paul size « No Fightin': The Red Devils, Lester Butler & California blues, rock and roots music

Archive for paul size

Paul Size on getting robbed at Mick Jagger’s birthday party, more

Posted in paul size with tags big pete, dave lee bartel, marc spitz, Mick Jagger, paul size, simi valley cajun and blues music festival on February 7, 2012 by J.J.

As part of the interviews for his 2011 book “Jagger: Rebel, Rock Star, Rambler, Rogue,” author Marc Spitz has uploaded some of his audio interviews to SoundCloud.

Paul Size was a prime source for Chapter 19, “The Red Devils’ Blues,” which once again tells the tale of the Devils, the King King, Jagger’s blues mojo and the ill-fated Jagger/Devils album that never really came to be.

In this clip, Size talks about playing Jagger’s birthday party in London — and getting robbed for his troubles. The elusive Dave Lee Bartel makes a cameo in the story to save the day in ultimate rhythm guitar fashion.

Spitz next draws comparisons to The Red Devils to two other blues-based “color” bands: The White Stripes and The Black Keys, then Size gives his take on the Jagger sessions, and if he’d like to see them released officially.

Paul Size fans will get a chance to see him in action as he joins Big Pete as special guest at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival May 27.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

5 Comments »

One-of-a-kind notebook gives peek into Red Devils, Butler’s creative process

Posted in red devils with tags lester butler, mike flanigin, paul size, way down south, your turn to cry on November 15, 2011 by J.J.

A notebook belonging to Lester Butler gives a rare little glimpse into The Red Devils’ lyrics, setlists and creative process.

Among the doodles, dates, phone numbers, notes and cigarette burns are lyrics for “Shake ‘Em on Down” and a nascent “Your Turn to Cry.”

The writings are in the hands of Paul Brown of the UK. Brown says he was in the crowd at the Devils’ May 4, 1993, gig at London’s Borderline. Afterward, he picked up the setlist left behind on the stage. The setlist turned out to be more than that.

“When I picked up the ‘setlist’ … it wasn’t until I returned home that I realised there were entries in over 20 pages, very much in the style of the notebook in the CD insert,” Brown wrote to us. “There are setlists, lyrics and doodles.”

Jonny Ray Bartel essentially confirmed the authenticity of the one-of-a-kind notebook in a Facebook post: “Nice collection Paul. Looks like you have an entire notebook of Lester’s. Awesome …”.

Let’s look into the pages Paul emailed to us:
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

1992: Sympathy for the Devils/Mike Flanigin debuts

Posted in red devils with tags dallas morning news, dave lee bartel, lester butler, mike flanagan, paul size on August 7, 2011 by J.J.

Here are two important stories in Red Devils lore, both by Michael Corcoran from the Dallas Morning News. The first is the cleverly titled “Sympathy for the Devils” (Sept. 17 1992), with a strong Lester Butler interview. It gets deeper into the band’s history — and Butler’s drug use — than most by-the-numbers articles of the time.

It’s followed by “Red Devils have guitarist by the sleeve” (Sept. 19, 1992), and recaps how Texan Mike Flanigin ended up as the rhythm guitarist in the band for a short spell, replacing Dave Lee Bartel beginning with a show at Trees in Dallas. (Edited Aug. 13 to correct spelling of “Flanigin,” wrong in the original article.)

Sympathy for the Devils: The unlikely-looking Red Devils play some really wicked blues
By Michael Corcoran, Dallas Morning News
Sept. 17, 1992

The blues live on Monday, that bluest of blue-collar days. On Monday, you’re not talking with much enthusiasm and others aren’t really into listening, so you always have to repeat your first sentence twice. “I said, ‘They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday’s just as bad.’”

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

3 Comments »

Tickets to The Garage, 1993

Posted in red devils with tags lester butler, paul size, red devils, the garage, ticket, Zach Zunis on February 15, 2011 by J.J.

Picked up a concert ticket from The Red Devils’ gig at The Garage in London Dec. 1, 1993 from an eBay auction recently (No. 18, below right). At the same time, UK Devils fan Paul Brown e-mailed us his own ticket from that show — signed by every member of the band! (No. 27 at right)

The eBay seller’s description said:

One of only a few available for this particular gig. Concert only sparcely (sic) attended due to poor advertising and poor knowledge on the public front about this stunning performer/band … RIP LESTER.BY THE WAY THE GIG WAS AWESOME,AND I TOOK MY DAD GOD REST HIM WHO WAS A HARMONICA PLAYER,AND HE WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY !!!!!

One thing to note: Paul Size had quit the band a few months earlier, so it was Zach Zunis on guitar for this stretch of shows, and represented in that autograph.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

Reviews: Opening for the Allmans in 1992

Posted in red devils with tags 1992, allman brothers, bill bateman, bo diddley, bootleg, hollywood fats, jonny ray bartel, lester butler, mp3, paul size, red devils on December 20, 2010 by J.J.

Two new soundboard-quality recordings have surfaced recently to shine light The Red Devils’ 1992 opening slots for the Allman Brothers. The Sept. 1 Richmond, Va., and Sept. 4 Charlotte, N.C., recordings represent the band’s sixth and eighth opening spots (by our count) for the Brothers.

These recordings document the band working through their setlists, and winning over crowds with their hardworking blues. From the very top, the audio quality is quite high, making these discs an audio treat. That there is no crowd noise coming into the mix is unnerving, as it sounds as though the band finishes songs to complete silence.

Both shows begin with a sturdy shuffle, here called “Hey Baby,” but in reality a mad-libs version of the warhorse “Riding in the Moonlight.” The Richmond gig finds the band sounding quite tentative — solid blues to be sure, but no real fireworks. Just three days later, however, the same tune is crunchier and bouncier, with a pounding two-handed shuffle by Bill Bateman, hot turnarounds and leadwork by Paul Size and a much more confident vocal performance by Lester Butler.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

Rowdy morning on KCRW + 1 new song, 1992

Posted in red devils with tags bill bateman, blackwater roll, chris douridas, hollywood fats, johnny moeller, jonny ray bartel, kcrw, king king, lester butler, Mick Jagger, mike flanagan, morning becomes eclectic, paul size, red devils, slim harpo, Zach Zunis on February 28, 2010 by J.J.

A great “new” tape has surfaced of The Red Devils performing live in the studio on San Diego radio station KCRW’s long-running program “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” showcasing a new tune, different arrangements, and an interview with the band.

Jon Miller up in Seattle dug the tape out of storage, and sent a copy along to nofightin.com, and it’s a good one. Though the recording is incomplete — picking up toward the end of a searing version of “I Was Wrong” — it is impressive for what’s there, including a rowdy trio shuffle new to nofightin.com.

LISTEN: The rare “Blues in the Morning” shuffle with Lester Butler, Paul Size and Bill Bateman [MP3]

The airdate, as marked on the original cassette dubbed live from the radio, is dated 12/7/92, though host Chris Douridas mentions that the Devils’ segment was taped the previous Friday. The timeline is corroborated by the Dec. 7 Los Angeles Times review of a Friday evening gig in L.A.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

Photos: Red Devils’ last King King gig, 1993

Posted in red devils with tags blue cafe, club, hollywood, king king, lester butler, paul size, photos, red devils, rick rubin, smokey hormel, vince jordan on June 20, 2009 by J.J.

Walk up to the door, and pay the cover — it’s Monday night at the King King club in Hollywood, and The Red Devils are on stage.

For those of us who missed it the first time around, these photos of the Devils at the King King, taken by Vince Jordan, are a great find. Jordan owned and booked the Blue Cafe in Long Beach, Calif., from 1992 to 2003. The club was another favorite haunt of The Red Devils and related bands; Jordan and Lester Butler were also good friends (he and his club get a thanks on the “13″ disc).

Jordan said these photos were taken at the Devils’ last gig at the King King, probably June 14, 1993 (that was a Monday). The timing as a “last gig” makes sense; Paul Size would be out of the band later that summer, and the original King King would close shop for good by the end of the year.

Besides the great photos of the band and the scene, check out an ultra-rare photo of producer Rick Rubin and Butler hanging out on a bench outside the club (as seen on the “King King” album cover), as well as a couple with original Blue Shadows/Red Devils guitarist — as well as former Blasters and 13 member — Smokey Hormel sitting in.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

1 Comment »

2 Meter Sessies — Red Devils live 1993

Posted in red devils with tags 2 meter sessies, bill bateman, bootleg, jan douwe kroeske, lester butler, live, netherlands, paul size, radio, red devils on May 26, 2009 by J.J.

In lieu of a legit Red Devils sophomore album, fans should look to live performances such as 1993′s outstanding 2 Meter Sessies recording to fill the void.

The 2 Meter Sessies is a Dutch radio series, a live-in-the-studio “unplugged” session. Performers over the years include Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Cranberries, Blind Melon, J.J. Cale, Jackson Browne and many others. Of course, the Devils didn’t unplug at all, giving one of their essential performances — all caught on tape. (Read more about the Sessies on this English translation on Wikipedia.)

The Devils’ performance was recorded May 3, 1993, at Bullet Sound Studios in the Netherlands, just 2 days after their infamous Moulin Blues Festival appearance. This time, the band sounds rested and ready; it’s just as compelling a performance as Moulin, but without the debauchery. It sounds like a hardworking blues band on top of their game.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

3 Comments »

Live in Bloomington, 1992

Posted in red devils with tags article, bill bateman, bloomington, blues, jake's, king king, lester butler, mike flanigan, paul size, red devils, rock, set list on May 4, 2009 by J.J.

Just a few months after first hearing The Red Devils in 1992, I was thrilled to learn the band would be performing just down the street, at Jake’s Nightclub in Bloomington, Indiana.

The show — originally Sept. 28 — was rescheduled for Oct. 13, one week ahead of my 21st birthday. A press pass from my college newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student, would basically get an underage reporter into any bar — as long as the reporter promised not to drink.

The show was advanced in the local media; I imagine they all received the same Def American press kit I did. Dave Mac of the daily Herald-Times said:

The music is rough, raw and rootsy, and the gut of the sound is Chicago blues. But the Red Devils push the sonic requirements of traditional blues to include more bass lines and more guitar sound. The result is a band that is as rock and roll as it is blues, and mainly young and hungry. Size is the youngest member, the Texas-bred guitar whiz being only 20 years old.

The weekly alternative the Bloomington Voice actually interviewed Butler:

“Blues is a shared language,” says Butler. “It’s still really fun for me … Because of the chord structure, it’s similar to jazz. You can go and have a jam session, and it sounds f—in’ great. It’s different than rock … We all share that language. Music is a dialogue between five different individuals.”

The Voice also noted that Texan Mike Flanigan had taken over rhythm guitar duties from Dave Lee Bartel for the tour.

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

DVD review: Red Devils at Moulin 1993

Posted in red devils with tags bill bateman, blues, dave lee bartel, dvd, harmonica, jonny ray bartel, lester butler, moulin blues, music, paul size, red devils on April 19, 2009 by J.J.

By the 1993 Moulin Blues Festival, the Red Devils had been touring for several months on end, and the wear and tear can be seen — but not heard — in the three bonus tracks on the DVD.

While the band looks beat up, they are as tight a musical unit as one could hope for. The devastating, muscular tunes show why the band became legendary in just a few short years, and why they imploded just as quickly.

Paul Size at Moulin 1993

Immediately, you see a different Lester Butler from the 13 era. He looks dirty and heavy, with a bandana failing to keep his long hair from his face. A baggy shirt drapes his frame, and he sways precariously from side to side. His eyelids are heavy, and he has a not-all-there smile on his face. It’s a wonder that he can stand up, let alone perform.

The mini-set starts off with “She’s Dangerous” in the now-familiar live style, with the stop-time riff gone in favor of a piledriving rock beat. Bill Bateman swings hard on the drums, flipping his wrist to emphasize the snare beat. Paul Size, shirt open, cigarette dangling from his lip, eyes half-open, plays aggressively. The Bartel brothers hold down the cool: Jonny Ray swinging his bass at his hip, while Dave Lee strums frantically at his Les Paul Goldtop.
Read more »

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

2 Comments »

No Fightin': The Red Devils, Lester Butler & California blues, rock and roots music

Archive for paul size

Paul Size on getting robbed at Mick Jagger’s birthday party, more

Like this:

One-of-a-kind notebook gives peek into Red Devils, Butler’s creative process

Like this:

1992: Sympathy for the Devils/Mike Flanigin debuts

Like this:

Tickets to The Garage, 1993

Like this:

Reviews: Opening for the Allmans in 1992

Like this:

Rowdy morning on KCRW + 1 new song, 1992

Like this:

Photos: Red Devils’ last King King gig, 1993

Like this:

2 Meter Sessies — Red Devils live 1993

Like this:

Live in Bloomington, 1992

Like this:

DVD review: Red Devils at Moulin 1993

Like this:

Pages

Follow “No Fightin': The Red Devils, Lester Butler & California blues, rock and roots music”