SoundClick artist: Reggie Miles - Reggie Miles is a solo, acoustic, folk/blues artist, a finger style picker with a homemade reso

The differences represented by all of the various music hosting sites online are surprising. No two, however alike, are exactly the same. Each strives to present their own approach to representing those who are musically talented. Some host online contests that allow listeners to choose what artists they like best. Some help artists seeking performance opportunities. Others specialize in helping artists sell their music and still others lean more toward social networking fans with players, players with lyricists or players with other players. Many offer all of the above and more.

In January, I posted the video of my song "Just Another Passerby", that was recorded during my performance at the Historic Everett Theater (11/18/11) for the Hometown Hootenanny's Best Of Show, at one such site, where artists compete with one another for the attention of listeners and viewers. There are supposed awards for such competitions but I have no illusions about winning. Generally, the production value of my recordings is rather low-fi and I like them that way. In this day and age, where so much digital flash is readily available for players to indulge in, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors to compete with. It's especially challenging for someone like me, who eschews that plugged in digital approach to offering music.

In competitions like this, that categorize the genre of music one can present but often offer a lot of latitude in other factors pertaining to an artist's or band's presentation, one can find that they're competing with all manner of approaches to the theme. Therefore, it's always amazing to learn that my solo acoustic endeavors, playing finger style bottleneck slide Blues and offering my own original songs have actually managed to successfully compete and win in such contests.

The video of my song "Just Another Passerby" was entered in the Pro Performance Video category for 'live' performance videos. It was viewed well over 700 times in January and won the rank of being among the top 40 videos viewed.

I guess that I must be doing something right!

Thank you viewers and listeners! Many thanks to Jesse James, who, at that time, was the only person on my email list and not only agreed to attend the show, with only a last minute notice from me, but also brought along his camera gear and captured my performance! Many more thanks goes to The Red Curtain Foundation, producer Beckye Randall and the whole Randall family who have successfully funded and created the Hometown Hootenanny Concert Series events at the Historic Everett Theater with their hard work and boundless energies in faithful service to the local entertainment community and the public. None of my success in this endeavor would have been possible, were it not for their efforts.

You can view the video of "Just Another Passerby" posted on my video page right here at SoundClick. Enjoy!

http://bands.soundclick.com/share/200729

Wall Street Bailout Blues

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U.S. Pacific Northwest Acoustic Blues artist Reggie Miles offers, 'Wall Street Bailout Blues', on SCAN - TV during Marlee Walker's 'Blues To Do Room' show

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Another Lover

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Mournin' Blues

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Third Story of the Sawmill

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The Devil

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It's The Slide Of Your Size

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Makin' Bacon

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Just Another Passerby

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That Stuff You Got

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Shelter From The Rain

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She's Trouble

check all 14 songs on the music page

upcoming shows

Sa Feb 11

The Historic Everett Theater

Reggie Miles An American primitive (JW Weiss)

Fusing the influences of Leadbelly, McTell, Charley Patton, all those old blues and ragtime authors, with original songs and those of musical acquaintances. The intensity and excitement generated reflects the raw emotion of the rural Delta blues that rocked the juke joints of the 20s and 30s. Powerful vocals and a homemade *Nobro resophonic bottleneck slide guitar combine with the rhythmic moans of harmonica while foot stompin' abounds.

One part Sonny Terry, one part Tiny Tim, and three parts Mister T! (Amos Jessup)

A passionate penchant for unearthing obscure nonsense narrative nuggets from numerous 78rpm archives by noted, nutty, nearly unknowns like Lazy Larry, Nervous Norvus etc. One of the Northwest's favorite aficionados of funny-bone ticklin' and tall tale tellin'.

Shel Silverstein meets Leonard Cohen. (Anon)

Add to the mix explorations into the eerie tones and subtle timbre of the musical saw and an uncanny ability to flex the hand tool's razor sharp spring steel betwixt quivering knees to produce a prodigious palate of pleasing panache. The Northwest's premiere performance artist on the bowed blade risks both life and limb by bending 213 terribly treacherous teeth dangerously close to body parts both near and dear.

Poster boy for nonconvention (Rod Backman)

*Nobro: The homemade Frankenstein guitar constructed from pieces of door kick plate, piano soundboard, vegetable steamer, record player, table leg and baseball bat is a unique hybrid of both the National and Dobro acoustically amplified resonator instruments. National + Dobro = Nobro

Using a sizeable frictionless marine propeller-shaft bearing as a bottleneck slide often draws the attention of those who stare and jibe.

A new song,"It's not the size of your slide. It's the slide of your size."seemed to be the only proper response.

Performance venues include fairs, festivals, schools, colleges, clubs, house concerts and events from the Deep South and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Why this name?

Here's a funny story. I was about to play my first gig at this place in Tulsa and had decided to use a stage name, Reggie Mason. Then, the owner of the club informed me that they already had a solo artist, who dressed like me, physically looked similar to me and even played the same sort of music that I was offering. Guess what his name was? Reggie Mason! (Weird, huh?) So, I changed my stage name selection to Reggie Miles.

Do you play live?

Yes, I play live. My performances have included events across the country but mostly in and around the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy entertaining more than I can easily express. There are an endless number of special moments that I could describe. Perhaps they might be better left for a more in depth recollection.

Every performance can hold magical moments when the energy created by the performance artist and that of the listening audience combine to produce results beyond expectation. The lives of both the artist and audience can and do change in the process.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

The mp3 file format has allowed performance artists to more easily offer their music to listeners via this online internet medium. This file format can decrease the size of a sound file, via a specific compression technique, so it can be more easily offered, (uploaded and downloaded) via the internet, without significant loss of fidelity.

The internet is able to reach beyond any borders or limitations, that have been inherent within the industry, to touch a worldwide audience of listeners. Therefore, it can offer independent artists an increased level of exposure. Listeners, that previously were unable to have access to the music of artists that had no affiliation with the industry sources, now find that they can enjoy a far greater scope of musical artistry from artists the world over.

Anyone with a basic knowledge of how to access this medium is able to bring their music before countless listeners via an ever increasing number sites, like SoundClick, that host the musical endeavors of artists online. This exposure has enabled those, who would have otherwise gone unnoticed by the music "industry", to gain a larger measure of success in their musical pursuits. The internet has given each artist the access to the tools that they need to shape their own destiny and the power to compete on a global stage. There are no longer any limits to what one can achieve.

I've entered online recordings of my solo acoustic fingerpickin' Folk/Blues songs in competition with hundreds of other solo artists and bands of every description and had my musical endeavors voted #1 by listeners. So, I'm definitely a believer in the internet as a means to bring attention to my musical arts.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

Yes. The challenge seems to be finding the right label. A keen sense of clarity of purpose is needed in making this decision. Entering into a relationship with a major industry label brings a great deal of additional focus to one's efforts. Focus is an important key to the success of any musical endeavor. The utmost care should be taken to ensure your direction aligns with the goals represented by the label or the combination will not bear fruit for the label or the artist. I've heard some fairly scary stories about such deals.

Band History:

I am originally from the gritty inner city of Chicago's south side but for the last 30 years or so, I've been living and performing in and around the upper left corner of the country (The Greater Pacific Northwest region). Occasionally, I take jogs about the rest of the lower 48.

Your influences?

I've been most influenced by early blues, jugband, jazz, ragtime, folk, and hillbilly artists.

Favorite spot?

Seattle is a very nice place to live and why I presently reside in this area. I'm originally from the south side of Chicago, a very cool place to be from, given its background as a destination for so much of the Blues music that I love.

I've enjoyed the time that I've spent in Tulsa, where I got my higher ejamakashun degree and played my first few professional shows.

New Orleans was a simply magical place for me. I played some of the sweetest shows ever while hanging out there in the late 70s and early 80s. I met some wonderful players there too. I'd love to spend more time in New Orleans offering my roots Delta style bottleneck slide Blues to listeners and visitors to that great music city.

Santa Cruz was where I met, the god of sawplayers, Tom Scribner, playing on the street. Listening to him play has been the single greatest influence in my determined efforts to tame the unruly blade. He recorded with Neil Young and was even invited to play with The Rolling Stones. I'm happy to follow in his footsteps. Who knows, perhaps someday they'll erect a statue to me, just like the beautiful bronze that was erected to honor his immense talents.

San Francircus was a hoot! That's another place that I'd love to revisit. After so many years, being away, I often wonder how it's changed.

Minneapolis/St, Paul is another area that has held some very special memories. It's been a hub for so many great and talented players.

Even my brief visit to Hinton, West Virginia was very sweet!

Equipment used:

My instruments include my homemade Nobro resophonic guitar. I made it from junk that I found at garage sales. A brass door kickplate, piano soundboard, record player parts, vegetable steamer, baseball bat and a table leg are among the items used in it's construction. I play a number of other venerable, six string, garage sale and swap meet finds as well. In addition, I flex the 213 razor sharp spring steel teeth of a 30" Mussehl and Westphal musical saw betwixt my knees. The pointy parts are mere millimeters away from body parts I hold both near and dear as I attempt to tame the unruly blade. I blow rack mounted mouth harp along with my guitar, and also have a rack attached to my 1929 Maytag Special Custom Dixie Delta Deluxe Eldorado Rhythm Board (my washboard/sound effects gizmo) so I can play harp while scratchin' and scrubbin' mojo pre-cussion on the darn ol' thang.

Anything else...?

When flexing the razor sharp spring steel teeth of a saw blade betwixt your knees it's always a good idea to remember that many body parts don't grow back.

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