On The Verge

Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam

Isle of Man, United Kingdom
British Guitar Hero
“www.backdoorslam.com“http://www.backdoorslam.com

Davy Knowles was raised on natural talent and educated by raids of the family record collection on the tiny Isle of Man. This isolated locale—in the middle of the Irish Sea—led to Back Door Slam, a road-hardened blues rock band featuring the guitar heroics and sublime songwriting of the young musician. “The last couple of years, touring has been the best education I’ve ever had,” says Knowles. “When you’re around people like Peter Frampton and Warren Haynes who are better than you, stuff rubs off.” Indeed, besides recently opening for Jeff Beck, Knowles’ new album with Back Door Slam, Coming Up for Air, is co-produced by Frampton. The alchemic reaction delivers an outstanding set of 10 songs ranging from sweet, acoustic imagery to dynamic electric magic to the sense that Knowles can not only write and sing the blues, but also play a mean guitar, too. “Peter has this amazing ability to immediately put you at ease,” explains Knowles. “It was scary playing guitar in front of him, but the guy is so nice that it worked out really well.”