Blues Matters caught up with Vintage Trouble guitarist Nalle Colt at home in Los Angeles, CA. During the lockdown, Vintage Trouble have been hard at work on a new album, which will come as welcome news to the band’s loyal fanbase – the “Troublemakers”.
Vintage Trouble has taken an innovative and creative approach to maintain a relationship with their fans via the online platform Patreon. This being a place where the band and their fans can come together via exclusive live streams, Zoom hangouts, along with the bonus of rare and previously unreleased tracks.
Nalle took a moment out of his schedule to answer the question what are his top five blues songs of all time? From a band whose strap line is “Live-wired, straight-shootin, dirty-mouth’d, pelvis-pushing juke music,” we knew that Nalle’s response would be a good one, and we weren’t wrong. What an inspiring and insightful list of choices we received from the Swedish guitarist.
1) Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog (single version)
Essential blues recording! What a badass track. I always loved the way they captured this song on this recording. I’ve heard many versions of it through the years, but this is my favourite. For many years it was Vintage Trouble’s intro song for our shows. Her vocal is undeniable and the band grooves so hard.
2) Jimi Hendrix – Red House – Are You Experienced – 1967
Who better to run with the torch than Hendrix? It might not be my all-time favourite song from Jimi but an essential blues track, for sure. The lyrics and the guitar say it all. Blues all the way. I don’t know how many times I have tried to emulate that sound from this recording haha. It’s live and still so ‘studio’ – you just can’t touch it. That guitar tone is just world-wide – you know. ‘That’s alright I still got my guitar’.
3) The Beatles – I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – Abbey Road – 1969
Not a blues band per se but this song feels so ‘blues’ to me and I always loved it. Lennon is all over it. I always loved how they pulled music inspiration from all kinds of places. American blues and rhythm and blues were a big part. This track has got a very primal blues vibe all over it through the kaleidoscope eyes of The Beatles.
4) Led Zeppelin – Since I’ve been loving you – Led Zeppelin III – 1970
American blues music was mostly translated through British interpretations in the 60’s and 70’s and rightfully so. So good! Zeppelin with an old school blues vibe bordering to rock but still. Big! Worth listening to with headphones pressed to your ears. I love to immerse myself in this track. I love that you can even hear the kick drum pedal squeaking in the intro. …and what a drum sound!!! So good. I remember hearing this song the first time on a Swedish TV show and I would get goose bumps on my arms every time it got played.
5) Stevie Ray Vaughan – Pride and Joy – Texas Flood album – 1981
There are some many great songs from SRV, but I pick this because its next in order. Early 1980’s, soft pop music has taken over the radio waves and suddenly this Texas guitar slinger shows up and just blows everyone away! Blues is back in business and suddenly everyone wants to play blues again. Texas shuffle all the way, love it. Unreal guitar playing and TONE. Through SRV I got to learn about Albert King and all HIS great music, don’t get me started…. I could keep going but Adam said only 5….
We will take Nalle up on his offer and invite him back for another five soon. For further details on Vintage Trouble’s live streams check out the band’s Patreon at the link below:
https://www.patreon.com/vintagetrouble
We interviewed Quinn in the June/July 2021 issue of Blues Matters – you can get your copy here and see what he had to say:
