This Albuquerque, N.M. trio, the Memphis P. Tails, formed in 1993 and have played over 200 gigs each year; traveling all over the Southwest, but most often playing in and around their hometown.
Darin Goldston is the lead singer and guitar player (and an obvious Stevie Ray Vaughan idol minus hat, silk kimono and initials on strap and guitar); he also writes most of the bands' original music. Goldston, 34, was born in Ada, Oklahoma. Growing up in a musical family (both his older brothers played guitar and sang in country and western bands), he started playing guitar at an early age and after spending his teens playing in garage bands in Roswell, N,M., he moved to Albuquerque in 1987.
Bassist and Sylmar, Calif. native J.C. Brown was influenced to start playing music by the British invasion of the 1960s. He has lived many places including Auckland, New Zealand and Tokyo Japan. Brown has been playing bass in Darins' bands since 1990 when the two first met at a blues jam session.
Kent Pittsenbargar, drummer and backup vocalist, also was born in Oklahoma (Oklahoma City). He grew up along the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, N.M. where his love of Southwestern blues music began. After high school Pittsenbargar could have attended New Mexico State University on a music scholarship. Instead he spent the next decade playing drums and singing in traveling bands all over the United States.
Cuts of choice include "On Down the Line," which is enhanced by some fine guitar tone, the driving 4/4 beat of "It Ain't Easy" (some more SRV guitar), the for couples only "Pain (Don't Come Around)," "John Lee One More Time" and the closing "Mean Woman Blues."
memphisptails@psn.net
http://www.memphistails.hypermart.net
http://www.tothebone.com
This review is copyright © 2000 by Matt Alcott, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
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