If it takes Blues Traveler to get BigDave posting then I love Blues Traveler.
Nice to see you on here, Dave.
Well hello CM, so good to see you, my old friend!
How ya been? 
I like Popper more than most on here, but I understand the criticisms of overplaying. It's definitely his biggest weakness as a musician.
I would also agree with the sentiment in this thread that once you get past about 1996, nothing to see here, keep on moving. The early albums are good, especially Travelers and Thieves, and Live From The Fall is a solid live record. When Bobby Sheehan died, they lost their 2nd strongest musical personality behind Popper, and they haven't been the same band without him in my opinion.
I'm a little surprised to hear people say they wanted to hear less Popper and more Chan Kinchla. With all apologies to any friends or family of Chan who may read this, I've always considered him a total hack and the weak link in the band. You want to talk about overplaying without really saying anything? At least Popper was pushing the envelope of his instrument and doing things no other harmonica player had ever done before. Kinchla is just pure mindless shredding to me and his tone is terrible.
John Popper - the Jimi Hendrix of harmonica
They're shows before Bobby Sheehan died were epic.
They started the H.O.R.D.E Festival.
In my opinion, they were responsible for the resurgence of the Jam Band Scene we enjoy today.
In my opinion, they were responsible for the resurgence of the Jam Band Scene we enjoy today.
Now THAT is a huge complement. I'm not quite sure it's true, but even if it's half true, it cancels out all the negativism in this thread.
As I stated earlier, really looking forward to hearing the 2017 Blues Traveler on July 20.
They were great before Bobby died. I'm not sure if I'd want to go see them now?
I am very much indifferent towards Blues Traveler. But to complain about Popper's over-playing is like saying that Keith Emerson over-played in Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He is the cornerstone of the band. I have heard him do sit-ins where I thought he should've laid back a little, but in Blues Traveler - he's the guy.
Blues Traveler was and is a decent band. IMO, their weakest song was a hit. "Hook" off of the album "four" is the first track so many people missed the best stuff on that record. It has its moments but I haven't seen anyone mention what is, for me, the highlight of that record.....the fifth track "the Mountains win Again". It's a good song on its own but even before I read the credits on the sleeve, I knew exactly who was guesting on slide on that song. If anyone wants to learn to play slide, listen to that. Ironically, there is a harp solo that in typical Popper fashion, is about 5000 notes too many although it works well there. But it builds to a crescendo that leads into a lesson that Popper should heed. It's one of the most perfectly crafted slide solos on a studio record. It seems to say to Poppers harp "Simmer down, you can get slot more across if you leave a little space between notes just like space between words can do more for a conversation than fancy vocabulary can". That bottleneck solo is so succinctly beautiful that I found the rest of the record a let down. And I hope someone else here knows what I'm talking about and who played this..... Anyone??
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_(Blues_Traveler_song)
http://www.avclub.com/article/why-hook-by-blues-traveler-is-actually-a-pretty-ge-83392
[Edited on 5/25/2017 by LeglizHemp]
I shouldn't have said "Hook" was the weakest song. Its more appropriate to say it wasn't one of MY Faves which is just a matter of opinion or taste. And I learned "The Mountains win Again" which is easy in terms of chord structure. I never realized how complex hook really was. thanks Legalize
But to complain about Popper's over-playing is like saying that Keith Emerson over-played in Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He is the cornerstone of the band.
Thanks Rusty, you said exactly what I was thinking. And some here said he doesn't measure up to the all-time greats like Little Walter, James Cotton, etc.
That's a most ridiculous comparison. John Popper was NEVER going for a classic blues style.............he took the harmonica and turned it into a prevalent JAM BAND instrument, which no one had ever done before! And don't try and tell me that Thom Doucette did it...........he played a very minor role in early ABB.
Blues Traveler was and is a decent band. IMO, their weakest song was a hit. "Hook" off of the album "four" is the first track so many people missed the best stuff on that record. It has its moments but I haven't seen anyone mention what is, for me, the highlight of that record.....the fifth track "the Mountains win Again". It's a good song on its own but even before I read the credits on the sleeve, I knew exactly who was guesting on slide on that song. If anyone wants to learn to play slide, listen to that. Ironically, there is a harp solo that in typical Popper fashion, is about 5000 notes too many although it works well there. But it builds to a crescendo that leads into a lesson that Popper should heed. It's one of the most perfectly crafted slide solos on a studio record. It seems to say to Poppers harp "Simmer down, you can get slot more across if you leave a little space between notes just like space between words can do more for a conversation than fancy vocabulary can". That bottleneck solo is so succinctly beautiful that I found the rest of the record a let down. And I hope someone else here knows what I'm talking about and who played this..... Anyone??
I just pulled out my copy of "Four" and to my shock found in the credits that Warren Haynes plays on The Mountains Win Again. Thanks for the tip, I never knew that. Interesting too that Bobby Sheehan wrote the words and music for The Mountains Win Again. "Four" is going in my truck stereo for tomorrow morning's commute..............haven't played it in quite a few years.
[Edited on 5/26/2017 by robslob]
