The opening night of the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne sees Eugene Hideaway Bridges taking to the International stage at the Muni. John Anson put some questions to the guitarist and singer

FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN YOU LIVE BEFORE, DESCRIBE A EUGENE HIDEAWAY BRIDGES SHOW

The Eugene Hideaway Bridges Show is a wave of music that covers life. It is not in a hole so that you can say it is only one style, but a full mix of what I see and my heart feels, and a conversation with the people.

WHO WILL YOU BE BRINGING WITH YOU WHEN YOU COME TO COLNE?

On piano is a man I have worked with from the days when I was with Big Joe Turner... Pete Zivkovic. On drums is a very great player from Latvia, Arturs Reirs, who has toured with me for several years. And on bass will be Kelpie McKenzie who has great things in him to give on every show he plays.

THE BLUES IS A TERM WHICH COVERS MANY STYLES. WHAT'S YOUR INTERPRETATION OF 'THE BLUES'?

Blues has changed around the USA and the world, to fit in with what each person is willing, or wants to hear. I can be here forever telling you what you are not ready to hear... My blues comes from my heritage, my father, the 49 years I've played the blues. It is my story to the world, out of the box of how some people tell me I should be doing it.

WHERE DOES THE 'HIDEAWAY' NICKNAME COME FROM?

My Daddy was "Hideaway Slim" and when I was three I played back-up for him until I was seven-years-old. Then Daddy became a preacher. And that was the end of Blues for him in his house... but I took on the name Hideaway to continue where he left off. As once you meet me, you have met 50 per cent of "Hideaway Slim"

My latest CD 'Hold On A Little Bit Longer' is dedicated to, and in memory of Othineil Bridges Sr, "Hideaway Slim" Preacher and Bluesman – 8 February 1938 to 27 January 2015.

IN COMMON WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER MAJOR BLUES ARTISTS, YOU BEGAN YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY SURROUNDED BY GOSPEL MUSIC. SHOULD EVERYONE HAVE A LITTLE GOSPEL IN THEM?

Blues is born from Gospel. The Gospel sound tells you where a person comes from. So if you don't have the background and something to say in music, it will show. So it's all up to you in what you want to say, or if you even want to say anything; or just play, get your pay check and go home. It is not up to me to tell a person what they should have to say.

WHO ARE YOUR OWN MUSICAL HEROES AND WHY?

BB.King, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Reed, T-Bone Walker. People like that had something to teach us in the way they did things, and did not just let things slide and say "Well, it don't have to be right, it just have to be right now!".... With them I learnt how to say something that will last a lifetime.

YOU'VE PERFORMED ALL OVER THE WORLD. DO AUDIENCES DIFFER CONTINENT TO CONTINENT OR ARE MUSIC LOVERS THE SAME THE WORLD OVER?

Music is all over the world, we are not bringing life to a lifeless place. The people have just the same emotions in every place. The whole world is open to the music, and the stories we tell are the same all over the world.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION FOR YOUR SONGS?

Observation, and life, and yesterday for the story, for the music... God. It is called blessed with talent. This never stops day or night, music is in me and has to come out.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR LATEST ALBUM, HOLD ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER

Hard to do in few words... It is about yesterday, it is about today and it is about tomorrow. It is about life.

AFTER COLNE WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE YEAR HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU?

Next day we go to Belgium, and around UK and EU, then over to USA to promote the new CD, and back thru UK to go to Asia and that takes me to Christmas in Australia. My website is the best way to go and find out where I go next. They are doing a great job working to keep me out there for the people. Best to go to www.eugenehideawaybridges.com to see.

Eugene Hideaway Bridges, International stage, Colne Muni, Friday, August 28. For details of the festival contact 01282 661234 or visit www.bluesfestival.co.uk

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