“Blues music has always been tied to social change. It’s a potent method to protest  about major societal issues such as inequality. As blues music continues to change over time – like when Delta Blues moved north during the Great Migration and influenced city styles like Chicago Blues – its purpose stayed the same: to express dissatisfaction and pursue personal and social change. Just as I learned the Blues backwards. I may help another kid within the next generation to learn about the Blues and its powerful cultural and musical influence.”

David M’ore: Holy Sinners & Sinful Saints

A mystical guitar man from a bygone era, David M'ore arrived in Los Angeles in the early 90's. Club goers and musicians begin to talk about the new kid with the virtuoso aggressive guitar style, raspy vocals, and his high energy fueled Blues-Rock tunes. From the beginning, traditional Blues and British Neoclassical Hard Rock played a very important role in the evolution of David M'ore style. Nowadays M’ore is often seen performing in the San Fran Bay Area. It’s been nearly a decade since the man from Argentina, David M’ore’s last studio album, Passion, Soul, And Fire (2015). In his new third studio album Holy Sinners & Sinful Saints (2025), M’ore continues with his own style of fiery blues and rock producing eleven original tunes and two arrangements – Rock Me & Hoochie Man - that M’ore stipulates is his way to pay homage to those that have influenced him. He is joined by the other members of his trio – Wade Olson on drums and Marshall St. Clair on bass.                                (Photo: David M’ore)

Born in Argentina, he picked up an old guitar that his godfather bought him for his eighth birthday and immediately began to explore vintage records. His family wanted him to play classical and flamenco music, but M’ore loved the music of Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple. He attended a conservatory of music where he would sneak behind the piano and play ACDC. First using his mother’s tape recorder and a classical guitar, M’ore practiced an average of 10 hours a day. Fans of big guitar playing, who enjoy rock that strays towards the blues rather than heavy metal, will dig deep into this album to experience the explosive guitar attack of David M’ore, a man and his muse.

Interview by Michael Limnios                        Archive: David M’ore, 2016 interview

Special Thanks: Betsie Brown (Blind Raccoon) / Photos by AG

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

It changed my whole entire life in all aspects. I was supposed to be a pilot. My father was a diplomat and they all thought I would follow a military career as a professional Air force pilot. But we were living in a very cosmopolitan neighborhood. Mostly European immigrants from Italy, Germany, and England. My father was Armenian and my Mother some king or Italian Gipsy with a Danish last name. I was  just a little boy when I heard Deep Purple, James Brown and the Beatles. I always knew that I wanted to leave and travel. It was around the time of the militarist repression in Argentina. An ultra violent era that I still try to forget but shows up in my guitar playing. Rock and Roll music was the force that helped me to break all barriers.  I attended the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires. I learned about Paganini, Beethoven, and Bach at the same time that I was hearing AC/DC, Johnny Winter, and John Lee Hooker.

I left Argentina as a minor and went to Brazil. But I knew that the spirit that was within me had a different call. Rock Culture represented freedom and gave me the security of knowing what it was what I really wanted to do, and what I wanted to be. My life is not an accident. I wanted to be who I am. Not many people can say that and I am not saying this in an arrogant way. I am thankful for it. I am a musician that has a chance to play the music that I love. That’s is something that I thanks GOD for it everyday.

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? 

That’s a huge question, because there are so many aspects to consider. When I was 17 years old I had no idea of the music business. I just wanted to perform. As a guitar player I was provably faster but I was playing for my ego. As time goes by you learn that at the end of the night the audience decides if you are good or not. So I have learned to reach the crowd and at the same time play with honesty and passion. I also have my own tone and my own style. There was a time when I wanted to be Alvin Lee, or Blackmore. But I am not trying to be any of my influences now. I still listen to them with the same love but I believe that I have my own sound and style. I have produced my last three records as a solo artist, and during that process I have learned a lot about how to work in the studio, how to choose the studio, when to go into the studio, and when is time to get out when it’s not working.

Life itself is a growing process and I have played music all my life so, I would like to think that I am still evolving at my guitar playing. I am very hard with myself. I am not the type of guy that would say ...oh I really sound good tonight or anything like that at the end of the show or a record. I always look at what I can improve and sometimes that can be a challenge for the musicians playing with me.

”Be true to yourself and embrace who you are even if you are different. Is ok to have influences, and we all learned from someone else. But there is nothing more sad than when people are trying to be someone that they are not.” (Photo: David M’ore)

What has remained the same about your music-making process?

The Passion is still the same. A week ago I was walking in San Francisco and I found some homeless with a guitar. I asked the guy if I can see it and gave them a whole 45 minutes set with his beat-up guitar. I really enjoyed the moment. It wasn’t about exposure, it was about a chance to play any guitar on my way. My life still is around my music. I am still in love with the instrument. I am possessed, and still look at guitars in the internet with the same spirit as when I was a little boy. My mother used to visit my grandma and one block away was a music store. I could spend hours watching the electric guitars through the window of the store. Of course I didn’t have any money to buy them. But the integrity and the tendency to seek what I could feel as perfect in my head at the time that I am building a record still hasn’t changed. I always write the music first. Then I give it to the rhythm session. That process hasn’t change either.

How did your relationship with the Blues come about? 

My aunt was married to a British man. He was an alcoholic. He would ask me if I can bring whisky without letting anyone know. He had all kind of Blues and Jazz vinyls. They were mostly shellac records 78 RPM. So in exchange for a pint of liquor I had the chance to learn about those old records from the old man. He had records of Sammy Davis Jr, Jerry James, Howlin Wolf, and even Bill Haley.

What music moment changed your life the most?

This is hard to say because I have so many stories and some of them with my own icons that I could write a book about it. As I said before, I used to watch a red guitar through the music store’s window and one day a little friend from school came and said...hey there is an old man that is playing Blues tonight and he has a guitar just like the one you want. He also said this guy is 53 years old. I answered him how is that a 53 year old man is going to play electric guitar and sound good? But I went to the concert with him anyway ...and there it was. The guy was BB King. The way he bent the strings and the whole vibe was very powerful for a little boy like me. But I have a great story with  John Hammond who wrote the music of the movie “Little Big Man”. But I will reserve that for the next interview.

”Blues music has always represented the opposing voice that refused to be silenced by oppression. The Blues expresses this with clarity, honesty and in a way that most societies that are oppressed can feel identified with this. It is not new that Argentina loves the Blues.” (Photo: David M’ore)

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album Holy Sinners & Sinful Saints? 

Well...when you book time in the studio it doesn’t matter how you feel that day. If you played a show the night before or if you have the flu, you still have to perform the best you can because those tracks are going to be printed forever on that record. During one of the sessions at Prairie Sun Studios I remember having the flu for 3 days. I was renting a cottage next to the studio and as I woke up I told my best friend “I don’t think I can do it today”. I was feeling so sick. But I had a cup Black Tea and walked into the studio with her and my dog. They were sitting next to me and I told the engineer to roll “It’s Alright”. I played the whole entire solo in one take from beginning to end like a mad bull. I got up and I said ...”keep it”, I am not doing any over dubs. When I went back to the cottage and I heard the track, I realized that it was straight to heart with all the pain and emotional sorrow that I was feeling at the moment. It is one of my favorite solos in the album.

What would you say characterizes new album in comparison to the previews?

The vocals! I had more time to work on the vocals on this album. It has a better production in general. The album was recorded in 3 different Studios. I recorded some guitars at the famous Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. That place is part of Rock and Roll history in San Francisco. Janis Joplin, Credence Clearwater Revival, early Santana, and more were recording in the same room. There are some effects that you can hear on “Holy Sinners & Sinful Saints”. You can hear chains and foot steps with shekels at the beat of the ongs at the beginning. And some gun shots at the end. Wade Olson also played Bongos and Moroccan Darbouka Drums at the end of “Armenia”. That in addition to the overdubbed vocals created a magical and angelical end of the song. There are different Shades of Blues in this album. But every song is well worked and has a different vibe but still they own sound like us.

”The spirit of the music is uniting them at that time. I look at their faces and I can see them all into that magical force that I learned from my mother the gipsy. Democrats, republicans, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Muslims, Christians, and Jews. All united through the music.” (Photo: David M’ore)

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

Blues music has always represented the opposing voice that refused to be silenced by oppression. The Blues expresses this with clarity, honesty and in a way that most societies that are oppressed can feel identified with this. It is not new that Argentina loves the Blues. I have heard Pappo’s Bues Volume 3 from 1973. These guys were moving from Argentina to England back and forth drawing thousand of fans to their Shows. I saw BB King as a little kid in Buenos Aires too. But social media and an increase of international Blues and Rock  bands touring there has helped to reach the younger generations. But besides that, they are soccer people. They live and die for their teams. They are passionate for everything they love. If you combine those two things together it can be a powerful force. That is Rock and Roll and Blues.

What is the impact of Blues on the socio-cultural implications?

Blues music has always been tied to social change. It’s a potent method to protest  about major societal issues such as inequality. As blues music continues to change over time – like when Delta Blues moved north during the Great Migration and influenced city styles like Chicago Blues – its purpose stayed the same: to express dissatisfaction and pursue personal and social change. Just as I learned the Blues backwards. I may help another kid within the next generation to learn about the Blues and its powerful cultural and musical influence.

I love Pee Wee Clayton and Willie Dixon. I even met Bob Stroger while I was on tour. I played in front of him at a small club and It was amazing how much acceptance he had for my type of Blues. Same case with Albert king and Albert Collins with Gary Moore. To lead in the example in a nurturing manner is the best we can do for the next generation.

”Rock Culture represented freedom and gave me the security of knowing what it was what I really wanted to do, and what I wanted to be.” (Photo: David M’ore)

How do you want the music to affect people?

This album has songs like “Lets Get Together”. I know that the first perception of the song is about a new romance without boundaries. But it is more than that on the lyrics. But we are living very difficult times worldwide. With a lot of divisions that are not leading to love each other as humans. You can see it on social media. People just go there to insult the opposite political party, or any one with a different ideology. While all this happening a roaring lion is watching us and getting ready to devour us. I like to talk about this at all my shows. Some times I ask the rhythm session to turn down the volume so I can talk to the audience while we play, and I ask them to let me feel all of them together singing with me in one spirit. The spirit of the music is uniting them at that time. I look at their faces and I can see them all into that magical force that I learned from my mother the gipsy. Democrats, republicans, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Muslims, Christians, and Jews. All united through the music. “A kingdom divided against itself will not stand”. I hope that through my music I can bring that unity.  So “Lets Get Together”

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

Keep practicing like when I started to play. Stay focused committed to your goals not matter how many obstacles you have to overcome. Don’t rely or depend on anyone because nobody will care about your musical goals like you do. Be true to yourself and embrace who you are even if you are different. Is ok to have influences, and we all learned from someone else. But there is nothing more sad than when people are trying to be someone that they are not. Stay sober and stay away of people that can not keep their word. They will bring you down and you will be wasting precious time with them. I am a professional entertainer and I am responsible for providing the best Show I can, no matter how I feel. The audience deserves my best even if I am playing a huge Festival or a small Club. Always stay humble. Thank GOD for the gift of music everyday because it is a blessing from above.

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

I have to be open minded and at the same time respect those who influenced me. “My sheeps are going to hear my voice said the shepherd”. Kids are not stupid. If I am honest to myself and I write, record, and perform with passion and integrity it will be always be relevant to them. I play shows at colleges towns very often. There are kids in the audience that never saw a guitar shredder playing live in front of them. But if I bring a positive message and open my heart to read where they are in life I can not only present my music to them, but I can also extend my hand to reach their heart too.

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(Photo: David M’ore)