No ordinary Joe with the world at his feet
Oct 16 2010 by Simon Rushworth
HE has gone from the darling of the underground scene to bona fide blues rock hero. SIMON RUSHWORTH caught up with guitar god Joe Bonamassa ahead of tomorrow’s Tyneside gig.
MENTION the name Bonamassa to the global blues rock community and you’ll quickly realise the man in question is no ordinary Joe.
Famed for the quality, as well as the quantity, of his distinctive work and fast gaining fresh acclaim as one quarter of classic rock supergroup Black Country Communion, the talented New Yorker has the world at his feet.
And yet there is an obvious downside for an artist who feels far closer to his fans than most – with fame comes the frightening prospect of becoming further removed from the people he relates to best.
“It used to be the case that when I was playing clubs of 200 or 300 people I could finish the gig and sit at a table and meet the people who were there,” said Bonamassa.
“There’d always be half of the crowd still milling around at the end and I’d set an hour or so aside to talk to them. I’ve always had a great relationship with my fans and many of them have become my friends.
“I’m never happier than when I’m chatting after gigs and swapping anecdotes. I find out people have danced their first wedding dance to one of my songs and stuff like that. I never take that kind of thing for granted. I might be playing big venues and festivals now, but I’m always grateful when people ask me for a handshake or some other kind of gesture.”
At this summer’s High Voltage festival, played out in front of 50,000 fans in London’s Victoria Park, Bonamassa was almost mobbed by the masses after an impromptu post-show chat with his ‘mates’.
“What happened after High Voltage just seemed like the most natural thing to do,” he added. “I came off and saw this gaggle of people hanging onto a huge wire gate. They were shouting ‘Joe, Joe’ and I was feeling fine. I wasn’t tired – I’d only played an hour instead of my usual two-and-a-half hour show.
