Bob Stevo aka RS aka Bob Stephenson (whose views and opinions are not necessarily the same as those expressed by The Smokin' Ukelele)
Influences
Frank Zappa - oh come on now, he's top of everybody's list, isn't he??.
Captain Beefheart & his Magic Bands (especially – Mr. Zoot Horn Rollo), Stephen Foster, Elliott Randall, Eric Johnson, Sir Smokin' Viv Richards, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Chuck Berry, Blind Willie McTell, W.C. Fields, Jimi Hendrix, John Peel, Eric Clapton, Bert Weedon, Pete Townshend, Joe Satriani, Scott Joplin, Steve Vai, Robert Johnson, Stan Webb, Sonny Landreth, Snatch And The Poontangs, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Bob Weir, Bob Dylan, Mike Hailwood, Adrian Belew, Albert Lee, Dave Edmunds, Woody Guthrie, Steve Morse, Ry Cooder, Mel Bay, Arlo Guthrie, The Marx Brothers, Steve Marriott, Ray Davis, Nicoli Paganini, George Formby, Stevie Wonder, Big Bill Broonzy, John James, Pete Berryman, Jerry Donahue, Will Ray, John Jorgenssen, Blind Blake, Ian Botham, Blind Willie Johnson, Carlos Santana, Bob Brozman, Bill Nelson & Be Bop Deluxe, Jerry Douglas, Ralph McTell, Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, Lowell George, Roy Buchanan, Don Martin, The Allman Brothers, Booker T & The Mgs, Bonzo Dog Band, John Lee Hooker, Brian Setzer, Lightnin' Hopkins, Larry Adler, Joe Brown, Mississippi John Hurt, Jeff Beck, Les Dawson, Cy Grant, Little Walter, Noriyuki Haga, James Cotton, Johnny Winter, David Lindley, Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang, King Curtis, Junior Brown, Steve Martin, Joseph Spence, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Leadbelly, Jimmie Rodgers, Robert Crumb, Jimmy Reed, John Martyn, David Bromberg, Muddy Waters, Primus, Jan Van Eyck, John Mclauchlin, Stanley Clarke, Robbie Robertson, Dan Pickett, Roger McGuinn, Rory Gallagher, Rob McIntyre, Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Holding, Savoy Brown, Davey Graham, Don Martin, The Grateful Dead, Bert Jansch, Gram Parsons, Martin Carthy, Martin Taylor, Ritchie Blackmore, Stefan Grossman, Jake Shimabukuro, John Pearce, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Tex Williams, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Ron Haslam, Sonny Boy Williamson, Rolf Harris, Gary Moore, Freddie King, Furry Lewis, George “Twenty” Benson & Hedges, Michael, Gene Vincent, The Louvin Brothers, Nick Lowe, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Skip James, Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant, David Byrne, Talking Heads, Taj Mahal, Tampa Red, George Thoroughgood, Pat Travers, Chubby Brown, Herb Remington, Richard Thompson, Smokin' Joe Frazier, Billy Gibbons, Billy Jenkins, Alvin Lee, Son House, John Hiatt, Johnny Guitar Watson, B.B. King, Albert King, Dick Dale, Eddie Van Halen, The Kinks, The Outlaws, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Toots & The Maytals ….Oh, and the list goes on..... Apologies to those whose names I have forgot to mention, or spelt wrong! And special mention for overcoming adversity when most would have given up – Django Reinhardt.
THE HUMBLE UKE, THE MIGHTY UKE - Popular songs and original compositions, arranged for, and played on, solo concert ukulele. No editing, no overdubs, just a touch of reverb added to make you think I live in a big house!! The Smokin’ Ukulele believes that the mighty ukulele can be much more than just an accompaniment instrument, it can be a solo instrument in its own right, capable of playing any style of music, limited only by the imagination of the imaginer. Currently working on a cd of instrumentals, which will hopefully go some way towards showing what these most underrated of instruments are capable of. LATEST NEWS - The Smokin' Uke has just finished his new video! It's a solo ukulele version of Frank Zappa's "Willie the Pimp". Hope you enjoy it! You can see it at -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qVbgDtdnWTs
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE SONGS – “Livin’ on a prayer” - the Bon Jovi classic, this came from watching Tomi Paldanius playing an excellent arrangement of this tune on Youtube, and thinking, “Mmm, wonder what that sounds like on the uke…?” I was tempted to omit the key-change near the end, which is tough to play on the uke. That would have been the easy way, but it wouldn’t have been The Smokin’ Ukulele way!! “I shot the sheriff” – Ah, the great Bob Marley, and a great song, although the words would seem to suggest that Mr. Marley shot the sheriff because he tried to stop him smoking. Although smokers do seem to be persecuted unfairly nowadays because they are a minority group, shooting people who try to stop you smoking does seem to be a little bit on the extreme side. Mind you, the way things are going, sheriffs will soon be able to shoot people for smoking. In fact, I think they already can if you light up in a public place. Maybe Bob was right, but that’s a debate for somewhere else, anyways, it’s a nice tune, and if you’ve ever thought, “Mm, wonder what that would sound like on the uke…?” well, here you go… “Hard Times” by the great Stephen Foster. In these days of political correctness, people are a little apprehensive about some of Mr. Foster’s work, which is a shame because he probably wrote more wonderful tunes than any other composer, (with the exception of Mr. Zappa...) Incidentally, the melody in this arrangement is played in different ranges to demonstrate the full two octave range of the concert ukulele. “Many days you have lingered around my cabin door, oh hard times, come again no more.” Amen to that!! “Smokin’ in the rain (with the rest of those dirty, filthy, toxic-polluting, outlawed smokers, down at the Crossroads blues)” Ever wondered what it might have sounded like if Robert Johnson had played the ukulele instead of the guitar? Well, here you go… And while the U.S. Postal Service took Bob’s fag away before they put him on their stamps, we’ve given him an extra one, “Have a fag on us, Bob! You deserve it! Taking away people’s cigarettes is wrong!” Recorded and photographic evidence shows us that when Mr. Johnson played, he could be both smokin’ and smoking!!! Going back and altering old pictures is very wrong and it’s something that The Smokin’ Ukulele would never do……………!!! "Girls in their summer clothes" - a great song by Mr. Springsteen. Only heard this song very recently and was immediately taken by it, and, of course, had to see what it sounded like on the uke!! Well, as you can no doubt hear, I'm still working on polishing up the performance, but decided to put this roughish take here for you to be going along with! A warm summer song recorded on a cold winters night. THE UKULELES - The Smokin' Ukulele features vintage Martin ukuleles and vintage National Resonator ukuleles…. Yeah, right, in your dreams, pal, in your dreams. No, here at The Smokin’ Ukulele we are low-budget! The tools of the trade are, “Woody” – a Samick Gregg Bennett concert ukulele and “Tinny” – an Ashbury metal-bodied resonator ukulele. Special thanks go to Mr. Paul Empson of Pauls Music who supplied the ukes, (The Smokin’ Uke sez – “Support your local music shop!!”) and Mr. Hugh Scullion who took these cute puppies, electrified them and tweaked their giblets, turning them into a pair of race-prepared hunting dogs!, (The Smokin’ Uke sez – “Support your local luthier!!”)
glad you like the songs, although you've heard my version of Mother Goose before. hope to get some of my own compositions up when I get around to recording them.
Hey Bob! I've just seen your expense account and I must say I'm shocked! It's a bit rich claiming ten grand for massage parlours and half a million for your third home in the Bahamas! Even I don't get that much but I suppose it's "WITHIN THE RULES!!" There's a bloody good song in there, must get back into my studio!! Best wishes to you and Uke!! Bertie.
Hey Bob! A word of warning...you'll have to cut down on your expense account! Ten cases of Jack Daniels a week is pushing things a bit too far, and as for the five grand for Uke strings....you should have been an MP!! Have a great weekend! Bertie.
Thanks a million Bob for the kind words, and for joining our ministry of Blues. It's all about peace, love, understanding, and GROOVE! Hope to perform for you sometime. Wishing you the very best in Blues and life! -Big Daddy
Thanks a million Smokin' Ukulele for joining our ministry of Blues. It's all about peace, love, understanding, and GROOVE! Hope to perform for you sometime. Enjoyed your tunes. Wishing you the very best in Blues and life! -Big Daddy
Hey Bob, just checking that swine fever hasn't wiped you out yet!!!! Don't forget, there really is only one thing left to do.....LET'S ALL PANIC!! Stay crazy! Bertie.
Hey Bob! Have a great weekend but remember Bob....you must be politically correct, green, ethical and watch those carbon footprints for goodness sake!! That Uke of yours is not low food mileage and all those wonderful musical emissions will soon be taxed by Gordon so watch out Bob!! Only one thing to do really....LET'S ALL PANIC!!! Stay crazy! Bertie.
Hey there Bob, glad you like the tune, I'll get some more up as soon as I get the time to get um finished! (pesky things like work getting in the way:( ) Keep on rocking!
Hey Bob! Was that you who overtook me on the M4 at 150 mph yesterday? I'm bloody sure it was 'cause the bloke at the wheel was playing a Uke at same time!! Have a great weekend! Bertie.
Hey Bob! How's it goin? Thanks for the Easter message and yes...the old one's are the best! Mind you, they don't get much older than that!!! Stay crazy! Bertie.
Please check out our new comedic “vampire bankers” music video. The guy who directed this also directed Madonna’s first music vid. We think it’s pretty funny. It’s available as a free mp3 download on http://www.ukejackson.com
Thanks for being our friend! Uke Jackson and the NY Ukulele Ensemble
Lo sapevate che è uscito il nuovo album degli Sgroove? Lo sapevate che è uscito il videoclip di Bassa Moralmente e ce ne sono altri 2 in uscita? Riuscite a immaginare a quali livelli di grezzaggine siamo potuti arrivare!?!?? Scopritelo su.... Diseducational Sgroove Channel!
Hiya Smokes! Nice tunes and ukeystrummin'! Just stoppin' by to drop off some BurroSpam from Road Apple Records.... My old friend King Gully was the first Rasta surfer on the wild North Shore of Barbados. This song is based on his true story. It's been described as a cross between "I Shot The Sheriff" and "Puff The Magic Dragon". :>) And there's ukulele under all those dang gitarz! I think you'll like it, as well as the shots of great surfing and amazing waves, all from Barbados! Aloha, Rick Novak. Enjoy....
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