Blues Business with Paul Michael April 22, 2012
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Paul Michael and I have been friends for a long time. I won’t say how long but I knew him back when he was Paul Pawlaczyk. Aside from his day job at The Reading Museum, Paul is the front man in a blues band. He got tired of emcee’s butchering his name so he dropped Pawlaczyk and used his middle name instead. Now they’re introduced as Paul Michael and the Blues Recruits. When he volunteered to do a blues show at his local Pottstown radio station the same logic applied. Paul’s show is “Blues Business ”with Paul Michael. He can be heard Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at WBZH 1370 AM or WBZH.net
Personal Touch:
Paul is a bit old school. Unlike most D.J.’s who use laptops loaded with mp3s he still plays CD’s, all of which are pulled from his personal collection. His set list and notes are hand written in a spiral bound notebook. None of this matters to his listener’s though. All they care about is hearing great blues with commentary by someone as knowledgeable about the music as Paul.
Interview with Paul Michael:
AG: What is it you like about hosting the show?
PM:“I like to think I am affecting people and opening their minds to more than just the same old blues – but really – I like getting the chance to sit alone for two hours with headphones on listening to some of my favorite music.”
AG: What do you know about your audience, how many people tune in and from how far away?
PM: “No real idea of how many but the server has shut down once or twice from people trying to listen. I have listeners that I know about in New Zealand, Texas, Denmark, England, New York, Canada, Washington state, and PA – of course.”
AG: You have a guest host in England, Ian Mchugh of “Blues is the Truth” on ukjazzradio.com how did you meet him?
PM:“I met Ian McHugh on The Fender Forum – an internet site set up by my now friend Joe Brabant of Toronto – for people who play/love/hoard Fender guitars.”
AG: So, do you play/ love /hoard Fenders?
PM:“They don’t call me Fender Boy for nothin’ as I’m a Fender guy all the way. Probably in the 40+ years I’ve played gigs I’ve only deviated from using a Fender 5% of the time. Fender – it IS the magic word.”
AG: How many do you own and what are they?
PM:“I have seven solid body Fenders, mostly Stratocasters (one bass – one 12 string Strat) and three Fender Squires…of their (sometimes) less expensive, second string models. All three of my amps are Fender.”
AG: Anything that’s not Fender?
PM: “I have a Taylor acoustic/electric an Epiphone 12 string and a Aria acoustic, an Epiphone DOT hollow body electric and an Epiphone Les Paul. I also have an odd Danelectro Innuendo solid body with built in effects.”
AG: Who’s your favorite Blues musician?
PM: “Buddy Guy who I’ve had the pleasure to meet and follow on stage at his Chicago nightclub, Legends. That was an amazing experience.”
I’d like to thank Paul Michael and Ross Landy, Station Manager, for allowing me access to the station.
Catch Paul Michael & The Blues Recruits Live:
If you’d like to catch Paul Michael and the Blues Recruits live they’ll be at The Mermaid Inn in Chestnut Hill on August 4th, 9:00 till Midnight.