The 44s are a guitar, bass and drums combo from Leicester, UK, who draw their music from the raw elements of Mississippi mud. This is delta blues, amplified, ramshackle, and nailed on to a brutally primitive beat that is as infectious as swine fever.
For two years “2bad” Jim and Mr Paul Williams have been toured as a two piece, playing festivals in Leicester and Nottingham, supporting visiting Mississippi blues royalty T-Model Ford and Kenny Brown and receiving rave reviews in Blues Matters Magazine. But this year the addition of Mark Kennedy on bass has added a muscular pulse to the 44s’ sound. Around this Mr Paul plays anything from snare to tea tray to maracas, and between them they concoct a red-blooded rhythm that propels the 44s’ delta blues, bluegrass and country flavoured songs.
“2bad”Jim’s trademark red Gibson guitars, delta finger-style and slide riffs are plugged right into the mainline of 'primitive American guitar'. The compelling result is a black-hearted boogie that includes fast and furious covers of RL Burnside, modern blues-country songs from Seasick Steve, Nick Cave, and the White Stripes, as well as old time and country artists like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams.
They may be different from the average blues band, but there’s no doubt the 44s aren't average. And now the 44s are making a noise on the blues circuit. They bring this dark and dangerous backwoods hoodoo to life on stage, recreating the ‘Saturday-night’ atmosphere of juke joints and honky tonks in deep southern United States. The original delta blues singers were paid to get the party started. And, that’s exactly what the 44s are going to do. So if you’re a fan of “O Brother Where Art Thou?”, John Lee Hooker, RL Burnside, Jon Spencer or “Black Snake Moan”, grab your rusty pick-up, put your Stetson on your head, and set off for the 44s. Inspired by blues and country, inspired by songs of violence, deceit, and revenge, and inspired by Mississippi, the 44s will give you the devil’s music from the deep south. And as everyone knows, everything's hotter down south.
Another dose of Mississippi Chicken flu is on its way,
Friday 27th November downstairs at the Shed. That means you missed
the FABulous Hi and Lo last month.
Hi James, so you don't think I have a valid complaint about Preaching Blues. I have to say that I've been a bit quiet even at open mics recently, and have only been to a handful this year. Have renewed enthusiasm to play more often and have made up some new songs to try out soon. Wouldn't mind playing up in Leicester again. Is this Chicken Head Lounge your creation? Does Tris no longer drive a snake? Looks cool and I should check it out. Best wishes, Mickmox
Howdy fellas! Thanks for last night, we had a great time. The crowd really liked your set - you'll have to come back and headline sometime in the new year! Take care.
Hi James, you've got gigs coming up and I don't have any. Please could you relay that I'll be sending in a formal grievance to the guys at Preaching Blues, as yet again they've really let me down. Not only have they given no publicity to my recent potential double A side of Poison Pen and In the 1970's, but they are refusing to answer my emails or do anything about getting me a gig at the Shed. Hope you're enjoying things, and wishing you all the best, Mickmox
Hey you on the motor-cycle.. Tonight in The Shed Basement Bar its the Mississippi Chickenhead Lounge country blues revue with those Hi & Lo boys and your hosts The 44's.. Lots of shake em on down toons and the MCL juke joint film show. Park your pick up trucks and get on down to the Lounge. 8 til Late.. £3 entry. Myspace buddies £1.
Shake it down Fri Oct 30th in the Chickenhead Lounge with 'The Hi & Lo' and 'The 44's'. Its downstairs at The Shed Leicester 8 ti late.. £3 Myspace buddies get in for one quid.
Dear Sirs (if indeed you really are), I am writing in protest about the moral turpitude promulgated by your spokesperson, 'singer' (if indeed he really is) and general degenerate mouthpiece Mr 2badjim. You know exactly what I am talking about. That song (if indeed it really is) about that dreadful degenerate Mr Stack O'Lee. In all my life, I have never heard such a dreadful tale. All those people get shot, some of them many times, merely for some minor inconvenience to Mr O'Lee's person. Is this really an example we should set for our children? I shall certainly be there in Tenby to see if you repeat this shabby tale. Do you think you could make a recording of this song? I should like to listen to it over and over in order to assure myself that Mr O'Lee is quite as terrifyingly degenerate as I remember. Yours in horror, Mable (Ms.) Society for the campaign to make blues dull and uninteresting, but morally uplifting.
Next Chickenhead Lounge Friday 18th Sept with 'Raj & Adam' 2 piece roots blues combo and those hill country Burnside sound-a-likes 'The 44's' ... MCL juke joint film show.. basement bar The Shed Leicester.. Myspace buddies get in for just £1
MCL Juke joint shake down this Friday 31st July with live sets from local bluesman ’Tony Alles’.
Lambert & Hooley ’murdering the blues’ and shake ass hill country
blues from ’The 44’s’.. juke joint sounds and film show.. pull on your
boots, park the pick up truck and get down to the Shed basement bar Leicester..
Myspace buddies get in for £1
.. Garage punk and rock n roll fun and frolicks! With live music from:
THE BRUTES: Real gone garage gassers from Glasgow, one of the finest bands at BlastOff! festival this year (and not just because of their hairy loincloths!)
THE DESPONDENTS: rip-off style riotous rock n roll.
THE MURDOCKS: action packed and catchy as hell!!
Bands start at 9pm Saturday 19th Sept, Firebug Leicester.
Online Now!
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