Chown has fun with new CD

Former Escanaba resident Kevin Chown
plays bass in a new jazz-oriented band dubbed
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. Pictured from
left are: Chown, Ed Roth, Jeff Kollman and Smith.
©Autumn Lee Photo

By STEVE SEYMOUR

"Jazz should be fun," contends Kevin Chown.

The former Escanaba resident makes that statement as the bass player in a new band with a debut CD aimed at jazz aficionados.

Credited to Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, the album is distributed by Universal Music Group, a subsidiary of the world's largest record company.

Although their name is a bit unwieldy, the band's namesake and leader is the drummer for the hugely successful Red Hot Chili Peppers and the supergroup, Chickenfoot.

About the album, Chown says: "It's in the 'jazz' category on I-Tunes, but we are not the stereotypical jazz guys. We have too many influences to say we are one thing. Funk, rock, comedy, metal, psychedelic, we don't think about it. We just play."

Chown stopped by the Record Rack a few weeks ago and updated me on his recent musical activities.

His new band also includes Chown's friend and musical cohort Jeff Kollman on guitar, Ed Roth on keyboards, and of course, Smith, who looks strikingly like comedian Will Ferrell, on the skins.

"When we started this, we had no intention of anything other than recording some cool music," Chown said.

Based in Los Angeles, the group recorded "Meet the Meatbats" at Word of Mouth Recording in Woodland Hills, CA.

The album's ten instrumental selections are group compositions, although Chown is the main force behind a track titled "Pig Feet." "That song in particular I did arrange and bring in," Chown explained.

"Our 'writing' sessions are really just jam sessions. We record everything and sort out the details later; then develop songs out of things that happen organically."

Fans of David Gilmour will appreciate the album's closing number, "Into the Floyd," which contains a spacey vibe reminiscent of the legendary British rockers, Pink Floyd.

Other songs carry such titles as "The Battle for Ventura Blvd.," "Night Sweats" and "Lola."

Concerning the band's moniker, Chown said: "We wanted a name where we could play instrumental music and not have people take us too seriously.

"Jazz somewhere along the line lost its sense of humor and became music that was put in a box and placed in a museum. I don't think that was Louis Armstrong's intent. He wanted to make people laugh.

"I guess subconsciously, it's our intent to smash the box and free the music," Chown said.

Chown grew up in Escanaba, the son of John and Ruth Chown. His father was a high school band teacher and his mother gave private piano lessons.

The young musician began performing professionally at age 15. He started on drums, but soon switched to bass.

After a year at Bay College, Chown moved to Detroit to attend Wayne State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in jazz studies.

He has performed with Uncle Kracker, among others.

The bassist currently resides in Sherman Oaks, CA, not far from where "Meet the Meatbats" was recorded.

Chown's favorite track on the new album is "Oh! I Spilled My Beer."

The song title comes from near the end of the track when Smith spilled his beverage and his verbal comment was left in as a homage.

Band humor is also evident in their use of nicknames. Smith is tagged "the Big Galute," Kollman is known as "the Worker Bee" and Roth is called "the Wrench." Chown's nickname is "Bubbles."


Kevin "Bubbles" Chown

"The names of the songs are extensions of our own lives or about people we know. Chad likes to say that since we don't have lyrics in the songs, we have to have titles that paint a picture and tell a tale all by themselves.

"In the Meatbat inner circle, there is also the Dragon, the Jockey, Boots, the Closer, T-Rex, and our latest is Kenny Aronoff, who is known as the Pinch."

"Basically, our nicknames, band name and song names are all part of a larger scheme of overall madness," Chown said.

The group's convivial spirit even extends to the cover for their album, where the Meatbats are pictured as cartoon characters. The drawings were made by Tim McFadyen.

The disc itself features a silk-screened photograph of a cake made for the group by a Japanese fan.

Issued by Warrior Records, the album clearly shows four masterful musicians enjoying themselves while making funky jazz just for the fun of it.

Nearly an hour long, the album was recorded and mixed by Jono Brown and produced by the Meatbats.

To promote "Meet the Meatbats," the group will tour Japan in October and November with some U. S. dates to follow.

Amid that backdrop, drummer Smith will begin recording a new album with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, famous for such hits as "Under the Bridge" and "Scar Tissue."


Chad "The Big Galute" Smith

"Chad's a busy guy. The Chili Peppers are starting work on a new record, so he will need to be in L. A. during the week, but we will be popping out to do some weekend dates as much as we can. Maybe some festival dates next year, but it's really wide open," Chown commented.

The Meatbats have already toured the Far East. "The first Japan tour, considering we didn't have any music out there and were for the most part touring on Chad's fame and name, went great. The tour really was the first time we played 'live,' as we evolved out of the studio, and it took the band to the next level."

Things are moving rapidly for the Meatbats. "We have already recorded the follow-up to our debut, and have a live CD ready to roll as well," Chown revealed.

Whatever musical endeavor the Meatbats try next, you know they'll have fun doing it.

###

If you are a member of Facebook: Everyone becoming a fan of Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats (www.facebook.com/bombasticmeatbats) between now and Nov. 1 will be placed in a drawing for a free CD. Be sure to add the words "from the U. P." with your friend request.


Ed "The Wrench" Roth


Jeff "Worker Bee" Kollman

Books add to audio experience

Lillian Roxon

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Back in the day, one of my favorite books was the encyclopedia. Not Britannica or World Book, mind you, but "Lillian Roxon's Rock Encyclopedia."

Roxon's scholarly work was found in the reference section at the local library and it drew me back to the shelves time and time again.

The author had assembled the first text taking a comprehensive look at the intriguing new rock 'n' roll music scene.

The book contained informative biographies, discographies, commentary and analysis of over 1,200 rock stars.

You could discover the diverse world of rock music by flipping through the book's 611 pages.

The dust jacket promised coverage of everyone from Roosevelt Gook (piano player for Tom Rush) to the Beatles.

Roxon crammed her book with facts. Want to know who was in Ultimate Spinach, or the tracks on Blue Cheer's first album, or what feedback is? Roxon had the answers.

Born in Italy, but raised in England and Australia, Roxon came to New York in 1959.

She planned to write about this country for Australian newspapers and a world-wide feature syndicate, but became fascinated by pop music during the mid-1960s.

Her articles were among the first to treat the emerging rock scene seriously.

In 1968, she was commissioned to write a comprehensive treatment of rock music, published by Grosset & Dunlap of New York.

"Trying to get the rock world to keep still long enough for me to take its picture was one of the most difficult tasks in putting this book together. Groups split even as I wrote of their inner harmony, and got themselves together just as I had acknowledged their tragic demise," Roxon wrote of the book.

"I wanted to record the facts without losing the feelings. In the end, though, the music itself has to tell the story. This book is the companion to that story," she added.

Unfortunately, Roxon died after suffering a severe asthma attack at age 41. Despite her death in 1973, Roxon's influence lives on through her writings.

So respected was Roxon that some admirers refer to her as "the mother of rock."

While Roxon poured countless hours into her book, so did music researcher Joel Whitburn.

He began collecting 45 rpm singles as a teen in the 1950s. As his hobby grew, he began to organize the records with data he obtained from charts published by Billboard.

Consequently, Whitburn compiled that information into a vital volume called "Top Pop Records, 1955-1970."

The book listed every rock record charted by the magazine from Nov. 2, 1955 to Dec. 27, 1969. Even at that time, the book included 9,800 recordings by 2,500 recording artists.

Compiling that information must have been a monumental task in the days before computers.

Whitburn also included the date each record first charted, its highest position and total weeks on the chart. He also included the record title, label and catalog number.

Not long after it came out, I felt compelled to purchase Whitburn's hardcover edition which comprised his original research and supplement for 1970.

I still remember buying the book at Canterbury Book Store because it was a bit on the pricey side. Still, considering how often I've consulted it, the publication was a tremendous bargain.

The book was very handy when I was trying to collect all of an artist's 45s or determining if a greatest hits album actually contained all of an artist's hits.

I used the book to study the singles of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Who, Animals, and all my favorite acts.

My early version of the book was published by Gale Research Co., located in Detroit's Book Tower.

Over the years, Whitburn's work has proved popular among pop music fans and he has issued updated books on a regular basis.

A native of Wisconsin, Whitburn is widely recognized as the leading historian on the music charts and his collection includes every charted Hot 100 and pop single beginning in 1920.

A few weeks ago, I decided it was finally time to add Roxon's book to my library. I bought a copy by way of the Internet from Market Street Bookstore in Maysville, Kentucky.

Looking through it now is just as fascinating and informative as it was when it was newly published.


Mary Travers

After singer and songwriter Mary Travers died on Sept. 16, I looked up the entry for Peter, Paul and Mary in Roxon's book.

I learned that the folk three-some was the idea of manager Albert Grossman, who sought to improve on the Kingston Trio with a group including two men and a woman.

Peter, Paul and Mary were a huge success, opening the door to a folk rock scene which included Bob Dylan, perhaps the greatest rock poet of his generation.

A peak into Whitburn's book, meanwhile, shows the trio's first hit was "Lemon Tree" in 1962. Their Top Ten entries included "If I Had a Hammer," "Puff The Magic Dragon" and "I Dig Rock And Roll Music."

They made hits of Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind" and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," years before the folk singer from Minnesota hit the charts with his own recordings.

Whitburn's book lists the last Peter, Paul and Mary hit as "Leavin' On A Jet Plane," written by John Denver, which went to No. 1 in late 1969.

Peter, Paul and Mary disbanded two years later, but had several reunions.

Roxon described the group's power: "They did have a hammer, they had a bell, they had a song to sing, and they sang it when it counted."

The Whitburn and Roxon books provided me with a foundation to understand and appreciate the rock 'n' roll music which has held my attention for over four decades.

While listening to music is better than reading about it, knowing some pertinent facts can enhance the experience, don't you agree?

Festival attracts blues acts, fans

Harmonica player and vocalist Geneva Red
entertained at the 6th annual Blues Fest in
Marquette.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

There was a bit of deja vu over the Labor Day weekend as the Marquette Area Blues Society (MABS) presented its 6th annual Blues Fest at Mattson Lower Harbor Park.

The scene may have been a little familiar because my wife Sue and I have attended every yearly get-together from the first, held at Marquette Mountain.

Still, organizers put a new twist on the theme, filling the bill with a fresh and interesting collection of blues entertainers.

Ten acts graced the stage over the weekend, with the Twistin' Tarantulas opening the program on Sept. 5.

Actually a rockabilly outfit, the Twistin' Tarantulas feature Marquette native George Friend on guitar. With founding member Pistol Pete Midtgard on upright bass and lead vocals, the band played a set of original and cover material, including Louis Jordan's jump blues classic, "Cho Choo Ch'Boogie."

The Original Delta Fireballs, comprising Geneva Red on vocals and harmonica, and Jackie 5 & Dime as a one-man backing band, followed. The two performed such varied fare as Bessie Smith's "Sugar in My Bowl," The First Edition's "Just Dropped In (To See What My Condition My Condition Is In)," and "Minnie the Moocher," originally recorded by Cab Calloway.

A Blues Fest favorite returned to the stage when Biscuit Miller appeared at the Marquette event for the third time in six years. Fans know the funky bassist played behind blues great Lonnie Brooks for a decade. Miller performed in the Anthony Gomes Band during the first Blues Fest in 2004 and again in 2006 during an impromptu set.

Biscuit Miller and the Mix paid tribute to James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, with "Soul Power." Miller tossed out Mardi Gras-type necklaces, firing up the crowd, which clearly approved of his performance. His original material, including "Let's Go Fishing," was also well received.

Philadelphia's rising blues star, Gina Sicilia, entertained next.

Just 24, Sicilia has already released two critically-acclaimed compact discs, "Allow Me To Confess" and "Hey Sugar."

A gifted vocalist and songwriter, Sicilia's set included "Try Me," an obscure Esther Phillips' chestnut; "Rest Of My Days," which Sicilia wrote at age 16; and Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow" from 1957.

Saturday's headliner was James "Super Chikan" Johnson, who spent his childhood working on his family's farms on the Mississippi Delta. Talking to the poultry, Johnson earned the nickname "Chikan Boy."

Years later, in 1997, he released his first compact disc, "Blues Come Home To Roost," which includes "Super Chikan Strut," a centerpiece to his stage show.

The inventive Johnson constructed his guitar from a ceiling fan and even made it cackle like a chicken.

Besides his original material, Johnson performed "Little Red Rooster," the blues standard by Willie Dixon, first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961.

Sunday's entertainment started with Millie Street. Named after an address on the north side of Iron Mountain, the band offered "Share the Love" among a fine set of blues material.

Then, Reverend Robert Sexton brought some "prohesizin' and preachin''' to the blues as leader of a five -piece ensemble.

Dressed in suits and fedoras, the Reverend and his disciples tore through "The American Blues," "Have Mercy" and "The Mississippi Medley." A roadie tossed miniature Bibles into the audience.

The Reverend's performance included their take on Muddy Waters' "I Want To Be Loved."

Flint's Maurice Davis, "King of the Party Blues," complimented event organizers, saying "This is the best festival we've ever done."

Davis should know, he's headlined concerts and outdoor festivals throughout Michigan.

His set at this show included "Show Me," "The Maurice Shuffle" and "Stormy Monday," written by T. Bone Walker and first recorded in 1947.

Eugene, Oregon-based bluesman Curtis Salgado, who appeared next, has an emotional story to tell whether on or off the stage. He played with Robert Cray in the 1970s and honed his vocal and harmonica skills along the way.

When comedian John Belushi was in Eugene filming "Animal House," he caught Salgado's blues show. Belushi was apparently taken with the music and much of what he learned from Salgado later ended up in the "Blues Brothers" movie. The Blues Brothers first album, "Briefcase Full of Blues," was dedicated to Salgado.

Diagnosed with liver cancer just a few years ago, Salgado had no insurance. Numerous benefits were held around the country which raised half a million dollars for his transplant.

Salgado, who performed as lead vocalist in Santana for a period, puts his all into singing, whether it's blues, R&B or rock 'n' roll.

For his Marquette performance, Salgado opened with "Bottle of Red Wine," a track from the compact disc "Clean Getaway," released on Shanachie Records in 2008. He continued with the title song, "20 Years of B. B. King," "Let's Get Married" and "What's Up With That."

Headliners Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King closed the day's program.

Kubek, who grew up in Texas, was playing blues clubs by age 14. Later he took a gig playing rhythm guitar for Texas blues legend Freddie King. Bnois King (no relation) and Kubek finally teamed up in 1989, offering contrasting but complementary styles. Kubek plays in the Texas guitar-slinger tradition, while King's sound is more jazz-oriented. King's soulful vocals tie the instrumental partnership together.

The band entertained the crowd with such songs as "It's Alright," "Texas Cadillac" and "TV Light."

During the event, festival-goers were exposed to a wide-variety of blues styles, all performed with expertise by a talented line-up of local, regional and national acts.

Blues fans, like Sue and myself, enjoyed the music, the surroundings, the food and friends over a memorable weekend.

If I experienced some deja vu, it was probably because that's the same pleasant feeling I've had after attending Blues Fest every year since it was first held in 2004.

Longevity pays off for Chicago

Chicago's horn section was the center of attention
at the group's Sept. 4 concert at the Island Resort & Casino
in Harris. Pictured, from left, are James Pankow, Larry
Klimas and Lee Loughnane.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Rock band Chicago showed their time-tested method for delivering the hits during an exhuberant concert at the Island Resort & Casino in Harris over the Labor Day weekend.

The veteran group, formed in 1967, includes founding members Robert Lamm (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, vocals), James Pankow (trombone) and Walter Parazaider (saxophone). The remainder of the band comprises Jason Scheff (bass, vocals), Tris Imboden (drums), Keith Howland (lead guitar, vocals) and Lou Pardini (keyboards, vocals).

For the local shows, Larry Klimas substituted for Parazaider and a second drummer, Drew Hester, was added. Hester has performed with alternative rock band Foo Fighters.

Originally known as The Big Thing, Chicago originated in the Windy City, but quickly followed producer James William Guercio to Los Angeles.

Guercio, who had success with the Buckinghams ("Kind Of A Drag") and Blood, Sweat & Tears ("You've Made Me So Very Happy"), saw promise in the new band.

Under Guercio's guidance, they performed in Chicago, L. A. and San Francisco as "Chicago Transit Authority," also the name of their first album. "Call them 'Chicago'," Guercio said in the album's liner notes.

Issued on Columbia Records in 1969, their double-disc debut contained four hits, combining jazz and rock. They followed with "Chicago II" which firmly established the band as a major force in pop music.

My wife Sue and I saw the Sept. 4 show from seats in the third row.

The band opened with a brassy medley including "Make Me Smile," "So Much To Say, So Much To Give" and "Colour My World," three tracks from their second album, released in 1970.

Loughnane handled lead vocals on "Colour My World," originally sung by Terry Kath, the Chicago guitarist who died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1978.

Next, the legendary group moved to "Dialogue (Part 1 & 2)," a lengthy jazz-rock experiment from 1972. "If You Leave Me Now," Chicago's first No. 1 hit, from 1976, followed.

Obviously having fun, the band performed "Call On Me" and "Alive Again," both 70s hits.

They returned to their early days for "I'm A Man," a track from their first long-player, originally a hit for the Spencer Davis Group. The performance, one of the night's high points, included a drum duel between Imboden and Hester.

Two 80s hits, played on regular rotation on MTV, followed. Both "Hard Habit To Break" and "You're The Inspiration" were included in "Chicago 17."

Lamm moved from keyboards to guitar for his song, "Beginnings," another standout from the group's first album.


Jason Scheff

Scheff sang a heartfelt version of "Old Days," from 1975. The ballad "Just You 'N' Me" followed as fans moved to stand in front of the stage. Both songs were Top Ten hits.

Founding member Lamm returned to center stage to sing his composition, "Saturday in the Park," Chicago's first gold single, released in 1972.

Chicago's all-hits program continued with "Hard To Say I'm Sorry," a chart-topper from 1982, featured in the movie "Summer Lovers," starring Daryl Hannah. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day," a Top Ten selection from 1973, followed.


James Pankow

The three-piece horn section dominated the stage during the evening and was responsible for the group's trademark sound. Pankow twirled his trombone like he was a gunslinger in the Old West. In fact, Pankow wrote most of Chicago's horn arrangements.

Obviously enjoying themselves, Pankow, Loughnane and Klimas smiled throughout the show.

During a three-song encore, the band went back to 1972 for "Free," as a large United States flag dropped to cover the Chicago logo located at the back of the stage.

The band returned to their early albums for the last two songs. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" originally appeared on "Chicago Transit Authority" while "25 Or 6 To 4" was contained on "Chicago II." Both songs were Top Ten hits in 1970.


Robert Lamm

Many of the concert's best moments came when the group performed Lamm's songs, "Beginnings," "Saturday In The Park" and their final two selections.

A perfect cap to the evening, "25 or 6 to 4" was a thunderously powerful experience.

As the audience probably expected, Chicago delivered their well-crafted jazz-rock hits with perfect musicianship, keeping with their decades-long winning formula.

Original members Pankow, 62; Loughnane, 62; and Lamm, 64; showed an energy which belied their age. Although he didn't play at this show, 64-year-old Walter Parazaider still performs at most Chicago dates, as well.

On this night, Chicago relied on its early albums, but the group has added dozens of hit records to their catalog over the years.

From "Questions 67 And 68" in 1969 to "Here In My Heart" in 1997, Chicago registered 50 songs on the Hot 100 singles chart. In addition, they have five No. 1 albums to their credit.

In an unmatched feat by an American act, the "rock 'n' roll band with horns" has charted albums in each of the last five decades.

Despite a number of personnel changes over the years, the band hasn't stopped touring and recording since the late 1960s.

For Chicago, it's all a matter of time.

Blues siblings gather no 'Moss'

NICK MOSS


By STEVE SEYMOUR

An old proverb says: "A rolling stone gathers no moss."

Alluded to in bluesman Muddy Waters' composition, "Rollin' Stone," that statement may well hold true for Nick and Joe Moss.

The Chicago-area brothers have played memorable gigs in the hinterlands of the Upper Peninsula during separate careers which have brought them well-deserved recognition in the blues world.

My wife Sue and I have seen the siblings perform close to home during the last decade.

When our friend and fellow blues enthusiast Wendy Pepin told us Nick had scheduled a solo appearance nearby, we decided to take a little road trip last Friday, Aug. 28.

Our destination was Bomber's Clubhouse of Blues, a bar and BBQ restaurant, just outside Norway.

Bomber's tavern area provides an intimate setting for a blues show with a tiny stage located behind a "U"-shaped bar.

A large man with an equally-sizable talent, Nick introduced his first set saying, "I'll play some blues tonight. That's all I got for ya."

The audience included Nick's wife Kate and their five-year-old daughter Sadie Mae.

Just a few songs into the program, Nick performed his composition,"Sadie Mae," a tribute to the little girl who just entered kindergarten, and the title song to his fourth album.

"Look how you make your daddy smile. You're my first-born baby child," Nick sang.

Sadie Mae, meanwhile, coyly hid behind a table as her father sang her praises.

Armed with an electric guitar, Nick played an entertaining mix of originals and well-chosen cover songs from a variety of blues greats.

First set highlights included Nick's interpretations of mythic bluesman Robert Johnson's "Ramblin' On My Mind" and "Louise" by John Lee Hooker.

During a break, we reminisced with the musician about a gig his band, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, played at Gladstone's Sand Bar not long after their first compact disc was issued in 2001. Nick remembered that piano player Barrelhouse Chuck Goering caused him to fall to the floor laughing at one point in the show, but he continued to play his guitar in the prone position.

Nick also recalled stopping by Escanaba's Record Rack where he came across a few old 45 rpm singles. He completed the cashless deal by trading a copy of his debut CD, "First Offense," for the dusty discs. The singer-guitarist collects records as a hobby.

A tasty slide instrumental opened Nick's second set. He followed with "Black Mattie Blues," by Sleepy John Estes and B. B. King's "Woke Up This Morning (My Baby's Gone)."

Nick saluted his wife with "Katie Ann," an original slow blues number from the "Got a New Plan" CD, released in 2003. Besides being Mrs. Moss, Kate is a musician herself. She played bass on Nick's "Live at Chan's, Combo Platter No. 2," released earlier this year.

The music continued with Nick's instrumental version of the traditional tune, "Frankie and Johnny," another guitar workout.

Other standout performances included "Wine Headed Woman" by Sonny Terry and Hound Dog Taylor's "Gonna Send You Back to Georgia."

Nick's playing demonstrates his affection for the old blues players. Born in 1969, Nick has paid some dues himself.

He started on bass while a teenager, but switched to guitar later. He scored a job with Jimmy Dawkins and also played for Jimmy Rogers, a long-time compatriot of Muddy Waters, a founding father of modern blues.

Nick's resume includes time with the Legendary Blues Band which featured Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, a Chicago blues mainstay and another of Muddy's bandmates.

After a ten-year stint as a sideman, Nick started the Flip Tops. The band today includes Gerry Hundt (bass, harmonica, mandolin), Willie Oshawny (keyboards) and Bob Carter (drums).

During his time as a band leader, Nick and the Flip Tops have impressed audiences across the United States and around the world.


Joe Moss

Still, Nick credits his older brother Joe with inspiring him to play Chicago-style blues.

The brothers grew-up in Chicago's northwest suburbs, where their mother exposed them to blues and soul music.

Joe began playing the blues seven days a week beginning when he was just 15 years old. He learned early blues lessons as a member of Buddy Scott and the Rib Tips.

When Scott died in 1994, Joe continued as a sideman for other blues acts before starting his own band in 1997.

The Joe Moss Band traveled to the U. P. in 2004. They were the featured entertainment at an annual fundraising dinner and auction for the YMCA of Delta County held at Danforth Place.

The elder Moss led his crack Chicago band through a number of well-known cover songs to satisfy an audience not particularly savvy in the blues idiom, even though he could have performed more original material.

At the time, the band was promoting their debut CD, "Monster Love," released on 212 Records. Joe composed all but two of the tracks on the disc, "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," by Billy Myles and B. B. King's "Please Love Me."

Keeping it in the family, the CD's packaging was designed by sister-in-law Kate Moss, Nick's wife.

Just like Nick, Joe's a devoted family man, married to Sandy, and the father of Maricela. In fact, Joe titled his 2008 CD "Maricela's Smile."

The Moss brothers play together occasionally, Nick says, but their touring schedules often put them in different parts of the country.

Joe is currently on an east coast tour, while Nick recently returned from traversing the same territory.

Last week, Nick traveled from his home in Elgin, Illinois, for the solo gig at Bomber's, located near the Menominee River, which separates Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. It was a working vacation, mixing blues with fishing.

Like the old proverb says, "A rolling stone gathers no Moss."