Hawaiian music is such a mix of genres. Like the people of Hawaii it is a diverse cultural melting pot of influences from around the globe. I love Bruddah IZ for bringing Hawaiian music to pop culture but it makes me sad that it stops there. If the DUAN Ohana wants to hear about it, I will “talk story” about the music scene in Hawaii on some of my Thursday DUANs. Like all confusing stories, I will start in the middle. When I was in my early legal drinking days, I used to frequent a bar, coincidentally on Thursday nights, because of a fairly unknown musician named Willie K. He had the vocal range of an angel & played ukulele & guitar like the devil. His music spans from contemporary Hawaiian, Reggae, to the Blues. He has played with visiting rockers like Steven Tyler, Billy Gibbons & Alice Cooper. Prince once called him “a funky motherfucker”. Everyone calls him Uncle & he is the nicest big hearted guy you could ever meet. We used to bribe him with drinks to play our favorite songs from traditional Hawaiian to Hendrix. Before he was officially diagnosed with lung cancer, he did this performance but I hear he knew something bad was up with his body. He is still fighting the good fight!
Fun Fact: My eldest daughter is named after the bar we used to watch Willie (much to the chagrin of my wife!)
This is so great. Good luck Willie and #fuckcancer
My favorite Beatle, George…the quiet one
George wrote this song as a pep talk to himself, on a rainy day when he was feeling a bit down.
Great song, George is definitely my favorite Beatle. I just finished Eric Idle’s book and didn’t realize that they were the best of friends. Eric was even with him right after he was attacked and when he passed away.
I love that. Makes me appreciate that song even more.
Just recently got to see these guys. Fun show.
Also one of the opening bands put on a great live show.
I saw Pepper 5 times in concert. Currently leading the pack of times I’ve seen one band perform. Also a band from Hawaii.
Pepper — Ashes
Great band, we call them Hawaiian Sublime. Love the surf footage of teahupoo, heaviest wave I have ever seen. I refused to surf there for obvious reasons.
Love hearing about the Hawaiian music scene. These guys are local boys made good for us. We saw their first public show, played when they were high school juniors about 10 years ago or so.
That’s cool. Not too many high school bands go on to bigger and better things.
In college I used to go to this one rock club with a lot of local and regional bands. As a teenager my kid couldn’t wait to go there with me. We’ve gone half a dozen or so times since he turned legal and I swear we’ve seen every one of these dance steps on hardcore nights:
…”the glorious pile on” certainly seems familiar?
Man, what a voice. I like your stories of Hawaiian music, so keep them coming.
This old tune by King Bennie is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard.
…so I guess it’s time for an embarrassing confession – around age 5 or so I think there may have been a year or so when I thought ukuleles were “child guitars” & not for grown ups?
…I’d claim growing up in Blighty was an excuse…except I’m nowhere near old enough that this guy hadn’t been around for donkeys years by the time I turned 5
…also I’d like to chime in on the chorus of “I feel like I learned something today” thank you’s for the music lesson…I vote for more of that sort of thing…please&thankyou.
I don’t know much about Hawaiian music so please keep educating me. I hope Willie is around for along time.
I love supporting local music. I ordered 2 CDs by this guy for my nephews for Christmas a couple of years ago. It was getting closer to Christmas and they still hadn’t arrived. I emailed him and he felt so bad he brought them to me himself, came in, shot the breeze for awhile. Nice guy, good singer-songwriter.
Warren Byrom – Nickle and Dime
The Eels, “Fresh Feeling”
I know nothing of Hawaiian music, so keep this coming. My contribution is a little bit of surf metal from a band called Ghoul.
That is awesome! I need to hear more of this stuff. I always thought this Iron Maiden song would make a good surf movie soundtrack but that song would be all time!