Attached are a few documents — fliers, ads — from our friend Frank Roland Verstappe. Again, it fills in some 1993-94 blanks in our Red Devils timeline (also, our “Red Devels” timeline). That includes the UK release of the “Blackwater Roll” EP in 1993.
Author Archives: J.J. Perry
Video: Red Devils live at King King Nov. 30, 1992
One of the treats hanging out with Mike Flanigin last year was watching vintage Red Devils video live from the King King more than two decades earlier. We watched half of the Nov. 30, 1992, video in his Austin living room. Essentially, we got the DVD commentary from one of the members of The RedContinue reading “Video: Red Devils live at King King Nov. 30, 1992”
Red Devils fall tour 1992
Mike Flanigin shared his 1992 Red Devils tour itinerary at an afternoon in his Austin home last year. His wife at the time and he kept several pages of photos, press clippings and band correspondence, which he has to this day.
Mike Flanigin on tour 1992 with The Red Devils: “We were a gang … mowed everybody down”
In the spring of 2015, Mike Flanigin opened his Austin, Texas, home and opened up about his time in The Red Devils. Flanigin became the band’s second guitarist during its critical club tour through the U.S. In 1992, replacing Dave Lee Bartel. But his connection to the band started before he was drafted one nightContinue reading “Mike Flanigin on tour 1992 with The Red Devils: “We were a gang … mowed everybody down””
DVL resurrects Red Devils in 2016
DVL is the name of a “supergroup” of musicians uniting to revive the spirit of The Red Devils in 2016. The band is Austin blues player Guy Forsyth (Asylum Street Spankers) and three members of UK’s The Hoax — Jon Amor, Robin Davey and Mark Barrett. The Hoax was known for having been inspired byContinue reading “DVL resurrects Red Devils in 2016”
Tamines 1997 reissue is a miss
A new album with the “Lester Butler” name on the cover is a rare thing, but “Live at Tamines 1997” misses the mark for both hardcore fans and newcomers. From the song selections, to the notes, to the packaging, so little care seems to have been put into this release. While a new disc couldContinue reading “Tamines 1997 reissue is a miss”
Blow like a Devil
There is some funky-weird Red Devils merch out there in the world. If you have 60 Euros you could be the proud owner of a promo Red Devils harmonica, of dubious origin. Pasi Rytkönen found this harp in a European store. From the pic, it’s hard to tell the make and model of the harmonica,Continue reading “Blow like a Devil”
1997 Tamines bootleg given mainstream release
Lester Butler is back — sort of — on the above-board release of the long-bootlegged Tamines show from Aug. 29, 1997, at the 7th South Blues Festival in Belgium. The two-disc set “Lester Butler featuring 13 Live at Tamines 1997” comes from RockBeat Records, the same folks who reissued “13 featuring Lester Butler” more than fourContinue reading “1997 Tamines bootleg given mainstream release”
The Drifter Speaks: Mike Flanigin remembers his time with The Red Devils
[Above photo by Tina Hanagan; others courtesy mikeflanigin.com] A key time in The Red Devils’ history was their U.S. club tour through the U.S. Holding down guitar duties — and altering the Devils’ sound — was guitarist Mike Flanigin, filling in for rhythm guitarist Dave Lee Bartel. With Flanigin came Texas swagger, a third soloistContinue reading “The Drifter Speaks: Mike Flanigin remembers his time with The Red Devils”
The Blasters in The Cities
There was no cooler place to be in Minneapolis on June 17 than Lee’s Liquor Lounge. We were piled in there, too, pressed against the stage for The Blasters‘ return to the Twin Cities. Phil Alvin, John Bazz, Keith Wyatt and the powerhouse drummer “Buster” Bill Bateman played a greatest hits show for hipsters, rockers,Continue reading “The Blasters in The Cities”
No Fightin' 