The murky black and white cover of this record matches its homemade sound and I mean that in a good way. The back cover looks like something much older than 1980, but that’s when it came out. The band is Paul Bouillet, singing and guitar, Max Koster, bass, and Mitch Purdy, drums. The record is pressed by Apollo Music Company, and it says it can be obtained directly by sending $6 to them at 184 Eastlawn, Detroit, Michigan. But I’d contact them first before risking that $6. A lot can change in 30 years.
Has it really been 30 years since Ja Bluezy recorded this record live at the Delta Lady in Ferndale, Michigan on March 1st and 2nd? Not that I was there, but I was a few hundred miles south in my dorm room drinking a six pack of Strohs, listening to “London Calling,” and it feels like it was yesterday. I wonder if I would have liked Ja Bluezy as much as I do now. Probably not– it’s pretty traditional guitar blues, pretty heavy on the guitar– some instrumental, some vocal– songs by Paul Bouillet and a few covers like “St. James Infirmary” and “Big Boss Man.” I like it now because it sounds live and real and it is what it is. It’s actually recorded very well. And the photograph on the cover is great, pretty much an uncomposed low contrast snapshot in a dingy atmosphere with lots of hair and beards. It kind of warms my heart.
I didn’t look too long, but I didn’t see anything in the internet world about these guys. I did see this record for sale somewhere for $250! Oh, and by the way, it came in number 126 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 500 records of all time. No, it didn’t, but those Rolling Stone rankings things really get on my nerves. Talk about taking the life out of something. It’s good to know there are records out there like this that haven’t been neutered in the wax museum.
DJ Farraginous 
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