TIM HAIN, master bluesman and whisky lover. The big whisky interview; Paul talking to Tim. Apart from this interview, I reall URGE you to check out his website, I love this music… http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tim+hain&aq=f  listen/watch

How you doin Tim, lets get right into it…
When did you start a liking for the blues? When I was 16 at public school. Bluesbreakers “Beano” album, with Eric Clapton – an earthquake…then Peter Green, Freddie King, Canned Heat, Mike Bloomfield, Hendrix. Saw Cream at Woking Town Hall! (Paul; anyone else out there doin what I’m doin? in me head am agreeing all the way!!!)

And what was your first gig (however young?) At same school, by the river, at 16 singing and playing Red House, badly…

What or who, are the big influences in your music? As Mentioned, plus Albert King…followed by West Coast Rock, Byrds, Dead etc. Then big on reggae in The 80s,Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Sly and Robbie..and all great singer/songwrtiters – Beatles, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel…then African township vibes – 4 Brothers, Thomas Mapfumo. Graceland was great.

At what point did you realise blues and whisky blended so well? – (see what I did there, och so clever eh!) OK don;t rub it in! I think when I met Colin Dunn. We…erm…blended well together. I match his taste in music, and true to his word ( rare these days) he got me some work at some wonderful whisky events – Whisky Lounge, The TWE Whisky Show (1 last 2 years )

There is also a wee tune or two with a Reggae beat, do you enjoy this breakaway also from blues? What d’you think Rasta? I am the masterblender! Blues and Reggae = Bleggae LOL!!

Who are or what is The Jamside Up Band? An evolving Bleggae party band with excellent members including some top reggae drummers like Barry Prince and Tapper who back the best in reggae…

Your love of motor racing is obvious to anyone browsing your website, when did this start? When I was 11…

You met a hero of yours, Sir Stirling Moss, what was that like? Both A dream come true and like meeting an old friend…

And how did the Glen Moray come into it? SM invited me to open a bottle in his drinks cabinet – he doesn;t like whisky BTW – “The Jim Clark Festival Malt.” And it’s rude to Refuse a legend!! Check out The song on my website www.timhain.com. It tells that story. Then I decided to resurrect it for the 40th anniversary of Jim’s sad death at Hockenheim. Glenmorangie put me In touch with Glen Moray, I designed a label, and GM send out a bottle, from whichever cask is In their visitor centre at The time, and I keep a percentage Of every order I give ’em. Iain is a lovely bloke and has sent me same mega samples…

There is an image stuck in my head of old blues singers wrapped around a bottle of Jack Daniels, the music of yours seems so joined up with lyin back sippin an excellent malt, have you heard noises like this before, or is it just me? No, not just you. It’s a bit of a stereotype image. Ask Keef Richards! (there I go, stereotyping!) Well Blues and Malt is very different from that trad. image, Frankly I can’t STAND Jack Daniels. But getting up with Colin Dunn and blues harp maestro Alan Glen after a Dunn Masterclass is the business!

Do you have a favourite dram? and why? As they say “The one I’m drinking right now!” Which happens to be a Laphroaig Triple Wood, part of my “wages” for performing at The Whisky Show. Like the QC but softer. Most memorable include Lagavulin 21, a Talisker 25 Colin forced me to taste last week ( he’s such a bully!) a 23 YO Bowmore – one Of 288 bottles, a 50 YO Macallan 1946, the Glen Moray “Mountain Oak”. a SMWS Yamazaki…and a £30 Irish Knappogue Castle 12, the most subtle and delicate Of Irish malts gifted me buy a fan, Martin Clarke who runs a great Internet Blues Station, Radio Wey, every Friday. Check him out. www.thebluessession.co.uk  Last time I was on his show it turned into a whisky tasting…he’d appreciate a Link! DONE!

What are the plans for the future? New album with Alan Glen for starters, almost finished…more work singing at whisky events. I have a song, “Cry For Love” included on a new documentary about Bob Marley “The making of a legend” by Esther Anderson, a former girlfriend and photographer of Bob’s. The Rest JAH KNOW! Official trailer for “Making Of A Legend.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=U12IclF0WeU  

Do you have any plans for a gig inside a whisky distillery? (Maybe we can chat on that?) Maybe we can! Let’s do it…

Finally; do you have any track in your set that mentions “angels”? or an angel? or whisky for that matter? I have a 5 track CD – “One More Dram ” – of whisky songs I made for the Whisky Show…it includes “Jim Clark Festival Malt” song mentioned earlier…

Well, many thanks Tim, keep the music acomin. (och Iv’e been to the southern States too often!) Paul was chatting over a dram & background blues with Tim Hain, www.timhain.com

See interview with pictures and sound links at www.angelswhiskyclub.com Free to join club