in some Floyd Cramer country runs.
CM: Do you think the blues scene on the continent is better than in the UK?
Dale: I wouldn‘t say it‘s better, there are just more avenues I think. The audiences seem to be in greater numbers and there seems to be a lot more venues just solely for the purpose of promoting blues and jazz styles. I think music on the continent is promoted on a wider spectrum than just pop music. There just seems to be more avenues for listening to and going to see blues music.
Dale: I haven’t done the really big ones like Glastonbury or anything but I have done big blues based festivals. One in Belgium, the Ecaussinnes festival springs to mind which I did with Eugene. That was superb with Duke Robillard and Henry Butler on the same bill. The crowd was great. Another memorable one was a festival we did in Bremen, Germany again with Eugene. Phil Guy joined us on stage; the crowd was huge and really enthusiastic.
CM: If you didn’t play piano in a band what would you be doing?
Dale: I can’t imagine what I’d be doing without music. I’ve tried other jobs in the not too distant past and hate it. I always come back to music. When it’s with you from childhood you really can’t do anything about it. It’s who you are. So the answer is if I wasn’t playing piano in a band I’d be learning an instrument so I could play in a band.
CM: What bluesman (dead or alive) would you like to play with, live on stage?
Dale: Wow there’s a question. Well I loved Freddie King; I bet it would have been a great experience playing with his band (If you didn’t make a mistake). I’d give anything just to sit next to James Booker on a gig and just watch him play (He died in ‘83) Difficult to name just one. There are loads.
Dale: Well the last CD I bought was Randy Newman ‘Good old boys’. If that’s classed as a blues CD. There’s certainly blues based material on it.
CM: What do you do to relax when you have some spare time away from music?
Dale: I love reading, especially biogs about musicians/bands. I also like to sit and play the piano when I’m completely on my own and won’t be disturbed. That’s very relaxing and I often come up with new ideas that way. I think it’s good to leave music well alone sometimes which makes it all the more fresh when you return to it. I like doing fun stuff with my son when I’m not gigging. That completely takes my mind off music.
CM: What makes a good gig for you as a performer?
Dale: I did one the other day. A solo gig at the Bath Hotel in Sheffield. It’s only a small room but the audience cram themselves in and they are very close to you while you’re playing so it’s very intimate. They get really behind you and you can hear a pin drop when I’m doing a slow instrumental. A combination of a great venue, audience and sound makes you play really well and often makes for the best gigs
CM: What can be done to keep the blues music fresh and modern or do you think it should stay in the past?
Dale: It definitely should not be kept in the past. I think it should be brought into the school music curriculum in some form to enable pupils to see where all the popular styles of music they listen to today originated from. That way the younger generation would probably have more respect for blues and jazz etc. Also societies like yours are helping to keep the blues alive and that needs to continue which is why I’m a member and will promote the Nottingham Blues Society where I can. There are hopeful youngsters coming up though like Alex Mckown who’s a great little blues guitarist and one of my old pupils Sam Wain from Sheffield who plays some mean boogie. They are both still at school so that’s very positive. My old mate Kevin Thorpe from Out Of The Blue fame has done a lot in promoting blues to youngsters as well so there are lots of avenues to keep Blues alive and well for years to come.
Thank you Dale for taking the time to do this interview
Caroline Miller
Nottingham Blues Society
Dale: Well my best gigs have always been in England. There is nothing like a home crowd behind you. And I might be biased but I think British crowds can be the most enthusiastic. The thrill and buzz I’ve had when the crowd are giving you a deafening standing ovation after a great gig have always been here at home.
CM: Who was the last blues act that you paid to see?
Dale: I really don’t know. It’s been a long time since I went to a paid gig; it’s hard to see other acts when you play a lot yourself. I guess it would have been Dr.John and the lower 911 at the Buxton Opera house last year I think?!
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