The Cetan Clawson Revolution

By Blurt Staff



What better time for the return of the guitar god? No, we don't mean pussyhounds ‘n' wannabes like John Mayer - we're talking Clapton, Hendrix, Blackmore, Iommi, Beck, Page, Roy Buchanan, Alvin Lee, Pete Townshend... should we go on? Okay kids, here's your new BFGP (Best Friend Guitar Player): Detroit's Cetan Clawson.



Clawson has rock star in his DNA and it shines through in his playing and his individual style. He is a perfect storm of mind-boggling musical technique, jaw dropping stage presence and a sartorial flair that rivals that of Prince in his prime. He classifies his style in a way similar to the video game that has kidnapped pop culture's often-fickle attention and places himself within a similar -but not the same- context. "Guitar Hero has combined an older mix of songs with a new way of presenting them," he theorizes. "They are taking classic rock and putting it in a format that newer kids can understand. That what blues guys do: take old things and make them fresh. They make it new, not better, but in an original way."



As kids everywhere rediscover actual playing in both games and on YouTube, and punk stagnates in a morass of mascara and morality, Clawson doesn't just commit heresy by playing leads; he plays them behind his head, behind his back, left-handed, right-handed, one handed and even with his teeth, boasting a style that can't be matched by guitarist nor gamer. "I have one small chip from a slight mishap before I practiced it a lot," he says with a laugh. "It takes a great deal of skill." Clawson himself admits that while the game exposes "the kids" to the artistry of the guitar, he thinks that hours spent playing the game would be better as hours spent playing the actual instrument.



White Heat, Clawson's debut album hits stores tomorrow; so he celebrated the national release of the album by recording two new songs with a musical hero in that hotbed of the blues, Austin, Texas. Growing up, Clawson idolized the great Stevie Ray Vaughan and his killer backing band, Double Trouble. Last week drummer Chris Layton produced and played on two new songs with Cetan and bassist Scott Nelson, well known for his work with Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Layton took a break from his packed schedule with the Arc Angels to do sessions with Cetan and Nelson at Wire Studios (owned by well-known engineer and producer Stuart Sullivan). Two songs, "Everyday Blues" and "I Wanna Try" were finalized on June 25th and 26th. Layton is famous for his work with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Arc Angels (with Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall,Jr), Storyville, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Buddy Guy. Watch for those to appear soon. Meanwhile, tell John Mayer to take a hike, courtesy BLURT, if you run into him.



Clawson playing "Star Spangled Banner" with his teeth, followed by a live clip:

http://www.blurt-online.com/news/view/2483/ - Blurt

(PR) Cetan Clawson announces the launch of his spanking new website! It features a killer mini-documentary of his recording sessions in Austin, Texas, which were produced the great blues drummer, Chris Layton, best known for his work in Double Trouble with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Storyville and the Arc Angels.

Clawson remembers, "When you're recording with someone who has played with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and so many others, it's such a great feeling, and all around a phenomenal experience. It was a real honor working with Chris Layton and Scott Nelson." Visit www.cetanclawson.com to see a mini-documentary with footage of the sessions, an interview with Cetan and live performances!

Cetan's debut album, White Heat is in stores now on 8th Impression/Universal, but since he recorded it at the wise old age of 17, he is eager to provide fans with new songs. To that end, the tunes from his session with Layton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd bassist Scott Nelson will be released as a 45 download!

"Everyday Blues" and "I Wanna Try" were recorded on June 25th and 26th, and will be available through iTunes, Rhapsody, Wal-mart and Best Buy's online stores on August 25th. In other news, Cetan is playing a show in Nashville on August 18th and recently entered Guitar Center's King of the Blues contest which has the finals planned to go down live in Hollywood in November.

Clawson has rock star in his DNA and it shines through in his playing and his individual style. He is a perfect storm of mind-boggling musical technique, jaw dropping stage presence and a sartorial flair that rivals that of Prince in his prime. Cetan classifies his style in a way similar to the video game that has kidnapped pop culture's often-fickle attention and places himself within a similar –but not the same- context. "Guitar Hero has combined an older mix of songs with a new way of presenting them," he theorizes. "They are taking classic rock and putting it in a format that newer kids can understand. That what blues guys do: take old things and make them fresh. They make it new, not better, but in an original way."

And what better time for the return of the guitar god? As kids everywhere rediscover actual playing in both the games and on YouTube, and punk stagnates in a morass of mascara and morality, Cetan doesn't just commit heresy by playing leads; he plays them behind his head, behind his back, left-handed, right-handed, one handed and even with his teeth, boasting a style that can't be matched by guitarist nor gamer. "I have one small chip from a slight mishap before I practiced it a lot," he says with a laugh. "It takes a great deal of skill." Clawson himself admits that while the game exposes "the kids" to the artistry of the guitar, he thinks that hours spent playing the game would be better as hours spent playing the actual instrument. See Cetan playing "Star Spangled Banner" with his teeth in honor of armed forces everywhere here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Akk7SnTI8A

It's been years since John Mayer emerged as the new guitar ace whose job it was to re-introduce the blues to a younger audience. Cetan Clawson is now poised as heir to that lineage, pushing into new territory with a skill and acumen. With the national release of his debut and the guidance and mentorship of blues stars like Layton, Clawson is well on his way.

- Anti-Music.Com

Lovejoys / 604 Neches St
Fri, Noon-6pm / Free
8th Impression Showcase
Hard Rock
4:30pm Bang Camaro (Boston, MA)
3:15pm Leslie (Charleston, SC)
2:00pm The Cetan Clawson Revolution (Detroit, MI)
1:00pm Slaves to Gravity (London, England)
Noon State & Madison (Chicago, IL)
Free beer. Need we say more? Probably not, but we will. Because, c’mon: Bang Camaro? You have to be down with that. Not metal by today’s standards, but they draw heavily from ’80s hair metal—the awesome parts anyway. With at least a dozen lead singers, the resultant choir does live what Motley Crüe, Ratt, Cinderella, and Dokken could only do in the studio. Big time choruses and a lot of face-melting guitar solos make a new sound that could only by called anthem rock. Speaking of face melting guitar, 20-year-old Cetan Clawson has it in droves. His power trio is clearly weaned on Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Blue Cheer, but with the grime of the Detroit underbelly oozing through the blues-based riffs. The rest of the lineup is solid, but Bang Camaro and Cetan Clawson are you don’t-misses.


- Austin.com

Are you ready for the revolution? A mix of blues, rock and high energy are only a few words to describe the Cetan Clawson Revolution. This trio includes mastermind Cetan Clawson on his Fender Stratocaster with Adam Padden and Danny Pazuchowski on the rhythm section to create their unique sound. Since the release of their album, White Heat (2006), the three have performed in Detroit clubs and bars, impressing audiences with their quality music and eclectic sound. Sending you back to an era of true jazz and blues, CCR will carry you through a music revolution that you’ll never want to end. The band is currently working on a recording contract with HMS Entertainment in hopes of making their next album, The Feedback Gospel. The album will include arrangements from performances throughout the year, recording with legendary artists Chris Layton (Stevie Ray Vaughan drummer), Chris “Frenchie� Smith (Jet, Dandy Warhols, The Meat Puppets) and more. Bringing the music back home, the Cetan Clawson Revolution will be sharing their love of authentic sound Friday, July 10 at the Blind Pig, 208 S. 1st St. 9:30 p.m. $5/ $8 (18+). 734-996-8555/
www.blindpigmusic.com. - Current

Cetan Clawson Revolution
By Eric Allen

You Say You Want A...
Cetan Clawson Revolution

Have you ever witnessed a musical revolution? Not just a shitty local band you thought was amazing because of the adrenaline in your body, but a full-on breath-taking act that you knew would take on the world someday. I know I hadn’t up until the beginning of this year.

I unfortunately, like most folks around today, missed The Stooges and The MC5 in the late ‘60s. Then I missed revolution again in 1977 when The Clash came to fruition and released one of the best albums of all time. Then, when I was actually alive in 1994, I wasn’t old enough to understand the pent up angst and frustration of Nirvana and the Seattle sound. Again, I missed the boat in Detroit during The Gold Dollar days and didn’t get to see the early days of The Gories, The Hentchmen, The Paybacks and The White Stripes. But, finally, I had a date with destiny, as I was able to see an act of absolute genius and perfect quality musicianship. Meet the boy genius and remember his name: Cetan Clawson.

The site was The New Dodge Bar in Hamtramck. Onstage stood a gangly kid, strapped with a trusty Fender Strat, that looked like the long neglected offspring of Jimi Hendrix and Jack White. I had heard his songs online and was immediately intimidated to have my band open for him. Now, as he took the stage, he was set to tear the place apart. He immediately tears into a tune, an original that sounds like Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction” sped up, and blows the entire room of 20 people away. His bass player didn’t even show up and he knocked it out of the park. “I’ve been playing since age three,” Clawson says of his amazing guitar prowess. “The main reason is due to listening to old blues records. The stuff has an inherent magic that no other style has.”

The sound of the Revolution, which features Clawson, bassist Marc Winter and Andrew Spaulding on drums, harkens back to the blues inspired riff fests of Hendrix, The Yardbirds and most recently The White Stripes. Clawson admits to being fans of this newer school of blues musicians, but he does have an affinity for searching for older blues artists.

With the release of a Cetan Clawson Revolution EP impending and a Trans-Atlantic tour on the way, the outlook looks extremely bright for Clawson and his band as he actually has his head screwed on right, unlike most rock stars. Look for him someday to go down as one of the greats. | RDW - Real Detroit Weekly

Cetan Clawson and
the Soul Side:
White Heat

* Blues/Rock
* 2009
* Buy the CD

Reviewed by Mojo Flucke, PhD

(mojo@bullz-eye.com)

O
ld blues fans raised on the Chicago variety practiced by the likes of Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and young Jimi Hendrix will be dumbfounded by this new kid from Detroit, Cetan Clawson, an axe-wielding wunderkind who owes the burgeoning popularity of his hotdogging act--which includes playing guitar with his teeth--to a generation that's played too much "Guitar Hero." Raised on pop-punk and the likes of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Clawson himself plays the real guitar, of course. And he has no right to sound so awesome at the young age of 21. Yet he does, and here we are: Before him, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, and to a lesser extent, John Mayer were young heirs to the blues throne but never quite caught on. But acts coming out of the Motor City—from John Lee Hooker to the MC5 to Ted Nugent to the White Stripes—always seem to have a gritty authenticity and powerful rockin' presence. And let's not forget early Grand Funk Railroad--you hear more than a little of 'em in Cetan's power trio.

While Shepherd, Lang, and Johnson had to put their imprimatur on their particular shades of blues with modern digital polish, the clean sound that comes with, Clawson is all about the ham-fisted bombast. His guitar pyrotechnics are taken straight from the Jimi Hendrix book--half of which, anyone who's seen Buddy Guy live immediately recognizes, was cribbed straight from Guy anyway. Clawson doesn't try to hide what he's doing; he's got two faithful Hendrix covers, "Killing Floor" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" right there on the album. Add to that Clawson's reliance on the lo-fi ethos of sloppy blues punks like Spencer, which gives his music an authentically retro feel. That and his taking advice from Chris Layton, the Double Trouble drummer and Clawson mentor who produced White Heat as well as played on two tracks. The sound's very Double Trouble in places, not uncoincidentally, with that raw-yet-searing quality where the lows punch you in the gut, the highs cut through, and the mids are seemingly muted so as not to get int the way. The topper? White Heat was made in 2006, when he was 17, and released regionally. Universal, understanding that this kid's gonna be money, is reissuing it this summer on a national scale.

As much as it's Clawson's band, he's just one of the players. Bassist Al Bolda and drummer Curt Clawson provide an amazingly precise, intense bed upon which Cetan throws down his licks. They're quite Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in execution, minus the over-the-top levels of fuzz. So the Hendrixian originals "Short Fuse" and "Chocolate Bomb" snap, crackle, and pop with the energy of the white kids who discovered the blues originals in the ‘60s, grafted them to rock arrangements, and turned the volume to 11. Thing is, Clawson sounds like Stevie Ray in some spots, too, such as in "Over the Top" and "Roadside Tracks." He's scary, this kid, because although his solos, riffs, song structure and pretty much everything else are totally derivative, it's not a boring copy; it's jaw droppingly impressive, that's what it is. What on earth would drive any teenager these days to get this good, this fast, playing the blues is hard to figure. But for us old fans, it's been kinda depressing watching blues die a slow, painful death the last 20 years. Cetan Clawson gives us hope. - Bullz-eye

Cetan Clawson's Debut White Heat on 8th Impression/Universal In Stores Now!
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CHICAGO, IL. (Top40 Charts/ Western Publicity) - "...an act of absolute genius and perfect quality musicianship. Meet the boy genius and remember his name: Cetan Clawson." REAL DETROIT WEEKLY

Cetan Clawson announces the launch of his spanking new website! It features a killer mini-documentary of his recording sessions in Austin, Texas, which were produced the great blues drummer, Chris Layton, best known for his work in Double Trouble with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Storyville and the Arc Angels.
Clawson remembers, 'When you're recording with someone who has played with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and so many others, it's such a great feeling, and all around a phenomenal experience. It was a real honor working with Chris Layton and Scott Nelson.' Visit www.cetanclawson.com to see a mini-documentary with footage of the sessions, an interview with Cetan and live performances!

Cetan's debut album, White Heat is in stores now on 8th Impression/Universal, but since he recorded it at the wise old age of 17, he is eager to provide fans with new songs. To that end, the tunes from his session with Layton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd bassist Scott Nelson will be released as a 45 download! 'Everyday Blues' and 'I Wanna Try' were recorded on June 25th and 26th, and will be available through iTunes, Rhapsody, Wal-mart and Best Buy's online stores on August 25th. In other news, Cetan is playing a show in Nashville on August 18th and recently entered Guitar Center's King of the Blues contest which has the finals planned to go down live in Hollywood in November.

Clawson has rock star in his DNA and it shines through in his playing and his individual style. He is a perfect storm of mind-boggling musical technique, jaw dropping stage presence and a sartorial flair that rivals that of Prince in his prime. Cetan classifies his style in a way similar to the video game that has kidnapped pop culture's often-fickle attention and places himself within a similar -but not the same- context. 'Guitar Hero has combined an older mix of songs with a new way of presenting them,' he theorizes. 'They are taking classic rock and putting it in a format that newer kids can understand. That what blues guys do: take old things and make them fresh. They make it new, not better, but in an original way.'

And what better time for the return of the guitar god? As kids everywhere rediscover actual playing in both the games and on YouTube, and punk stagnates in a morass of mascara and morality, Cetan doesn't just commit heresy by playing leads; he plays them behind his head, behind his back, left-handed, right-handed, one handed and even with his teeth, boasting a style that can't be matched by guitarist nor gamer. 'I have one small chip from a slight mishap before I practiced it a lot,' he says with a laugh. 'It takes a great deal of skill.' Clawson himself admits that while the game exposes 'the kids' to the artistry of the guitar, he thinks that hours spent playing the game would be better as hours spent playing the actual instrument. See Cetan playing 'Star Spangled Banner' with his teeth in honor of armed forces everywhere here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Akk7SnTI8A

It's been years since John Mayer emerged as the new guitar ace whose job it was to re-introduce the blues to a younger audience. Cetan Clawson is now poised as heir to that lineage, pushing into new territory with a skill and acumen. With the national release of his debut and the guidance and mentorship of blues stars like Layton, Clawson is well on his way.

THE CETAN CLAWSON REVOLUTION
Performs The 5 Spot - Nashville, TN.
August 18th, 2009
$5 / 21+ /9p
(615) 650-9333
1006 Forrest Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
http://the5spotlive.com/blog/index.php/event-calendar - Top-40 Charts.com

Are you experienced?
Will Motor City guitar hero and blues scholar Cetan Clawson revive the power trio concept for a new generation?

MT Photo: Doug Coombe
Cetan Clawson: "I just opened up the boundaries..."


By Bill Holdship

Cetan Clawson has an incredibly positive and powerful energy in person.The just-turned-20-year-old musician, who made his live debut in the sixth grade, has made a name for himself locally in the last two years by gigging constantly and displaying a guitar virtuosity and an onstage showmanship that belies his youth — at least in this day and age. There's also an innocence and naïveté to Clawson that's kinda unique and endearing.

For example, the guy showed up at the Metro Times offices at 11 a.m. for a scheduled 2 p.m. interview and then just sat in the lobby with his acoustic guitar, displaying an extremely cool aura for the next two-and-a-half hours when this writer was engaged with a deadline. ("I've been on the road for 24 of the last 48 hours," he said in response to an apology, "so it gave me a chance to sit and relax.") And near the conclusion of the interview, Clawson told the interviewer: "I have a few questions for you at the end, if you don't mind." Expecting the standard "Can I can read the story before you print it?" and such that he's heard from novices often over the years, the interviewer is a little touched when Clawson pulls out his list and sincerely asks for career advice. (He also takes the interviewer's suggestion to read Charles Shaar Murray's epic Hendrix critical evaluation, Crosstown Traffic, to heart.)

Onstage, though, there's no innocence or naïveté displayed whatsoever. The kid is most frequently compared to Jimi Hendrix, not just sonically; he also fronts a band that follows the same classic lineup as the Hendrix Experience — a modern variation on the blues-rock power trio. Clawson also showboats onstage much like Hendrix, including playing stunning solos, with plenty of the requisite distortion and feedback, behind his back and with his teeth.

He's really quite good. This observer has grown tired of some of the groups Clawson cites as the initial influences that led him back to the real stuff, including Cream and Zeppelin. On the other hand, take it from someone who once toured Ireland, from Belfast to Dublin, with the late, great Rory Gallagher, one of the pioneers of the whole power trio concept, when Clawson takes a stage, he's every bit the rock star.

He even looks the part, both onstage and off. "Well, I once read an article on Jack White and he mentioned something about that — about the blues guys and how they always dressed high-class and in high style," Clawson says, regarding his sense of onstage fashion. "It's almost ... well, it's polite. When you get on a stage, you want to look your best. You want to look how you sound. We've played with some metal bands that've shown up with chains. Some people are like, 'Hah, hah, look at them!' But it's like, no! They're trying to look how they sound! So I gotta hand it to them. Besides, I try not to dis anybody. There's too much dissing going on in the music scene."

On that front, Clawson's seen some dissing himself. He's been accused of "guitar wankery" on a few of the local blogs, a criticism he simply laughs off. "We've dealt with every type of critic and fan at this point in time," he says. "It's some people's thing; others just don't dig it. And that's fine too. I believe there's no such thing as bad publicity. I've had people come up to me and say, 'I've read stuff about you on the blogs that wasn't too hot. But then I saw you live and I'm a fan now.' So the bloggers actually did us a big favor!"

In an age in which anyone with a computer and Internet access can be an "expert" and so many can tell you what they like but have absolutely no clue how to explain why they like it, it's refreshing to meet a 20-year-old who genuinely knows his stuff. During the interview, his references range from legendary Howlin' Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin to the even more obscure Blind Joe Reynolds. And in an age in which irony (whatever the fuck that even means these days) has virtually destroyed rock 'n' roll — after all, it's much easier to not mean it, maaaan, than it is to put your ass on the line — it's even more refreshing to meet someone who's actually passionate about, and believes in, what he does.

Clawson was born in Toledo but soon moved with his family to Monroe, where he still lives. Although he's been mistaken as Middle Eastern, his first name (it's pronounced "Chet-ah"; think of how Bostonians pronounce "cheddar" cheese) is Native American; his mother was a full-blooded member of the Oglala Lakota tribe; his father was a European mix of German, Irish and French. Clawson's parents split up when he was very young and he grew up in a motherless home.

"It was OK, though," he says. It was a very musical family. His sister is now a pianist in Boston. His uncle is a guitarist in Japan. And his father is a drummer; in fact, Dad played drums on Clawson's 2005 debut CD, White Heat. "When I was a kid, it was my dad on the drums and me on the guitar. So it was fun times growing up! And as a result, my family's always been very supportive. It's never been like, 'Well, maybe you should go to college now and get a real career.' I've never had to hear that."

His uncle gave him his first guitar when he was all of 3 years old. "I think I broke it not long after I got it," he recalls, "but that didn't stop me. Shortly after that, I began getting into Nirvana, grunge, Alice in Chains stuff. I must have been 6 or 7 at the time and thought that sounded pretty good. But my friend — who later played bass on the first album [Al Bolda] — got me into Stevie Ray Vaughan and Hendrix instead. When you start hearing that stuff, there's just something about the blues that makes you want to learn more. So I just opened up the boundaries and began to learn all I could."

The singing part of it would come later. His first public performance was an instrumental.

"I started playing seriously a little later on. I was in the sixth grade when I did my first actual show in the school auditorium, playing for an audience as a band. We did 'Pipeline' by Junior Brown. Well, it wasn't actually Junior Brown; I think it was the Chantays. It's a great surf song. The audience dug it and I just kept going from there. But it was an uphill battle at first. You know how young kids are. My dad was always like, 'Son, practice your guitar.' And I just wanted to play video games. But he was the strong force that pushed me toward this. But like most everyone, I had to work really hard at it.

"I teach guitar on the side and a lot of the younger students want it but they want it now. They want to learn that rock guitar thing — 'Eruption' by Van Halen and all that crazy tapping. So I teach that to them, but I also try to get them interested in a lot of bluesy stuff. Occasionally, I'll get a student who really wants to learn the blues. Or at the very least, they want to learn Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love.' But I think that's mainly because it's one of the songs on that Guitar Heroes video game." He laughs. "And I try to tell them, man, it's cool to play games and have fun and stuff. But at the same time, the hour they spent on the game maneuvering that little plastic control could have been spent learning to play a real guitar."

He may be a teacher, but Clawson remains a serious student of one of America's indigenous musical forms. "It's interesting because it's almost like you have to earn the right to like the blues by listening to it," he says. "And when you first listen to it, the stuff sounds so simple. Muddy Waters sounds very basic at first. But I love reading interviews with Ry Cooder and Eric Clapton where they explain the dynamics of the finger-picking and the musicianship. To get that out of something so simple, well, it takes a certain maturity to be able to hear that and really understand the basics of the blues.

"When I was young and first heard 'Spoonful' by Cream, it was like, 'Who could think of something this amazing?' And then I looked on the back of the Fresh Cream cover and read the words: 'Willie Dixon.' OK! Or you listen to Led Zeppelin's 'Lemon Song' and that's just the lyrics to Howlin' Wolf's 'Killin' Floor.' It was like all those late '60s British dudes were heavily influenced by that sound. I believe there's something missing from today's music and I think that lost element is what you see in a lot of classic blues stuff."

The musical form is such a building block, in fact, that it allows Clawson to fit in many different genres; he's opened for numerous major blues acts as well as crusty classic rock bands such as Bad Company and Cheap Trick. And his blues scholarship even indirectly led to his much-heralded showmanship.

"We've of course all seen those old Hendrix clips and that kinda stuff. That's where I originally got it," he admits. "But I did some research and it was very interesting. In the 1920s and '30s, you had a lot of players like Charley Patton and Tommy Johnson who were doing that kind of stuff even back then. I thought Hendrix originated it but even he borrowed from the blues greats. It started out for me as, 'Hey, I wonder if I can do that? Is it possible?' I know it's showy and sort of 'Ha! Ha! Look at that!' But it's also fun! And it never fails to get the crowd going. So if that's what it takes to get people into this kind of music, well, hey, I'm willing to keep doing it.

"Some people say we play around town a little too much. If we were doing this for the money, then that might be true. We'd book maybe one gig a month and pack the place. But, I mean, I just like to play. I love playing for people. And I didn't become a musician just to earn a buck. Musicians are probably at the lowest level of income in most cases. I go back to the old blues guys once again. They did it out of passion. And that's why I do it too. I've always loved watching anybody who's good at what they do. It doesn't even have to be music. Just anyone who's got a genuine passion for what they do. That always blows me away."

Clawson is presently gearing up to record a follow-up to the first CD, White Heat, which was written when he was just 17, recorded at 18. He promises the new album — tentatively titled The Feedback Gospel — will be more mature.

"This thing is still in its embryonic stages," the guitarist says. "We're still very fresh. The current lineup [which includes bassist Adam Paddon and revolving drummers Danny Pazuchowski and Jonny Babich] has only been jamming together six months. But we were total novices when we did White Heat. We'd only played a couple of gigs before that one. But now, we hit that stage and — bam! — we've got it! We wanted to build up a strong live sound before we began recording the next album. We've got the songs all written, so this one should be a lot better."

Clawson has been writing and singing since he was a kid, first recording on a four-track when he was only 10. There has been some criticism that White Heat's material and production doesn't match the Clawson live experience — but that first album was totally produced by the green musician on his own via trial and error. Clawson says he's not opposed to using an outside producer in the future: "I'd love to bring someone else in on the sound because you read about these producers and they develop their own ears and tastes and takes on things. So that would be interesting, although I don't know who I'd get. Maybe someone who's like Felix Papparlardi, who produced [Cream's] Disraeli Gears. Someone of that sort of notion and taste."

For now, though, he plans to keep playing around town. He'd like to eventually tour nationally before heading overseas, where he's sold more than a few CDs to the audiences over there that eat up his kind of music. "We've been next-stepping it for a long time now, first from the garage and then to the school gymnasium and then onto the clubs. It's all been small stepping like that. But I think we're on the right track. I'm not bragging, but we've got a good sound going now, so I think we'll just keep moving forward."

And never let it be said that having a positive energy and a good vibe doesn't sometimes pay off in interesting ways. "After our most recent Jacoby's gig, a guy walked up to me and handed me a $100 bill," he marvels. "And he was insistent. He practically made me take that money. I was like, 'What's this for?' And he just said, 'Man, thank you for doing what you do. I really appreciate what you're doing. And while you're at it, go ahead and buy yourself a new pair of shoes."

The Cetan Clawson Revolution plays Jacoby's, 624 Brush St., Detroit, on Friday, May 2, and Paycheck's Lounge, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck, on Friday, May 9. He's also one of the artists booked to play Comerica CityFest this July.

Bill Holdship is music editor of Metro Times. Send comments to bholdship@metrotimes.com. - The Metro Times

Cetan Clawson Launches New Website with Video Mini-Documentary of Recordings Sessions with Chris Layton of SRV’s Legendary Double Trouble


cetan clawsonCetan Clawson Launches New Website with Video Mini-Documentary of Recordings Sessions with Chris Layton of SRV’s Legendary Double Trouble

Cetan Clawson announces the launch of his spanking new website! It features a killer mini-documentary of his recording sessions in Austin, Texas, which were produced the great blues drummer, Chris Layton, best known for his work in Double Trouble with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Storyville and the Arc Angels. Clawson remembers, “When you’re recording with someone who has played with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and so many others, it’s such a great feeling, and all around a phenomenal experience. It was a real honor working with Chris Layton and Scott Nelson.” Visit www.cetanclawson.com to see a mini-documentary with footage of the sessions, an interview with Cetan and live performances!
Cetan’s debut album, White Heat is in stores now on 8th Impression/Universal, but since he recorded it at the wise old age of 17, he is eager to provide fans with new songs. To that end, the tunes from his session with Layton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd bassist Scott Nelson will be released as a 45 download!
“Everyday Blues” and “I Wanna Try” were recorded on June 25th and 26th, and will be available through iTunes, Rhapsody, Wal-mart and Best Buy’s online stores on August 25th. In other news, Cetan is playing a show in Nashville on August 18th and recently entered Guitar Center’s King of the Blues contest which has the finals planned to go down live in Hollywood in November.

Clawson has rock star in his DNA and it shines through in his playing and his individual style. He is a perfect storm of mind-boggling musical technique, jaw dropping stage presence and a sartorial flair that rivals that of Prince in his prime. Cetan classifies his style in a way similar to the video game that has kidnapped pop culture’s often-fickle attention and places himself within a similar –but not the same- context. “Guitar Hero has combined an older mix of songs with a new way of presenting them,” he theorizes. “They are taking classic rock and putting it in a format that newer kids can understand. That what blues guys do: take old things and make them fresh. They make it new, not better, but in an original way.”

And what better time for the return of the guitar god? As kids everywhere rediscover actual playing in both the games and on YouTube, and punk stagnates in a morass of mascara and morality, Cetan doesn’t just commit heresy by playing leads; he plays them behind his head, behind his back, left-handed, right-handed, one handed and even with his teeth, boasting a style that can’t be matched by guitarist nor gamer. “I have one small chip from a slight mishap before I practiced it a lot,” he says with a laugh. “It takes a great deal of skill.” Clawson himself admits that while the game exposes “the kids” to the artistry of the guitar, he thinks that hours spent playing the game would be better as hours spent playing the actual instrument. See Cetan playing “Star Spangled Banner” with his teeth in honor of armed forces everywhere here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Akk7SnTI8A

It’s been years since John Mayer emerged as the new guitar ace whose job it was to re-introduce the blues to a younger audience. Cetan Clawson is now poised as heir to that lineage, pushing into new territory with a skill and acumen. With the national release of his debut and the guidance and mentorship of blues stars like Layton, Clawson is well on his way.

THE CETAN CLAWSON REVOLUTION
Performs The 5 Spot - Nashville, TN.
August 18th, 2009
$5 / 21+ /9p
(615) 650-9333
1006 Forrest Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
http://the5spotlive.com/blog/index.php/event-calendar - Innocent Words