Back Door Slam Guitarist Talks About Blues, And Luck

We interviewed Back Door Slam, the young blues sensation from the Isle of Man, the morning after their guitar-drenched, sold-out show at the Tractor. They'd just finished a live performance at KZOK-FM, and we snared a vacant news studio for a chat over tea.

Q: So, how did three guys from the Isle of Man become so besotted in American black blues?

Davy Knowles, guitarist: As a kid growing up, I had that kind of music playing in my house all the time. I've got an older sister, and she used to get these blues magazines. So I used to be listening to Howlin' Wolf when I was about 6 or 7. And then, as soon as my dad played the Dire Straits, actually, that's when I first learned guitar. I was 11.

Q: How did you learn to play guitar?

Knowles: I had a few lessons when I first started out, but it was kind of leading me to play the classical way and I really didn't want to do that. read more