Saturday August 20th, 2011 - Chicago, IL I never think I’m too old or too smart to learn something useful, and today I was given a major chance to get personally schooled by some masters of their field. I kept my yap shut tight and my ears open wide to allow their wisdom and expertise to take root in my brain. Mike Preston called to ask if I’d be available to hold a camera as he interviewed George Thorogood for his cable TV show ‘Psychobabble’. Mike has been there when I needed his help, so the least I could do was return the favor. Plus, I really enjoy George Thorogood’s music. How difficult could it be to stand behind a camera and listen to a celebrity speak? The last time Mike called it was to interview Burt Reynolds a couple of months ago at a theater in Naperville, IL. That was really exciting, other than the fact Mike’s camera had a technical problem and he couldn’t use the interview. The process of getting it was a blast. Today was even better. The interview was held at Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven at 2120 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago - the old Chess Records recording studio. It surprises me with all the touristy places I’ve seen in my life I hadn’t ever been there before today. There’s a lot of history in that building, and some of the biggest records in history were recorded there like Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry and all kinds of others. I was in awe as I walked up the huge flight of stairs to the actual recording area where it all happened. Willie Dixon was the producer brains behind it all, and by all accounts he was a genius. His lovely widow Marie is in charge now, and she took time to be interviewed right after our time with George Thorogood. She told some fascinating stories of Willie’s career and how he and many other blues artists got ripped off in their day. It’s sad, but very typical. She was an absolute sweetheart, and thanked us for coming. Thanked US? We knew we should be thanking her, and we did - several times. George was also very down to earth in his demeanor and unbelievably deep in his vast knowledge of blues and music in general. He was only supposed to do a ten minute interview, but he went way long and we loved every bit of it. He was interesting, funny and laid down a lot of great points as far as show business in general is concerned. He’s a big student of the game, and I stood in total awe. Mike asked George about the name of his band ‘The Destroyers’, which we both agreed is a fabulous name. George said he just made it up on the phone as he was trying to nail a gig that was open after another band canceled. The booker asked the band’s name, and off the top of his head he said ‘The Destroyers’. He said he had no idea why he thought of it. As it turns out, that name doesn’t translate well in foreign languages or for marketing or logo purposes. Bands like ‘Heart’ and ‘Kiss’ work very well apparently, and neither Mike nor I would have thought of it. I highly suggest taking a tour of the facilities whenever in the area. Their website is www.bluesheaven.com. This was a wonderful unexpected treat.
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