Walter Tore
New member
I am off to do my first tour in 12 years! Am I excited or what? Dennis Dudley, the musical director, for the washington state blues society asked if I would like to play up that way. I said sure and here we go. It is going to be a blast. My wife, our 2 dogs, and I, are renting a 25 foot r/v, and leaving on the 8th. My bassist, Douglas Ian Mckenzie, is flying up on Friday, the 12th. This will be my first fun tour. I have no money concerns. This is a vacation! Here are the dates. I hope some of you can make it out.
8/10- Connor Byrnes- I will be a 1 man band, with some of seattle's most notable musicians coming to sit in.
8/11- private party
8/12-13 - Hwy 99 Club. Doug will join me on these two
8/14- Washington Blues Society/Seattle Peace Park Concert-Gasworks park.
PS: Nigel Price, of England, and who is writing a book about my life, is flying in with his family as well. Then we are all heading back down to my home in santa rosa, ca. THey will be here until the 24th. I have my regular Blue Heron Inn date on 20th, and we have a big bbq/music fest on tap, in my yard, the 21st. You all are invited to this one too. I will be having a lot of musical guests out on the t20th and 21st. My friend, Patti Sterling, may come up from los angeles to sing with me both nights. She is a serious talent- http://www.pattisterling.com/ This is turning into one cool august!
PPS: Douglas Ian Mckenzie, my bassist, and guitarist for the popular north bay band, THe Pulsators, is flying to seattle for my fri/sat/sunday gigs. Man, am I excited! Doug and I started playing together in 1979, and have stayed in touch through all these years. He came out to Europe to play some with me, and down to austin too. He played one night with my band at the black cat lounge, so he can tell of that place. He came down from this area for the Madi Gras, and stopped in to see us, with his rhytm guitarist at the time- Doyle Bramhal Jr. That's right. Doyle was in Doug's and his sisters band, Teresa and The Brewers up here in sonoma county. Teresa is a dynamite singer, in the Janis Joplin vein. Doug comes from an incredibily musical family. His oldest brother, fast floyd, of fast floyd and the famous firebirds, was an original member of Mink DeVille, and spent his teenage years traveling the blues circut with the likes of howling wolf and guys like that. His band played the erotica ball, in san francisco every year, up till his untimely death in the late 80's. At one point, I had both Doug and Floyd on guitars in my band. Doug is one of the best blues guitarists in the Bay area, so to have him willing to play bass with me, is an honor. Maybe we can coax him to play some guitar............ If you are into old gear, he is the man to talk to. He has one of the largest collections of old fender amps and guitars I have ever seen. Doug can follow whatever chords, times, tempos, I lay down. THis is gonna be good! Here is some bio info on him.
Douglas started playing guitar at age 13. Being the youngest of six, his older brothers had an influence on his musical exposure. The oldest of the six was Robert, AKA Fast Floyd. Floyd was a professional musician with many years experience playing coast to coast from New York to San Francisco with bands such as Mink Deville, the Spiders, and his band Fast Floyd and the Famous Firebirds. Floyd opened the door to new influential music such as blues, soul, R&B and reggae. Douglas played bass with Floyd's band as a teenager. Soon Chicago blues had a definite influence on Douglas' playing. Artist such as BB King, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin and Sonny Boy Williamson were a part of his musical diet. Of course there were other influences such as Pink Floyd, JethroTull, Allman Brothers, Bob Marley and Yes. In 1979 he joined his first club band with his sister Teresa on vocals. The band was short lived however because Douglas was off earning his Physics degree at Sonoma State University. The music couldn't wait and soon the Below Zero Blues Band was formed. The band played extensively in the north S.F. area backing local blues stars such as Sonny Rhodes and Mississippi Johnny Waters. Then in 1984 Below Zero disbanded and Teresa and the Brewers were formed. The Brewers developed a faithful following in the bay area. Doyle Bramhall Jr. was a member of Teresa and the Brewers. During one of their recording projects they hooked up with drummer Johnny Campbell. The Brewers disbanded in late '86 and Doug went on to form his own band, Rock House Blues Band. This band was relatively short lived Doug being more of a support artist than a band leader. Shortly after Johnny Campbell gave him a call and the Pulsators were born. The Pulsators have played shows with the Nevilles, Meters, Little Feat, Bob Dylan, BB King, the Radiators, Al Green, Joe Cocker at at the Shoreline, Concord Pavilion, Sacramento Amphitheater, House of Blues in Hollywood, Tipitinas, Luther Burbank Center... a link to the Pulsators site: http://www.pulsators.com/
Here we are as Below Zero Blues Band- Cotati(original hippy town outside of SF) Ca, circa 79-80. Doug is the bearded guy, with the 57 strat. I am wearing the hound dog taylor t shirt. Some woman artist hand painted it for me. I wore that thing till it fell off my back. We were in hippy mode at the time :lol:
Here we are a few weeks ago, and 26 odd years later. Times sure change :lol:
here is the t shirt they made for the tour. I am going to be selling them for $15 each at the gigs, or $18 via mail orders. If you are interested let me know.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/waltertoresspontobeat.htm
8/10- Connor Byrnes- I will be a 1 man band, with some of seattle's most notable musicians coming to sit in.
8/11- private party
8/12-13 - Hwy 99 Club. Doug will join me on these two
8/14- Washington Blues Society/Seattle Peace Park Concert-Gasworks park.
PS: Nigel Price, of England, and who is writing a book about my life, is flying in with his family as well. Then we are all heading back down to my home in santa rosa, ca. THey will be here until the 24th. I have my regular Blue Heron Inn date on 20th, and we have a big bbq/music fest on tap, in my yard, the 21st. You all are invited to this one too. I will be having a lot of musical guests out on the t20th and 21st. My friend, Patti Sterling, may come up from los angeles to sing with me both nights. She is a serious talent- http://www.pattisterling.com/ This is turning into one cool august!
PPS: Douglas Ian Mckenzie, my bassist, and guitarist for the popular north bay band, THe Pulsators, is flying to seattle for my fri/sat/sunday gigs. Man, am I excited! Doug and I started playing together in 1979, and have stayed in touch through all these years. He came out to Europe to play some with me, and down to austin too. He played one night with my band at the black cat lounge, so he can tell of that place. He came down from this area for the Madi Gras, and stopped in to see us, with his rhytm guitarist at the time- Doyle Bramhal Jr. That's right. Doyle was in Doug's and his sisters band, Teresa and The Brewers up here in sonoma county. Teresa is a dynamite singer, in the Janis Joplin vein. Doug comes from an incredibily musical family. His oldest brother, fast floyd, of fast floyd and the famous firebirds, was an original member of Mink DeVille, and spent his teenage years traveling the blues circut with the likes of howling wolf and guys like that. His band played the erotica ball, in san francisco every year, up till his untimely death in the late 80's. At one point, I had both Doug and Floyd on guitars in my band. Doug is one of the best blues guitarists in the Bay area, so to have him willing to play bass with me, is an honor. Maybe we can coax him to play some guitar............ If you are into old gear, he is the man to talk to. He has one of the largest collections of old fender amps and guitars I have ever seen. Doug can follow whatever chords, times, tempos, I lay down. THis is gonna be good! Here is some bio info on him.
Douglas started playing guitar at age 13. Being the youngest of six, his older brothers had an influence on his musical exposure. The oldest of the six was Robert, AKA Fast Floyd. Floyd was a professional musician with many years experience playing coast to coast from New York to San Francisco with bands such as Mink Deville, the Spiders, and his band Fast Floyd and the Famous Firebirds. Floyd opened the door to new influential music such as blues, soul, R&B and reggae. Douglas played bass with Floyd's band as a teenager. Soon Chicago blues had a definite influence on Douglas' playing. Artist such as BB King, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin and Sonny Boy Williamson were a part of his musical diet. Of course there were other influences such as Pink Floyd, JethroTull, Allman Brothers, Bob Marley and Yes. In 1979 he joined his first club band with his sister Teresa on vocals. The band was short lived however because Douglas was off earning his Physics degree at Sonoma State University. The music couldn't wait and soon the Below Zero Blues Band was formed. The band played extensively in the north S.F. area backing local blues stars such as Sonny Rhodes and Mississippi Johnny Waters. Then in 1984 Below Zero disbanded and Teresa and the Brewers were formed. The Brewers developed a faithful following in the bay area. Doyle Bramhall Jr. was a member of Teresa and the Brewers. During one of their recording projects they hooked up with drummer Johnny Campbell. The Brewers disbanded in late '86 and Doug went on to form his own band, Rock House Blues Band. This band was relatively short lived Doug being more of a support artist than a band leader. Shortly after Johnny Campbell gave him a call and the Pulsators were born. The Pulsators have played shows with the Nevilles, Meters, Little Feat, Bob Dylan, BB King, the Radiators, Al Green, Joe Cocker at at the Shoreline, Concord Pavilion, Sacramento Amphitheater, House of Blues in Hollywood, Tipitinas, Luther Burbank Center... a link to the Pulsators site: http://www.pulsators.com/
Here we are as Below Zero Blues Band- Cotati(original hippy town outside of SF) Ca, circa 79-80. Doug is the bearded guy, with the 57 strat. I am wearing the hound dog taylor t shirt. Some woman artist hand painted it for me. I wore that thing till it fell off my back. We were in hippy mode at the time :lol:
Here we are a few weeks ago, and 26 odd years later. Times sure change :lol:
here is the t shirt they made for the tour. I am going to be selling them for $15 each at the gigs, or $18 via mail orders. If you are interested let me know.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/waltertoresspontobeat.htm