"I continue to learn about interesting human situations in well-written blues songs. When the lyrics are clever or intelligently written and a story unfolds, they can open your eyes to something you may not have known before."

Howlin’ Waters: Texas Boogie Pistol

Fiery guitarist, Howlin’ Waters (aka Lee Miller), along with the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Jason ‘Razz’ Rasberry and drummer ‘Diamond’ Dan Watkins are winning over audiences throughout Central Texas and the Austin music scene. Though they’ve garnered comparisons to Texas trio’s like ZZ Top or Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble, the band is quick to point out, “We are a 21st Century group that plays music relevant to this time and these generations.” Howlin' Waters And Rhythm Pistol perform Original & Classic Rock & Blues music with an authentic vibe to every song. The atmosphere is charged with fun, energetic songs that encourage dancing and a festive time for everyone!

According to webmag, BluesVuesNews - The band, Howlin' Waters And Rhythm Pistol is a combination of talent that crackles with electric energy and explodes with excitement! Local Texas shows include performances by band or members at JT's Sportsgrille, Edge Of Town Saloon, Opal Divine's 6th St, Boomerz, The Victory Grill, 311 Club, Coupland's Dancehall, Junior's Icehouse, Toro Negro Lounge, Rockdale Ranch, Baby A's Stonelake, Mr. B's Sportsbar, The Executive Surf Club, The Iguana Grill, and the list continues to grow. Band members have collective credits that include stage and studio performances with Hank Williams, Jr., Steppenwolf, Steve Marriott And Humble Pie, Johnnie Johnson, and Root Boy Slim.

Interview by Michael Limnios

Photos courtesy of Dean Miller, Lori R. Rasberry, and Mysteria Photography & Video

What do you learn about yourself from the blues and what does the blues mean to you?

I continue to learn about interesting human situations in well-written blues songs. When the lyrics are clever or intelligently written and a story unfolds, they can open your eyes to something you may not have known before. The blues for me isn't about immersing myself in some dreary frame of mind and acting like I'm poor or beat down. I generally prefer blues songs that are upbeat and fun. It's funny to watch many of the guys who play blues music today; we're all middle-class white boys who haven't really suffered much of anything in life, but many of them think they have to convey a persona of 'hard-times', as if they were born in 1920 as a slave on a plantation. It's laughable really. I'm all for having fun with it and trying to lighten people's loads when they come to one of my shows - not drag them down with a lot of depressing, dreary posturing.

How do you describe Howlin’ Waters sound and progress?

As mentioned, I'm a middle-class white boy, so the blues I play will always have elements of Rock & Roll in it.  I've made attempts at being this 'blues purist' guy who only subscribes to the old original artists and songs, but sometimes I'd rather hear versions by Eric Clapton or SRV just because the production and guitar playing is more developed and the auditory quality is better. I kinda lean toward opposite ends of the spectrum - I like the pure baseness and rawness of Robert Johnson's recordings - but you can't beat the incredible sound, tone and recording quality of Stevie Ray. My sound and progress lies somewhere in between. When I'm having a dry spell for song ideas, I usually turn to the Robert Johnson recordings, and almost everytime walk away freshly inspired with 2 or 3 song ideas. My sound lies somewhere between Clapton, SRV & a smackin' dose of Keith Richards rhythm when I play live. I like the introspective virtuosity of Clapton, but I understand you also have to entertain folks if you wanna get paid, which is where some SRV stage antics come in handy.

What characterize your music philosophy?

My philosophy is fairly simple, at least to me. Songs I play, whether my own or other people's have to move me either musically or lyrically. Another aspect of blues songwriting that continues to this day is the idea that every song has to be about woman-bashing. I remember listening to "From The Cradle" by Clapton, and noticed that every song on there was about 'some sorry woman that did this or that', and thinking, man his wife and daughters must be 'proud of daddy's new album.' Not a single upbeat, fun, partying song in the lot! And that continues with most of today's blues songwriters. It's ludicrous, really, especially in these times. In the U.S., women have risen to a prominence never seen in history, with a huge number of them being the main bread-winners in the household, having upper echelon jobs, feeding the economy with the big paychecks they make. If you're a musician trying to sell your music, or sell tickets to your show, it's pretty stupid to have whole albums or sets of songs that are disparaging or unkind toward women.  It's like cutting half the music-buying population out of your business plan. But you see it all the time. Some of those songs have their place and the stories should be told, but there are also good stories to tell about women. I try to keep a balance of that in my live sets, and write songs with that in mind, like my song, "Beautiful Woman Blues".

What experiences in your life have triggered your ideas for songs most frequently?

Falling in love, falling out of love, dealing with the trials of day to day love, being on the road and things along those lines.

Which is the most interesting period in your life?

Now - today - the present is always the most interesting period of my life. I have an understanding of many things I didn't before, I have goals that are clearer than ever before, I'm playing better than I ever have in my life and the list goes on. I'm not too sentimental about the past. My thoughts about it are that the past is just a prison that many people wake up each day and check themselves into. They've stopped living and moving forward, making new memories and producing new things in their life. I believe the best days of my life are still ahead of me, and I'm always working on my goals and looking to the future for new things to happen and new opportunities to come my way.

Which was the best and worst moment of your career?

A couple of highlights was opening a show for Humble Pie and meeting Steve Marriott, a guy I had idolized as a kid. I wore the Humble Pie Rockin' The Fillmore album out playing it so much. So it was really cool getting to meet Steve. He was really kind and down to earth, a music fan as well as a star. An all time low was when I left Austin in the early 90's to go to Florida because an old buddy said he had a house-gig with good pay I could slot into. I got there, the owner decided he didn't like the band we had put together and fired us within the first week. I was broke, living in a squalid little flat and worked someday labor jobs in construction to make enough money to pay rent. Maybe that was one of the only times I really 'lived' the blues (ha!)

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

It has an earthiness that is appealing to many who feel ostracized from the Pop scene, or who don't really have it in them to join up with the Country music crowd. Plus, blues has a type of simplicity that is comforting to many. For some it may have a Sesame Street appeal, i.e., not too many words to learn. Sing a line, sing it again, then add another line to complete the thought. Whatever it may be, there's a continuous thread of blues loving, devoted followers that have stayed ever since it's inception in American music history.

What’s the best jam you ever played in?

Some of the best jams I've ever been part of was with Ernie Lancaster, Bob Greenlee, Albert Bashor and Root Boy Slim at Bob's Lake Joanna studio in Eustis, Florida.  That was during earlier years in my music career, and the last time I was ever able to jam so freely with a group of people for long periods of time. The atmosphere was completely conducive to just plugging in and whoever had an idea for a jam, i.e., a riff, a chord progression, a drumbeat, a bass line, we would all just fall in and work it sometimes for 20-40 minutes without stopping. I eventually left and moved to Los Angeles where I played with a band called Video Nu-r which at the time had a guitarist named Bob Deal, who eventually became Mick Mars of Motley Crue. The "Lake Joanna Band" continued jamming and formatting songs, eventually becoming Root Boy Slim & The Sex Change Band.

What are some of the most memorable gigs you've had?

As mentioned, playing on the same bill with Humble Pie & Steve Marriott. Also opening a show at Koza Stadium in Japan for Hank Williams, Jr. The paper there said there were 10,000 people in attendance. Also, weirdly enough (to me), I opened another show for a re-formed Humble Pie about 10 years later at The Roxy in Austin, and the band was fronted by Bob Tench of The Jeff Beck Group. That was really cool crossing paths with him. In L.A. I played an opening slot for Canned Heat, which was a pretty wild night!

Which meetings have been the most important experiences for you?

Meeting Ron Bushy, "In A Gadda Da Vida" drummer for Iron Butterfly, meeting Delaney Bramlett (Delaney Bramlett & Friends w/Eric Clapton) and meeting Keith Rosier, bassist for an 80's incarnation of the Charlie Sexton band. All of these folks taught me how far up you can go on the fame-wheel, and then find yourself right back at the start again. When I met these guys, they had all experienced some heady levels of fame, either as band leaders or sidemen, but they were all trying to get new gigs/projects together.  Everything they had done in the past was yesterday's news...now they were trying to figure out what to do to make some headlines for tomorrow. It was kind of like Dorothy in Oz, pulling back the curtain of the Great & Powerful Oz and finding nothing there but a nervous little man.  Taught me a lot about the music business.

What is the best advice ever given you?

Keep a firm grip on the "business" of rock & roll. Conduct yourself in a business-like manner when negotiating, keep good records and think forward.  You can't be the guy that shows up to gigs, getting plowed and wake up the next day wondering where the money went.

Are there any memories from Guess Who, Drifters, and Hank Williams, Jr. which you’d like to share with us?

The Guess Who: I played with them at a little joint in Oxnard, CA called The Rock Corp. After we both had played, we were hanging out partying when the club owner said, "No one is leaving...there's guy's outside with guns." Then we heard shots and everyone got down since we weren't sure if they were shooting into the building. Seems some guy was upset that his girlfriend had been seen with someone else that night, and he was vowing revenge on her tryst.

The Drifters: After a previous night's show at the Holiday Inn in Lakeland, Florida where The Drifters and my band were playing, my drummer and I woke up around noon and went down to the restaurant to get something to eat. We ran into The Drifters who were all on their way to the bar. They invited us to join them, and then they proceeded to turn us on to 'boiler-makers', which is shots of whiskey chased with beer. My drummer and I hadn't eaten, and we ended up getting smashed by 1:00 that day.  We were wiped out all through the rest of the day and night, barely able to make the gig last night.

Hank Williams, Jr.: We were backstage at Koza Stadium, a huge arena-type area, and Hank was sitting in a big easy-chair right in the middle of the floor. There was a crowd around him, and I kinda thought, "...this must be what it was like to see Elvis backstage." Hank had on custom made clothes, boots and hat and everything about him smacked of big money. People were eventually cleared out of that area, and we were the opening act, so we got to hang around and talk with him awhile...he was very cool.

From the musical point of view what are the differences between Texas and the other local scenes?

First of all, I'm not sure where there are places that can claim a local scene like Austin. When I was in Florida, there was a certain feel to the way the players played blues, and a little bit of a vibe, but it was too scattered to call it a scene. When I was last in L.A., the 'scene' there was dead, which is so weird to me because that's where you used to go to make it in the music business. I've talked to guys that have spent time in Nashville, and they said there's hardly any place to play live there, so once again, not much of a scene. Austin has an estimated 150-250 places to play live within a 60 mile circle. Music is everywhere.  We all know each other, and where each other are playing. We help each other get gigs and turn each other on to new gigs as they come up. And what's been somewhat of a resurgence in Austin, is the MUSIC Austin's known for is being played again. Lots of bands are getting back to their roots and playing the Austin sound. That was what led me here from California, and it died out for awhile (especially after Stevie Ray died), but it's starting to take root again. Exciting times! I just can't think of anywhere right now that can say the same, though I'm sure it must be happening somewhere (St. Louis? Chicago? Memphis?)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of past?

Well crafted lyrics. Now everyone thinks they're a songwriter, and some of the jumbled up messes of words that are strung together in the name of lyrics are tedious to listen to. Word craftsmen like Bob Dylan, Jagger-Richards, Lennon-McCartney, The Eagles, etc. - those guys knew how to use language and write with clarity and elegance. Their lyrics conveyed inner images and brought the songs to life for the listener. I'm not hung up on yesterday's music - my daughter always has bands of today cranking around the house, so I hear a lot of what's happening now. And I've listened to some hip-hop and rap.  Some of that is pretty amazing. But a lot of it just blows by because the rhythm of the words aren't in the pocket. I've always thought that Eminem is one of the heaviest artists in that genre, and I do like the rap stuff that has heavy rock choruses.

What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I'm a fairly optimistic guy - in other words, I focus on the hopes, not the fears. My chief hope is to get help recording a world-class album at a top-quality studio. I've been approached by one investor who expressed interest in helping me take my music to a higher level, and I'm very hopeful that whether it's him or someone else, I'll eventually get the financing necessary to make it happen.

Which memories from Canned Heat, John Kay, Delaney Bramlett, and Root Boy Slim makes you smile?

Canned Heat: Just watching the big guy ('Bear' I think), wigglin' and jigglin' to the music. The guy was like a giant bowl of Jello shakin' all over the place, kind of uncoordinated, yet stayin' right with the music.

John Kay: John wasn't very approachable when I opened for him, but I was thinking Steppenwolf was going to be some kind of oldies band. But when they played, they were one of the heaviest bands I've ever heard live, and the Steppenwolf songs took on a whole new life when John hit the stage.

Delaney Bramlett: Delaney was a complete gentleman. He was very welcoming to me and the other musicians at his Sun Valley, CA ranch. We were cutting tracks for a publishing deal he was trying to land with Bug Music, and he would come out from time to time and bring us iced tea, listen to our progress, make some suggestions, etc. A warm, friendly down-to-earth guy.

Root Boy Slim: When I first met Slim, he was calling himself 'Prince La-La'. He was always somewhat of a space-case when you sat around having a conversation with him, but when he got a mic in his hands he would bust out with a big, powerful bluesy voice, scatting words, tossing out ideas, working up song lyrics.

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

I would enjoy going back to the time when you could walk into a club or venue and actually meet the booker right there on the premises, shake his or her hand and shoot the bull about your band, or their club, get a feel for who they are, what they're looking for, etc. I would put and end to all email bookings because you can't do any of those things through email!

Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really wanna go for a whole day..?

To a late 1950's Frank Sinatra recording session to watch him masterfully handle a mic and run an orchestra. And then hang out with him and watch him handle people and get his way about everything he decided he wanted. He was a truly heavy personality - no holds barred. He believed in reaching out and taking whatever he wanted and didn't see any reason why he shouldn't have it when he wanted it. Whereas most people go through life with their brakes on, Frank revved his motor to the max and went for it everytime!

To the recording session for the John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton album, when Clapton played "All Your Love" and "Steppin' Out". I would love to see when Clapton cranked his amp (with no master volume) and watch the reactions from everyone else in the room when he was blowing them all out!

To the taping of The Beatles, "All You Need Is Love", and sit down on the floor by (I think) John's chair next to Jagger. Just to be in the room with The Beatles working would have to rub off on you in some good way or another.

To the "Texas Flood" recording session. The stories about it are legendary, though somewhat convoluted. I'd like to have been there those couple of days and watched everything that went on, including how, (according to Chris Layton), "Jackson Brown owned a Dumble amp, and Stevie said, 'What do we have here', unplugging from his amp and plugging into the Dumble amp. That's when he got his sound."

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