Harmonica

On the 38 bus route 1998-2000, the young black (v.cute) bus conductor gave the best "free lunch" harmonica - unaccompanied, obviously, during rides when the bus was more than half-empty, and he had time to relax and play - that _i've_ ever heard, post-stevie wonder bird- broken self-absorbed music-for-forgetting-you're-a-bus-conductor to.

mid-2000, the bus company - arriva - decided to put their weight behind him as a mini-celeb. He released a single ("My Girl Lollipop"), outed his popstar name (Duke Baysee - a worse name than arriva, frankly), and, well, began building his fan-base: little in-bus flyers (designed, to look at them, by arriva) saying stuff like, "Duke Baysee will be turning on the Xmas Lights in Eltham, dec 21: expected attendance, 15000" - like we'd be more likely go to eltham if we knew that 14999 other people had the same idea...

but the play itself - esp.before the cack-handed bid for official celeb-hood - was just pretty and bluesy and care-free and mournful, a weird little semi-unknown pleasure and who'deverhavethunk it on a London bus. I don't blame him for wanting out, and no reason why he shd be remotely loyal to his "roots" - ie the 38's transient population. It's not as if we were paying him, or as if i'd given him more positive feedback than smiling to myself while he played. Fuck.

Hey, I like it. But then I'm too young to remember the Housemartins.

Kahimi Karie's "A Fantastic Moment".

And Mr Bloe's "Groovin' With Mr Bloe", which Cedric Collingford no doubt played on a Dansette in his prep school dormitory, dreaming of Catweazle.

But what about Johnny Marr? 'Still Ill', 'Hand In Glove', 'Slow Emotion Replay'! I think that he, as much as anyone, reasserted the cool melancholy vibe, as against the pure blues vibe, of the harmonica.

I am very, very pro-harmonica. Let's talk about Lloyd Cole as well. 'Downtown', 'Sean Penn Blues', 'There For Her', 'What He Doesn't Know', 'For Crying Out Loud', 'Undressed'.

Can anyone recommend me an album that feature badass punk blues harmonica? As in, motherfucker can BLOW, but it ain't Paul Butterfield? I'm thinking of songs like JSBX's "Dang." Distortion-soaked, maybe, but still pretty reverential to the blues, and still adept.

If I could play music, this is the kind of band I would start.

http://www.glyphjockey.com/pix07/harmonicats.jpg

The Harmonicats -- Unfortunately, they're not half as good as you'd think.

I like the harmonica solo in Gorilla Biscuits' "Start Today"--a refreshing, and effective, move in one of punk's most conservative subsects.

To Airport: Try Lew Lewis, with or without his "Reformer"

Airport, you might like Railroad Jerk.

I can't believe this thread has not yet known the ultimate cool that is Slim Harpo.

The Marvelletes' "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" makes great use of the harmonica (I think it might be Motown's only single to use the instrument).

Can anyone recommend me an album that feature badass punk blues harmonica?

Look for the Slammin' Watusis self-titled debut - the guy also plays a fine Ayler-esque saxophone. And also certain select songs by Claw Hammer.

http://www.dvdinfo.be/images/reviews/1141-2.jpg

http://physics.lunet.edu/blues/images/King_Biscuit.jpg

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/arts/music/22adler.html

I'm trying to find the harmonica tabs for playing the solo at the end of this song

I'm trying to find the harmonica tabs for playing the solo at the end of this song

"middle of the road" by Pretenders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzln9jXrX_g