Lately, I've had the time to dig out a bunch of my older cds. I've been playing a lot of NRBQ's stuff, and marvelling at just how great a band they are (were).

I suppose it might have been their penchant to drift towards insanity that kept them from becoming the huge band that they should have been, but then again, a lot of their crazyness added to the charm.

Who in their right mind would think to do a whacked out version of Bach's Capriccio on the same album that has a song about former professional wrestler turned impressario Captain Lou Albano? And then, on the same record, you'll hear an NRBQ original called 'You Got It', which is about as cool a rocker as you can get! Besides, what kind of deranged group of individuals would come up with a album entitled 'Tap Dancin' Bats?'

However, make no mistake about it, these guys can PLAY! There's a reason that Keith Richards recruited bassist Joey Spampinato to play in his band 'The Xpensive Winos.' Guitarist Al Anderson, when he isn't keeping half of Nashville supplied with hit records, lays down some of the coolest tele licks this side of James Burton!

On piano, and other keyboard type instruments is Terry Adams. Apparently, he's some kind of level 5 (what-ever-the-hell-that-means) classically trained musician. It shows. Adams seems to be the 'evil genius' behind the band, pushing them ever closer towards Ornette Coleman's dissonance, or perhaps Arnold Schoenbergs madness….. I always got the feeling that the other fellows in the band happily followed him off on his excursions, while gleefully chuckling inside.

This is a band that disarms you with their foolishness, and then sneaks up on you to bite you in the ass with their awesome playing and songs. 

Big Al left the band some years ago to pursue a carreer in song writing and solo projects, but the Q live on. Joey Spampinato recruited his younger brother Johnny to play guitar and NRBQ continues to roll.

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