Your comments are much appreciated. I've only recently taken to writing my own songs. I've interpreted other's songs for many years. It occurred to me one day that all of my interpretations were my original melody structures with someone else's lyrics applied to them. It was this realization that lead me to begin to focus more on writing my own messages.

This song is an acoustic bottleneck slide style blues. Inspiration for writing often comes from the most unusual circumstances. I was listening to a friend, who was in one of those long term relationships, confess how he had met the "other" woman. At he time all I did was stand there silent and let him unload everything. Later on I thought perhaps a warning message in song might be in order to all those who might someday face similar circumstances. Unfortunately, this offering was too late in reaching my friend. By the time I got the song together he had gotten himself into soooo much trouble.

Many thanks for starting this group.

Reggie Miles

Alright, I just read David's reply to Loran's post. He mentioned putting the month in the heading when posting a song here. I didn't read anywhere in the rules for this group that we had to include the month in the heading of our song post. So, I didn't include it there. Does that make my post this month ineligible to be considered? There doesn't seem to be any way to alter the heading once it's been posted either. So, does that mean I'm out of luck until next month?

David also mentioned in his response to Loran that if we wish to have our song post checked out, we should first offer to check out someone else's song. Again, I didn't read that in the rules that were presented for this group. It's not that I don't find David's suggestions reasonable, it's just that the stated rules didn't indicate either of those points of view.

I just want to get a clear understanding about what to expect and what's expected up front.

Many thanks, Reg

Hi Reggie,

I don't think those are hard & fast rules, but it seem sto be the way it works!

Having said that there seems to be damn all reviewing going on here this month, so I thought I'd kick-start the month with a review of 'She's Trouble'....

Now I am a HUGE blues fan (And I mean blues - not the kind of Gary Moore rock that has neither soul nor groove!) - I even run British blues band, so reviewing good blues is always a pleasure!

And this is good blues.

I note from your page that you made your own 'Nobro' - (Great name BTW)! - and your acoustic sound is awesome - I have a 57 National Duolean, which is much more brittle sounding than yours - good for soloing but not really for self-accompaniment!

Sound-wise I'd say you're on a par with John Hammond (He maybe plays a bit better, but he's never done anything else so I should bloody well hope so!)

The subject matter of the song is pure blues, and it's delivered with the passion & integrity of some of the early blues men - you've developed the knack of making the drones on a six-string sound like a 12-string on the open parts of the one-chord - excellent playing.

Vocally I thought this was pretty close to Ry Cooder in terms of delivery, it's got more grit & gravel than his <myspace>style</myspace>. It also reminded me of something by Ben Harper, but I can't remember which tue. - The main similarity is in the way you take the tail of each line in a different direction - I think it's a down-swing to the lyric, but it works really well and gets the point across.

All in all this is a really good blues, you're obviously an accomplishe player with a really good feel for the genre. And the production is ecxellent!

There are so many good artists doing this that a mark out of ten is really difficult, as there's so much to compare it with, but next to the likes of Ben Harper, Eric Bibb, John Hammond (And Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Unplugged) I'd have to give it 7/10 but if I was comparing with other unsigned acts, that would be a 9!

PS - If you want to check out a hard-working British blues band, have a look at myspace.com/thosegrooveriders - subtle we're not!!

Take it easy,

David

Thanks David! That's an incredible review!

It's often difficult for me to capture, what naturally happens live, in a studio setting. I still struggle with making that kind of magic when there's just me in a room with some mics.

I'm familiar with Hammond and Cooder, two giants in this realm. I also recognize Guy's and Wells' names though I didn't know that they've been unplugged. I'm not familiar with the others you mentioned, Bibb and Harper.

The reason my 6 string sounds like a 12 is because of my personal playing <myspace><myspace>style</myspace></myspace> in that particular tuning I use, open E. Many of my friends who have ventured into open keys for blues chose to play in open G. That tuning has a very characteristic old blues sound that my ear and many others easily recognize. I've always tried to stray from the norm in an attempt to develop my own unique approach and sound. Open E is different but versatile. It allowed me to develop a different kind of sound that could lend itself in a variety of directions without sounding quite like everyone else.

The double string sound that you and others have recognized in my playing is just that. The open E form tuning that I use has 3 strings that are tuned alike but an octave apart. It also has two other strings that have an identical tuning but again are an octave apart. This affords me the opportunity to finger what I call couplets. I often finger pick two strings at once. This method gives my melody structures a fatter sound than normal single string picking without having to rely too heavily on a strum. It's was just a means of playing melody structures that naturally developed and that seemed to work. I use this method in much of what I play. Combined with the slide it gives me an almost chordal kind of feel without actually playing real chords.

I certain will check out the link you offered.

Again, many thanks, Reg

Hi David I came here to post my own song and ended up listening to your songs on your own site.
Excellent sound from your guitar nice simple and tight. Strong vocal and well intentioned meaningfull lyrics.
Im not some die hard blues fan and Im not convinced that being a traditionalist is something that is great in music but what you do is very good.
I try to nurture the Bob Dylan Idea that if its not broke then break it.....when he generally created mayhem by playing electric guitar at that folk festival.
Im not as good a singer as yourself and certainly no where near as good a guitarist Im actually a drummer and percussionist but i write and perform.
I just posted a topic about the idea of how we define what we do and how do we know if its good or has validity...................generally its a very personal reason why we like things and im pretty sure you will find many people who love what you do!..................as far as sale-abilty thats a totaly different thing all together.

I think what we need as creative individuals is an open honest forum for real constructive critisism......without being insulting or rude. But its pretty difficult having anyone being critical of something which we create ourselves.

hope you find an outlet and degree of success for your work.

James Marshall

Hi Reggie sorry I have to appologise immediatley my wife distracted me and I put david instead of reggie.....a small thing I know but still a mistake!

James

In truth Im going to review or at least give some feedback to anyone posting here so ill be coming to david in a few mins.