•
VOODOO CHILD
As if by magic, local musician Bruce Cameron
recruits former Hendrix disciples
Billy Cox and Buddy Miles for his upcoming album, Midnight Daydream.
| Bruce Cameron
is making some big waves. The local performer and musician is
drawing a wealth of musical talent to Wilmington for the production
of his forthcoming album, Midnight Daydream, even making a little
history in the process. As was first reported in encore last month,
the Band of Gypsys, who backed up guitar god Jimi Hendrix on the
phenomenal live album Band of Gypsys, have reunited for the first
time since 1970, the year of Hendrix's death, to record tracks on
Cameron's album. The reunion kicked off with a press conference at the Wilmington Hilton on Sept 15th with a panel that included Cameron, Band of Gypsys drummer |
 |
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| Buddy Miles and bassist
Billy Cox, Harvey Dalton Arnold of the Outlaws and Billy James (aka
ANT-BEE). James, an accomplished musician in his own right who has
performed with Frank Zappa and who's solo albums have received
positive critical reviews from the national music media,
is the mastermind behind this massive musical project. Asked what it was about Cameron that caught his attention, James said that "hundreds of artists have come to me for help since I moved (to Wilmington) so it had to be something special. I get this tape in the mail from Bruce which was very very unique. Bruce is the first person in my ten years as ANT-BEE to make me say Wow this is |
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| something fantastic that I want to be part of. Appearing at the press conference in purple leather pants, snake skin boots and a leopard print shirt, Cameron spoke of the event in almost casual terms. "Twenty years ago I probably would have been starstruck" | he said, "I'm desensitized to the thrills and all, I mean, it's a job. While Cameron treated the conference like just another gig, Buddy Miles took the opportunity to make some candid statements | regarding Hendrix, the music industry and Cameron's work "To this day I am very proud of the Band of Gypsys," Miles said, "it gave me the opportunity to work with and |
| play with (Hendrix),
who still influences us and has something to say to us
today." Miles, who was the behind the scenes vocalist for the claymation California Raisins in the 1980's spoke highly of Cameron's work. "Here's a young man that has said to himself, "I wanna do this," He's not only a guitar player but he can also entertain us"". Miles also expressed displeasure with the music industry in general, which he said can often be unfair to aspiring artists. "I'm sick and tired of people giving a person hell when they've got the courage to go out and do what they need to do. They're not giving raw talent a chance to breathe. If you can't exercise what God gives you, then why even try sometimes?" Asked why he wanted to get back together with Cox to perform with Cameron after such a long time, Miles said, "My heart is in it, I'm here because he's got potential. I really believe in anybody and everybody getting a fair shot." Billy Cox, who had remained silent for most of the conference spoke up about his experiences with Hendrix as well. Cox played |
with Hendrix at
Woodstock and was asked what it was like to be in the midst of so
many people. "It was frightening" says Cox, "If you
can imagine a sea of 200-300,000 people with Jimi and I onstage in
front of it . . . it was incredible". Cox also made a reference to one of Cameron's songs as the reason for his presence. "I heard a song called "Born to Lose" and it had a spirit and a feeling in it, and that's why I'm here." Cox says, "He's a good player" Cameron will be plenty busy in the coming months. Recording with the Band of Gypsys is only the first phase of many sessions with some popular and well known performers. Michael Bruce and Neal Smith of the Alice Cooper Group are the next on the list of musicians to come to Wilmington. Over the next several months, they'll be followed by Ken Hensley of Uriah Heep, Harvey Dalton Arnold of the Outlaws, Bunk Gardner of the Mothers of Invention and ANT-BEE himself. All will be in the studio laying down tracks for Midnight Daydream. There is also the possibility of another |
former member from the Hendrix
camp will be adding his talents to the effort. "It looks very
good to have (Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer) Mitch Mitchell coming
into the studio soon" James said., adding that the possibility
exists for one to two other artists on a list that includes Jack
Bruce, David Lee Roth, Johnnie Winter, Leslie West, and Greg Allman
to appear on the album as well. If all goes well, Midnight Daydream will be ready for release by the summer of 1999. According to James, avenues to hype the release of the album include a show at Thalian Hall and a tour with some of the performers who contributed to the project. As for Cameron, he said that "we're going to be in the studio mostly, though we're talking with Michael Bruce of the Alice Cooper Group and Harvey Dalton Arnold about playing a few clubs as a break from the studio. We're going to stay close to home, though, maybe playing here, Raleigh, Charlotte, places like that. Commit the name Bruce Cameron to memory. You'll be hearing a lot more about this talented musician in the coming months. |
| Reprinted from Encore Magazine |
October 8-14, 1998 |
Gavin Smith |
