Life ain’t easy. That’s why we have music. Through rhythms, melodies, beats
and words we’re able to express our joys and lament our sorrows, escape the
mundane and take solace in creativity. If there’s any one genre of music that’s
connected to articulating the vast spectrum of human emotion and experience
it’s the blues. People like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters spoke volumes with
their instruments, channelling everything from elation to depression with their
playing. It isn’t an easy task to convey the human condition and you wouldn’t
expect a bunch of lads all under the age of 25 to be able to diffuse these depths
but Manchester natives Snakewater all are able to conduct and command the
complexity of emotion with the panache of players twice their age. Their debut
effort, ‘A New Breed’ showcases a band beyond their years, with the echoes of
their roots resonating in every note but with a fresh approach to song-writing that
only youth can bring. Produced by rock maverick Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest,
Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen), they’re rekindling fire of British blues rock from
Cream and Clapton to the rock leanings of Page and Zepplin.
Since their inception in 2009, Snakewater have shared the stage with the
legendary likes of The Quireboys, Dr Feelgood, Oli Brown, and Henrik Freischlader
and have even acquired accolades from blues icon Joe Bonamassa. On top of
that, guitarist and vocalist Bobby Grant was nominated for “Young Artist of the
Year” at the 2011 British Blues Awards. Rounded out by Ben Streets on the sticks
and Benjamin Edwards on bass, their energetic and enthralling live performances
have gained them a solid following amongst blues fans the country over, but it’s
a lifelong passion and an unwavering work ethic that’s really paying off. They’re
a band committed to doing it the old fashioned way: endless hours of practice,
playing and jamming on any gig they can get, hitting the road on a makeshift
budget, sleeping on floors, scarcely eating, or in other words, sticking to that
DIY spirit that’s been at the heart of any accomplished act through the ages.
Considering it’s only been a few years and they’ve already made it this far, the
band is far beyond poised to take the blues world by storm and show all the old
cats that a new generation is ready to make it happen.
