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EspañolHOLLYWOOD FATS
'Hollywood Fats' (born Michael Leonard Mann in Los Angeles, May 17, 1954- December 8, 1986)[1] was a blues guitarist active in Los Angeles. He was an accomplished blues guitarist; arguably the best of his generation.
Fats started playing guitar at the age of 10. While in his teens, his mother would drive him to various clubs in South Central Los Angeles to jam with well know blues musicians when they came to town. Fats came from a successful upper middle class family living in Santa Monica. His father was a doctor and his siblings went on to become doctors and lawyers. Fats was considered the black sheep of the family due to his artist nature and was supported by his family for a number of years. Two of the more famous blues men he met included Buddy Guy and Junior Wells who gave him the nickname.[2] Fats toured with James Harman, Jimmy Witherspoon, J.B. Hutto, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters among others.
During the 1970s and 1980s he worked with the famous blues harmonica player and singer, James Harman. He played on a number of James' well received blues records including Extra Napkin's, Mo Napkins Please and Live in '85. It is from these recordings, you'll find his most famous signature guitar licks. Other guitarists with whom he played included Junior Watson, Kid Ramos and Dave Alvin. The Harman recordings provide the largest examples of his instrumental style. Fats was invited to be a sideman to Muddy Waters and later met harmonica player Al Blake. Blake had just moved to Los Angeles from Oklahoma. In 1974, Fats and Blake formed a band consisting of pianist Fred Kaplan, Richard Innes on drums and Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor called the Hollywood Fats Band.[1]
The Hollywood Fats Band released a self-titled album in 1979, the only album under their name. The album did not create much stir, compared to those recorded with James Harman. The band broke up not long after and Fats continued to play with James Harman's band, and The Blasters in 1986 replacing David Alvin.
Fats died of a heroin overdose in 1986 in Los Angeles at the age of 32. He was plagued by drug abuse for a number of years prior to his death. At the time of his passing, he was playing with the James Harman Band, the Blasters and was thinking about restarting the Hollywood Fats Band with Al Blake.
Around 2002, the remaining original members of the Hollywood Fats Band were reunited with young Kirk Fletcher on guitar, and recorded some new materials. (first of the recordings came out on Al Blake's solo album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' released in 2002.) This new version of the band started calling themselves the Hollywood Blue Flames. They released two albums under their name from Delta Groove Productions. The second album ''Road To Rio'' comes with a CD titled ''Larger Than Life'' which entirely consists of previously unreleased live recordings of the original Hollywood Fats Band.
1. Liner notes from Al Blake's album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' by Eric LeBlanc
2. All Music Guide bio by Char Ham
3. Liner notes from Al Blake's album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' by Eric LeBlanc
| Contents |
| History |
| The band reunion |
| Discography |
| Notes |
History
Fats started playing guitar at the age of 10. While in his teens, his mother would drive him to various clubs in South Central Los Angeles to jam with well know blues musicians when they came to town. Fats came from a successful upper middle class family living in Santa Monica. His father was a doctor and his siblings went on to become doctors and lawyers. Fats was considered the black sheep of the family due to his artist nature and was supported by his family for a number of years. Two of the more famous blues men he met included Buddy Guy and Junior Wells who gave him the nickname.[2] Fats toured with James Harman, Jimmy Witherspoon, J.B. Hutto, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters among others.
During the 1970s and 1980s he worked with the famous blues harmonica player and singer, James Harman. He played on a number of James' well received blues records including Extra Napkin's, Mo Napkins Please and Live in '85. It is from these recordings, you'll find his most famous signature guitar licks. Other guitarists with whom he played included Junior Watson, Kid Ramos and Dave Alvin. The Harman recordings provide the largest examples of his instrumental style. Fats was invited to be a sideman to Muddy Waters and later met harmonica player Al Blake. Blake had just moved to Los Angeles from Oklahoma. In 1974, Fats and Blake formed a band consisting of pianist Fred Kaplan, Richard Innes on drums and Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor called the Hollywood Fats Band.[1]
The Hollywood Fats Band released a self-titled album in 1979, the only album under their name. The album did not create much stir, compared to those recorded with James Harman. The band broke up not long after and Fats continued to play with James Harman's band, and The Blasters in 1986 replacing David Alvin.
Fats died of a heroin overdose in 1986 in Los Angeles at the age of 32. He was plagued by drug abuse for a number of years prior to his death. At the time of his passing, he was playing with the James Harman Band, the Blasters and was thinking about restarting the Hollywood Fats Band with Al Blake.
The band reunion
Around 2002, the remaining original members of the Hollywood Fats Band were reunited with young Kirk Fletcher on guitar, and recorded some new materials. (first of the recordings came out on Al Blake's solo album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' released in 2002.) This new version of the band started calling themselves the Hollywood Blue Flames. They released two albums under their name from Delta Groove Productions. The second album ''Road To Rio'' comes with a CD titled ''Larger Than Life'' which entirely consists of previously unreleased live recordings of the original Hollywood Fats Band.
Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | ''The Hollywood Fats Band'' | PBR | the original release |
| 1993 | ''Rock This House'' | Black Top | Reissue of the 1979 album |
| 2002 | ''Hollywood Fats Band'' | CrossCut (German) | the complete 1979 recordings |
| 2006 | ''Larger Than Life'' | Delta Groove Productions | unissued live recordings |
Notes
1. Liner notes from Al Blake's album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' by Eric LeBlanc
2. All Music Guide bio by Char Ham
3. Liner notes from Al Blake's album ''Dr. Blakes Magic Soul Elixir'' by Eric LeBlanc
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