Hollywood Fats & The Paladins
Hollywood Fats & The Paladins – Live 1985
TopCat #T6082
Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann began his blues odyssey at the age of 13 in blues joints on the South Side of Los Angeles where he was taken in and schooled by the likes of Magic Sam, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells (the last two bestowing upon him his nickname.) An incredibly talented guitarist, during his career, he toured with Muddy Waters, James Harman, John Lee Hooker and Albert King (who became so jealous of the attention Fats was getting, he forced him to quit). The peak period of his own group, The Hollywood Fats Band, came disappointingly during a lull in appreciation for blues. The band released one studio LP in 1979 Hollywood Fats Band: Rock This House, which was unsuccessful in creating much of a buzz at the time. Most critics thought it failed in being able to reproduce in the studio the excitement Fats generated live. The band broke up shortly after.
Disappointed but determined, Hollywood Fats continued to play. In 1985, Fats came to Dallas, Texas, to play the legendary Greenville Avenue Bar & Grill while on tour with blues and rockabilly kings, The Paladins. They had been friends since Fats had become a regular at The Paladins early 80’s jam at the Belly Up Tavern in San Diego, and Fats had done several tours with the band since.
The GBG had a reputation for booking great live entertainment and was often packed, the sea of bodies helping make up in acoustics what the room itself lacked. On this night, a plethora of patrons filled the room and brought out the best in Fats & The Paladins. The performance was caught on tape, and unlike Fats earlier studio recording, this one, Hollywood Fats & The Paladins – Live 1985, manages to catch the magic of Fats in all his live glory. In the words of Topcat Records owner Richard Chalk (who was in the audience) ‘I can testify that their performance that night was without a doubt one of the finest examples of how to properly and thoroughly kick-ass I’ve ever witnessed!’ Fats and The Paladins (Dave Gonzales – guitar and vocals, Thomas Yearsley – stand up bass and Scott Campbell – drums) draw from the energy of the crowd and their blues reflect it with a skillful and joyful delivery. In addition to covering tunes from Freddie King (Hideaway, Sidetracked), Jimmy Reed (She’s Fine, Goin’ To Get My Baby), Amos Milburn (Let’s Have A Party) and Little Milton (That Will Never Do), the 13 tracks include two of Fats’ own songs “The Groove” and “Tear It Up”. An incredible night of enthusiastic blues from these friends sharing a stage.
Fate, it would seem, was never on Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann’s side. His artistic nature made him the black sheep of his family, of which his father and siblings were lawyers and doctors. Haunted by drug addiction for a number of years, he sadly died of heart arrest from a heroin overdose in 1986 at the age of 32. Hollywood Fats fanatics have hoped ever since that more recordings from him would eventually surface. The release of Hollywood Fats & The Paladins – Live 1985, recorded just slightly less than a year before his untimely passing, helps fulfill that desire and reminds us of what a great loss his death was to blues fans all over the world. It is a fitting celebration of a man who knew and loved the blues.
- Blue Lisa -
Southwest Blues CD Review - September 2008
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