Dougie Burns :- 6 & 12 String Guitar and Vocals
Bobby McDonald:- Double Bass, Dobro, 6 String Guitar and Vocals
Influences
Women, failed relationships, heartaches, Guinness, Whisky, Jack, poetry, literature, more women and inevitable dissappointment. Oh, there's also fifty years or more of Blues and Rock n Roll.
We did an interview online with the Callander Jazz & Blues Festival. Have a look at it on
http://www.festivalpreviews.com/blog/550/10-questions-an-interview-with-bluebelly/
BLUEBELLY
Bluebelly are Dougie Burns and Bobby McDonald. This musical partnership was founded in 2003 when Dougie and Bobby decided that is was time to inflict their own original blues based songs on an unsuspecting (and, at that time, largely indifferent) public.
After performing a few support slots around Inverness without provoking either open conflict or physical violence they decided they were ready to play in their own right.
Following a successful stint at the 2004 Orkney Blues Festival and other festivals around the country, including four years in a row at the Dundee Blues Bonanza, and also backed up with both of their splendid CD's, the Band has kept gigging regularly into 2008.
Dougie and Bobby have also co-written and recorded a new song, "ALWAYS RIGHT BABY BLUES", for the Inverness Market Bar CD released in June of 2006.
They have now completed the second CD "STILL WAITING"released in 2007 in time for sale at the 2007 Dundee Blues Bonanza.This all new and again completely original album includes a tribute to their favourite Inverness venue the Market Bar. New song "MARKET BAR BLUES" namechecks the bar, the punters, the manager and includes a nod to famous Market Bar fans The Proclaimers.
They are now seasoned performers and, along with many gigs in their own right, have played as support for interesting artists such as ALBERT LEE & HOGANS HEROES, SEASICK STEVE, LIGHTNING WILLIE AND THE POORBOYS, THE COAL PORTERS and ROD CLEMENTS to name but a few.
The following is a quote from BLUES MATTERS MAGAZINE's review of the 2007 Orkney Blues Festival
"THE FRIDAY EVENING STINT BEGAN WITH A LAID-BACK ACOUSTIC SESSION FROM BLUEBELLY. DUO DOUGIE BURNS AND BOBBY MACDONALD, WHO HAIL FROM INVERNESS, PLAYED ORIGINAL NUMBERS WITH A STRONG DELTA FEEL.THEIR CONTRASTING SONGWRITING STYLES COVERED A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS FROM LUST AND HARD DRINKING TO ARMAGEDDON. BOBBY SWITCHED FROM DOUBLE BASS MIDWAY THROUGH THE SET TO DEMONSTRATE SOME NEAT SLIDE GUITAR PLAYING AND THEY WENT DOWN WELL WITH THE AUDIENCE. WE PARTICULARLY LIKED ' BLUES IN MY SOUL ' FROM THEIR ALBUM 'BLUEBELLY' "
They are due for a welcome return to the Dundee Blues Bonanza for the fifth year running, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival for a third year and Orkney Blues Festival for a third year .They also hope for a slot at The 20th Dunbar Traditional Music Festival, The Arbroath Bell Rock Festival and the Shetland Blues Festival in 2008 and are ready to travel anywhere to spread their new music, so watch this space.
Dougie, playing acoustic guitar, sings songs of love, lust, drink and hangovers, betrayal and loneliness. While Bobby alternating between double bass and delta (Moray Firth) slide guitar lightens the mood with his cheerful tunes about dead poets, Scottish Industrial wasteland and nuclear holocaust.
Now that's what I call the Blues.
Great to catch you at the Social in the Blues Bonanza, we were front + centre!! Also saw some more quality music round the town... keep it live + blue! Ed
AWRIGHT SIR!! HEY THE GUY WHO SAID HE PLAYED LIKE RICK PARFITT...PLAYED MORE LIKE FUCKIN' PRICK PARFITT - SO NEED TO FORGET THAT WEE IDEA - BUT THERE'S ANOTHER GIG AT THE KINCAID HOUSE THAT'S GOING IF YOU WANT TO SORT SOMETHING OUT WE COULD MABEY GET TOGETHER WAE YOU AND BOBBY AND JOIN UP FOR A FEW LAUGHS AND GET SOME BODIES ALONG BACK HOME SOMETIME!
ALRIGHTY!!! HAVE A WEE LISTEN TO MY NEW SONG 'THE FLY' DOUGIE - PURE 'SOFTER RIDE' WITH NEW MOOTHIE PLAYER - WOULD BE COOL TO GET TOGETHER WAE YOU BOYZ SOMETIME - THINK WE COULD DO A GREAT GIG SOMEWHERE FOR A LAUGH!! BEEN PLAYING YOUR CD A LOT - SOME GREAT SONGS!
All right now. That is some kewl straight up blues my friends. Hits home with me. Thanks 4 sharing. Great to be on board here guys. Have a FunkyKewlBluesy week now. CHOLEY
Also I run The Great Edinburgh Run as part of team Finola and did a gig to help send Finola Forman to college as the government in Scotland unlike the rest of the UK wont help disabled people with complex needs when they want to go into further education, check out her site at
THAT WAS A GREAT NIGHT ON FRIDAY AND LOVED WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GETTING THE CHANCE TO GET UP FOR A COUPLE OF NUMBERS,INSPIRING ME TO SPEED-UP GETTING A LIVE GIG SORTED SOMETIME SOON.
Yeh,I'm still going to come in after my work so see you around 9pm.Saxon was just fantastic...never been to a gig like it...the atmosphere was terrific, they were finally getting the recognition they've been working for for over 30yrs!!!
Just got the weans off tae bed...so not had much time for tv yet.Going to see the ol' Saxon next week,saw them wae Motorhead last year...but this is there biggest Scottish date for years...brilliant band!
CAN'T BEAT THE OLD QUO MATE.LOVE THE TRACKS ON PARFITTS MYSPACE...THINK I'LL EVEN GO SEE 'EM AGAIN THIS YEAR...IT'S ONLY BEEN 25 YEARS SINCE THEY QUIT!
