Welcome to the rock and roll circus that is Vince Bohner's madcap life. Brother to the one and only Kristanne, Vince is known to some as the Yasser Arafat of the blues guitar, hewing huge chunks o' funk from the rock hard massif that is the Mojo Madness rhythm section. Others know him only as, "that guy, y'know. The one with the face." Both are correct.
But if his was the Era of the Blues Face, then that era has sadly come to a close. We bore witness to the ascension of the boy king, from his hardscrabble roots in rural California studying at the feet of Blind Chubby Cheeks, to his formative years on the Kansas City chitlin circuit, and finally to his transcendent series of gigs for the Queen at the Royal Albert Hall in London. During those shows, the broad sweep of Vince's skills were on display for all to see. Quoting liberally from Hendrix, Stevie Ray, and early Andrew Ridgely (of Wham!), Vince brought the house down, all the while grounding his glam slash and burn in the earthy sensibility that became his signature. Those days are over now, and we can only watch as the the great king's bier is set on fire and put to sea with his tools and his treasures -- his trusty Les Paul, his Superfuzz Bigmuff distortion box, and his beloved autoharp, "Bessie," chief among them. Mojo is dead! Long live the Mojo! |
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When the music's over, though, the living goes on. It was a beefy thrill to see Vince's concluding gig with the Madness that is Mojo, but there were still other lives to be lead, other loves to be loved, other post-gig beers to be consumed. So, we close with a contemplative moment with the Jacques Cousteau of the Blues Guitar. Let's hope we see him in a new incarnation some time in the future.
Hey! The Extremities start anew tomorrow as we hit the road for Vegas! See you then.
Total Miles for 6/28 = 0! A new Odyssey low!