"Blues is about human struggles and feelings of the downtrodden. I am a very progressive person politically and always support the struggle of the people."

Bob Kieser: Blues Blast Around The World

Blues Blast Magazine was founded in 2007 by blues fan and publisher Bob Kieser. Based in the United States with writers across the globe, Blues Blast Magazine provides in depth artist interviews, honest music reviews, coverage of events and performances plus great photos and videos all for free! Over 45,000 Blues fans around the globe get Blues Blast Magazine in their inbox each week. They are located in all 50 states and in more than 90 countries. Bob Kieser says: "I spent 3 years doing a newsletter and website for the River City Blues Society in Peoria, IL. In 1997 I began going to events and setting up a booth to get Blues fans to sign up for our monthly newsletter which we sent out electronically and also mailed physical copies. Later I served as president of RCBS and I began sending out a weekly "blast" via email about local Blues shows to the email list I was collecting."

(Bob Kieser of Blues Blast Magazine, 2019 / Photo © by Laura Carbone)

Bob continues: "After I served 4 years as president of RCBS a new crew of officers took over in 2007. When my term was over, I gave the email list I collected on my own effort, about 1000 email addresses, to the society. But I also kept them for my new project IllinoisBlues.com which I created in 2007. IllinoisBlues.com sent out a weekly "Blues Blast" which at the time was mostly some album reviews, artist ads and schedules of area artists performing in Illinois and the Midwest. In 2008 we changed the name of the organization to Blues Blast Magazine, and we began our annual Blues Blast Music Awards. For the first 6 or 7 years we held them at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago. The popularity of our magazine and the BBMAs grew quickly and in 2011 we changed the magazine format to feature a weekly in-depth artist interview."

Interview by Michael Limnios 

When and how did the idea of Blues Blast Magazine come about? How do you think that Blues Blast have changed since it first started and what has remained the same?

I spent 3 years doing a newsletter and website for the River City Blues Society in Peoria, IL. In 1997 I began going to events and setting up a booth to get Blues fans to sign up for our monthly newsletter which we sent out electronically and also mailed physical copies. Later I served as president of RCBS and I began sending out a weekly "blast" via email about local Blues shows to the email list I was collecting.

After I served 4 years as president of RCBS a new crew of officers took over in 2007. When my term was over, I gave the email list I collected on my own effort, about 1000 email addresses, to the society. But I also kept them for my new project IllinoisBlues.com which I created in 2007. IllinoisBlues.com sent out a weekly "Blues Blast" which at the time was mostly some album reviews, artist ads and schedules of area artists performing in Illinois and the Midwest.

In 2008 we changed the name of the organization to Blues Blast Magazine, and we began our annual Blues Blast Music Awards. For the first 6 or 7 years we held them at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago. The popularity of our magazine and the BBMAs grew quickly and in 2011 we changed the magazine format to feature a weekly in-depth artist interview.

What has changed? Well after 17 years of doing 50 issues of Blues Blast a year, we have become one of the major platforms for Blues music and one of the primary ways for artists and labels to advertise their music to fans all over the world.

Many labels advertise all of their releases with us now. We are the largest Blues publication on the planet with more than 44,000 subscribers and our Blues Blast Music Awards have become the largest fan based Blues Music awards series in the world. We now have subscribers in all 50 US stares and in more than 90 countries.

"Hard work and dedication are required as it is in any field. Media is essential for the success of the music. And most importantly, the Blues is alive and well!" (Bob Kieser of Blues Blast, Bob Koester of Delmark & Bruce Iglauer of Alligator, Blues Blast Awards, Chicago 2013 / Photo © by Robert Hughes)

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

Blues music is about emotions and it comes from the soul. Once you hear a Blues artist bear their soul through their music you just want to hear more.

Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career as editor/publisher that you would like to tell us about?!

There are many.  I often get to speak with artists, and it is very rewarding for me personally to be able to push this wonderful art form and help get this music out to the world. I am just glad to be able do this. Another high point is being able to do the BBMA awards shows. We always have 20 or more artists perform in a 6-hour show that is always amazing.

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

There are less Blues artists touring now since the pandemic. Most artists tour the east coast and maybe the west coast but many no longer tour anywhere else.  I hope more venues that feature Blues begin to open up now as more artists are able to return to touring.

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

I wish we could get commercial radio and television interested in the Blues. Why not have Kingfish play the halftime show at the Super Bowl or Anikka Chambers on Saturday Night Live? Or get more FM radio stations to feature Blues music? We need more exposure of Blues. Folks sometimes say young people don't like the blues. It is not that young people don't like the Blues. It is that they never see Blues on mainstream media, so they don't even know what it is! If young people saw it on TV, it would move them, and they would love it.

How has the Blues music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

Blues is about human struggles and feelings of the downtrodden. I am a very progressive person politically and always support the struggle of the people.

"There are less Blues artists touring now since the pandemic. Most artists tour the east coast and maybe the west coast but many no longer tour anywhere else.  I hope more venues that feature Blues begin to open up now as more artists are able to return to touring." (Photo: Bob Kieser with Benny Turner & Eddy Clearwater, 2016)

What is the impact of Blues on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Since Blues is mostly ignored by mass media it is not having the impact it could have.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the blues media and industry?

Hard work and dedication are required as it is in any field. Media is essential for the success of the music. And most importantly, the Blues is alive and well!

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