The wit and wisdom of Johnny Dowd

Johnny Dowd gives an "acceptance speech" for the Grammy he did not win for his 2008 album "A Drunkard's Masterpiece (which *was* nominated for a Grammy in the first round of nominations). He thanks everyone but God, is mocked by the cameraman, responds with a bizarre Pigmeat Markham-like joke, then mocks the headline band for recently changing their longtime name of "The Atomic Forces" to "Les Forces Atomique".

The song that follows is his own "Howlin' Wolf Blues" with Black Elastic (Kim Sherwood-Caso, guitar, vocals; Mike Edmondson, guitar, vocals). During the song, not satisfied with the sound of Edmondson's amazing guitar solo, he cajoles the guitarist to use "the Bootsy pedal" (i.e. an MXR envelope filter). Dowd alters the settings on the pedal until a satisfactory "Bootsy Collins" sound is achieved. Unfortunately the camcorder's battery ran out before Edmondson obliged with "the Herbie Hancock sound" as the song ended.

Filmed January 17, 2009 at the Lost Dog Cafe, Ithaca, NY.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• johnnydowd
• ithaca

[stevedaffern]

One of the "realist" persons I ever saw on a stage.

[phenihydinum]

cool!

[jennielowe]

hmm...maybe he should have thanked howlin wolf in his acceptance speech.

[CosmicDean]

Johnny, I think you might be my daddy. I'm not lookin' for no money just a shout out and some love.

[jiff3505]

Great, thanks for the JD commentary....

[williambenton]

Awesome.

Thanks for posting.