Since 2009, NoFightin.com has been the tribute/resource site for early-’90s California blues band The Red Devils and harmonica player Lester Butler.
Sparked by the cult 1992 live album “King King,” The Red Devils have collected a small but devoted following over the three decades since. Butler, fronting his own blues cartel called 13, has inspired countless musicians and fans — especially thanks to heavy touring in Europe before his untimely death in 1998.
From rare music to exclusive interviews to news and details unavailable anywhere else, we keep the fire burning.
Who we are:
- J.J. Perry is a Midwest-based journalist, blues and roots drummer, producer, promoter and certified barbecue judge. He is the publisher and editor of NoFightin.com. (email jjperry@nofightin.com)
- Tina Hanagan is a photographer, artist and technical theater professional. She manages social media and photography on the site.
- Tom Harold is a writer, artist and musician, who plays harp and sings in Indianapolis’ Gordon Bonham Blues Band. He is a contributor to NoFightin.com.
No Fightin' 
hey,
It’s Jasper here. Pretty cool to see “up-to-date” stuff about lester, 13 and RD online. I’ve been trying to setup some similar in the old days, but it just never worked out. I would like to contribute stuff!! Please let me know how… I’m willing to digg in my old mail-archives for some interesting contacts and other nice material.
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Hey Jasper, glad to hear from you! Tom and I are clearing out a lot of our old pictures, articles and e-mails from over the years.
We’d love to have you contribute any time — you can leave stuff in the comments, or just e-mail to me or Tom and we’ll make a “guest post by Jasper.” Our nofightin.com e-mail addresses are jjperry@nofightin.com and tomharold@nofightin.com.
Take care!
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Hi,
My name’s Stu & I’m from Scotland, I’m just starting out on the harp & a friend recently put me onto The Red Devils. I been playin the”KING, KING” album constantly for the past few weeks, its exactly the style of blues I’m aiming at learning, is there anywhere I can get Harp tabs for any of these songs.
Thanks
Stu
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Stuart, I’m not sure there’s any tab specifically, but send me an email through the link and I’ll see if I can’t get you going in the right direction. It will help to get a few more details from you, and then we can go from there.
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I am desperately trying to get the mechanical licensing rights to Automatic–My band is scheduled to release a CD in October 2009 & we have done a killer version. (Please don’t tell me it’s a Willie Love song).
Does anyone know who owns the rights?
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Hi GeorgiaHealer. Yes, by all accounts, it is a Willie Love song; however, I’ve not been able to find it. But there are enough accounts from reputable sources that “Automatic” (or, possibly, “Automatic Woman”) was recorded by Willie Love for Trumpet Records in the early ’50s. Here is a pretty common accounting of Love’s tune, and the “Hydromatic Woman” cover by Joe Hill Louis for Sun.
But more importantly, that is who the Devils credit on “King King,” and they were pretty good about giving proper credit (and making corrections on the second pressing when the label switched to American Recordings).
My suggestion is to contact the Harry Fox Agency. I believe they have a form you can fill out to find a copyright holder when you don’t know who it is. They’ll search it out, and collect payment when (and if) they find someone. If you are doing covers at all, Harry Fox Agency is a good place to start to be sure.
If I recall from paying mechanicals for my old band The Forecasters, there are different costs for songs depending on how long the tunes are, and how many copies of the album are being pressed. And we had one song — “Goin’ Down to Eli’s” or “Gonna Murder My Baby” — that we couldn’t track down copyright on. But we filled out all the paperwork with Harry Fox just in case they could track it down (they never did).
Hope this helps — and send us some links so Devils fans can hear what you’ve done with “Automatic” or other tunes!
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J.J,
Hey man, thanks for the feedback. THe CD is now in production and we were able to locate the current publisher (though not through Harry Fox)–it actually belongs to DEF USA, a division of Sony !
Please check-out our new myspace page where I have posted both Automatic & Taildragger, which are both on our upcomming relaese “Heal THis!”
http://www.myspace.com/thegeorgiahealers
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I’m a huge fan and just found your site! I used to see them every Thursday at Jack’s Sugar Shack in L.A. Man, do I miss them…
Is there any place to get the MP3 of Lousiana Blues?
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@Andy, thanks for the kind words. We’d be interested in any info on those Sugar Shack gigs — flyers, dates, photos, etc.
Send me an email at jjperry@nofightin.com and I’ll help out with “Louisiana Blues.”
Take care.
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Cheers! i just shot you an e-mail!
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Red Devils were the best.
thanks for starting this page.
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Hello Guys,
It’s great to see that still after 11 years there are many people who haven’t forgotten Lester. I was there in may 1998 at the Moulin blues festival (Holland) where he played his last gig. A few years ago I made a DVD from this gig but the release last year was much better. In 2008 got Lori Peralta (Lester’s girl friend) and his sister Monica the first DVD at a memorial at the Moulin Blues fistival and I was so glad to meet Monica and Lori. I gave them a DVD I made from the Pinkpop festival 1993 in Holland. They were made of a tape I got from Jasper (who lives a few miles away), but they are from a good quality. Jasper has a lot of Lester stuff, including these recordings. But if you’re interested let me know. Let’s keep Lester’s music alive!!
Good luck!
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All I can say is “WOW”. I diddle a liddle harp started search for
that TONE behind Burnside(‘s “It’s Bad, Ya Know”) and made it
here, thank God ( Lester, Burnside,even “Soprano’s”) for the
raw, real,roots stuff – Red Devils, and you guys for making it
accessible to a sod like me… I could ( and should) go on but
…I’ll be back
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Steve,
Thanks for stopping in. Glad you enjoyed your visit here.
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Great site for a great band. The Red Devils will remain one of the great, almost invisible underpinnings of American roots n blues. Thanks for doing this. It is important work that will become more-so with time.
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Phil, thanks so much for the comment — you’ve succinctly summed up what this whole blog is about. We appreciate your visit.
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Yo Johnny Ray, We met at the Harmonica Blow Down in long Beach, I video Taped Junior Watson and Kim Wilson, Larry Taylor. I wouild be intrested in a Copy of Johnny Cash with the red Devils, If you can Wing it. Was cool hangin with ya. Mark of the Blues Leucadia Bound
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Check this painter out, here in the netherlands: http://www.theoreijnders.nl
He’s got Lester too 🙂
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Cool site. I was trying to track down the name of the guitarist who replace Paul Size…and possibly if and where he still plays. Thanks.
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@Mike: That’s a good question about who followed Paul Size. I don’t know that there was a permanent replacement after Paul left, but it seems that Zach Zunis played on the Devils’ ill-fated second album. That Zunis also played in some version of a “Lester Butler Band” after the Devils leads me to think that is likely.
Zunis has played guitar with Janiva Magness for several years.
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I saw The Red Devils at the Paradiso, Amsterdam after he split up the original line up and I’m pretty sure it was Kid Ramos who played there
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What’s the key harp in the song devil woman?
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Devil Woman is interesting in that it is in the key of D, which just isn’t that common of a key for blues songs. The harmonica part is second position, key of G.
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Red Devils King King is one of my favourites. I bought it twice. I lost my first copie, when I went off the road accidentaly with my car, after a concert from the Hacienda Brothers in Nijmegen (Netherlands). This was somewhere about 2004 I guess.
Luckily I heard and saw the Red Devils in 1993 (?) in Rotterdam (Netherlands). It’s realy sad that Lester Butler died so young. Until a came at this website I never knew about this 13 project (or band). There’s a lot to read and whatch at this website. I’ve just started. Edo Moll
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Welcome Edo! Feel free to contribute to the story of The Red Devils — memories, ticket stubs, etc.
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Although this is a different subject, I’de like to add also a concert by ‘The Mighty Flyers’ in a Jazz club called Thelonious in Rotterdam. This must have been about 1990. I offered the guitar player a drink. He invited me to test his guitar (Dan Electro).
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Hi all at No Fightin ! Just a quick note to say that i just managed to get a copy of the “King King” double red vinyl album ! Yeehaa! This has got to be the best live album of all time. Next target is to get hold of the Jagger/Devils recordings if possible! Trying to spread the word in my part of North Bucks, UK ! KEEP ON GROOVIN
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Thanks Dave, I have the vinyl, too — and no turntable! It’s a really gorgeous reissue, and I bet it sounds awesome in the format. (I should mention, I also have “King King” on cassette, but have never popped that in the player, either. I should give it a listen, if only for the track sequencing and fadeouts.)
All told, I think I am up to five different physical copy of “King King,” not to mention several burned copies strategically located near CD players and in cars, along with MP3s on each iTunes and every phone and iPod, haha.
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Love Lester’s harp playing! Does anyone have the list of Keys for the harp on the King King CD? Are there any tabs out there?? Thanks
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Dear JJ and Tom,
Why does your website begins with saying that The Red Devils are woefully unknown? Because they are not woefully unknown! I’m a 28 year old girl, living in the Netherlands and I love them!! I think that really good music, is loved by a “small” group of people, because only a “small” group of people is capable to recognize real good music 😉
But thanks for making this website, and All the stories 🙂 Good information of the band is scare, and you guys compensate that. So thank you!
And I’m finally going to see The Red Devils play live 😀 @ribs and blues festival in Raalte, Netherlands! It is a awesome festival btw. I’m so Happy about that!
Keep the good work going 🙂
xMarsha
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Hi Marsha, thank you for joining us!
Certainly, we look at the band through US eyes — so much potential, but not realized. Unfortunately, their reputation here is different than it is in Europe, even today.
That said, there is one commonality: Everyone I know who saw the band or heard the album became converts!
We are happy to be a place for fans to get together and meet and share and learn more about The Red Devils.
Take care,
J.J.
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The Red Devils is a band that will remain quietly immortal. My band covers their music. They continue to influence blues players and always will. Not for everyone. That’s why they are important.
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The Red Devils is a band that will remain quietly immortal. My band covers their music. They continue to influence blues players and always will. Not for everyone. That’s why they are important.
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A great way to say it!
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I was fortunate to experience the sheer blues power of the incomparable Red Devils on 6 occasions in ’93 and witnessed their blistering lunch time record launch of Blackwater Roll at Tower Records Piccadilly circus store. They were and still are the BEST blues band I have ever heard without any shadow of a doubt !!!!!
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Excellent G man, thank you! Do you recall the date of that Tower Records appearance? Any other memories, pics, clippings, etc. to share?
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It was brilliant to catch the return of the Red Devils at the same venue I first saw them on 2 occasions in ’93. Not sure of Tower Records gig date but it was before ep came out.I secured a copy of the 10″ vinyl when meeting the band after Garage gig in Dec 1st.Got to speak to each of band.Lester was a good guy and they gave me the ep backstage .Fantastic moment and memory
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I was a college DJ when King King came out and listened to it all the way through at my co-hosts house when it came out. We were floored with the sound and energy from this new group. Through our record label rep we found out the closest they were coming to Tulsa, OK at that time was Wichita, KS and wasted no time making plans to attend the show at the Coyote Club. Four of us made the trip from Tulsa on a Friday night. We got to Wichita. found the club resembled the Cains Ballroom in Tulsa, but on a much smaller scale. Lester and the boys didn’t hit the stage till midnight…..my clearest memory of the night was Lester asking is there were any musicologists in the crowd, to which my co-host responded with a liquor fueled “whooop”, and was rewarded with “Checkin’ Up on My Baby”.
We closed the place down and still had to get back to Tulsa. (My radio show went on at noon on Saturdays) The driver missed the entrance to the turnpike back south and it was decided that I’d drive back home. Five minutes after taking the wheel, I look in the mirror and see the guy that was just driving passed out!!! We got back to Tulsa as the sun was coming up……I crashed at my brothers and went to do my show at noon with a great story to tell.
Think it was less than a year later when the Red Devils did make it to Tulsa opening for Los Lobos at the Cains Ballroom. Looking back, I feel very honored and proud to have gotten to see them live twice.
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Just saw the Flesh Eaters in Portland OR last Sat..Bill Bateman…John Doe..Dave Alvin..once in a lifetime vibe and sound!!
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Hi-just stumbled across your site and wanted to say thank you for making sure Lester’s music isn’t forgotten. I used to DJ a blues show in college and got a copy of King King and I was floored! The rawness, the “greasiness “ , the power! By the way saw them at Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, TX and they were on fire! It was a sort of “homecoming “ show for Paul Size as he was from Denton, Tx (about 30 miles from Fort Worth). I don’t remember if there was a show in Dallas the next night or not ( I doubt it as I would’ve been at the Dallas show too!) but I think that’s about when Dave Lee quit the band.
Anyway, great site and lots of info so thanks!
Trip
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JJ, this is Eddie. On May 25, 2024, I’ll be inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame.
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That is awesome Eddie, congrats man!
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