| [Bio] | [Schedule] | [Photos] | [Latest News] | [Music] | [Press] | [Promotional] | [Radio] |
| [ THE NUKES' MY SPACE PAGE ] | [ MICROWAVE DAVE'S MY SPACE PAGE ] | [ NUKES' DRUMMER JAMES IRVIN'S WEBSITE ] |
 | "Microwave Dave plays with enough energy to nuke a couple of
frozen dinners with each chord he blazes through."
|
 | "His axe drips seductive honey. His taste in covers is impeccable. If you're looking for wiry, tightly wound good-time raunch, this'll fill you up."
|
 | "The distorted guitar and foot stomping harkens back to the Detroit
sounds of a half century ago."
|
 | "Some excellent Alabama blues done up just right by a fine blues
craftsman ... a very tasty CD with a wonderful late '50s, early '60s feel to it."
|
 | "Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down is rife with
crackling songs that bounce off a variety of bases, all of 'em apt to give the body a case of the shakes."
|
 | " But the overriding focus of Cadillac is Gallaher's excellent
guitar playing. His slide, a fine mix of precision and grit, is the sound of a player who's paid dues aplenty."
|
| BULLETINS |
Stay tuned for details…
Microwave Dave & The Nukes return to a familiar setting with a new name on Friday, April 25th at 9pm as Jesters Downtown celebrates its Grand Opening. The building has housed many well-known clubs and restaurants, including PJ’s Alley, owned by Pat Upton of Spiral Staircase. The venue gained further fame as the site of Rick Nelson’s last show before his death in 1985. Jesters Downtown is located on US Highway 431 in downtown Guntersville, AL. For information and directions, call 256-293-4307.
Set in rural Alabama in 1950 and featuring strong blues content, Honeydripper, will have its Huntsville premier on Friday, February 8th at the Hollywood Stadium 18 Cinema. Filmmaker John Sayles, whose credits include The Howling, Eight Men Out, City of Hope, Passion Fish and Lone Star, wrote and directed the film shot on location in Greenville, AL. Musicians featured in the film include Keb’ Mo,’ Dr. Mable John, and Gary Clark Jr. As part of the premier celebration, John will conduct a film master class at the Flying Monkey at 1pm that afternoon. Following the film, an after-party will feature Microwave Dave & The Nukes along with (as of this writing) two cast member/musicians: Eddie Shaw (Time Trenier in the film) and Henderson Huggins (who performed lead actor Danny Glover’s piano parts). An additional tie-in for MD&N is the High Freq guitar custom build for Microwave Dave by Ted Crocker, who built the instrument featured in the film. For details and updates on the events, please visit www.honeydripperhuntsville.com.
The Valley Planet’s Best Of The Valley readers poll has placed Microwave Dave & The Nukes in the top positions in both Blues Artist/Band and Jazz Artist/Band categories for the second straight year. While the jazz voting continues to surprise MD&N, they are grateful to the Valley Planet readership for these honors. In 2008,placements in the following additional categories reflect the appreciation that the group’s fans have expressed through voting: Best Overall Band—2nd place MD&N; Best Rock Artist/Band—2nd place MD&N; Best Male Singer—3rd place Microwave Dave; Best Overall Musician—3rd place Microwave Dave.
Microwave Dave has been requested to appear in an acoustic room at the Sam Phillips Music Celebration Concert at the Marriott Shoals on Saturday, January 5th. Dave will perform from 6-8pm, followed by the main concert which features John Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Shannon Lawson, Jason D. Williams and others. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/spmc2008 ; for tickets visit www.samphillipsmusic.net.
Alabama documentary filmmaker Max Shores will shoot live High Definition video of Microwave Dave & The Nukes’ performance on Wednesday, November 21st at Gary’s in Tuscaloosa. The purpose of the video shoot will be to add footage to Microwave Dave’s portion of Max’s upcoming documentary, Songs Inside The Box, that will feature cigar box guitar makers and players. The High Definition production will be a multi-camera shoot with live microphones for stereo pickup of the performance and the audience. At this time, the plan is to record the entire first set by MD&N, which will begin at 8pm.
Max’s Hill Country Troubadour featuring cigar box artist Richard Johnston has won several awards and is enjoying current film and cultural festival outings throughout the U.S. For more information, visit www.maxshores.com and www.myspace.com/maxshores.
MD&N are hoping to involve many of their friends and fans in this production, as Max has historically sought to bring authentic venue atmosphere into his productions. Gary’s is located at 613 37th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405. Gary’s phone number is 205-750-0015. From Birmingham, exit I-59 right onto McFarland, then turn left at the first light which is 37th Street. Gary’s is located about 2 miles down on the left.
The Alys Stephens Center at the University of Alabama in Birmingham is hosting a Blues and Barbecue weekend concert pairing. Saturday, November 10 brings Keb' Mo' and Sunday, November 11 features the Taj Mahal Trio. The ASC has engaged Microwave Dave to perform solo prior to each show, in the newly opened Haskell Courtyard, where Dreamland Barbecue and a cash bar will be available. Microwave Dave's sets will be at 6pm each evening, with the headliner's shows set for 7pm. For tickets or more information, please visit here for Keb' Mo' and here for Taj Mahal.
Curt Mangan® FusionMatched® Guitar Strings have included Microwave Dave in their roster of musicians for whom custom-gauge strings are supplied in a Signature Set with the artist’s name emblazoned on the packaging. The endorsement deal was fostered by Mark Torstensen at the Fret Shop in Huntsville, AL (www.thefretshop.com), who recommended Dave to the company. Microwave Dave’s trial of the strings through several weeks of strenuous blues playing convinced him of the high quality of tone and longevity of Curt Mangan® FusionMatched® strings. He has been pleased with the service from the company and recommends their product line to other professional musicians.
Birmingham Weekly’s BAMA (Birmingham Area Music Awards) ceremony was held on March 8 at WorkPlay. Hosting a large crowd between two different showrooms, the presenters handed out the large treble clef statues to acts garnering the largest tally of votes in the month-long contest. Microwave Dave & The Nukes were given the award for Best Blues Artist, further cementing a long relationship between the band and its B-ham area friends and fans. Dave, Rick and James wish to thank everyone who took time to vote for them and hope to live up to this honor and recognition.
“If you missed the National Public Radio broadcast of “Michael Feldman’s Whad’ya Know?” here’s what you didn’t hear:
a stellar performance by local blues musicians Microwave Dave & The Nukes (Feldman was visibly impressed).”
HUNTSVILLE TIMES, November 2006
The November 18th appearance by Microwave Dave & The Nukes on PRI's "Whad'ya Know?" that aired nationwide on both public radio stations and XM Satellite Radio has generated a considerable quantity of email at the band's web address. Dave, Rick and James are gratified by the response to their performance. Click here to listen to an archive of the Whad'ya Know appearance. Move the time elapsed bar to 8:00 minutes.Below are answers to the most-asked questions.
WHAT IS THE INSTRUMENT USED IN THE FIRST SONG, AND WHAT IS THE SONG TITLE AND ALBUM IT IS ON?
The Lowebow is a cigar-box instrument with four strings, played with a slide. It has two mop-handle necks, and the strings are split with one low bass, three treble. The bass string goes to a bass amplifier, the trebles to Dave's guitar amp. It is hand-built by John Lowe, who owns Xanadu Music in Memphis, TN. John also performs as 'Johhny Lowebow' and can be seen at Johnny Lowebow.
The selection performed is entitled "Trail Of Tears," an original instrumental by Microwave Dave. It is available in the 2003 studio version on ATOMIC ELECTRIC (ordering info click here ) and on Dave's 2004 live solo album, AMERICAN PEASANT (ordering info click here ), the latter version being the closest to what was performed on "Whad'ya Know?"WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE SECOND (BAND) SONG AND WHAT ALBUM IS IT ON?
The Nukes performed "Body And Fender Man" which is featured on their new live album--due out any day--called DOWN SOUTH NUKIN'. The version on DSN is very similar to the one heard on "Whad'ya Know?" and a new Lowebow piece, "Ray Brand," is on the album as well. DOWN SOUTH NUKIN' is produced by Johnny Sandlin, famous for his platinum Allman Brothers albums. The live disc is now available at rockincamel.com (click on Microwave Dave on the artist section) or at 1-877-368-7428, and CDBaby.com.
"Body And Fender Man" also appears in a studio version on the band's 1995 release, GOODNIGHT, DEAR available from Icehouse Records in Memphis at 800-814-8298.
CAN I FIND YOUR ALBUMS IN RECORD STORES?
While one of the group's releases was distributed to Wal Mart stores in the late 1990s, there are only a few record stores that carry the more recent releases. Down South Nukin'--the live disc is now available at rockincamel.com (click on Microwave Dave on the artist section) or at 1-877-368-7428, and CDBaby.com. CDBaby.com is the best source for 2000's WOULDN'T LAY MY GUITAR DOWN, ATOMIC ELECTRIC and AMERICAN PEASANT. The band's first album, 1991's GOTTA GET A CADILLAC, is currently out of production.
WILL YOU BE PERFORMING IN MY AREA?
Microwave Dave & The Nukes are full-time recording artists who have completed four European tours and performed at clubs, concerts and festivals throughout the Deep South, Northeast, Midwest and as far west as Colorado. Most of the long-distance roadwork takes place during the late spring, summer and early fall--festival season. The band's schedule page keeps shows roughly 30-60 days out posted online. Regarding a particular date or location, or to suggest a venue or event, email micdave@hiwaay.net.
.Microwave Dave & The Nukes have taken delivery of Down South Nukin'--the live disc is available at all Nukes shows, also at rockincamel.com (click on Microwave Dave on the artist section) or at 1-877-368-7428, and CDBaby.com.
Recorded live at the 2nd Street Music Hall in Gadsden, Alabama in April, August, and November 2005, this 12-song set is an enjoyable slice of what guitarist/vocalist Dave Gallaher, bassist Rick Godfrey, and drummer James Irvin do best: blistering, industrial-strength blues-rock served up with great variety.For the album’s lone original, the swampy instrumental “Ray Brand,” Gallaher accompanies his slithery slide guitar with a Lowebow, an instrument that produces twangy bass sounds. Three fan favorites can be traced back to Gallaher’s debut album: Bo Diddley’s bombastic “Road Runner”; Doc Pomus’ double-entendre-filled “Body and Fender Man,” played here at a breakneck pace; and J.B. Hutto’s “20% Alcohol” (the late slide master is also tapped for a bludgeoning “Hip Shakin’”).
Elmore James’ rollicking “Can’t Stop Lovin’ My Baby” is no surprise, but the remaining tunes are. The best known of three tracks from the golden age of R&B and soul is Dee Clark’s Diddleyesque thumper “Hey Little Girl,” a No. 2 R&B hit in 1959. Obie Jessie’s frenetic lament “It Don’t Happen No More” and Dyke & the Blazers’ churning funk tune “Shot Gun Slim” qualify as obscurities. Bob Dylan’s “From a Buick 6” recalls the live version recorded by Johnny Winter in the ‘70s. John Sebastian’s jaunty “Got No Automobile” and Los Lobos’ lilting “Let’s Say Goodnight” provide changes of pace.
Gallaher is a vocalist of limited range, but he can roar and holler with the best. First-generation electric slide masters appear to be his main inspiration, but such leanings combine with rock influences to evoke George Thorogood, Ron Thompson and Eric Sardinas. DOWN SOUTH NUKIN’ will appeal to fans of those venerable blues rockers.
--THOMAS J. CULLEN III
 |  |
 |
Photos by Richard Beu
Microwave Dave's lifelong interest in severe storms has kept him in contact with storm chasers throughout the US for decades. Recently, frontline chaser/researcher Tim Samaras---an engineer from Colorado who has been pursuing tornadoes for over twenty years with computers, cameras and probes of his own design/manufacture, and whose work has been internationally featured on the National Geographic cable channel---requested Microwave Dave's Lowebow instrumental "Trail Of Tears" (from the live solo album, AMERICAN PEASANT) to accompany a montage segment of his groundbreaking double-DVD chase video, Driven By Passion.Alongside startling storm footage (Tim likes to get intimate with tornadoes), two amazing sections of Driven By Passion place it in the topmost of such releases: a dangerously deployed probe which receives a direct hit by an F-4 tornado destroying a town in South Dakota that records a record 100-millebar pressure drop measurement inside the storm; and the successful placement of a seven-camera media probe in Iowa that records the first-ever footage from INSIDE a tornado funnel, which must be seen to be believed.
Tim Samara's website with ordering information is www.thunderchase.com. Reviews of Driven By Passion by other storm chasers may be found at here.
 |  |  |
Photos by Wilson Primm
Huntsville's Microwave Dave & The Nukes put on one rockin' three-set show (the first two sets were each 90 minutes long) for a large and rowdy crowd at Bourbon Street on March 21. In addition to Dave's world-class guitar playing, bass and harmonica are handled by Rick Godfrey (not to be confused with MCB's own Rickey Godfrey). On drums is newcomer to the group, the young James Irvin. James lays down one of the steadiest beats in the business, with seemingly no effort at all. Interspersed with stories about the songs, the band performed originals from several of their cds, including one called "Moon Winx" (from ATOMIC ELECTRIC), a story about a "motel experience" that a couple of fans in the audience requested. Also included were covers of Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, and, of course, Bo Diddley.
----Ruth Higley, April 2005 SceneLIVE (Music City Blues), Nashville, TN
 |  |  |
| "Microwave Dave is the real deal — an accomplished world-renowned blues artist" |
"James Irvin ...a smoking traps master with bull chops" |
"Rick Godfrey ...holds down a solid groove" |
Review & Photos by RICK GRANT (reprinted from ENTERTAININGU.COM)
"The blues juggernaut called Microwave Dave & the Nukes rolled into the Harbor Tavern for a show last Saturday night. If you were not there, you missed a dynamite, world class blues show.""Dave stepped out in front of the stage and played his aardvark LoweBow’s cigar box broom handle guitar using a slide. It produced a powerful deep-throated sound and in Dave’s hands, he made it sing the language of blues, which only proves that a blues guitar virtuoso can make strings strung across a 2x4 or two broom handles sound like the best blues guitar made. His solo set on the cigar box guitar was amazing."
"From the band’s first song I could tell that this amalgam was a first class outfit."
 |
 |
AMERICAN PEASANT, the live solo album recorded by Microwave Dave in June, 2003, was released in December, 2004 at a cd release celebration held at the Kaffeeklatsch in Huntsville, Alabama, which is the location of the recording. In what is thought to be the premier blues recording featuring loop technology in a live setting, Dave's performances and the 'Klatsch audiences contribute to a memorable evening of one-man-band blues, 21st century style.Produced, recorded and mixed by Tom Gallaher, mastered in Memphis by Brad Blackwood at Euphonic Masters with graphic design by Dirk Benson (the team which produced the recent Nukes' award-winner, ATOMIC ELECTRIC), AMERICAN PEASANT is Microwave Dave's first solo recording after twelve years of weekly solo gigs.
The disc is available at CDBaby.com, the Kaffeeklatsch, and from Microwave Dave at all performances.
Reviewer: BLUES REVUE
"American Peasant (Distant Farmer) documents a live performance by Microwave Dave, a modern-day one-man band who keeps things basic with guitar and stomp boxes, yet incorporates sampled loops to fatten the rhythms. (ed. note: the loops are recorded and overdubbed on the spot, not sampled.)
If the Alabama artist plays too fast on the opening cover of William Clarke's "Gambling for My Bread" and the closing version of John Mooney's "Too Tall To Mambo", he redeems himself with the raw, rude slide piece "Unity"--it's hard to resist a lyric like "Shut your mouth/And get off my TV". On "Soul of a Man" guitar and vocals snarl in unison; "Little Wheel" is a satisfying shuffle in several movements;
"Trail of Tears," an evocative slide piece, heats to a jaw-dropping crescendo over seven minutes."
Photo by Roland Langley
Reviewer: Jack Wood"WOW! I normally don't like "live" albums because of the sound not being the greatest, but this is the best live album I've ever listened to. The quality is top shelf and the music moved my feet without my even thinking about it."
Reviewer: SACMAN"As a guitar doodler listening to this CD really inspires me for it's the man all by himself & yet he makes it sound as if their is a full band present. I have seen him countless times & not only is he a great musician but also a wonderful entertainer. He is simply superb & magnificent. Buy this CD now for Microwave Dave is a treasure."
Reviewer: John D. Wyker / MIGHTY FIELD of VISION ------- Photo by Rick Grant"Microwave Dave KNOWS The Blues..he also plays and sings it very well....and he does a great weekly Blues radio show on a 100,000 watt station in The Rocket City of Huntsville ,Alabama. Microwave Dave is a one man collection of Blues informantion...stories,licks,styles, true history or The Rest of The Story as Paul Harvey would say.Its' great to know that someone like Microwave is keepin' the Blues tradition and spirit alive and well ! Check him out!"
Reviewer: Sheryl and Don Crow--Music City Blues--Nashville, TN"Known for several years as the driving force behind Microwave Dave & The Nukes, there's a side to guitar master Dave Gallaher that the casual fans might not realize. For the last twelve years, Dave has held down regular weekly solo gigs in his home base of Huntsville, AL. This set was recorded live in front of quite an enthusiastic audience at the Kaffeeklatsch Bar in June, 2003, and is probably the premier blues recording that features the use of loop technology in a live setting. In layman's terms, the loop technology, through the use of stomp-box foot pedals, allows Dave to come across as a literal one-man band, giving Dave's solo performances the sound of a full backing combo. The sounds Dave and his brother, Tom (the CD's producer) generate in this manner are downright incredible. Check out one of Dave's original compositions, "Goin' To Brownsville," for a good example of this ingenious technology.
Reviewer: Lucia Cape / Valley Planet"This CD has two very unique features worth mentioning up front. First, Dave employs loop recording technology that allowed him to lay down rhythm tracks from his guitar and effects pedals, then play lead over them, sounding like far more than one man on stage. Second, on the other end of the technology spectrum, is the LoweBow or cigar-box guitar. The LoweBow is the creation of John Lowe of Memphis which uses an actual cigar box as the base and humble parts such as a mop handle and radiator clamps augmented by hand-made pickups and professional tuners. Not only is it a sight to see, but the sound it generates, especially at the hands of an artist like Dave, are worth the price of the CD alone.
"AMERICAN PEASANT opens with "Gambling For My Bread," a bluesy social commentary by harp player William Clarke that has almost more notes per second than the ear can process. Using the aforementioned loop technique, Dave lays down his own rhythm section and then plays blistering lead on top, real time. As unbelievable as it seems at times, this is a live, one-man recording. Edits were made during production to shorten some songs and to take out--yes, I said take out, not add--sections that seemed redundant. "Gambling" builds speed and complexity, then takes the most subtle turn at the end, showing not just a mastery of the guitar but a finesse that comes from natural talent and years of proving it all night. It's a perfect opener for this collection and sets the bar for the songs that follow.
"The mix of audience favorites on AMERICAN PEASANT, both covers and originals, shows Dave's appreciation for his fans and his understanding of crowd dynamics. Far from a showman intent on performing 'to' people, Dave engages his listeners while bringing them along. The call-and-response section of the CD's closer, "Too Tall To Mambo," sounds more like seasoned back-up vocalists than bar patrons, a testament to their enthusiasm and familiarity with Dave's music. While the cover selections reveal a wide range of influences, Dave's originals are even more telling. "Goin' To Brownsville" is a jaunty ballad, almost rockabilly, covering classic blues territory--a gamble lost and the promise of payback.
""Unity" goes political without being partisan in an electric blues package: "Now shut your mouth and get off my TV / I said shut your mouth and get off my TV / I got a lot better things to do / Than to watch you get paid to lie to me / I know you think I'm crazy and you might think I'm blind / I know you think I'm crazy and you might think I'm blind / Well you know I could be both / And I could still tell that you're lying / Now shut your mouth and get off my TV / I said shut your mouth and get off my TV / 'Cause lying to everybody / Ain't no way to make no unity." The song "wrote itself," Dave said, after the 2002 election. Since this CD was recorded a new verse has evolved that sums up the political-media crisis in this country: "No matter what happens, no one has to take the blame / No matter what happens, nobody ever takes the blame / You got us watching the cheerleaders--- / We ain't paying no attention to the game." Not only is this an obvious 'Klatsch favorite, based on the whooping and hollering, but Dave says it's also a hit with school kids and their teachers.
"The most moving song on the CD is the LoweBow instrumental "Trail of Tears." The song came to Dave after performing at the dedication of a historical marker at a site on the Tennessee River that had been a port for the Cherokees being shipped upriver to Oklahoma. A sudden cold front resulted in the death of a whole group awaiting transport, and they were buried en masse in an unmarked grave. The song starts off somberly, mournfully; creating images of isolation and despair. The LoweBow proves a versatile and expressive instrument as the song builds to an angry crescendo, capturing not only the plight of Native Americans but also the disgrace to our country for its treatment of them. No words are needed---the song's title and Dave's playing say it all.
"Rather than let his audience get too troubled, Dave moves into the reworked traditional "Soul of a Man," a fitting follow-up that raises existential questions against a rockin' blues landscape. From there, it's an easy ride through classic material including John Lee Hooker's "Little Wheel" and Lightnin' Hopkins' "Backwater Blues." Produced by Tom Gallaher for Distant Farmer Recordings, AMERICAN PEASANT is a solo masterwork from a local hero of national and international acclaim. (Lyrics from "Unity" copyright by Dave Gallaher, Microdave Music/ASCAP, used by permission)."
Reviewer: Martin M the Bluesman/ KPAN, Hereford, TX"First a qualifier (I hate qualifiers) : I don't hand out bouquets. If I like something I say so. Same if I dislike it. No playing favorites here. I said that so I could say this: This album is a masterpiece. Listening to it I feel like I am right there in the club with you. That foot operated loopstation gizmo is a hell of a deal. Hard to believe it is just you. Sounds like a full band. I can't wait to get this spinning on KPAN."
Photo by Roland Langley
"REAL BLUES magazine wishes to congratulate you on winning in the following categories:
2003 Top Southern Blues Releases- (Atomic Electric)
2003 Best Southern Blues Guitarist /Modern
2003 Best Southern Blues Band
Andy Grigg, REAL BLUES magazine."
(tie with J Lapalme and Roadhouse)
Craig Brewer's independent film "The Poor And Hungry" is being shown on the premium cable Independent Film Channel. The film, shot entirely on location in Memphis, features two selections from Microwave Dave & the Nukes' 1995 album, GOODNIGHT, DEAR: "Don't You Just Know It" and "Got My Mind Made Up." Many viewers from around the US have contacted the band after discovering their music in the film, which was released in 2000 and additionally featured several Memphis-based acts in the soundtrack. The soundtrack album is available from Icehouse Records in Memphis.
 |
click here -->
CD BABY MICROWAVE DAVE ATOMIC ELECTRIC,
or better yet come see Microwave Dave at the band's engagements, or at the weekly solo performances at the Jazz Factory on Wednesday nights.For purchases in the greater Huntsville area, contact James Records & Tapes on North Memorial Parkway (256-539-7247), Shaver's Books on Whitesburg (256-536-1604), or Sunburst Records on Holmes (256-830-8079).
In the Shoals, Pegasus Records in Florence (256-767-4340) is carrying the album, and in Birmingham, it is available at Charlemagne Records in Five Points South (205-322-5349).
For direct mail order (or autographed copies), send a money order payable to Dave Gallaher for $17 in the US, $20 overseas to Microwave Dave, PO Box 18622, Huntsville, AL 35804.
| Atomic Electric Reviews |
"This Alabama trio has everything a blues fan could want: impeccable taste; a steady, no-frills rhythm section; and, in Microwave Dave Gallaher, a first-rate guitar individualist. Gallaher, bassist Rick Godfrey, and drummer Skip Skipworth kick out a dozen solid tunes."Gallaher has a gritty sound all his own, with punchy rhythm work and loads of unhurried, flavorful soloing. The bigfoot funk of "Shady Muscadine," which starts the record, provides a fine example of his craft; the song's first solo passage is a burning yet restrained melodic run, while the second is John Fogerty-swampy, minimalist and perfect.
"Atomic Electric hangs together beautifully from beginning to end. "Shot Gun Slim" is a Jerry Reed-style tale of an off-kilter Southern man who, come to think of it, might live just down the road from Amos Moses. Skipworth shows how it's done on a powerful cover of James Harman's jump blues "It's All Right Now" with playing that's unforced, masterfully disciplined and truly powerful. On the instrumental "Trail of Tears," Gallaher breaks out the cigar-box guitar known as the Lowebow for a moving, slide-fueled tribute to the nation's largest annual motorcycle ride.
"Other fine cuts include a cover of Ray Charles' rumbling "Mary Ann," a rocking take on Jerry McCain's "Courtin' in a Cadillac," a pass through Percy Mayfield's always-welcome "River's Invitation," and a hot and heavy "Night Train"---killers all. Gallaher's "Moon Winx," a grinding tribute to a Tuscaloosa, Ala., "motor lodge," has a percussion effect that sounds like rubber boots walking in a rainstorm; somehow, it fits perfectly. The band manages to freshen up the guitar ballad "Sleepwalk" through sheer force of will, and wraps things up with their standard show-closer, "Highway 49," a slide tour de force.
"This is the real thing. Put it on and rediscover everything you love about blues."
-----Jeff Calvin, BLUES REVUE, Issue No 84, Oct/Nov 2003
"Thanks to folks like guitarist Willie King and harp player Jerry McCain, the Alabama blues scene is alive and well. Barroom faves Microwave Dave & the Nukes have certainly pulled their share of the weight, dominating rough-and-tumble northern Alabama roadhouses since 1989. Led by Dave Gallaher, this trio pulls no punches on Atomic Electric, their third full-length disc."Opening with the shuffling roots rocker Shady Muscadine---penned by Gallaher and one-time Commander Cody sideman Billy Farlow---the Nukes get the party off to a good start. Skip Skipworth lays down a steady drumbeat, while bassist Rick Godfrey anticipates Gallaher's every move. Next, the gruff-voiced guitarist tears through a handful of well-picked covers, including Dyke & the Blazers' Shot Gun Slim, James Harman's It's All Right Now, and Percy Mayfield's The River's Invitation.
"The trio strips down on Jimmy Forrest's bump-and-grind instrumental Night Train, staying in check long enough for an ethereal take on Santo and Johnny's Sleep Walk. Fellow Alabamian Jerry McCain gets a nod on an over-the-top rendition of Courtin' In A Cadillac, while Big Joe Williams (who lived just across the border in Crawford, Mississippi) gets his due when the Nukes rock his Highway 49 for Atomic Electric 's six-minute closer.
"The best moments on Atomic Electric , however, belong to the Nukes alone. Gallaher picks up a LoweBow (John Lowe's diddley bow-inspired electric one-string) for the searing, plaintive Trail Of Tears , then plays hydro-percussion (whatever that is) on the swampy, rhythmic Moon Winx , which owes as much to Goo Goo Muck -era Cramps as it does ZZ Top."
-----Andria Lisle, LIVING BLUES, Issue # 169, (Fall 2003):
"Microwave" Dave Gallaher damn near vaporizes his strings on this selection of hip covers which includes "Night Train" and "Sleepwalk." HOT LICK: "It's All Right Now." To quote Frank Barone, "Holy crap!"
-----Dave Rubin, GUITAR ONE, January 2004
"Microwave Dave and the Nukes display the kind of unwritten understanding of what the Blues is meant to be. Atomic Electric is a mix of original music and cover tunes blended in a style and a bump and grind that a true aficionado of the true meaning of the Blues can come to appreciate. These guys mix a boogie beat and sound that initially reminds me of Canned Heat. They then pick up the pace with some southern up-tempo on a few cuts. They then slow it down again with Dave's talented picking on the Lowebow, which is a homemade slide with a cool distinctive wang. They have across-the-board talent with a subtle, "we've got the goods" swagger. That swagger really flies on "Moon Winx", a Gallaher original."Microwave Dave Gallaher is backed by Rick Godfrey on bass and Skip Skipworth on drums and these dudes roll out the Blues like the Blues are supposed to be rolled out. They can pick it up and shake it around or they can pick it slow and grind it down. "Anna Lee" fits the grind down category quite well.
"Let Microwave Dave & The Nukes take you through the Blues. Play it once, play it twice and then play it again. I think you will end up thanking me."
-----Steve Langhauser, BLUES NEWS, Mississippi Valley Blues Society, November 2003
"My buddy Tim and I were sitting around listening to this inspired blues power trio and his eyes lit up at the third cut: a Junior Parker and His Blue Flames-styled meltdown cover of James Harman's "It's All Right Now." "Turn it up!" he shouts. I do so, and start paying attention myself. Next up--actually separated by a jolting version of Ray Charles' "Mary Ann"--are a pair of ear-catching Microwave Dave (Gallaher) originals. "Trail Of Tears," a moody instrumental tour de force showcasing Dave on the drone-like cigar box Lowebow guitar (custom built by John Lowe of Xanadu Music in Memphis) begins Charley Patton bleak then, after about three minutes, starts cooking Sun-style. Tim and I stare at each other. "I'd sure like to see Dave and his Nukes live," he grins. I smile and red zone the volume as atmospheric, downhome covers of the likes of Jerry McCain's "Courtin' In A Cadillac", Big Joe Williams' "Highway 49" (with some particularly searing, swerving slide work by Dave), Percy Mayfield's "River's Invitation" and that ever magical, slow-dancer "Sleep Walk" proceed to warmly greet our respective lobes. The two Nukes who also deserve a few lines is Skip Skipworth's seasoned drumming really rings out on the uptempo numbers while Rick Godfrey's bass under-rigs affairs and clearly throughout. The liners assert that the "performances herein were fueled by fried chicken from Posey's Restaurant in (sic) Hazlewood, Alabama. Tim and I chuckle. That must be some chicken!"
-----Gary von Tersch, Big City Blues, Aug/Sep 2003
"Alabama's "Microwave" Dave Gallaher and his band "The Nukes" is back and they brought one of their best albums along for the party. It's atomic. It's electric. It's nuclear. It's an explosive, high voltage set by some of the best pickers ever to set foot over the Alabama state line to carry their music to the world."
-----Michael Buffalo Smith, Gritz Magazine, Spring 2003
"If you've seen Dave and the Nukes live you will love this CD and start singing right along. I found myself tapping a hole in the floor with my foot. It is a must for your collection."
-----Susan Collier, Magic City Blues News, May 2003, Birmingham, AL
"In the grand tradition of the "power trios," such as Hound Dog Taylor and the House Rockers and SRV and Double Trouble, we give you Huntsville, AL's own Microwave Dave and the Nukes!! Together, these fellows really pack a wallop on Atomic Electric, a 12-pack of covers and originals guaranteed to get your feet movin'!!! There isn't a weak cut on this one, fans. From the opening shuffle "Shady Muscadine" to the slide-drenched "Highway 49," this is one great party CD, with plenty of good blues in between! The tune that really stood out was the brooding instrumental, "Trail of Tears." Played by Dave on a custom-made cigar-box-shaped guitar called a LoweBow, it sounds as if it rose right up out of the mists of the Mississippi Delta and goes right through to your soul. For us, this was the set's tour de force. A fine set from a proven group of road warriors, Atomic Electric is sure to please all fans of good-rockin' blues."
-----Don & Sheryl Crow, Music City Blues, May 2003, Nashville, TN
 |  |
Photos by David Higginbotham
The Band has just received word that two of their songs will be included in XM Radio's national "bluesville" satellite radio playlist. XM Radio DJ Bill Wax has selected Don't Care Blues and Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down for inclusion into the programming. Click here for info about XM Radio and "bluesville". While you're there request a Nukes song. Thanks!
During their performance for the Alabama Blues Society's get together at Hale's Tavern in Tuscaloosa, the guys were surprised and honored by the ABS' presentation of their esteemed achievement award. The plaque, emblazoned with Johnny Shines' image, reads: "The Alabama Blues Society proudly presents Microwave Dave and the Nukes with this Blues Achievement Award for accomplishments in performing, writing, and preserving blues music. June 30, 2001". Hale's Tavern was also recognized with an achievement award.
| [Bio] | [Schedule] | [Photos | [Latest News] | [Music] | [Press] | [Promotional] | [Radio] |
