MICHAEL MESSER BAND - Britain's leading slide guitarist & roots music innovator

MICHAEL MESSER - VOCALS & SLIDE GUITAR
ED GENIS - GUITAR & VOCALS
LOUIE GENIS - TURNTABLES 'THE SCRATCH MAN'
JERRY SOFFE - BASS GUITAR
SIMON PRICE - DRUMS
(RICHARD CAUSON - PIANO & WURLITZER - studio & occasional shows)

TO HEAR LIVE TRACKS & VIEW FILMS >CLICK THESE LINKS

CLICK HERE >'DRIVING WHEEL BLUES' LIVE IN 2006 mp3

CLICK HERE >'ROLLING & TUMBLING' LIVE IN 2006 mp3

MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND BAND
ROOTS & BLUES FESTIVAL >ITALY 2007

MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND BAND
SPYDAFEST SOUNDCHECK >UK 2004

Michael Messer is a virtuoso slide guitarist who has one of the best bands
performing some of the greatest blues tunes produced this century.
His playing encompasses the entire history of the blues but is totally individual and contemporary.
His use of turntables in the band add a new element to the sound produced.
Michael’s haunting vocals ooze authenticity and integrity.
The American magazine, ‘Spirit’ listed Michael as one of the greatest slide guitarists
in the world alongside Duane Allman and Ry Cooder. This praise is
wholly justified and the live experience of the Michael Messer Band
will be one of the high spots of the festival. Do not miss this one!
Dave Tracey - (International Guitar Festival of Great Britain)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE >LONDON 20/7/04

Michael Messer is probably the best thing to happen to the blues since that
sad day R.L. Burnside abandoned his guitar in his manager's office.
Don't believe me? Go and see him live - acoustic or with his Second Mind Band.

Michael Messer & The Second Mind Band was on stage before the Dr John gig at
Shepherds Bush Empire on 20th July. It was encouraging to see so many turn out for
a support act but then for those 'in the know', Messer IS King Guitar! Playing from his
latest album, the superb Second Mind, (voted 'Best Blues Guitar Album Of The Year'
by International Guitar Federation, ahead of Chris Rea, Eric Bibb, Sonny Landreth and
Aynsley Lister), Messer and band rocked us and rolled us through an awesome set.

His electric slide guitar weaves and duels with the sampling and scratching from young
Louie Genis's turntable and collection of old blues vinyl. This is contemporary blues with
its heart in US delta country and urban Chicago, but here's something going on that makes
the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. Blues is a broad church with a firm foundation
- it has the robustness to evolve without losing it's soul - and here we have guitar blues at
it's most skilful, melodic and creative with the deepest of blue roots. Credit must be given,
too, to The Second Mind Band and to Terry Clarke, the writer and co-writer of much of
the material the band performs. Together they're a winning combination.
Sue Cavendish - www.netrhythms.co.uk

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Messer is one of the most important bluesmen in Britain,
and mightily relevant throughout the blues world. He has progressed from being an excellent technician -
on the National Steel especially - with good touch and an eclectic palette of stylings to choose from; to being in
the vanguard of the 21st century blues. And that doesn't mean he has forsaken traditional values either.

Second Mind is book ended by two versions of the song Locomotive Skin. The opener is reminiscent
of Skip McDonald and Adrian Sherwood's ambient-dub-blues outfit, Little Axe - it kicks in with a hefty funk beat,
and is underscored by a turntablist scratching away on an unidentified vocal sample from some ancient Mississip'
chanter - but the spirit of the Delta still breathes through these modernistic touches. The closing, hidden-track version
of the number, ghosts out of the charming, old-timey melodics of Painting The Blues - a cut which comes complete
with a lovely, liquid, lap steel solo. The scratching is again an integral part of ...Skin, but this time it spars spookily
with Messer's sparse country blues acoustic, and an age-old, yet timeless, vocal performance. The use of this framing
device sums up the breadth of Messer's musical vision. Tracks 2 to 12 travel to all points in between.

Blue Letters smoulders - Alan Whetton's smoky sax intertwines with Messer's sincere vocals. His voice quivers
with the emotion of a young Buddy Guy, while Richard Causon's disjointed, jazzy piano fills reflect Messer's
melancholy lyrics perfectly. Causon (who has worked with Ryan Adams), adds authenticity & Americana style
throughout. Next up, Hummingbirds In My Soul has the feel of a joyful, techno-inflected, J.J.Cale. Difficult to
imagine I know, but buy it and you'll see what I mean, I promise! Big Wind incorporates another aspect of
Messer's multi-faceted outlook: world music. The track resonates with an oriental vibe reminiscent of The Doors'
The End, as used in Apocalypse Now. This is as much the Killing Fields as the Killing Floor. Swathes of scorching
guitar sustain and feedback buffet other, more delicate, acoustic figures, while the lyrics tell the story of impending
(environmental?) doom. Epic stuff. This leads straight into the sleazy, stomping, good-time R'n'B of Love - which
wouldn't sound out of place on Exile On Main Street. When the ever-splendid Ruby Turner starts hollerin' in the
background you know you're in honky-tonk heaven. Jinx Alright follows: a down-home, slide guitar driven,
Delta blues crammed full with musical and lyrical references to Son House, Robert Johnson and Arthur Crudup,
amongst others. Enough variety, already!! I hear you cry; and it can be a bit bewildering sometimes,
but a few listens and it all makes perfect sense. A beautiful amalgam of history and foresight;
musicality and grit; blues, boogie and beats - Second Mind is a work of near genius.
Joe Cushley "Blues Matters!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Messer and the Second Mind Band have natural style and originality. The material
is fresh contemporary blues with a post war Chicago flavour. Rolling-&-tumbling-slide-guitar-blues
presented with a style & capacity only few players can attain. The 17th International Guitar Festival
of Great Britain was opened by one of the best guitarists in the world. Michael’s self-deprecating
manner and pure musicianship shine naturally, a master of his instrument, his music almost
creating a genre of his own. If you need to look for analogies there is much here; not just
Duane Allman and Ry Cooder, try Moby, Little Axe, even Brian Jones.

With possibly two of the best guitar albums of the 21st century to his credit, ‘King Guitar’
and ‘Second Mind’ - Michaels playing will become legendary. The Second Mind Band
features - DJ Louie Genis, scratching old vinyl and atmospheric loops, (now such a
feature of the Michael Messer sound), Jerry Soffe (the one and only) on bass,
Simon Price on drums and Ed Genis on guitar.

Michael Messer is the most important British blues guitarist of the modern era.
Mike C

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE 2005 INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL OF GREAT BRITAIN kicked off with a gig
by Michael Messer and The Second Mind Band. The five piece band soon got into a low down
dirty blues groove with a series of slower paced songs, including Blue Letters, Take Me Back
and Driving Wheel Blues. Now comparisons have been made with Ry Cooder, but somehow to
me both band and Michael got into a ‘Little Feat’ type groove with his excellent slide guitar
reminiscent of the great, late Lowell George.

The band, which featured Simon Price (drums), Gerry Soffe (bass), and father and son due,
Ed Genis (guitar) and Louie Genis on turntable, was excellent. I would highlight the unusual
use of the turntable, more associated with rap music, this time a variety of samples – Muddy
Waters, Johnny Shines etc – blended seamlessly into the blues based music. The second
set included Sunflower River, Lucky Charms, I Can’t Be Satisfied and a tribute to the master,
Robert Johnson’s Wake. Effortless, charming and musicians of the highest standards
– the 17th Guitar Festival is definitely in very good hands.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MICHAEL MESSER >INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL 2005

Ok it’s here again and off to a great start with the slide supremo Michael Messer.
A relaxed lounge atmosphere and an attentive audience from far and wide across the North West,
judging by conversations in the mid concert break. As for the concert it was a sublime blend of blues styles
from the tradition of Howling Wolf through to Ry Cooder and Chris Rea, but delivered within a package that
was entirely their own. The tight five piece comprised Michael himself, Ed Genis on guitar, Louie Genis on turntable,
Jerry Soffe on Fender Jazz Bass and Simon Price on drums. Clever stuff really as the brilliance of Michaels work was fully
matched by the innovation and creative flare of the band.

One thing worth stating is don’t ignore the vocals because Michael's voice is great and within
the context of the songs he created a dark and powerful edge to proceedings.
T Sal

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last night was an experience I'm glad I didn't miss.
Michael Messer played 3 different guitars, all with equal expertise, whilst his band proved
to be true professionals at their craft. It was good to hear blues with a refreshingly modern slant.
A good time was had by all! Wonderful music – fantastic slide guitar – all playing well together.
Martin Everson-Davis

Michael Messer Band was next on stage with a heavier sound but this genius of slide guitar
also played homage to blues roots. By using his mastery of many different slide guitar
styles and amalgamating them he produces a great new sound, backed by a very able band.
Most of the songs were from his new album "King Guitar"
which is a collection, that really shows what the man can do.
Hugh Beverton

Michael Messer & The Second Mind Band - Purcell Room, London, 31.2.03
The highly respected British slide master Michael Messer’s current band incarnation is named in conjunction with
their current CD. The Second Mind Band line-up tonight featured Michael’s long time guitar partner Ed Genis on
rhythm and lead. Ed’s son, Louie Genis adds a great deal to the developing gumbo of the band with his vinyl scratching;
sampling blues icons and reaching back into the future. Alan Whetton on saxophone, Matt Round on electric bass
and drummer Simon Price completed the band with their steady back line. The slow rollin’ “Second Mind” CD
opener “Locomotive Skin” launched the extended main set followed by “Blue Letters” in a similar vein but with
an almost free form ending. From the four-piece mouth-watering guitar display, Michael selected the wooden
body resonator for the fascinating “Hummingbirds In My Soul” followed by a short “Jinx Alright”. The body of
the band having retired behind the stage backdrop, Ed Genis switched to an acoustic six-string, and Michael took
up a weighty looking lap-steel for the jaunty hokum title “Shouldn’t Do That”. The pair continued with Ed picking
and Michael’s trademark slide work on the instrumental “Sweetheart Darling”. With the return of the full band,
“Rollin & Tumblin”, for which Ed switched back to electric mode, followed the country styled “Crow Blues”.
Alan Whetton until now had switched between alto and tenor sax’s giving more of an up front atmospheric mix
than on the “Second Mind” release being promoted. For “Shine On” he took to a soprano model and with Michael
back on lap steel they covered atmospherics as broad as the skies from Minnesota to Natchez.
Amongst many, the set closed with two particular highlights. The most prominent scratching of the set from
Louie Genis and a bottom string riff anchored “Bluer Than Blue”. The tune wound down with Ed, Louie and
Michael jamming loosely to fade. “King Guitar” morphed into “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”.
An encore rendered “Driving Wheel” and, from the same beat the Stones stole and rolled with,
echoing “Tumblin’ Dice”, “Love”. “Love” yields the line
“Its true dead men cannot talk, but I swear I heard them sing."
In the soupy mix of Michael Messer and the Second Mind Band I heard them too.
Frank Franklin - "Blues In Britain"

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

IF YOU HAVE FOUND THIS PAGE WITHOUT THE INDEX HOMEPAGE OF THE WEBSITE CLICK HERE