THOSE RESPONSIBLE:
MEL MELTON - Harmonica, Rub Board, Vocals
MAX DRAKE - Guitar
T.A. JAMES - Bass
We congratulate and give WES JOHNSON our best wishes on his stint with Tom Principato. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have worked with him.
In the meantime, we feel extremely fortunate also to have KELLY PACE (Blues World Order, Skeeter Brandon, as well as longtime MOJO) and CHUCK '100%' COTTON (Bob Margolin, Nappy Brown, The Buzzkills, to name a few) handling the drum chair for us. Thanks guys!
OCCASIONAL ACCOMPLICES: ROBERT "KID LEFTY" NESBIT, F.J. VENTRE, MATT HILL, DAVE QUICK, EVANS NICHOLSON
Influences
The wide world of blues, cajun, zydeco, New Orleans jazz & funk. Add hot spice and fire and STAND BACK. An open can of gasoline is not safe in the same building with this band.
Sounds Like
DISCOGRAPHY:
SWAMP SLINGER (New Moon - 1997)
MOJO DREAM (Nightfly Music - 2000)
PAPA MOJO'S ROADHOUSE * (Lousiana Red Hot - 2005)
* NOT to be confused with that hot new Cajun restaurant in Durham NC by the same name. If THAT'S what you're looking for, please check out www.papamojosroadhouse.com for further details.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos, a smokin' Zydeco/Cajun flavored blues band out of North Carolina. For those not in the know, let's meet the guys up close and...
MEL MELTON, on what was intended to be a brief visit to Lafayette LA in the early '70s turned out to be a life-changing experience. There he met, played with and forged lasting relationships with Sonny Landreth and Cheniers Clifton, Cleveland and CJ. After a long stint with Bayou Rhythm, Mel took time off from the music rat-race to concentrate on a chef career (another facet developed and sharpened from the early Lafayette days). 1990 found him back in NC and back at music, having formed the first edition of The Wicked Mojos. In 2008 Mel opened a new hot Cajun restaurant called Papa Mojo's Roadhouse (www.papamojosroadhouse.com). For a more detailed bio on Mel, please feel free to visit www.melmelton.com.
MAX DRAKE has been playing in and recording with blues/R&B bands such as Arhoolie, The Excellos and the Ministers of Sinister since the '60s. More recently, he has lent his fiery fretwork to the late Skeeter Brandon and Big Bill Morganfield before joining forces with The Wicked Mojos in 2005. Max also performs with the rockabilly band Edsel 500 (www.myspace.com/edsel500) and stripped-down gritty blues band The Buzzkillz (www.myspace.com/buzzkillzboogie).
T.A. JAMES, after a 3 year sabbatical (intracontinental freight relocation), hooked up with the Wicked Mojos at the very tail end of 2007. He logged much of 20 years as bassist and guitarist, having spent '95-'03 as the low-end kingpin for the Carey Bell Band. More bio info for T.A. can be found at www.myspace.com/tajames68.
DRUMMER NOTE: Bio info for KELLY PACE and CHUCK COTTON pending as of 3/6/09
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
MEL MELTON uses Hohner harmonicas exclusively.
MAX DRAKE uses GHS strings, Seymour Duncan pickups and Rocky Mountain slides exclusively.
T.A. JAMES uses late '70s Fender Precision Basses with flatwound strings through Ampeg amps on top of a Theille cabinet loaded with an EVM15B exclusively.
Mel, Max and T.A. would like to give a BIG THANK YOU to DARRELL YOUNG for keeping our amps in the race.
Wish to book Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos for a private party? Inquire within.
Where will this fire-breathing four-headed monster appear in the general public next?
Please check schedule posted above.
Thanks for visiting, and come again!
Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos Live at Papa Mojo's Roadhouse 6/28/08
Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos's Friend Space (Randomized)
HI MEL, I sure hope ya'll had a GREAT THANKSGIVING...~!!!!! We sure did.... I wanted to mention that MIKE is going to be interview by JABEAUX on live WORLD SATELITE RADIO...www.kafmradio.org if you click her @ 7:10 cst TONIGHT he will be on the air with JABEAUX... live from GRAND JUNCTION ,COLO. I hope you tune in..I'm sure he'll be mentioning you... & others he's worked with...
Take care MEL...& let us know how things are going.. GOD BLESS YOU & YOURS, always, MELISSA~
this is a photo that was taken of MIKE & ME @ FESTIVALE INTERNATIONALE
Hi Mel, As always we loved playing at Papa Mojo's Roadhouse---and what fantastic food & good vibes and times! Thanks for such a wonderful place to be and play. Cheers, Tom
WOW!!!! What A New Years Eve Party .... Thanks for a wonderful Time and Some Wonderful Food, We Always have a Great time when you guys play. Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2009
Was sorry to miss you guys open for Tab Benoit at Cat's Cradle on Friday. I'm sure it was fabulous! I had my work Christmas party that night. It was a blast but couldn't help thinking about the fun I was missing in Chapel Hill. See you guys soon...for sure NYE!
That skull is a Glow Skull that plugs into a lighter plug. One of the boys picked it up at a truck stop on a road trip. Kelly photographed it in the van one night after a gig. It sorta fits us. Bryan
