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GS: No. For a long time in the blues, there’s been Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. I
don’t know who might be coming after them.
RA: They never really reached the public acceptance of Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray
Vaughan. Most people, you say Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, they’ll be like, “Who?”

They’re not kids anymore. It’s encouraging that live music is getting pushed by a lot of artists who
some years ago were more concerned with sequenced tracks. I see more live music being
promoted. Maybe it’s just the circles I run in.

GS: You have a new album coming out next month. How is it different than previous albums
you’ve recorded?

RA: We play what we call modern blues. It’s a combination of blues, jazz, and rock, but it’s all
blues-based. I gave copies to a few people. What I’ve gotten is that it’s just been brought to a whole
new level. It’s still blues, but it’s a whole different level than what we’ve done before. Honestly, I’m
not really sure what they’re talking about, but OK. Almost everything that I write is based on my
own life. If they like it, that’s good. Have you heard the album?

GS: Yes.
RA: Did anything stand out to you?

GS: The first track. And the version of “John the Revelator”.
RA: “John the Revelator” has been done so many times. They always stick to the same lyrics and

the same general song. I was thinking what if John was sitting there in his cave writing the Book of
Revelations and all the other gods just popped in and gave their own version of what the end of
times is going to be like? So I wrote the lyrics like that. I had Buddha come by, and Odin, and
Brahma. I like the way it came out.

GS: You have done pretty well in Europe.
What’s the difference between In Manchester on May

performing in Europe and performing in 17, 1966, Dylan’s use
the U.S.? of an electric guitar
RA: Generally I’ve found that people that provoked a shout of
come to see us are less genre-specific. ‘Judas’ from one of
They’re the kind of people who will go out the audience.

and see a blues band one night, a heavy
metal band another night. They just like
good music and music that’s performed
well. Here, it’s, “You’re not a real heavy
metal guy, you poseur!” You’re always
going to have people that are experts in a
particular genre. They’re like “You’re not

really blues. You’re not really rock.” One comment that we get a lot is “I don’t really like the blues,
but I like what you guys do.” What we’re doing is the blues. I’m glad you like it.

GS: We do get a little particular here.
RA: The way I look at it is, as long as they listen to it. If they’re going to hear it, then they can

decide if they like it or not. If they want to say, “I like it, but it’s not…” that’s OK. As long as you
like it. I always remember that Dylan came out and did his electric set at the Newport Folk Festival,