Once again the greatness of Magic Dick is shown. Holy moly, that guy is a wizard on the stick! Great stuff and I wish there was more out there about his talents! Geils for the Hall of Fame!!!!!
I'm 58 today. Started blowing harp when I was in 7th grade after listening to KAAY "Mighty 1090 am radio" from Arkansas thru the radio in the 1960s. Grew up in small midwest twn where @ Grinnell College in 1966-67 Paul Butterfield Blues Band played. Snuck backstage/listened w/kid wonder @ the Chicago Blues and Butterfield's harp. Vowed I'd learn "work song" and I did! Walked to bball practice @ 6am I'd play harp on cold/lonely&dark st. Magic Dick & Lee Oskar, thx 4 your inspiration too
This song was one of the greatest songs of J-Geils Band. Peter Wolf helped sell it with the fast talkin intro. MD played this like no one else in the universe. Man, What a Classic! I used to see them around BR, and NO, La. Miss 'em Put em in the Hall of Fame Dammit!
Wow! Magic Dick shares the art and science. I've been a fan since the first time I heard them about 1971-1972. Thank you Adam Gussow for putting this together and thank you Magic Dick for your generosity, this is a real treasure.
About the comment that Adam was full of himself here....Adam was simply truly excited to be breaking the song down with the Master.... He actually covers a lot of ground without it taking all night on the phone call. Great harp players like Adam listen well. I was blessed... Jimmy Cotton taught me a couple riffs in Boston and said I was a good listener ....not I was a good student ! It took me years to understand that.... Bravo Mr. Gussow..... Your knowledge of every note, chord and technique h
Great Great Great I listened to the whole interview on the web site. How often do you get to hear a legend actually explaine his techniques. Thanks Adam that was incredable.
MD was nice enough to speak with me on the phone for more than two hours; this interview is part of the second hour. There's a 45-minute full-length version available as a free download on my website, modern blues harmonica (dot) com. Yes, I remember "sno-cone." Fantastic solo. MD has a unique way of phrasing.
This was cool......listened to this song for 40 years, never tried to play it myself , and never really tried to figure out exactly what he was doing in each part , but it was really interesting to hear it "broken down". Love when MD says about one particular lick - "no it's really simple". Maybe for you my friend....Play on!
I have had the same questions about this song for as long as i've played harp. Thanks for sharing this gem of an interview and if you speak to MD again, please pass on my appreciation. Thanks again Adam, this is one of your top three vids. Peace...
Hi Adam, thanks a lot for sharing this great conversation you had with Magic Dick. I downloaded the whole thing and have listened to more than once. Very fun for a harp player to listen to. It's like being privy to something you really shouldn't be able to hear! Made me feel like a real insider! Very cool! And I appreciate it...!
Thanks for all of the great information that you have provided over the last year. The magic Dick interview was great. I listened to the whole thing on trade bit. Thanks again to you and dick. The triple tonguing technique is something that I have been in search of for years. Looking forward to seeing you in Huntington, WV.
Adam,, that is just awesomely cool. To get it straight from the man,, good for us you got the connects to do something like this. Thanks so much. Another great video.
@zombyzapper I agree with everything you've said EXCEPT the final sentence. I blow hard. I played with a guy named Mr. Satan who played hard as heck. It's in my blood. But you're right about MD. He's a horn player. One of the best (and unacknowledged) comping harp players ever. His solo on "Icebreaker" is amazingly spare and hip. No other harp player phrases like that.
I was lucky enough to play on a bill once with J. Geils Bluestime, featuring Magic Dick & J. Geils. Magic Dick was a great guy, without an iota of ego. Here he explains "Whammer Jammer" in great technical detail.
Well, I'm being a little stagey with my pain. Truth is, I'm OK with how I do that part of the song. But I clearly DO need to improve the warbles, and I'm going to start doing them the MD way.
OMG Thanks! I really do think that harmonica players should learn tongue blocking AND lip pursing if they want to mimic accurately specific voicings. Great interview!
Whammer Jammer is the epitome of harp rock. There is not much that actually displays anything above this in harmonica jams like this piece. Tricky Dick nails it! It almost gets its origins from the Three Stooges “Disorder In The Court”. There is a similarity to that piece. Anyone else notice that? Tricky Dick blows it away!
kudzurunner: You mention Jimmi Lee,is this the one from Austin,TX.?I met him at the SPAH convention when it was here in Milwaukee,WI..Very nice man.I have 4 of his CD's.I am not a musician by any means.I have taught myself some nice blues & train stuff but I can never get the side to side either blow or draw quite right.I love playing along to different songs.Have you herd of Cadillac Pete? I just meet him this past Sunday.I played a little for him.I was so excited when he said "I'm impressed"
@KudzuRunner With ya there on blowin hard(it can be hard on the harps ,but who cares?) I believe that there are some tones that can ONLY be accomplished by blowing hard . James Cotton was one of my first influences and He's a hurricane!
I just love how wrong everyone is haha constantly over complicating things when I’m reality it’s freaking simple hahah I love hearing his straight “no.” Hahaha thank you Adam this was so insightful and the first song I learned!
I'm a harp player that can copy almost anybody but this song is a challenge. Thanks from Billy Blues Hudson. Listen to my harmonica battle performed with a harp player walking on stage and kicking it from the heart. You tube
Once again the greatness of Magic Dick is shown. Holy moly, that guy is a wizard on the stick! Great stuff and I wish there was more out there about his talents! Geils for the Hall of Fame!!!!!
Adam! You are truely making this a better world.Thank You. JIM
I'm 58 today.
Started blowing harp when I was in 7th grade after listening to KAAY "Mighty 1090 am radio" from Arkansas thru the radio in the 1960s.
Grew up in small midwest twn where @ Grinnell College in 1966-67 Paul Butterfield Blues Band played. Snuck backstage/listened w/kid wonder @ the Chicago Blues and Butterfield's harp. Vowed I'd learn "work song" and I did! Walked to bball practice @ 6am I'd play harp on cold/lonely&dark st. Magic Dick & Lee Oskar, thx 4 your inspiration too
This song was one of the greatest songs of J-Geils Band. Peter Wolf helped sell it with the fast talkin intro. MD played this like no one else in the universe. Man, What a Classic! I used to see them around BR, and NO, La. Miss 'em Put em in the Hall of Fame Dammit!
That could have been the most fascinating interview I have ever heard.... now I want to learn the harp...
There is an old blues song that I heard on sirius under a different name of the song
bought full house in 8th. grade in 1972 and still listen to that vinyl
MONKEY ISLAND…..just awesome….peace
Wow! Magic Dick shares the art and science. I've been a fan since the first time I heard them about 1971-1972. Thank you Adam Gussow for putting this together and thank you Magic Dick for your generosity, this is a real treasure.
Glad you liked it. MD was really generous with his time and it was a treat of a lifetime for me to hang out on the phone with him.
Wow! Lessons from the master himself. It doesn't get any better than this folks! Thanks for sharing this Adam!
-BB
About the comment that Adam was full of himself here....Adam was simply truly excited to be breaking the song down with the Master.... He actually covers a lot of ground without it taking all night on the phone call. Great harp players like Adam listen well. I was blessed... Jimmy Cotton taught me a couple riffs in Boston and said I was a good listener ....not I was a good student ! It took me years to understand that.... Bravo Mr. Gussow..... Your knowledge of every note, chord and technique h
very informative interview, thanks all
so great to even hear your excitement about this moment finally becoming reality!
Great Great Great
I listened to the whole interview on the web site. How often do you get to hear a legend actually explaine his techniques.
Thanks Adam that was incredable.
Brilliant Adam,thank you kind sir.
MD was nice enough to speak with me on the phone for more than two hours; this interview is part of the second hour. There's a 45-minute full-length version available as a free download on my website, modern blues harmonica (dot) com.
Yes, I remember "sno-cone." Fantastic solo. MD has a unique way of phrasing.
Hey, amazing interview, answers questions I have had for years. Thanks! MD is one of the modern masters!
THIS is an awesome interview.. Seeing the J Geils Band tonight in Boston.. So psyched..
I plan on leaving all my YT videos up for quite a long while, so no worries about that.
Hi Adam - that was illuminating. Thanks so much!
Very good interview and thanks for making the full length free.
This was cool......listened to this song for 40 years, never tried to play it myself , and never really tried to figure out exactly what he was doing in each part , but it was really interesting to hear it "broken down".
Love when MD says about one particular lick - "no it's really simple". Maybe for you my friend....Play on!
I have had the same questions about this song for as long as i've played harp. Thanks for sharing this gem of an interview and if you speak to MD again, please pass on my appreciation. Thanks again Adam, this is one of your top three vids. Peace...
Hi Adam, thanks a lot for sharing this great conversation you had with Magic Dick. I downloaded the whole thing and have listened to more than once. Very fun for a harp player to listen to. It's like being privy to something you really shouldn't be able to hear! Made me feel like a real insider! Very cool! And I appreciate it...!
I think you're right. I saw them in 1999 during their reunion tour--Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel. They were fantastic.
awesome you have really blessed us with this one
@ncbmullan: You're welcome. I'm honored to have been a part of your journey.
--i still get down to it--
Thanks for all of the great information that you have provided over the last year. The magic Dick interview was great. I listened to the whole thing on trade bit. Thanks again to you and dick. The triple tonguing technique is something that I have been in search of for years. Looking forward to seeing you in Huntington, WV.
Adam,, that is just awesomely cool. To get it straight from the man,, good for us you got the connects to do something like this. Thanks so much. Another great video.
Cool interview Adam. Thanks for this.
Full house was one of the BEST R and B Rock albums of all times and the harp licks were awesome
Full house was an incredible album but monkey Island is the best album J Geils put out
I am 15 years late but better late than never thank you very much Adam and Magic Dick
Great interview! Thanks for posting!
very good interview, explaining the secrets to this song :D this is real good for the history of harmonica
Good god Man! That was cool! So simple yet so intricate.
how depressing to hear that he was tongue blocking. i too am a lip purser, Adam and i feel your pain. great interview!
@zombyzapper
I agree with everything you've said EXCEPT the final sentence. I blow hard. I played with a guy named Mr. Satan who played hard as heck. It's in my blood. But you're right about MD. He's a horn player. One of the best (and unacknowledged) comping harp players ever. His solo on "Icebreaker" is amazingly spare and hip. No other harp player phrases like that.
I was lucky enough to play on a bill once with J. Geils Bluestime, featuring Magic Dick & J. Geils. Magic Dick was a great guy, without an iota of ego. Here he explains "Whammer Jammer" in great technical detail.
Sno-Cone is one of my favorite bits of Magic Dick playing.
I'd just love to know how he does that middle part of the song it almost sounds like someone howling or a siren even. It's too cool!
Thanks
Thanks man! this is great :) my dad must hear all this
Well, I'm being a little stagey with my pain. Truth is, I'm OK with how I do that part of the song. But I clearly DO need to improve the warbles, and I'm going to start doing them the MD way.
OMG Thanks! I really do think that harmonica players should learn tongue blocking AND lip pursing if they want to mimic accurately specific voicings. Great interview!
Whammer Jammer is the epitome of harp rock. There is not much that actually displays anything above this in harmonica jams like this piece. Tricky Dick nails it! It almost gets its origins from the Three Stooges “Disorder In The Court”. There is a similarity to that piece. Anyone else notice that? Tricky Dick blows it away!
kudzurunner: You mention Jimmi Lee,is this the one from Austin,TX.?I met him at the SPAH convention when it was here in Milwaukee,WI..Very nice man.I have 4 of his CD's.I am not a musician by any means.I have taught myself some nice blues & train stuff but I can never get the side to side either blow or draw quite right.I love playing along to different songs.Have you herd of Cadillac Pete? I just meet him this past Sunday.I played a little for him.I was so excited when he said "I'm impressed"
I'm sure that he's simply making a descending "Whooooooooooo!" sound, as one would imitating a siren, straight into his cupped hands and harp.
What about Juke Joint Jimmy?
Six stars for sure there bro!
No sound?
@KudzuRunner With ya there on blowin hard(it can be hard on the harps ,but who cares?) I believe that there are some tones that can ONLY be accomplished by blowing hard . James Cotton was one of my first influences and He's a hurricane!
I just love how wrong everyone is haha constantly over complicating things when I’m reality it’s freaking simple hahah I love hearing his straight “no.” Hahaha thank you Adam this was so insightful and the first song I learned!
No, I don't know that song.
I'm a harp player that can copy almost anybody but this song is a challenge. Thanks from Billy Blues Hudson. Listen to my harmonica battle performed with a harp player walking on stage and kicking it from the heart. You tube
Hey Adam, that's great stuff. You sound like a little kid in a toy store.
3 people clicked "dislike" by accident
They were attempting to tongue block, slipped off the stick ... and became instead ... keyboardists ;-[0]
Harp geeks gettin' off to this....
09:16 "pretty simpel" Dick says... hahahahaha