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“Known Unknowns”
Alyssa Bonagura
JB: "Known Unknowns"! I borrowed that
from the late Don Rumsfeld. He was the US
Defense Secretary among other things for
this country. I just like this concept of, you

know, the unknown knowns, the known
unknowns, the known knowns ... word
play, but, you know, it’s about life! And to
me it’s like all I know is what I don’t know.
We all have this feeling as musicians of an
uncertainty and trepidation of moving

forward. Because everybody invested their
whole lives into it. And it’s not like you can
just say: “Well, I did music for six months
and then I moved on to whatever.”

Everybody’s invested, everybody who’s

been in the game for 30 years, or more, is
pretty much invested and would probably
have a hard time holding down at a nine-to-five-day-job. We’re just not just responsible people.
This is why we do this, so we don’t have to get up early and have a boss. That’s why I do it. And I
wrote that song with my friend Alyssa Bonagura, not Bonamassa, Bonagura! Same amount of
letters, same Italian heritage, different last name!

Do you have a favourite track on "Time Clocks"? Which one is it and what is so special for you
personally about this song?

JB: My favourite song on “Time Clocks” is “Notches”. I think it says it all about where I am in my
life: “Miles under my wheels, notches in my walkin’ cane”! Nobody gets out in mint condition! And I
like that concept because everybody makes mistakes, everybody gets knocked around, but what

doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Is Rhythm & Blues in general in good shape right now?

JB: You know, I think music is in good shape right now, not just the Blues. I think you see a lot of
young people who have an extraordinary ability in playin’ music. They’re way more advanced than
people of my generation. I thought about that and I said: “Well, what’s goin’ on? Is this like there

that is some generation of super-humanoids that are naturally talented?” I said: “There’s probably
some of that.” But I said: “There’s also, you know, nobody now is takin’ a cassette-deck and
rewinding it a 100.000 times to learn, you know, “Cliffs Of Dover” note for note, or Jimi Hendrix
and then realising that the solo on “Are You Experienced“ is in reverse. There you go! That’s online
now.

Do you observe the current music scene and what do you notice there at the moment?

JB: The music scene is how you make it. I look at the music business right now kinda how it was
like in the 50s. Everybody’s on their own. Everybody’s makin’ singles, not albums. Everybody’s
scoring their own label. You know, not really workin’ thru the major-label chains. It’s not so
critical, that you’re signed to a major label now to get noticed. They’re using social media to mark