Samantha Fish Turns Rock On Its Head With ‘Faster

When it comes to guitar wizardry in style, Samantha Fish is in a class of her own. The multi-award-winning, Missouri-born artist has made a career of boldly navigating the intersections of blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll, and with 2021's Faster, Fish , he made a bold statement. Pop, funk and even a lethal dose of Kansas City hip-hop.

Musical adventurer Phish recently teamed up with Texas six-string maestro Jesse Dayton to release a full album of original material titled Death Wish Blues , due May 19th. Fish and Dayton played shows together this summer, but now Fish is back on the road. He will be opening for Buddy Guy at the AVA Amphitheater on Saturday, September 9th.

The set should now offer a good selection of songs from that long and successful career.

You flirted with some of those sounds on 'Kill or be Kind', but stylistically you really went for a different style on 'Faster'. Tell me about the change and working with Martin Kirzenbaum.

SF: It's funny that you let us flirt with those sounds on "Kill or be Kind" because I think that's definitely what I wanted. These songs had a lot of melodic hooks, kind of a bluesy base, but pop hooks. Martin picked it up and just zoomed in. She is an incredible doll maker. He played some of my favorite pop bands. He released Lady Gaga's The Fame, which I think is an incredible album.

It was something that I had definitely flirted with before, but (we) realized that we could just take the blues and come up with another genre that could produce huge hooks and catchy songs that people could feel and dance to. : . . To come out of Pandemic with a record like that, a time that wasn't fun at all, to come out of it with something so energetic lifted me up and I wanted to do it for everybody. .

When I wrote Faster, it was the beginning of an epidemic and we were all in the dark, not really knowing what was going to happen next or how long it was going to last. Like everyone else, I fell into this depression and wrote very dark things. But when I started working with Martin, he exuded such a positive and enthusiastic energy that it was hard not to be optimistic about this art and what I could do with it. It's a wonderful gift that Martin gave me and it was a positive boost at a time when I really didn't have much.

Are you worried about being classified as a blues guitarist based on the different experiences you've had with your recent albums?

SF: Indeed, every record since the Wild Heart record has been slightly contrived, a different sonic theme. Trumpeting "colds and fevers", we went to the next stage. We went to Detroit and played a lot of soul songs from the 50s and 60s. We were playing them in a modern way, with exciting guitars, and this band was a rock band called the Detroit Cobras, who played a lot of songs. R&B.

After that I did Belle of the West and then Kill or Be Kind, so I always felt like the album was an opportunity to reinvent yourself and change the story a little bit. . People have a clear idea of ​​who you are and what you're going to do next, but as an artist it feels good to have the freedom to change and go where the art takes you. At the end of the day, that's what keeps the bus rolling and I'm just trying to follow it and write good songs.

“Lud,” the collaboration with rapper Tech N9ne on “Faster”… I wouldn't believe it at first, but it really feels like one of the most organic tracks on the album. It's a beautiful fusion of styles that starts with a 50's dream pop intro and then mixes in fuzz metal and hip hop. Whose idea was that?

SF: I was so scared of the idea. Martin and I first met to write together in Kansas City, and Tech gave us one of the places to write. They have a lot to do with Weird Music, and Martin casually dismissed the idea, saying: "Hey, what if we put technology in one of these songs?" I just laughed and said. "Never in a million years." He won't say yes! "I think so," said Martin. So he asked him and Tech came down. I was shocked. I know him since my childhood. In Kansas City, huge billboards with the word "Tech" were erected. He is a hero and a legend not only in Kansas City, but around the world. It's one of the best in the game. It brought out the Kansas City kid in me.

He just killed it, man, he killed his part of that song. We were supposed to play live together in Kansas City at one point. It really gave me a nod to Kansas City and the people there. I knew they would love it and I think it's a good opportunity to say. "We like to mix these genres." It all fits together. Music is universal. We can mix rap and R&B, rock and roll, blues and country and it works.

It was also the writing session that brought you together with Jesse Dayton. You covered Vince Taylor's Brand New Cadillac on The Stardust Sessions, the album that preceded Death Wish Blues. How did you write this song?

SF: I first saw (Jesse) last January and we talked about doing this project together. He came to the recording and at the end of the recording my manager called us both and said, "I ordered a studio. You get songs you want to play. There was negative pressure. “We just want to see how it goes Pick a few songs that you think reflect the aesthetic, mood and inspiration of what you want.

We chose "Feelin' Good" by Magic Sam, a warm blues number. Jesse played me this live version that he did in Belgium and it was just amazing. I brought in the Townes Van Zandt song (I'll Be Here in the Morning) because Jesse is a big bootleg country musician, and I really wanted to show us how to sing together in a subtle way.

"The New Cadillac"... For this particular project we wanted to do something that combined punk, rock, blues and all our different styles. We have tried to carefully select these songs

print it. I didn't know it would do so well, but the label loved it and wanted to release it as an EP, so that's icing on the cake.

Were you planning on making a full original album first?

SF: Yes! The idea was always to make an album. We went to Woodstock in the early fall and late summer to work with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Hitmakers, and Boss Hog. He is the producer of the album. We've written 12 original songs together, and that's always been our goal. It's different for both of us because we're both heroes. It's about finding our voice on the guitar, which is different but also supports us because sometimes you're forced to play the rhythm guitar role. It was a fun challenge for both of us to dynamically figure out how to create songs and keep them together.

Usually I just try to get the band to sing. Now I'm a backup singer on some of these songs and it's hard, man. But it was fun. It will be a unique journey together.

Friend with Samantha Fish
WHEN? Saturday September 9 at 8:00 p.m
WHERE: AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson
COST. Tickets start at $25
INFORMATION: www.casinodelsol.com

SAMANTHA FISH • “The Voice Raises” • Sellersville Theater PA 11/6/16