A Week of Kix (and Friends): The Blues Vultures

Our week of Kix and friends continues. So far we've looked at a couple of the band's best albums, I've showed you some of my favorite videos and we've talked about Funny Money. Today, a look at the Blues Vultures. 

The main side project of Ronnie Younkins, the Blues Vultures also features guitarist Rich Moxley and alternating musicians in the bass and drum roles.

So far, the Blues Vultures have released one album called Cheap Guitars & Honky Tonk Bars. The album isn't Glam, but it is chocked full of great songs. Ronnie Younkins has a lot of talent - both as a guitarist and a singer. Plus, his hair fascinates me. Please believe Ronnie's hair has absolutely nothing to do with Cheap Guitars & Honky Tonk Bars, but I'll mention it anyway: I can't recall the last time I saw a person have that much hair. I mean, it's Rapunzel long! How does he wash it? More importantly, how does he play without his long locks getting tangled in his guitar strings? Sorry for the side step, but I had to get that out of my system.

Back to Cheap Guitars & Honky Tonk Bars.  I haven't had this album very long, but I'm pleased to admit it is on iTunes for easy download so you should purchase it and give it a shot. The iTunes classification is "country" but that's not correct. The Blues Vultures are definitely a blues/Glam infusion - there are influences across many music genres here. Props to Ronnie to staying true to his love for the blues. You can hear a lot of blues riffs in Kix tunes. The Blues Vultures just expound on those riffs.

The best songs on Cheap Guitars & Honky Tonk Bars? The title track for sure and I also dig "I'm Goin' to Pieces." Both songs I just mentioned sound about as different as night and day. My favorite track period?  That's easy: "My Baby Up and Left Me."  A true blues throwback, the song sounds like something my guitar teacher would demand I learn for better fundamental understanding. Plus the song just plain rips. Like Kix, the Blues Vultures are able to easily transform their sound and lyrical quality in the same album. Truly the mark of good musicians.

I'll be honest: the chances of me discovering the Blues Vultures without  the Kix connection would probably rank in the slim to none category. Since I like music of all genres - and you already know I enjoy Bluegrass - it's not a stretch that I quite enjoy the Blues Vultures as well. I suggest you give the Blues Vultures a shot. Go ahead, expand your musical horizons.

www.bluesvultures.com
www.myspace.com/thebluesvultures

Above photo from the band's official Myspace page. No copyright assumed.

Comments

[KixRules]

Ronnie is a great guitarist and the Blues Vultures are a good band, but just to much Blues influence for me to go crazy over them. I enjoy seeing them when they open for Kix, but have never gone out to see one of their shows when playing on their own.

[BV-Fan]

We go see the BVs all the time at small clubs around the area. Their original opening set, as they play when they open for KIX is awesome, it is very bluesy, glam and also punk influenced. However, KixRules, the three set bar gigs are different, they play their originals, but also mix in a ton of classic rock, Aerosmith, Stones, some Zeppelin, Hendrix and more. So you may actually like it better, since it's less blues, more rock. Ronnie plays what he likes to listen to, no compromises.