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Home , Albert Collins, Alligator Records, Johnny Copeland, Robert Cray

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hillip Fankhauser proves there is American Folk Festival came to Zurich almost every much more to the wonderful country year. was there, B.B. King, , Albert of Switzerland than mountains, Collins, , , , cuckoo clocks, chocolate, cheese Memphis Slim and, of course, there’s Montreux where I and the occasional yodel. saw , , Luther Johnson, John After serving his musical appren- Lee Hooker and many, many more. Nowadays we also have ticeship in Europe, he was to take the likes off the Lucerne Blues Festival, Piazza Blues in up residence in Harlem and become Bellinzona and the Blues Festival in Basel. the vocalist in the legendary Johnny Copeland’s band – an experience Even in your early career, you seem to have had the oppor- he put to good use when returning tunity to meet and play with some of the greats. What kind home, developing a style which has of impact did that have on you? given him unprecedented chart success for a Blues artist It was a heaven sent gift. From an early age, I was able to (and sold out major venues!). understand that this Blues music is far deeper and more Hailed as “Switzerland’s answer to Van Morrison”, important than just three chords and fast solos. The Blues Matters! feels honoured to be given time with heart and soul of the music, the stories, the destinies and such a major player… the people behind every Blues song is what I was interested in. ’ story is a different one than Eric BM: How did a young Swiss lad, born in the ‘60s, get bit- Clapton’s. Johnny Copeland’s trials and tribulations were ten by the Blues bug? very different from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s. It’s their back- Phillip: I hate to admit that at first I listened to bands like grounds and personal circumstances that formed their The Sweet, Bay City Rollers and so on. The Beatles were expression, their way of singing, playing and feeling this part of me, as were some songs by The Rolling Stones and I music called the Blues. So yes, to answer your question, I was very big on Elvis Presley. Then my brother gave me an do what I do today just because I had the chance of a life- album by piano pioneer Sunnyland Slim in 1975 and that time to sit next to these wonderful people who took the time was it. I was literally “born all over” and I was only 11 years and had the patience to share some of their knowledge, old. There was something in that deep, dark, rich tone of some of their philosophy, parts of their life story with me. Sunnyland’s voice, the way he touched the keys – I literally heard him breathe through the loudspeakers. I knew that Being asked to join Johnny Copeland’s band seems to what I just heard was me, my soul, my heartbeat. have been a pivotal moment in your career... In the early-90s, I managed my own little band called the Was there a thriving Blues scene in Switzerland when you Checkerboard Blues Band. I received a call from Willy were growing up? Leiser Montreux, asking me if I’d have the time to book a Not really, and there is none today. At least not a local few shows for Johnny Copeland and the Calvin Owens Blues scene. However, in the late-70s and early-80s there band in Switzerland. Of course, I jumped at the chance to were literally dozens of great Blues concerts. The legendary work so closely with my idol. So that is how I started to get

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“It’s easy for me to understand that the UK would have difficulties in importing a white, middle-aged Swiss guy to perform the Blues. That just does not seem right.”

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close to Johnny. Later he came back to Switzerland to perform as a guest with me and my band. In early 1994, he invit- ed me to join him and his band for a month on a US tour. At the end of that month, I knew that this was it - this is what I wanted to do. I returned home to Switzerland, sold all my belongings - besides the - and just a few weeks later I emigrated to the US to join Johnny and his band. I stayed with him until his untimely death in July of 1997. I miss the man a lot! Did his choosing a European vocalist raise any eyebrows in the US? Oh, yes, you bet! Funnily enough, I was well accepted by the black community. They welcomed me from the start. Obviously thinking it was cool for a white

Oh, it’s wonderful. We have been in the official Swiss pop charts for eighteen weeks. That is unheard of for a Blues musician – besides, of course, B.B. King and Clapton’s “Riding With The Swiss guy to move to Harlem. White folks, for the most King” album. Being a Blues musician in a country where part, looked at me with suspicion, “Why is this white dude Blues is considered a niche, it’s amusing to all of a sudden on the same stage as ‘our idol’?” sell more records than a whole bunch of pop and rock artists that the media considers to be so much more After several years in the US, you returned home to famous and mainstream than that Fankhauser guy. All of a Switzerland. There seems to have been a change to your sudden, we have sold out shows in 600–1000 capacity style since then... halls, and that is truly gratifying - and certainly helps to Yes, indeed. Before moving to the US, I had a somewhat adequately pay my musicians and staff! watered down and romantic perception of the Blues. After my time with Johnny and all the great people around him, my Although the new album is well grounded in the Blues, outlook broadened quite a bit. I learned about O.V. Wright, there is quite a strong mainstream feel. Was this a deliber- Latimore, Joe Tex, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Johnnie Taylor, Hank ate move to widen your appeal? Williams Sr., and many more. It was all Blues. There was so Yes and no. The previous album, “Watching From The Safe much soul in their music. More importantly, these songs and Side”, was the beginning of that development. I came in with these artists all had messages in their music. It was not all song ideas and sketches, and through the influence of my about three chords, or harp solos, it was about touching band’s musicality, the great Dennis Walker as producer and, somebody’s heart. So, today I have all these influences in in part, because of my unorthodox approach to songwriting, me. I combine the hard core Blues feel of Muddy Waters with the album came to life. This is what pretty much happened the slickness of Johnny Adams and within my own capabili- with this new album, “Love Man Riding”. We had the same ties and parameters; I make Philipp Fankhauser out of it. approach as with “Watching”, but we were even less pre- pared. As a matter of fact, some of the songs were written or Would it be right to say that over the last few years you completed while we were in the studio. But I will admit that have truly developed your own voice? we - especially Walker - made a few choices, like inserting a Yes, I have become very comfortable with myself. A great sax solo instead of a screaming guitar solo that made it far part of that is the band that literally surrounds me. I have easier for a radio station to pick up a song. I find this legiti- found four enormously talented musicians that make me mate becaus,e at the end of the day, this is our beloved job, sound good on stage, understand the music and under- and everyone wants to be successful at their job. stand what I am trying to accomplish. Do you have any favourite moments on the album? “Love Man Riding” had lots of acclaim. Must be gratifying... ‘I Got A Love’ and ‘One Of Them’ are favourites; they were

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both first takers and my vocals are the pilots. Dennis Walker pulled ‘One Of Them’ out of his pocket while we were sitting around the studio. All you could hear was Alan Mirikitani, a.k.a. B.B Chung King, play guitar and sing on the demo. We listened to it twice, and then made a rehearsal pass - I read the lyrics and sang. We didn’t know that the tape was rolling. That was it!

Johnny “Clyde” Copeland Is this the material that we could may not be generally expect to hear at a live show? regarded as one of the Yes, we pretty much perform materi- great names of the al from the last two albums and a Blues, but he was a few from previous recordings, like great Bluesman. ‘Members Only’ from 1995 or Although born in Solomon Burke’s ‘Down In The Valley’. Quite a few Johnny Copeland Louisiana, Johnny’s spiri- songs are found in our live repertoire tual home was , as well. He is still my number one where he was inspired songwriter. Did you know he wrote as a young man by local ‘Further On Up The Road’ and sold it to heroes Johnny “Guitar” Don Robey back in 1954? He was 17 Watson, Clarence years old and that was a big mistake. “Gatemouth” Brown (from left) , Robert Johnny could probably have lived of and T-Bone Walker. Cray and Johnny Copeland. that royalty cheque the rest of his life! Copeland would go on to play and record with In the UK it is very difficult for Blues many of the Blues’ elite - he was always highly regarded artists to get exposure. How do you find by his contemporaries - but, for many years, commercial different countries react to your music? success eluded him. Like many before him, he let oppor- While I do not have to prove myself anymore in tunities slip away. He co-wrote ‘Further On Up The Road’ Switzerland, it’s easy for me to understand that the UK with Joe Medwick, who sold the rights without Johnny would have difficulties in importing a white, middle-aged receiving either payment or writing credit. What a pension Swiss guy to perform the Blues. That just does not seem plan that could have provided! Eventually his justified right. Chocolate, watches and cheese? Yes. A sporadic position as a major talent started to be recognised. yodeller? Okay. But a Blues singer? I don’t think so. In 1981, his album “Copeland Special” earned him a You are often referred to as Switzerland’s Van Morrison. W.C. Handy award. Then in 1985, How do you feel about such a comparison? teamed Johnny with Albert Collins and Robert Cray. This That is, of course, an honour and it pleases me. grouping created one of the finest guitar collaborations in Although I don’t think that it is really true. Even though I the history of recorded Blues, with the album admire Van Morrison a lot, I have not been a great fol- "Showdown!" It was another huge success, earning both lower of his and, therefore, I don’t have a major collec- Handy and GRAMMY Awards. These successes did not tion of his work, so I’m not particularly influenced by him. propel Johnny into the upper echelons but did ensure I’ve been compared to Joe Cocker; that’s cool and at the that, in his remaining years, he maintained a comfortable same time it’s not. Would I like to be Joe Cocker? Yes! I’d position, gaining plaudits wherever he appeared. be touring the world. Regarded as one of the genre’s real gentlemen, he was Now that you are such an established star in your own never one to bad mouth others, and, in fact, would always right, do you find that young musicians come to you for play down his own abilities - happy to acknowledge the advice and inspiration? role of friends and colleagues in his development. My experience is that young people are mostly afraid to Sadly, as his star was seen to rise, his health deteriorat- approach me, because I am such a “big” star. That’s a ed. It seems rather ironic that such a big hearted gener- pity, because being a star is not my reality. But yes, every ous man should be undone by a congenital heart defect. once in a while it happens, and I love to share my Throughout a sustained period of illness, he continued to thoughts and experiences just like Johnny and so many record and perform. After suffering several heart attacks, more did with me. After all, it’s about tradition and tradi- he was fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (L-VAD). tion is just that: delivering information from one genera- Eventually, though, a transplant was deemed the only tion to the next. Most of the traditional information I solution. His manager, Holly Bullamore, was quoted as carry within myself is Johnny Copeland’s. saying that "they can't find a heart big enough for him." What was the worst piece of advice you received as an Johnny underwent transplant surgery on 1st emerging artist? January 1997. Just four months later, he returned to The worst advice was maybe from my guitar teacher when the stage. Unfortunately, following complications, I was 10 years old. He refused to see me after two les- Johnny would leave the stage on 23rd July 1997. He sons, he told my mum that I had no musical talent what- was 60. TR soever and to please find another hobby for her son, so I never went back and never took another lesson. TR

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