”Music is omnipresent. It's so sad that music is trapped in the hands of a few pimps like Spotify, Apple and Amazon. Blues music is especially important as well as soul, gospel, funk, rock n roll and many other music because it is man made, handmade music. In contrast to computer, loop, autotune music. Emotion is not transported by computers!”

The Bluesbenders:

High Energy Blues n’ Roots

German-based Baum's Bluesbenders live on stage since 1993. The Bluesbenders are dedicated to the roots of modern rock and pop music, playing an honest, hot and punchy, breathtaking mix of Chicago and Westcoast Blues, Rockabilly, Boogie and Rock. They have made countless performances at festivals like the Leverkusener Jazztage, Rheinkultur Bonn, Paasblues Asten/Netherlands, Streetlife Festival Leverkusen, Bonner Bluesfestival, countless gigs in clubs and pubs, at corporate events, city festivals, as support for ZZ Top, Rick Vito, Tino Gonzales, Rudy Rotta, Big Daddy Wilson, Layla Zoe, backing band of Louisiana Red, Richard Bargel, Ali Claudi and on every occasion they have never failed to leave an enthusiastic audience wanting more.

(Photo: The Bluesbenders are Bill Baum, Uwe Placke, Francis Holapfel and Rainer Wilke)

Give Bill Baum’s BB King-inspired guitar and Uwe Placke’s sizzling harmonica solos a listen and you’ll know why. No wonder that fans of all ages - from eight to eighty - feel addressed by the Bluesbenders. And quite rightly so! The band are B. Baum on guitar, Uwe Placke on harmonica, Francis Holapfel on drums and Rainer Wilke on bass.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your life the most?

Bill: I was born in 1958. My brother gave me a double album with Bill Haley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard for my birthday in 1968. Jenny Jenny Jenny by Little Richard - this energy blew me away. The first LP I bought myself was Pedulum by CCR. In 1970 I bought a BB. King LP and an LP by Sonny Boy Williamson with the Yardbirds. By By Bird by Sonny Boy was the reason to buy a harmonica. I wanted to make this kind of music and then I started playing the guitar. It changed my life-my view of the world to this day. My heroes were people like BB. King, Freddie King, Albert King. J.B. Lenoir, Howlin Wolf, Peter Green and many more.

How do you describe band’s sound, music philosophy and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

Bill: The idea of the Bluesbenders is to play blues music from the 50s to the present day. But to be free to create their own interpretations. To play a jump blues in the style of the 50s as well as eperimental psychedelic sounds. Your own creativity is important. Technique is important but is always subordinate to emotion and feeling. The best blues is when we get into Trace live and the music plays us!

”What I miss most is the human beat. The human being is replaced by loops and computer beats. Quantized to the technically exact time. Music is losing its soul and groove. It's also the loss of the swing feeling and the triplet shuffle grooves. A lot of pop music produced today is soulless computer babble. And I miss the blues - the blues guitar! It has disappeared from pop music.“ (Photo: Bill Baum)

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

Bill: There have been many, many highlights in more than 30 years. We played shows with Louisiana Red. At the first concert with him, he was supposed to play solo and we were in the opening act. But he wanted to play with us. We had never played together before and without a rehearsal it was an incredibly intense concert. Another highlight in the band's more than 30-year history was our concert in 2024 as the opener for Z.Z.Top. We even had the honor of playing an encore.

Why do you think that German Blues Scene continues to generate such a devoted following?

Bill: This is a consequence of the long blues tradition. The American Folk Blues concerts by Lippman and Rau in the 60s to 80s were very important for the blues. There is a long history of blues concerts and festivals in Germany. I like to think back to the 1976 blues festival in Dortmund with Muddy Waters. Even today, many international blues artists come to Germany. There are many great blues bands in Germany, often born out of the many blues sessions in pubs and clubs. Although the blues is rarely heard on radio or television, it is still popular.

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

Bill: What I miss most is the human beat. The human being is replaced by loops and computer beats. Quantized to the technically exact time. Music is losing its soul and groove. It's also the loss of the swing feeling and the triplet shuffle grooves. A lot of pop music produced today is soulless computer babble. And I miss the blues - the blues guitar! It has disappeared from pop music.

”Your own creativity is important. Technique is important but is always subordinate to emotion and feeling. The best blues is when we get into Trace live and the music plays us!” (Photo: Bill Baum on guitar & Uwe Placke on harmonica. Baum’s Bluesbenders on stage, Germany)

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Bill: If an organizer says after a successful concert where the audience went wild and there were encores, he will get in touch about a new date. Next month he won't know who you are. The lesson is with so many good bands you always have to promote yourself to get gigs.

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music in today’s society?

Bill: Music is omnipresent. It's so sad that music is trapped in the hands of a few pimps like Spotify, Apple and Amazon. Blues music is especially important as well as soul, gospel, funk, rock n roll and many other music because it is man made, handmade music. In contrast to computer, loop, autotune music. Emotion is not transported by computers!

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

Bill: We as the band Bluesbenders cannot change the world. We are far too unknown for that. What we do for ourselves is constantly evolve. We play traditionally but also experiment with new wild ideas. But the most important thing is that we play with feeling and energy and that appeals not only to older audiences but also to young people. As young people don't get much blues music in the media, they are often very enthusiastic when they hear it and get involved.

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(Photo: The Bluesbenders are Bill Baum, Uwe Placke, Francis Holapfel and Rainer Wilke)