Chicago Blues News: L V Banks

What can I write about L V Banks? L V is a Chicago West side blues artist that has no comparison.

He was born just outside Benoit, Mississippi. He moved to Greenville as a teenager. He served for four years in the army During the Korean war. Upon his release from military service he returned to Greenville and stepped off the train right into the hottest blues area of its day. Little Milton, Ike turner and their contemporaries allowed L V an opportunity to polish his craft.

His first band included Nick Charles (Billy Branch S.O.B.),Eddie Shaw on Sax and guitar man L.

B B King heard him and offered this advice “You got the voice that sings and swings so you better squeeze them strings.” L V moved to Chicago in 1965 and has lived in the same apartment since that move. He currently resides right around the corner from the current President’s house.

In 1995 Wolf Records recorded his first CD called “Ruby”.

“Hard to Love a Woman” is a straight forward driving Elmore James style rocking Blues.

The title cut “Ruby” is a nicely written almost funky Sam and Dave type number. It has a wonderful piano solo. One of the lines states “I’ll eat a rainbow” typical L V humor.

“Express Love” is in the style of B B king. It has a great opening lead guitar riff and L V’s solo work is really illustrates the Chicago west side style.

“Lonely Room” is another 1-4-5 that talks about how lonely one can be while waiting on someone who never comes. This cut has that down home style. It is one of my favorites

“Miss You Babe” moves right along and is a dancer that changes from a shuffle to a swing and back again. He writes about going to the corner to get a sweet roll and a cup of coffee. L V is the only blues man that I am aware of that sings about that particular subject. This number really cooks.

“I love My Guitar” is another tune that shows a strong B B influence. The subject matter is about a blues man’s love for his guitar and a love for his woman. Guess who wins? A blues man’s guitar will always win, because it is always true. Oh. and it does what the blues man asks of it.

“I made a Mistake” is very reminiscent of High Heel sneakers. It has the same groove which is a good thing and is very up-tempo with an outstanding guitar line and piano solo. It is quite fitting that it follows "I love my guitar", because L V kicks out his woman and does not want to be bothered with her anymore.

“Pipe Layer”. This song talks about hard times and a man’s quest for work and his landing a job as a layer of pipe. Of course anyone can read between the lines on this one.

“What happened to our Love?” Talks about relationships and love lost.

“Falling to Pieces” is another B B influenced number that drives right along with the guitar hook and lead guitar work.

“Bobby Sock Baby” talks about letting that young love go and it’s a number that cooks right along. This is one of two songs on this Cd that L V did not write

“Love Light” L V has one of the best versions out there with his cover. His vocals are right there and it is of course very well performed. L V ‘s second song that was authored by someone else.

The band includes

Michael Thomas (second guitar)

Allan Batts (keys)

Dave Kay (Bass)

Jerry Price (drums)

This CD “Ruby” showcases a blues man at his best and should be in your collection filed under “Chicago Blues”.

Authors note

I may be a little bit partial to L V Banks; he played in my back yard for my daughter’s engagement / moving to Dallas party. He also is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.

You can get L V’s CD “Ruby” on Amazon.com or direct from Wolf Records. Go to Shop and put L V Banks in the search engine.

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CHicago Blues; Big Dog's Guitar care tips

Marty Mercer Joliet

I get countless people at the shop with problems with scratchy volume & tone pots on their guitars, amps, basses. I get their equipment in & see that they are completely covered in dust, dirt & grime.

I try to explain to people that dust is the enemy.
If musicians would take a little more time to properly clean their equipment,
they could avoid (sometimes costly) repairs.

(Picture Marty at work re-fretting)

The other day I had a guitar brought to me that was so horrible,
I actually could not clean the pot. I wound up replacing the part at an additional cost to the client. Just like any other electronic equipment in your home, when dust gets into the crevices it destroys it after time.

Let me give everyone a few simple tips you can take to make your equipment last a little longer & save you some money on needless repairs.
• After playing – wipe the instrument down with a clean lint free cloth.
• This will make your strings last longer & wipe off the oils from your hands.
• Store the instrument in its case to keep the dust off of it.
• If storing it on a guitar stand out in the open, cover it with an old towel or sheet to keep the dust off.
• Twice a month – or more often depending on use- clean the instrument with a liquid cleaner to remove fingerprints, dust, & gunk.
• An inexpensive way to do this is to make a solution of 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar.
• (It’s not only less expensive, but often it’s better for the finishes to avoid harsh chemicals.)
• Store it in an old recycled spray bottle & label it so as not to confuse it with something else.
I believe that if you follow these steps that your guitar / bass will perform better with less down time sitting in the repair shop !
From the album: In the Shop
By Stone City Repair Shop

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The Big Dog Of The Blues

“I’m 6’10” and no, I never played basketball”

Martin Mercer is big, hence the moniker “Big Dog Mercer”.

Big Dog was born and Raised in Antioch, Illinois. Antioch is the most unlikely spot to raise a blues man. Nestled amongst numerous lakes; Chicagoan’s discovered Antioch in the later part of the 1800’s. They flocked to the area for fishing, hunting and gambling. Antioch’s most infamous resident was none other than Al Capone who had a residence there, as he did in so many areas of Chicago. It is rumored that he owned upwards of 400 houses spread throughout the Chicago land area. I guess you got to hide all them booze dollars somehow.

One would think that Antioch’s citizenry would birth fishermen, not blues men. I did not ask if Big Dog fishes, but he practices catch and release none the less. He catches his surroundings, writes about it and then releases it in song.

Big Dog is a blues man in every sense of the word. Off the record he has told me the regular spiels that all blues men have. He bit the blues hook and the bait was the “Blues Brothers Movie”. He jumped into that proverbial boat full of blues when he saw John Lee Hooker leaning up against a wall in the aforementioned. Something about that music hooked him and just blew him away. Big Dog claims that that movie influenced him to play guitar. The genre did not matter. At the age of sixteen he was playing Rock and Roll. I asked him what sort of music category he would put his music into, He replied, “Bluesbilly, Swamp Blues & Surfbilly.” That cleared up a lot.

The way he got his first guitar was like the way so many other teenagers got things, “Momma Please……….” Momma said no so off to old dad he went. He pleaded and he begged his father for one and he finally relented. Sears filled the order, as it did for so many guitar players and blues men. I often wonder if Sears Roebuck & Co. knows how much it contributed to the American music scene.

Not only does Big Dog pick a mean left handed guitar, he can slide on one just as well. He told me a little secret, “Whatever you can pick you can slide.” Yours truly has been plugging away at slide for a better part of a year now and I tell you folks it “ain’t” easy.

He has a way of singing that is extremely reminiscent of the old school of blues players. He has a growl to his voice that demands attention and combined with an attacking slide style, his is a joy to be heard. I might be a little partial towards Big Dog because I truly love the Blues and the blues is what he does best. Big Dog also has his own musical Instrument repair Shop.

While at Big Dogs mypace page make sure you listen to the songs "Alabama Wildman', "Big Dog Blues" and "Who's That Coming." Who's that coming has an excellent slide opening and closing.

If you get a chance to see Big Dog there is no mistaking him. There is a reason ya'll why they call him BIG DOG.

BLUES ME OR LOSE ME

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