Rockin' Song of the Week No.63 - Big Boy Bloater – Whammy!

Big Boy Bloater – Whammy!

Although he’s been fronting his own rockin’ blues and for fifteen years, I’ve only seen Big Boy Bloater leading the Rhythm Riot backing band. He’s bloody good at it, and has enhanced the performance of a load of acts from Nappy Brown to Big jay McNeely. According to his website he’s heavily influenced by the early sounds of Ike Turner, Johnny 'Guitar’ Watson, Mickey Baker and BB King. The two CD’s I’ve got of his lay testament to that. The song I’m freakin’ to at the moment is Whammy! from his 2008 release, That Ain’t My Name. High profile rocker Mark Lamarr was such a fan of the song that he produced a 7” vinyl single with Whammy! on the top side and Double Whammy!! on the flip. Perhaps a tad biased, Lamarr enthused “"Both sides are as good as the best 50's releases!". Whammy! is a guitar instrumental that is as aptly titled as Jerry lee calling a song “piano” or King Curtis to record a two minute blast of honkin’ sax and call it “two minute blast of honkin’ sax”. Bloater sounds like Ike Turner on Cobra. Like his hero he certainly knows his way around the whammy bar and it’s a hot, slashing slice of blues. I’m seeing Big boy Bloater and his Southside Stompers at the Twinwood Festival in a week or two and on this evidence it should be fun.