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Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Paddy Wells interview

October 18, 2023 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 96

Chapters

Paddy is originally from Hull, on the north East coast of England, now lives in Yorkshire

Sound of the harmonica grabbed Paddy from hearing it on the BB King Live In London album

Had an epiphany the first time saw harmonica played live

Started playing harp age 15

Paddy is a singer as well, and singing was his main thing before he took up harp more seriously

Started playing in bands from age 18

Own harmonica playing really took off when obtained a Roland tube amp to really taste amplified harmonica in his own hands

Early bands Paddy was in were blues bands, even when he wasn’t playing a lot of harmonica

How Paddy first got into playing in bands

Started learning harp by playing along with blues harp records and the importance of tone

Didn’t have any formal music lessons when young, played a little guitar

Developed singing in same way as harmonica by singing along with records

Paddy is also a freelance music journalist, and how he got started doing that

Started off writing for the UK Blues magazine

Isn’t doing as much writing for magazines now as several of the printed magazines are no longer active

Plenty of non-paying writing jobs are available, and the question of quality

Paddy has written about different genres of music

How writing about music informed Paddy’s own music development

Writes own lyrics for songs he performs

Contacts made in music industry has helped with the promotion of own material

How publicity of music has changed with the advent of the internet

Wrote an article published in SPAH magazine in 2016: Blowin’ Off The Dust

Paddy’s view on keeping the harp relevant

Lists his top twenty harmonica songs at the end of the Blowin’ Off The Dust article

Mitch Kasmar and Lyndon Anderson

Spent some time travelling and playing in the US, including in New Orleans, where he met and interviewed Jason Ricci

Sat in with Jason Ricci’s band, and has recorded a Ricci-esque riff on one of his albums

Also played in one of the last Juke Joints in Clarkesdale, Mississippi, and in Austin

The benefits of experiencing the venues at the source of the blues, and a Brit playing in the US

First main band was Poorboy, in the city of Leeds

Played some festivals in the north of England and Scotland with Poorboy

Used music scene contacts to get spots playing at festivals, with some further encouragement

Poorboy supported Mud Morganfield and Paul Jones, and getting Poorboy played on the BBC Radio 2 blues show

Played in the band Crosscut Saw, where Paddy enjoyed being the sideman harp player, not the singer

Paddy is a reluctant front man at times and difference in playing harp as a sideman

Crosscut Saw had two harmonicas with the lead singer playing some harp

Played with the Dave Hanson band

Had another outfit called Welter, which gets together as and when

Dust Radio is Paddy’s current act, who have released an EP and an album, both self-produced

Albums have been recorded DIY, and process followed to do that

Problem and Remedy album from Dust Radio released in 2023

Wrote most of lyrics to the songs on latest album, and influence of writers Raymond Carter and Willie Vlautin

Writing new blues lyrics to modernise the genre and how audience responds to them

How audience responds to original blues songs

Other writing that Paddy is currently doing

Ten minute question

Uses recorded audio recordings of harmonica to include ideas into a new song

Harmonicas of choice are the different flavours of Hohner Marine Bands, after initially trying Lee Oskars

Has some customised harmonicas and the value they bring

Does some set-up of harmonicas himself

Uses some custom combs and brass combs on low tuned harmonicas and colour coded combs

Different positions used are mainly 1st, 2nd and 3rd, with some 5th

Different tunings are mainly minor and Country Tuning

Embouchre: uses some puckering and some tongue block

Overblows uses sparingly

Plays a little third position chromatic

Amp is mainly Fender Bassman, some boutique amps and a Sonny Junior

Mics, and the Shure 545

Effects pedals: slap back delay and EP booster

Info

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Paddy Wells interview

Oct 18, 2023 Season 1 Episode 96

Neil Warren

Paddy Wells joins me on episode 96.

Paddy is based in the north of England, where he started out as a singer playing a little harp before hearing amplified harmonica, which really turned him on to the instrument.

Paddy is also a freelance music journalist, having written regular articles for several music magazines in the UK, including Blues in Britain. He also wrote an article, Blowin’ Off The Dust, for the SPAH magazine.

Paddy has also spent some time travelling the US, including sitting in with Jason Ricci, and writing two magazine articles on him.

Paddy has played in various bands in the north of England, appearing at festivals and supporting some notable names. His current band is called Dust Radio.

Links:
Paddy’s website:
https://www.paddywells.com/

Dust Radio music:
https://dustradio1.bandcamp.com/music

Music:
https://www.paddywells.com/music

Paddy’s article: Blowing Off the Dust: Modern Masters of the Blues Harp:
https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/modern-blues-harp-masters.html

Videos:

Lyndon Anderson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26yIoZVYuVA

Interview with Paddy on the Tim Green Blues show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTEBIuKJGk

I’d Rather Go Blind with Poorboy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNH0Qs8GEeM

Problem and The Remedy video:
https://dustradio1.bandcamp.com/track/problem-remedy-2

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

or sign-up to a monthly subscription to the podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/995536/support

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram

Support the Show.

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Paddy Wells joins me on episode 96.

Paddy is based in the north of England, where he started out as a singer playing a little harp before hearing amplified harmonica, which really turned him on to the instrument.

Paddy is also a freelance music journalist, having written regular articles for several music magazines in the UK, including Blues in Britain. He also wrote an article, Blowin’ Off The Dust, for the SPAH magazine.

Paddy has also spent some time travelling the US, including sitting in with Jason Ricci, and writing two magazine articles on him.

Paddy has played in various bands in the north of England, appearing at festivals and supporting some notable names. His current band is called Dust Radio.

Links:
Paddy’s website:
https://www.paddywells.com/

Dust Radio music:
https://dustradio1.bandcamp.com/music

Music:
https://www.paddywells.com/music

Paddy’s article: Blowing Off the Dust: Modern Masters of the Blues Harp:
https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/modern-blues-harp-masters.html

Videos:

Lyndon Anderson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26yIoZVYuVA

Interview with Paddy on the Tim Green Blues show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTEBIuKJGk

I’d Rather Go Blind with Poorboy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNH0Qs8GEeM

Problem and The Remedy video:
https://dustradio1.bandcamp.com/track/problem-remedy-2

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

or sign-up to a monthly subscription to the podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/995536/support

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram

Support the Show.

Paddy is originally from Hull, on the north East coast of England, now lives in Yorkshire

Sound of the harmonica grabbed Paddy from hearing it on the BB King Live In London album

Had an epiphany the first time saw harmonica played live

Started playing harp age 15

Paddy is a singer as well, and singing was his main thing before he took up harp more seriously

Started playing in bands from age 18

Own harmonica playing really took off when obtained a Roland tube amp to really taste amplified harmonica in his own hands

Early bands Paddy was in were blues bands, even when he wasn’t playing a lot of harmonica

How Paddy first got into playing in bands

Started learning harp by playing along with blues harp records and the importance of tone

Didn’t have any formal music lessons when young, played a little guitar

Developed singing in same way as harmonica by singing along with records

Paddy is also a freelance music journalist, and how he got started doing that

Started off writing for the UK Blues magazine

Isn’t doing as much writing for magazines now as several of the printed magazines are no longer active

Plenty of non-paying writing jobs are available, and the question of quality

Paddy has written about different genres of music

How writing about music informed Paddy’s own music development

Writes own lyrics for songs he performs

Contacts made in music industry has helped with the promotion of own material

How publicity of music has changed with the advent of the internet

Wrote an article published in SPAH magazine in 2016: Blowin’ Off The Dust

Paddy’s view on keeping the harp relevant

Lists his top twenty harmonica songs at the end of the Blowin’ Off The Dust article

Mitch Kasmar and Lyndon Anderson

Spent some time travelling and playing in the US, including in New Orleans, where he met and interviewed Jason Ricci

Sat in with Jason Ricci’s band, and has recorded a Ricci-esque riff on one of his albums

Also played in one of the last Juke Joints in Clarkesdale, Mississippi, and in Austin

The benefits of experiencing the venues at the source of the blues, and a Brit playing in the US

First main band was Poorboy, in the city of Leeds

Played some festivals in the north of England and Scotland with Poorboy

Used music scene contacts to get spots playing at festivals, with some further encouragement

Poorboy supported Mud Morganfield and Paul Jones, and getting Poorboy played on the BBC Radio 2 blues show

Played in the band Crosscut Saw, where Paddy enjoyed being the sideman harp player, not the singer

Paddy is a reluctant front man at times and difference in playing harp as a sideman

Crosscut Saw had two harmonicas with the lead singer playing some harp

Played with the Dave Hanson band

Had another outfit called Welter, which gets together as and when

Dust Radio is Paddy’s current act, who have released an EP and an album, both self-produced

Albums have been recorded DIY, and process followed to do that

Problem and Remedy album from Dust Radio released in 2023

Wrote most of lyrics to the songs on latest album, and influence of writers Raymond Carter and Willie Vlautin

Writing new blues lyrics to modernise the genre and how audience responds to them

How audience responds to original blues songs

Other writing that Paddy is currently doing

Ten minute question

Uses recorded audio recordings of harmonica to include ideas into a new song

Harmonicas of choice are the different flavours of Hohner Marine Bands, after initially trying Lee Oskars

Has some customised harmonicas and the value they bring

Does some set-up of harmonicas himself

Uses some custom combs and brass combs on low tuned harmonicas and colour coded combs

Different positions used are mainly 1st, 2nd and 3rd, with some 5th

Different tunings are mainly minor and Country Tuning

Embouchre: uses some puckering and some tongue block

Overblows uses sparingly

Plays a little third position chromatic

Amp is mainly Fender Bassman, some boutique amps and a Sonny Junior

Mics, and the Shure 545

Effects pedals: slap back delay and EP booster

Future plans