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MIDNIGHT SPECIAL BLUES RADIO'S ARTIST OF THE YEAR FOR 2006 !!!
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NEW ALBUM "CAN YOU DIG IT !" PLACED AT #22 IN TOP 100 BLUES
CD'S BY REAL BLUES Magazine !!
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"Can You Dig It" Placed in "The Top Ten Albums of
2006" by the OKLAHOMA GAZETTE --compiled by C.G. Niebank
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BLUE PLATE SPECIAL PLACES 1-2-3 IN THE TOP 10 SONGS OF THE YEAR FOR 2006
AS WELL AS 5-8-9 at MIDNIGHT SPECIAL BLUES RADIO
(#1- The Phone Call, #2- Yer' Bad Behind, #3- Workin' On Love, #5- Tell
The Truth, #8- Hard Enuff, #9- Luck Runs Out)
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THREE #1 HITS ON ELECTRICBLUES RADIO IN 2006
I Like It Like That, Hard Enuff and Feel So Good Off "Can You
Dig It !"
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BLUE PLATE SPECIAL NOMINATED FOR BLUES BAND OF THE YEAR 2007 AT
SUBURBAN NITELIFE, Chicagoland, IL.
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Fresh Opinion from New Zealand!!
Studio FM- Show "Blues For Hippies"
This is a romping stomping blues rock output with strong gutbucket
vocals a powerhouse
rhythm section and lead guitar that invokes comparison to the three
kings (Freddy, Albert & B.B)
plus at times having flavours of Hendrix...a strong mix for sure..!!
Mike Butler
producer & host, "Blues for Hippies"
The Studio Fm (NZ).
You Guys are a DREAM BAND!!!
Andy Grigg - Music Editor/ Real Blues magazine
I listened to your CD last night with total focus and I was BLOWN
AWAY!! You guys are a DREAM BAND!!! Many attempt to fuse
Blues and Rock but almost all fail ... you guys have such an honest,
urgent, raw, powerhouse sound that it literally lifted me off my chair
and had me yelling " YEAH!! That's it!! They've got
it!! ". There are Good, Excellent and Hall of Fame levels ...
you guys are right in the top 10%, we're putting it on our Influential
Top 100 CD's chart!
Hell YEAH ! 8/18/06
John Bowles/ Blueswebradio.com
This is guitar driven blues served up just right! Had our phone
lines tied up for hours when we played tracks off this LP. Ron
Michaels snarling vocals rips into each track and tells you how it is...
and Harry Binford's smokin' guitar work treats you right throughout the
disc. All this and these boys come from Chicagoland. All I
can say is "Can You Dig It!" ... HELL YEAH!!! ... and I'll do
it again too!
John Bowles / Blueswebradio.com
WGVE 88.7 fm, Gary Indiana
"The Blues You Can Use" radio show
with Clarence Stevens, Koko Taylor and John Bowles
Can You Dig It! is #22 in Top 100 Blues CD's Ever
Real Blues Magazine Oct./06
REAL BLUES TOP 100 CDs
go to -www.realbluesmagazine.com
Note: REAL BLUES 'Top 100 Releases' chart is based on CD's we have
received in the previous 24 Calendar months*.
All have been graded as 'Highly Recommended Purchases' and all
selections are based solely on Artistic/Spiritual Merit. Selections have
already been reviewed or will be within the next issue. This list is a
'Bribery-free' listing so you can 'take-it-to-the-bank'.
* While the current Top 100 Chart is mainly reserved for the Hottest CDs
of the last 12 calendar months, some exceptional releases may remain on
the chart for longer periods.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Blue Plate Special Interview
Chicago Music Guide / with Dennis Kelly
An Interview with: Blue Plate Special
By: Dennis M. Kelly
Who are the members of Blue Plate Special and what do you do in the
band?
R.P. Michaels - Vocals, bass and keyboards
Harry Binford - Guitar
Kevin Johnston - Drums
There are photos on your website (www.blueplatespecialband.com)
that date back to 1975, when did Blue Plate Special officially begin?
We originally formed the band back in 1969 at College of DuPage .
There have been additional members at various times but Ron and Harry
have been there since the beginning along with drummer Gary Maier who
just retired about one and a half years ago. Kevin joined us in
2004. We met Kevin while being the house band for Rory's in
Addison Monday nite jam. At one time Studebaker John played Harp
with us and Carson Landis was on 2nd guitar. Pretty much everyone
in the band has been playing their instruments since late grade school,
it's the Beatles fault.
Specifically who has inspired your playing the most?
Harry would tell you his favorites are Freddie King, Albert King as well
as B.B.
Jimi Hendrix, throw in some Al Di Meola and Carlos Santana.
Mine are Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Joe Cocker for
vocals and Willie Dixon, Rocko Prestia (Tower of Power) for bass and Al
Kooper and Otis Spann for keyboards.
Kevin would probably tell you Mitch Mitchel, Buddy Miles and all the
Santana drummers.
You've performed with other musicians too, right? Who were they?
Kevin was formerly the drummer for Buddy Guy and Harry has played with
Lavelle White as well as a reformation some years back of Chicago 's
Babysitters with Bill McFarland. I had some brief opportunities
playing bass with Muddy Waters, Sam Lay and JB Hutto as well as
Studebaker John and the Hawks.
Tell me your philosophy on music and the Blues in particular
I think our job is to provide positive energy music to inspire as well
as to entertain and help you get you're dancin' shoes on. I think
Blues music is here to help you understand the things that go wrong in
this life and get over them. Blues is like Zen, there are a lot of
good stories out there to help you deal with or make sense of our or
others errors. I don't write songs that dwell on problems and push
for revenge. Mine are more about getting past the problem and
finding solutions to make our lives better. Hell yes!!
What keeps a band like yours together for so long?
Our longevity is due to the fact we love this music and we respect each
others individuality. We truly enjoy performing together, and this
shows in our intuitive abilities to play off each other, leading to
constantly evolving versions of all our material. This way it's
always fun for us and for the people who come to see us.
Now, you just released a new album recently entitled "Can You Dig
It", how has that been received by the Blues community?
This year we released "Can You Dig It!" and it appears the
world Blues Community really can, dig it that is. Once again, it's
original songs, but this time we included 3 covers that our fans have
always requested we record. Currently as of 6/11/06 "Can You
Dig It!" is #1 on ElectricBlues Radio, the largest reporting
professional blues internet station on Live365. The songs "I
Like It Like That" and "Hard Enuff" have been #1 in April
and May respectively. At the same time, "Workin' On
Love", "Luck Runs Out", "Yer' Bad Behind", and
"Hard Enuff" from the new CD have also been in the Top 10
collectively for the last 3 months on Midnight Special Blues Radio
(France and Worldwide). Because of our popularity, they have
played two songs from our prior album "The Phone Call" and
"Tell the Truth" which also have become #1 hits. So far,
11 songs from the new album are being played worldwide on Blue Icewater
Radio (east coast), Bluebird Radio (England), as well as on Canadian
Radio and many midwestern Blues stations and programs.
The great thing about internet radio is that the listeners vote you up
or down. We are incredibly happy. There is hope for all
independent bands out there. Keep plugging away and record your
best efforts and get them to the right audience via Radio, Internet,
Satellite and Terrestrial.
The Blues Ain't Pretty - released 01/15/00 and No Place To Fade -
released 1998 are your only two other CD releases, correct? If not, what
else do you have out?
Over the years, starting back in 1969, we have released 1 vinyl album
and 4 EP's on Summit Records, but these are no longer in print.
Our 1st CD "No Place to Fade" was released in 1998. It
got us some airplay on WDCB College of DuPage and some sporadic airplay
here and there and some great reviews from national blues mags.
The 2nd CD "The Blues Ain't Pretty" got more great reviews and
wider global airplay in Australia , Poland , and England as well
as here on Public Radio Blues Shows.
I see by your schedule, you tend to stay put in Geneva , is there any
reason for that?
We play at Rain in Geneva a lot because they really appreciate us there
and it has become our home base. We will be playing the 1st Friday
and the 3rd Saturday of every month at Rain, Geneva throughout 2007.
Rain is at the corner of Rt. 25 and Roosevelt. It's a great
Restaurant with a cool bar. People like to dance and have a great
time there.
Over your years, what are some of the more memorable places you've
played?
Some of the coolest places we've played are: The Cellar in
Arlington Heights which used to be the Epicenter of Rock in Chicago,
B'Ginnings, Fitzgeralds, in the suburbs and Alice's Revisited, Peppers
Lounge, The High Chapparal, Kingston Mines, Metro, in Chicago.
Concerts with Leon Russell and Edgar Winter were also quite an
experience!
Have you always retained your same Blues sound since the beginning or
did you change a lot?
Over the years, we have pretty much developed OUR contemporary blues
sound. If you could mix the essence of Jimi, Muddy, Albert King,
Ray Charles, John Hiatt, Greg Allman, Robin Trower, and Freddie King all
into a bottle you would somehow be close to putting our spin on the
Blues. The one thing that repeatedly gets said is that we are an
Original act. Big City Blues Magazine called us "a totally
original act that will Knock You Out!!! TKO stuff.
What does the future hold in store for Blue Plate Special?
Hopefully, the future holds even more good things because the best is
starting now with the airplay, worldwide. I'm getting emails from
various industry leaders at major record companies. People are
contacting us and that is really encouraging. We want to
be the Blues act you always come to see in Chicagoland. Right now,
if you want more info on Blue Plate Special go to www.blueplatespecialband.com
for CD's, Pics, and a calendar. If you would like to book BPS, go
to www.sonicbids.com/BluePlateSpecial
and read info and press.
New Opinion on Can You Dig It 1/31/06
Midnight Special Blues Radio - LIVE365
"I hate the words like "great" or
"awful" - too used ... Your album is the most delicious blues
record I've heard in at least about a year! Valid for each and
every track." - Paul Bondarovski
The Blues Ain't Pretty by Blue Plate Special
Blues Revue /April 2000
Blue Plate Special combine low-slung psychedelic
blues grooves with gruff, roadhouse vocals on The Blues Ain't Pretty
(self-release). This power trio's 10 cuts have R.P. Michaels
belting the boogie lyrics, and he's a great singer. Best Cut: the
swingy boogie of "Real Fast Life".---Ed Ivey
The Blues Ain't Pretty by Blue Plate Special
Big City Blues / May 2000
I continue to be amazed by the tremendous indie
market that feeds the labels nowadays. Why? Well the talent
pool is so deep and broad that you find all brands and interpretations,
most of which carry a great deal of musical experience and worthiness.
This biscuit is an example of that richly-fibered carpet called the
blues.
The majority of the work is carried by a trio of
musicians. Bandleader R. P. Michaels lays out (in delicate layers)
the lead vocals, bass, keyboards, and guitar work. Gary Maier lays
down the shufflin' drum work and Harry Binford provides the second
guitar. Binford and Maier also share the vocal work with Michaels.
Guests include harpist Mark Zelepugas and the background vocals of
Charlie Prasma, as well as the voices of the Stumbling Pilgrim Choir
(Ron, Charlie & Mark?).
While dubbing and layering are obvious, they are
clearly interactive and reactive. Some cuts slump into the easy
rock/blues groove while others stand out like bright lights on the
highway. Tunes like the five-minute plus "Phone Call"
and the slow and tempered "Not In The Mood" will fill your
blues appetite. I know we've all heard it before! I call
these powered-up blues with weighty rhythms and doubled and tripled lead
tracks. The melodies are not constrictive, and they leave real
room for the give and take!
Even when dissolving into rockin' harmonies, the Blue
Plate Special is indeed a plate full of tasty tidbits. A mixing
triumph, this effort carries some heavy blues material. Power
Fender guitar and sparkling compositions. Totallly original music
that will knock you out ... TKO stuff!---Mark A. Cole
No Place To Fade by Blue Plate Special
In The Mix/ May 1998
As silky smooth as it is down and dirty, No Place to
Fade, the first CD by Chicago trio Blue Plate Special, makes you wonder
where these guys have been for so long. After nine years together
making the rounds at all the local hot spots, their premeire release is
nothing short of brilliant! Although their group acknowledges a
range of influences from John Lee Hooker to Mose Allison and Leon
Russell, just to name a few. Every last cut on this disc is a true
original.
R.P. Michaels (presumably, songwriter and producer
Ron Michael Parizek) wrings the gamut of emotion from a powerful set of
vocal pipes and at the same time lays down a furious range of bass
licks. And on the title cut, Harry Binford's searing guitar gouges
at the bare walls for every last scrap of pain and heartbreak. At
the same time, drummer Gary Maier keeps time with the utmost class and
precision. In fact, each of the players seems to instinctively
know when to move forward and when to step back. On "Fire
Alarm", Maier picks up the lead with a bit of Texas swing; on
"Millionaire", he kicks out a crisp and solid cut-time boogie.
These guys are equally at home on every facet of the
blues diamond, and it seeems they know no boundaries. Tunes like
"Homework" are reminiscent of the greats like Albert Collins,
but roll the ball forward with a uniquely rich, dynamic texture.
On "Dippin' In", Maier once again takes the lead with a
funk-march intro while Binford crawls up and down the neck of his magic
axe. All the while, Michaels is there to match him lick-for-lick
on his ever-so-slightly fuzzed out bass. Now this is the blues!
No Place to Fade also features the guest vocals of
Suzy Fields, and the smooth rollicking piano of Vince Willis.
Taken as a whole, the disc has a very full sound (especially from a
trio), with plenty of saturation and few sensory gaps. And when
Michaels sings, every phrase is a testament. And his production is
immaculate without being overly polished-- everything sounds completely
live. No Place to Fade is a superior accomplishment, and one of
the great first efforts in Chicago Blues.
---Bob Gabrella
No Place To Fade by Blue Plate Special
Blues Revue /Dec. 1998
Veteran Chicago trio Blue Plate Special scores with
No Place to Fade. The guitar and vocals lean toward rock, but this
is a tasty all-original collection. Hear fine straight blues in
"Your Heart Ain't in It" and "One More Thing", and
find the boogaloo in "Somebody Play the Blues for Me".
"Fire Alarm" has a Van Morrison feel.---Tom Hyslop
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