Category Archives: red devils

Never heard, never sold

Unfortunately, most Red Devils press these days is of the “best band to never …” variety. The group is mentioned in another book with the focus again on the aborted Mick Jagger solo album. “The Greatest Albums You’ll Never Hear” by Bruno MacDonald covers much of the same ground as the essential “The Greatest Music NeverContinue reading “Never heard, never sold”

Keys, Songs and Questions from “King King”

The standing joke about blues music is that to play it you only have to learn three chords and be able to play in a corresponding number of keys. At your average blues jam on a random night in Anywhere, USA, one would expect to run into a whole boatload of songs in E, AContinue reading “Keys, Songs and Questions from “King King””

“They didn’t play any songs from ‘King King’!”

Mike Mullahy in Wigan, England, cc’ed us on an email he sent to Paul Rees on the Classic Rock article. It would be great if Devils fans keep the conservation going in letters like this to Classic Rock. Just wanna say thanks to you (and Billy Gibbons!) for the great article on The Red DevilsContinue reading ““They didn’t play any songs from ‘King King’!””

Classic Rock: Finding the real story in the grooves

With Classic Rock 195 now out in the U.S. — the U.K. Queen cover replaced by Slash — The Red Devils’ story is being read by more people than ever before. Seeing high praise from Billy Gibbons and Rick Rubin, not to mention the Mick Jagger and Johnny Cash connections, it is hard to fathom theContinue reading “Classic Rock: Finding the real story in the grooves”

The usual suspects?

Jutta Härkönen shared this pic she took of The Red Devils from Kungsgatan, Sweden, with Jonny Ray Bartel surrendering. That’s guitarist Zach Zunis fourth from the left. Jutta does not remember what the occasion was — she did say the band was not in the men’s room! — and we have no confirmed dates for theContinue reading “The usual suspects?”

Lyrics: “She’s Dangerous” at Pinkpop 1993

Here’s a different take on the story “’bout a girl I know and my best friend.” The live version of “She’s Dangerous” is an insistent rocker, much more aggressive than the stop-time swagger of the definitive “King King” version. In concert, Lester Butler plays with the lyrics, an ever-shifting narrative of who is catching whoContinue reading “Lyrics: “She’s Dangerous” at Pinkpop 1993″

Red Devils coming to Classic Rock magazine

More than 21 years after “King King,” The Red Devils are ready for international exposure again. UK journalist Paul Rees has taken on the Devils for an article for an upcoming edition of Classic Rock magazine. Just finished writing a piece on #thereddevils – great lost band, cautionary story. Check 'em out here:http://t.co/PyYJSm0ek3 — PaulContinue reading “Red Devils coming to Classic Rock magazine”

‘King King’: There’s only one

I’ve been thinking a lot about “King King” the last few weeks, what makes it special in a way other albums — of any genre — rarely are. The success of The Red Devils and the “King King” album come down to three things, very simple but so elusive. It’s those five guys (plus one onContinue reading “‘King King’: There’s only one”

Dave Alvin remembers Butler and Red Devils

Dave Alvin posted his thoughts to Facebook Dec. 4: Got to thinking today about the late, talented Lester Butler and the short lived but tough little blues outfit, The Red Devils, so I found a good clip of the guys playing some European festival over a decade ago. Yeah, that’s Blaster Bill Bateman on drumsContinue reading “Dave Alvin remembers Butler and Red Devils”