POPA CHUBBY’S BLUES BLOG

Blog Post 2/23/21

Dead Mans Guitars.

I’m sitting in my bedroom playing both a 1957 Gibson ES 345 in Tobacco Sunburst and a 1990 Jon Jorgensen Hellecaster signature model. Both afford me leisure and luxury. Both create distinct and beautiful tones and both are completely different. They have one common thread. The both came from the estates of people who passed away. Either directly or indirectly I purchased a dead mans guitar. Furthermore I will hold possession of these instruments until I sell them or leave this mortal coil. I’m ok with that and here’s why. Each guitar could tell you a story. A story of joy the original owner felt when he purchased it new from the store. After that it undoubtedly changed hands many times unless of course it was a one owner instrument. Sometimes when you buy a guitar you you know the history and that can be ever so cool. I bought two 1930’s Gibson EH-150 lap steeles and a matching EH- 150 suitcase amp from the estate of a Woman who had played in an all Female Hawaiian band . In the cases were newspaper clippings , notes, photos all chronicling her life as a player. On the way out I noticed a small UKE cases. The realtor who had executed the sale said “50 bucks take it.” It turned out to be a Koa Kamaka Ukelelle. In that case her hand written notes and more. I wanted to shout her praises but I realized the best way to do this was to pass these beauties on there the music they made would honor her eternally.

One of my best friends passed. I got a call from his Brother saying “Jerry left you his guitar.” A 1960 Gibson Les Paul SG Custom arrived and I cherish it to this day.

We are but keepers of these beautiful eternal instruments. We don’t really own them. We hold them until......

Until the last twang!

Stay real kiddies.

Popa Chubby

Blog Post Feb. 15 2021

I always go back to the Stratocaster.

What song ,artist, record etc. made you want to play a Stratocaster?

I remember being about 16 and crashing a party where some local hotshot was shredding Hendrix through a Marshall with a Cry Baby. I was a complete novice and watching this cat cycle through Manic Depression and Purple Haze working the 5 way switch and toggling the Wah Wah. In all honesty I was intimidated. I was playing an entry level Gibson at the time and all the wizardry eluded me. But that tone!!!!

But in all honesty it was not JIMI who wet my desire for the Strat. In fact, it was David Gilmour on the solo from Another Brick In The Wall . Little did I know it was in fact a Les Paul Goldtop! Ha. Spank my ass and call me Chubby! Still in all Around 1984 my good friend who I will refer to as Rock and Roll Robbie found a 78’ Natural Strat with the lip of the headstock broken off in the garbage. Still under the assumption that Gilmour had played a Srat I trade him my Hamer one pickup for the Strat. It was a beast complete with micro tilt neck. Thinking I needed to join the ranks of 80’s Rock shredders I longed for a Floyd Rose Tremolo. Procuring one I then faced the daunting task of figuring out how to install it. Having no router and no money a wood chisel was my choice of self inflicted torture. Hands bleeding , tremolo installed incorrectly I was ready to conquer the dive bomb 80’s world of bad taste! But after that I wanted nothing but a Start as my companion. I stumbled through various reissues and custom builds till Big Ed Sullivan sold me the 70’ refin I used on Booty And The Beast.

A few years later he sold me the 666strat The Devil’s guitar. Had to earn that one baby. But it’s,still my go to 20 plus years later. I may wander, I may stray but I always come home to baby!

Happy Strats ya’ll

Popa Stratocastus the large!

Blog Post Feb. 6 2021

How We Practice

We are creatures of habit.We like to play what we like to here and what we already know.I am no exception to this. I’m fond of saying every musician has her or his opening lick that they play Eve time they plug in.This provides a familiarity and a platform to let your creativity flow.What happens after that is quite a different story.let’s face it folks most of us want that magic pill, the secret lick, that shortcut that will give us better chops, great hair and all the groupies we can lick! Doesn’t exist.And That’s why you see a lot of guys who are good at one thing.Relly good!But, at one thing. For me I go back to standards again and again. They always reveal something I never considers.I can use these hidden in the open concepts to experiment and expand.

. Standards were standard for a reason.They gave the listener something familiar to listen to and the player more changes to improvise over than a I IV V.

Music is basically comprised of 2 concepts Rhythm and Melody.

So learning how to play comping 4 to the bar around changes covers both.

So many times I’ve been blown away by changes I never considered or passing chords I never thought to play. Always gracing the melody and stating the rhythm strongly.

Lou Pallo who played guitar for Les Paul for many years was a master of 1000 chords and inversions. He always amazed! Laying down a foundation for Les to jam over.

So once again Rhythm is everything . Next post we will talk about scales and arpeggios. Keep pickin’ try something new!

Popa

The Lapdog Of The Blues!

Blog Post Feb. 5, 2021

To Keep Them From Hurting The Other Guitars

Leo could have stopped at the Tele. I mean the Strat is cool but like so many of you I came to the realization early on that the Fender Telecaster is the grand ultimate fist! I’m my younger and dumber days I thought of the Tele as a country guitar. This was before I got into Roy and Danny and Kirchn and Albert and the list goes on. I bought a blue American Standard Tele in 91 and realized I could play rock on it. The treble pickup was like hot red fingernails clawing my neck! Like playing low staccato notes on the low E string was nothing short of religious.

I Bought a 65’ a 69’ a 70’ and finally a 55’ white guard.

I still lust for a 52’ black Gaurd. Oh and yeah you can play country on a Tele and Blues too. Jazz also. As a matter of fact you can play anything on a Tele cause it’s the grand ultimate fist!

Just keep your fingers away from her mouth.

Popa Chubby tells the whole truth no overdubs.

Blog Post Feb 2 2021

What We Really Do

I was tour in Italy. Our tour manager Alberto or Hercules as I called him had been my tour manager for many years. He is 6’2” 275 Hulk who played Semi Pro Italian (American) football and a diehard Steelers fan who does security in an Albanian disco when driving a bunch of scumbag musicians around. He’s into Metal and has taken a shine to me because as he says, “I’m not like the other Blues guys.” Ha! Little does he know!. Today he asks me if I will visit a fan in the hospital who has contacted the promoter. A 24 year old kid named Luca who got t-boned on a Harley by a van and is now a Quadraplaegic. Before his accident he played a Fender Strato, which is how Alberto described it to me. We leave the hotel about 3 hours before soundcheck to drive 10k (45 minutes) to the hospital. We drive in silence and when we arrive and make our way inside Luca’s Mother is waiting. She speaks Italian to Alberto to rapidly for me to fully understand but I get that I am Luca’s favorite guitar player and she’s very grateful for me coming. She’s dressed in black as if in mourning and I realize in that moment the kid ain’t getting better. I take her hand and she leads us to what looks like an ICU bed.

Luca can’t move below the neck and speak in the softest voice.He sees me and his eyes glaze and light up. I hold his and realizing he has no feeling I bend over and kiss his head. In reality I don’t know what the fuck to do. I’m improvising man. letting my heartstrings lead me. The rest of the visit I hardly remember but Luca emailed me regularly for several years and that afternoon I got a glimpse of what this shit is all about. The gift has power. It represents something and we are obliged to use it when we are called. Some of you share your plights with me. I realize that what I do offers some of you solace and for that I’m truly grateful. In the meantime I’ll keep trying.

love you all

Chubby Money The Ninja of Love!

1/31/2021

Almost a month into the pandemic. One of the only things that has filled the void of not playing live has been my love, passion, obsession for all things guitar. In fact the guitar in all it’s glory has continued to sustain me.The only thing I’ve done consistently every day since I’m 14 is play guitar.

It still is the only real medicine that works. The only cure for all my ills. The only lover who never told me to go fuck myself. Yes indeed I’m a slave to the sultry six string bitch. She is my mistress and I obey by stroking her ever so...

Hey!

What the hell am I writing here!

I guess I started collecting when I bought my first Gibson at 16. A Gibson Midnight Special in Wine Red. Horrid bolt on maple neck on a thin L6-s style body with God awful single coil pickups. I played it till the neck warped.

‘From there poverty was the norm and any extra instruments were sold for rent or drugs in my wilder days. When I’m finally got my shit together and started touring I’d go out with a pocket full of cash and come back with a van full of guitars. There where cool guitar shops in every town and I knew em all. Awesome people all shut down now by EBay and Reverb. There was also the local young gun in every town looking to cut heads with his licks and moves. Somethings never change.

Anyway I held on to a lot of great guitars and they continue to come my way. I take great joy in putting the right guitar in the right hands. I’ve done this site myself and I’m sure it reflects my scatterbrained madness. Enjoy and e-mail me with any questions!

Rock!

Popa

2/1/2021

Who’s The Greatest Guitarist?

When I was 18 I thought I’d never make it as Ted Horowitz. Just not a name for fame man. So I thought long and hard and decided I would be Ted Axey. (I know I was an asshole!) Further more I had no idea how an emerging guitar slinger should act in real life and being it was 1978 and Punk rock was happening I decided I would embrace the punk ethic and tell the world I was the shit. (I know I was an asshole!)

Of course I soon realized I had much to learn and meeting some older cats who schooled me and straightened my ass out I shut my mouth, opened my ears and started learning.

Cut to 1995. I’m signed to a major label deal, working with Tom Dowd and I emerge as a touring artist. The level of talent I encountered was staggering . A few names that come to mind...

lucky Peterson- I remember following Lucky after a festival in France and thinking what the fuck can I possibly play?

Lucky just smiled and said go get em. Chubby.

Rico McFarland was playing with Lucky that night . Fuggaboutit.

All I can say.

Lonnie Mac - I toured and opened for the killer V master. The most consistent player ever. Just sick.

Ronnie Earl- In my early days at Manny’s I’d have to bookend Ronnie’s 2 sets in the middle. the last set was just hard as shit. Ronnie played it all.

It was all a lesson.

Now time after time I here 2nthings.

1. People proclaiming this one or that one is the greatest. The GOAT.

In my humble opinion there is no such thing. You may have achieved a level of mastery but I gaurentee there is a 5 year old Chinese kid on YouTube who can whip your ass. Furthermore everyone who picks up the guitar brings something to the party.

You can learn from players at all levels.

So open your ears , shit your mouth and get humble.

Of course a dose of Tommy Immanuel, Borelli Legrande, Wes Montgomery or JIMI might help you.

2. Young guns .

When I came up you would never dream in a million years of going up to the headlining act telling them (or have your parent tell them ) how awesome you are and that you deserve to get on stage due to your awesomeness at your age.

Should be an instant crack on the ass!

There was a system of paying your dues. Of coming up. Of earning your place on stage. Of developing your own sound your own style and your own mentality.

There was also system of Mentorship like in the Brooks family where Lonnie brought both his sons up through the ranks.

You got to earn it.

You got nothing coming to you.

All I’m saying .

Don Chubblione’

AKA

Don Crankypants.