The Tijuana Bible According to Jim Suhler, by chefjimi

Born in Dallas, Texas, December 30, 1960, grew up in East Dallas, his first exposure to music was by Beatles, Stones, and the British Invasion bands on Dallas AM top 40 radio stations in the 1960’s. Jim began playing guitar at age 14 and was influenced at that time by Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin and others. Not forsaking his Texas roots he was exposed and influenced by Texas guitar talent like Bugs Henderson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Anson Funderburg & Jimmie Vaughan.

Suhler has also played on and contributed songs to George Thorogood DVD & cd releases since 1999. Also on Suhler’s resume is scoring a PBS documentary, and having his compositions used in major motion picture releases and television worldwide. In 2002, Suhler fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing two shows with AC/DC during their Stiff Upper Lip tour, in Helsinki, Finland and Hamburg, Germany.

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beats' latest release 'Tijuana Bible'was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2010 for the Rock Blues Album of the Year.
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ChefJimi:
Congrats on the nomination for Tijuana Bible for the Blues Music Awards, how did that feel?

Jim Suhler:
Well we never submitted anything before. We were sorta like too Rock (or so I thought) but then I went to the awards last year and found that the tent was a lot larger than I thought it was and I felt I fit in. Being too Blues for Rock or too Rock for Blues.
I was thrilled, excited, happy, just to have our work validated by people who are in the industry, I did think it was a good CD one way or another, I'd hang my hat on that. I woulda been surprised to win especially a new category and first year, and with Derek Trucks in there. I have a lot of respect for Derek, he is the Gold Standard for slide guitar for Rock and Blues, the best. I was just happy to be nominated and be part of
the whole party.

CJ:
So inquiring minds want to know . . .What is a, or the, Tijuana Bible ?

JS:
It's X-rated, underground comic books that were in vogue back in the 30's and 40's usually featuring celebrities, sports figures and other notables in compromising situations.

CJ:
OK that's just too cool. You are a font of odd factoids, my wife says I am of the same ilk so I can relate to your broad based knowledge.

JS:
You never know when some useless information will save your butt. We were with George and doing a show with Robert Plant, I love the old Led Zeppelin stuff, and knew Robert was deep into the history of the Delta Blues, so he mentioned he had just gotten the Charlie Patton boxed set, and I had one also so I started talking about some really obscure facts from it and Charlie, and he just lit up and we had this glorious conversation about Charlie, Willie Brown, Son House – so you never know when these things can get ya an in or endear you to someone.

CJ:
OK for fear of going down that road with you, let's talk about your work. It seems to me that your writing is very personal, somewhat more than other artists who stick to generic themes concerning life, the Blues etc., Is this a conscious effort on your part? Where do you draw your inspirations from ?

JS:
I always like the regional imagery from this area, Texas, Mexico and all these areas. So I always catalog lyrics, phrases, titles and try to write suitable music for the ones I like. When I over think stuff people don't respond as well. On the Tijuana Bible release the more popular stuff are the ones that are the easiest ones to write, the simplest ones written quickly. When I try to get clever and overwrite it seems to not connect on the visceral level with the people, they still like it but not on that level. Maybe there's a lesson there for me.

CJ:
Well you certainly captured the feel of that part of the country, both on the records and with your stage show, incorporating of candles,, string lights and other cultural flavors of your area. Now to talk a bit about this interesting fact or rumour, I read that your wedding was presided over by Billy Gibbons, from ZZ Top ? Tell me a little about this....

JS:
I did, Billy took it very seriously. In spite of the look that it was a goof (from the outside world), he's a genuine guy. He is sorta like the Howard Hughes of Rock. I think he's brilliant, he's done some great stuff. He has a big picture view of what he does that a lot of players don't have, they just play guitar, he sees it's relation to the staging, production and entertainment. See they get lumped together with the Southern Rock Bands but I think they are a lot more forward thinking than that. Their first four records are my favorites.
NOTE:
ZZ Top First Album (1971), Rio Grande Mud (1972), Tres Hombres (1973), Fandango (1975)

CJ:
I remember watching Hendrix on Dick Cavett, and he was asked at that time who he thought was the best young guitar player out there, and he straight away said this guy out of Texas Billy Gibbons. That's big props there. So Billy was a big influence on you ?

JS:
Yeah, huge, his tones and his playing I learned a lot. On my song 'Border Rock', I even mention the Border Radio Station 'The X” it was pretty overt reference I wasn't trying to hide it.

CJ:
It's a great mix of influences, especially evident live, where you tap into Hendrix, Freddy King, and Rory Gallagher.

JS:
I had never heard of Rory...I saw him on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert, when I was like thirteen, but it didn't quite connect then. I may have not been playing or just starting to think about it. But I got into his stuff in the late 70's, the Chrysalis stuff, like Top Priority, and Photo Finish, they are more Rock sounding, but to me, are some of the greatest guitar tones he ever recorded. I mean I like songs but you gotta have tone too.

CJ:
So is it 'all about tone' ?

JS:
Not all about it, it's like making a stew, you need good ingredients. Ideally you need a really good song, play well, and have pleasing tone, good arrangements there's so much involved.

CJ:
Do you have anything on tap for new releases? Maybe a change of direction

JS:
I'm trying to develop new songs, but I've been so busy touring, with my band and George's. I'm not gonna do any extended tours with my band, just regional stuff.
I don't really wanna tip my hand,

CJ:
Cool, but . . .

JS:
My mother's family are all from Mississippi, I'm trying to write stuff with a more Southern theme. I mean Texas is a Southern state but with a cowboy mentality - frontier thing thrown in. It's not a stretch for me to think along those lines, I spent a lot of time there as a kid.
My grandmother was a Stovall, and Muddy Waters grew up on one of her cousin's plantations, and my Grandfather – General Curtis Greene – was the head of the Mississippi National Guard and was in charge of all the refugee camps during the '27 flood. Yeh he shows up in newsreel footage on the History channel. My other Grandfather ran for Governor against Bilbo, who was a Klan member, a horrible, horrible racist, there were even songs by blues-men called 'Bilbo is Dead' celebrating his death. . .
So I do have some history down there that I'm tryin to explore. Since it's personal I usually write much better about it when I have a personal stake in it.

CJ:
I understand, now you've been with George Thorogood for like 10 years...

JS:
Eleven …

CJ:
How much different is it for you to work with him and then work with Monkey Beat? Do you have specific functions with George, like rhythm, slide ?

JS:
It really depends on the song, if he is playing slide I play rhythm. If he's not I'll do solos. That's why he hired me cos I can play things he can't, and stuff he wants to hear, both in the studio and live. I love rhythm guitar, I love guys like Keith Richards, Malcom Young – these guys hold down the fort.

CJ:
Monkey Beat – you Shawn Phares, Carlton Powell – you seem to have fun up there on the stage and it translates so well to the audience. It's structured but loose, I mean, you guys broke into Hush by Joe South/Deep Purple, and Shawn nailed the organ solo – who was the keyboard guy for Deep Purple?

JS:
Jon Lord – see I remember that stuff.

CJ:
Monkey Beat – why, what is Monkey Beat?

JS:
At the time I put the band together I was looking for something very descriptive of the sound that we were putting down. Like in a jam session it's something you would call for, like a shuffle, slow blues or rock...gimme a monkey beat, sorta like Otis Redding's song Tramp something like that.

CJ:
Well returning to that thought of random knowledge – is there something you want to leave us with?

JS:
Hmm, tidbits of knowledge . . . .
I think the greatest sit-com ever created was Green Acres.

CJ:
Yikes....

JS:
I get a lot of stick for that, but many people are hip to it. If you really watch it, it's not just rural comedy. Somewhat subversive, lots of witty dialog and word play, pointed social stuff, prat-falls, I love Green Acres. Heck I'm still mad that TV Land took it off.

CJ:
The popularity might rise again after all the people read this.

SJ:
There you have it !

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Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat record on Underworld Records out of Seattle WA., along with such fine artists as Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin' Daddies, Too Slim and the Taildraggers and Jason Elmore, check 'em out.

Until the next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease


If you enjoyed this serving of the Blues, you might want to check out my other articles, as I roam around seeking out the Blues wherever they are happening.
http://www.ameriblues.com/search/label/chefjimi



all photos used by permission, courtesy of artist.

copyright © 2010 – bluesuitspeaks, all rights reserved.

On Being Guitar Blues Legend Bobby Parker by chefjimi

"The best stuff I ever heard was by a bloke called Bobby Parker"
Robin Trower

"He is one of the few remaining guitarists on this planet that can pierce your heart and soothe your soul. He inspired me to play guitar"
Carlos Santana

Then there's these little morsels of truth; John Lennon, who lifted the signature riff from Mr. Parker’s “Watch Your Step” for not just one, but two Beatles hits: “I Feel Fine” and “Day Tripper.” Led Zeppelin created their “Moby Dick” from the same source, as did Deep Purple for "Rat Bat Blue'. Robert Plant has openly acknowledged that Mr. Parker’s first record “Blues Get Off My Shoulder,” as the disc that inspired him to start singing.

With all that said, Mr.Parker must hold some kind of a world record for being the musician that singularly inspired so many with so little. Mr. Parker’s discography is not loaded down with hits, nor does he have all that many releases to his name. Nevertheless, he’s made each one count, most notably “Watch Your Step.” which was released in 1961. Mr. Parker managed to say more with its introductory guitar riff than most artists say in their entire careers.

These accolades are not to be taken lightly. Anyone who can garner these quotes and others like them should be a household name. And yet how many of us have heard of, or are familiar with Bobby Parker ? In this interview I attempt to get down some facts about him, the music and the scores of people he has played with. I hope you enjoy it, and maybe learn a little bit too, as I did.

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ChefJimi:
Good afternoon Mr. Parker, I was fortunate enough to see your performance at the Chicago Blues Festival on Saturday, a great crowd even with the rain came out to see you. And a great set by you and your band.

Bobby Parker:
Chicago was fun day, even with the rain, fun to meet everyone, and see people enjoying themselves. Things are blossoming again for me, it's really great. We are all excited at what has been going on. There was a show after at this club where we all got down, man it was so cool, first time I played there.

CJ:
Yes, I spoke to Cadillac Zack about it, he offered this quote "Bobby Parker's performance was legendary. His band was tight and and his singing and guitar playing was fiery." Sounds like I missed a good one !
Bobby, your history reads like a 'who's who' of R&B, Blues etc. Having played with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Pee-Wee Crayton, the list goes on.


BP:
I was lucky enough to come thru that era when all this stuff began. I met everybody that was anybody in Rock & Roll, or the Blues coming up. I saw all the stuff that went down during that time, the heartaches, hardships, and all the good stuff too. I met everybody. I was on these shows, they were called the Top 10 Review, put on by Irving Feld. They went out every year, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Buddy Holly. It was just amazing the history that transpired. I was in so many bands playing behind these great artists, and had the chance to play with all these cats, I was in the house band at the Apollo, The Regal in Chicago, and the Howard Theater in DC. We were a traveling band, just played so much great music in those days.

CJ:
How did you get started, was it a 'inspired moment' or gradual immersion?

BP:
I started out as a kid, I was introduced to guitar when I was about 12 years old. I had a paper route in my neighborhood, there was an old guy who would sit on his porch and he'd pick on his big ol' acoustic guitar, so I would open the gate and deliver his paper to him, and man it would sound so great ! I loved going there and I'd be fascinated by the music.
So one day he asked me ...'son, you want to come up here, you know how play this thing ?”, I said "oh no sir, I don't". But he knew my daddy from up the street so he let me take that guitar home and work on it. It took me no time to start playing, see my Mom was a gospel singer, we are originally from Lafayette Louisiana, in New Iberia area, where all this music was, so I had this knowledge and love from them, it didn't take me long to learn.

I was discovered while at talent show in school, I won that show like five or six weeks straight, by playing the one Blues song I knew “Reconsider Baby''. Otis Williams and the Charms was my first band. They were sorta like the Jackson Five, a little band/doo-wop group. After that I joined Bo Diddley. We then went straight to Chicago and Chess Records (Phil and Leonard). That was where I got indoctrinated to all that funky stuff. Funny guy too, he would do this old thing called 'Hambone' …

JP:
Yeh that became the 'Bo Diddley' beat, correct? Otis Taylor did Hambone at the Chicago Blues Festival. Now did Bo let you play out while with him, or were you restricted – did he let you play any of those funky Bo Diddley guitars ? (we laugh)

BP:
He wasn't a single stroke player like me, I played Licks, he found me, He said 'you one of the best young lick players I know, you wanna hang with us” and I said yeh man.

JP:
That was in Chicago ?

BP:
Yeh, that's where I met everyone. Muddy, Wolf, Little Walter - Jimmy Reed - he was up the street with the other label. . .

CJ:
Vee-Jay I believe.....

BP:
Yeh I think that was it, so I was in awe of all these people. I mean they weren't famous at this time. They only got famous when Clapton, Page and them started imitating them. They all had their times, but they also had lives, with drinking, child-support and having a great time, just ordinary cats. Traveling with Bo we covered the whole country, and that's when I met the Paul Hucklebuck Williams Band, a great guy who helped artists learn how to deal with the road and all the stuff that goes along with it.
I was with Big Joe Turner, Little Walter, Ruth Brown, T-Bone Walker, Smiley Lewis – all these people in that era, but some people hadn't come forward enough to be in the South to play with each other, so we played on a segregated basis in old Tobacco warehouse's.

JP:
So was that the chitin' circuit ?

BP:
It was the beginning of the chitin' circuit, all that great music was being played by a lot of black people, that's all it was. But the young white teenagers wanted to hear this music. They eventually integrated cos they had to hear Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and everybody else. I knew it wouldn't last long – all that negative stuff – see the music was changing everything.

JP:
How did you wind up in DC ?

BP:
Well we would travel in the big shows, with these stars like Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, but Paul Hucklebuck was a great guy, it was a big band like 20 people, like Count Basie but it was the Blues. So we would return from the Apollo and these theaters to the Howard Theater in DC and things were changing for me. There were all these people screaming for me ! Like 3,000 ladies wanting to meet me, screaming for Bobby ! I thought this might be a city I could stay in (we laugh at the thought, both agreeing that it was a no-brainer). And the rest is history. I been here ever since, this was back in the early 60's. So I started forming my own band, and that's when my idea for 'Watch Your Step' started to come around. And man, I recorded that and the whole United Kingdom, went berserk, 'da-dadadada da dum da dum...” (he is singing the riff !).

JP:
Well yeh, when I heard the lick from 'I Feel Fine” by the Beatles, I was like, I know that riff....sorta like Ray Charles 'What I'd Say' but not quite. And Led Zeppelin covered it in Moby Dick....

BP:
Well I counted over 600 variations of that riff. McCartney and Lennon knew what they were doing. They were entrepreneurs, they were also lucky, they got Isley Brother licks, Bobby Parker licks and made them work. Ya know it was gonna happen anyway, sooner or later it was gonna get into the open, the music was too good to stay isolated and separated.

CJ: And we are all better for that. Now you grew up in California ?

BP:
Yeh, I was raised up in California, we left for there whenI was about 7 years old. We were looking for a better life for us all. My father was a repairman for Wurlitzer and other juke box companies like that. He had a route downtown and he would take me with him to service the machines on Saturday's , and I did not want to do that! Yet once I went I found that there were always blues bands there. They would rehearse and that's where I met Lowell Fulsom, T-Bone Walker, a young Etta James and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson.

CJ: Your current band is really tight, and it's a big band kinda sound, that's cool, I love that sound of horns and keys etc., just a great groove sound.

BP:
My current band has been together for 15-20 years. We are a band not just an artist. I got recording studio in my home, Pro-Tools and other stuff, so I got a lot of stuff coming out soon. A lot of original stuff that I have put together over the last thirty years.

CJ: So I can expect to hear some more covers of your songs (we laugh) like I didn't realise the great Little Milton covered you on 'Blues Get Off My Shoulder', did you know Milton?

BP:
Yeh we did a lot of shows together, we played together on the stages. Lots of people did cover that song, they re-arrange it and claim it as theirs.

CJ:
There seems to be a lot of that these days, sampling and taking riffs....Did you ever come to an agreement with Led Zeppelin etc., on yer stuff and Moby Dick riff...?

BP:
Jimmy Page wrote me and wanted to meet me cos he loved my riffs and 'Watch Your Step', so I had sent him a note that we were playing in these various venues and he wanted to meet me and come over. Well I was playing the military circuit, and in Florida we were playing when my buddy on stage next to me says there's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, sitting next to the stage out front. I'm like no way, but he was there and we tried to get him up on stage but he refused. So a couple of months later he calls me and says to go over to this music store by my home and pick up a new Teac recorder that he bought for me. Tells me to put some stuff on it, and so I did and I would send him tapes every so often. So lo and behold Mick Fleetwood gets wind of it, so he wanted to play with me. So he introduces me to Peter Green after his nervous breakdown to kick it around and we all played together. They all knew each other and 'Watch Your Step' that riff, was still in everyone's ears. So I'm in England and tearing it up, but then Hendrix was hot there and he was burning up his guitars and breaking them on stage and all this, and I wasn't about to do this, so I was feeling out of place, so I came back to the US.

CJ:
Now Bobby, there is this story about how you were given $2,000 to put out a demo for Led Zeppelin's label, but you never did it? Is there any truth to that story?

BP:
When all this happened there was so much going on cos I was still hot in Europe, there was just so much going on, people all in my face, nothing negative but everyone pulling in different directions, but it was all fine it all worked out. We still friends, but we never got it together enough to go into the studio.

CJ:
Carlos Santana has been quoted saying you inspired him to play, how did you meet him?

BP:
I was playing in Mexico and Carlos was just a kid, and trying to play but he was so nice, and he was practicing, then he got his stuff together real good now ain't he?

CJ:
Damn straight, real good. Now, Bobby, was there one stage of yer life, or time while you were playing that seems most memorable to you?

BP:
Well, you know playing in these old Tobacco warehouses and playing with T-Bone Walker. That has got to be one of them. T-Bone, was a sharp little cat, he was always playing the greatest shows he could every night. Would always be dressed up nice, and always giving lessons to the players in the band, just by watching him entertain. We were paid to entertain and put on shows, and T-Bone taught us about that, and more.

CJ:
Bobby, there is so much history involved with you and your career is there a way for fans to inform themselves after they read this interview?

BP:
Well yes there is, we have a site that is dedicated to me and my music. It is at http://http//www.bobbyparkerblues.com/ . It is a great site, we spent alot of time getting it just right. You can listen to my releases 'Bent Out of Shape' and 'Shine Me Up' in their entirety. We are on also FaceBook, so please stop by and become friends.

CJ:
Yes, the sites are really quite good, especially your personal web site. Bobby, thank you for taking the time to talk with me, it was great to see you in Chicago and hope to see you again.

reprise: So Mr. Parker is quite a story, a genuinely sweet man, who is very accepting of the past, but looking forward to the future. He is touring regularly these days and is hoping to re-establish his link with his many fans while hopefully inspiring a new generation of musicians. Personally I would love to see him accomplish his goals. Check him out if you get a chance, and tell him chefjimi sent ya !

Until the next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease


If you enjoyed this serving of the Blues, you might want to check out my other articles, as I roam around seeking out the Blues wherever they are happening.
http://www.ameriblues.com/search/label/chefjimi

all photos used by permission
courtesy of artist, Danspix, and Leslie K. Joseph

copyright © 2010 – bluesuitspeaks, all rights reserved.