Q&a Six Pack
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday February 23, 2006
PJ O'BRIEN, blues guitarist
What was the best thing about the International Blues Challenge in Memphis?I guess getting to go to the US for the first time. And mixing with the other competitors and hearing their take on playing blues in their hometowns was a highlight.What do you like best about Texas blues?It's a real guitar player's style. It's pretty slick, pretty cool. And it's good dancing music, people respond to it pretty well.Who would you nominate as the best blues guitarist ever?Buddy Guy is a big one for me. When I was in Austin I saw a guitar player I had never seen or heard of before, called Alan Haynes, and he was one of the best I've ever seen. But there's great Australian guitar players as well - Ray Beadles and Mal Eastick. What was the best thing about playing at Buddy Guy's club? I started playing guitar because I saw Buddy Guy playing, so he was a huge influence on me. I managed to get into the last show of his tour at his club Legends on a Friday, and got to meet him, and then played at the club on the Monday, so it was a pretty incredible couple of days. What's the best thing about playing live?Finding something different every time you play and having people respond to it.What's the best thing about your album Blues People?Having all original tunes on there was pretty important to me, I didn't want to record covers. And it has picked up a couple of awards as well, so that is pretty important too.PJ O'Brien plays at the Heritage Hotel, Bulli, tomorrow night.
© 2006 Illawarra Mercury