Microwave Dave And The Nukes - Nothing But The Blues (1996)

Goodnight, Dear was re-released in Europe as "Nothin' But the Blues" on Dixie Frog Records (France)


Centrally located near several cities with blues venues, the Huntsville-headquartered band plays nearly 200 dates a year, gaining a loyal following everywhere they go. The band frequently backs harmonica master Jerry "Boogie" McCain and Bo Diddley when he plays Alabama. These bluesmen
have toured Europe four times recently and played several cruises for Themequest International's Livin' the Blues cruises. The list of blues stars whom the band has played with include Koko Taylor, Bobby Bland and Lazy Lester, Kenny Neal, John Mayall and Little Milton.

Gallaher recalled one of the high points of his career: the day Bobby Bland called him a bluesman. Gallaher said he takes his guitar style from listening to piano players and trying to adapt what he hears on the guitar. He said players such as Roosevelt Sykes, Sunnyland Slim, and Otis Spann have
influenced his guitar style more than many of the guitar players have (the ever-modest Gallaher said he doesn't want to embarrass the great guitarists by saying he tries to sound like them). He and his band members have written a variety of songs, but when they play a gig, they don't call attention to
their original tunes because they don't want people to change their frame of mind of listening. They want their audience to enjoy the whole program. However, Gallaher is always quick to give credit to the master bluesmen whose songs the band covers.

What's the secret of success for these musicians? Microwave Dave & the Nukes want only to play the music they love, play with musicians they love playing with, and play for people they love playing for -- passing on the tradition as the blues masters before them did. Nearly a third of their gigs benefit others, whether they be at Blues in the Schools programs, blues society shows, jail concerts, or retirement centers. And Gallaher also finds time to broadcast "Talking the Blues With Microwave Dave," which was nominated for a Keeping the Blues Alive Award in 1995, twice a week on public radio.

Quite simply, this is a group that wants to make people happy with their music, and judging from the crowd response at a recent appearance, they are an incredible success." -- Ruth Higley

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