Blues Saraceno playing a 1959 Fender Telecaster Toploader at Norman's Rare Guitars

[@edwardv4546]

Just rediscovered Blues. I used to listen to his stuff like 12 years ago. It’s still so damn good.

[@jonasirw1]

He really is and his first 3 albums hold up very well in 2023

[@carlosenriqueguitars]

What can i said about Blues Saraceno, that hasn't been said yet ??? Fantastic? incredible? out of this world? unique sound? He will always be in my top 5 favorite guitarists in the whole world. period.

[@RotterStudios]

same!

[@themotocrossmodchannelWulfMX]

flat out most under rated player ever, period, he is my hero, obsessed! go blues!!!

[@ajlsrv5490]

Blues is one of my all time favorites. Met him at Gordon’s Music in Southbridge, Ma in 1992. His solo albums are mind boggling. And he was in his late teens, early 20s when he did them. Genius.

[@a.nelprober-rl5cf]

Nobody cares

[@ajlsrv5490]

@@a.nelprober-rl5cf except you

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

@@a.nelprober-rl5cfwait, you saw a 4 yo comment and then decided to come and comment on it? Obviously you did care 😂

[@a.nelprober-rl5cf]

@@JosePineda-jn8jk how does saying “nobody cares” indicate that I care? That makes absolutely no sense. That’s the same logic as saying an atheist believes in god because he’s an atheist. Try again in an other years time.

[@chronicfatigue5416]

Wow, does Blues look different. The cover of "Never Look Back" was great with him and the big hair, his Ibanez RG550 and the hot redhead in a leather miniskirt looking back at him.

[@DedsecEric]

I picked up that album when it was brand new. Man... I looked a lot better back then, too!

[@arnieslab]

So cool. I remember his Plaid album back in the day. Glad to see he’s doing well

[@arnieslab]

fastfingersfunk I agree

[@KGraceSpeaksKea1335]

I am too. I love seeing great talent succeed. 🎉

[@dogpoundoatthetube7756]

Was hopping to hear more of this man's guitar playing & less B.S.

[@coreymineard]

Dogpoundo at the tube Did you hop on one foot?

[@vmat1000]

No $#!+ !

[@sonjalee4502]

Corey Mineard haha!

[@clancykobane9102]

oh. then you don't want to watch a norm's guitar video.

[@geemac7267]

@@clancykobane9102The boss likes to hear himself talk, doesn't he?

[@wesleyAlan9179]

This guy didn't play much at all, and he doesn't have to, for those few seconds he played you can tell right off the bat hes great! Thanks for the video guys!

[@warborn_inc.]

The stuff he does now (Dark Country/Blues etc) is brilliant...Glad to see he moved past the shredder thing and has been able to sustain a lucrative and well deserved career making music. Exceptional player and real nice guy. Met him at NAMM 2020

[@mhoff7722]

Have always been a huge Blues Saraceno fan. I still have one of his Samick TV 20 guitars in purple burst. Play it almost daily.

[@Chewwy153qt]

I'm today years old when I discovered Blues.

[@claytonphelps9911]

So cool, now I'll be looking for Blues stuff, I remember my son turning me onto his stuff waay back maybe 25 years ago, I forgot , but now I remember. Very cool

[@rabidpandamotovlogs1389]

Love Saraceno's music. That dark country feel is amazing.

[@nyguezz]

I still remember when listen to him the first time in the mid 90s. I just wanted to play like him 😅

[@kilterkaos1]

My friend who passed away in 2018 left me a hard drive with thousands of discographies from every rock blues and country band you can imagine even jazz. He spent several years on Pirates Bay. My favorite discography is from Grant Green. Personally I still like to buy CDs because then you have all the information of the bands recording of the album. I also have a bunch of Saraceno’s “dark country” which are some really kick ass tunes!

[@DavidCoffinshirtguy]

Fascinating; I recall hearing about "Blues", the local miracle kid in Hartford CT (Brian's…), way back…then digging his early albums; SO glad to hear you're still wailing and making it work. Thank you, both! Ready for the Part 2 video, the all-playing one:)!

[@jwhitty14]

I remember him from Creative Strings in Wethersfield, Connecticut back in the 80's. This little kid playing all the latest EVH licks. He could play his butt off then as well. I'm glad to see he made a good career in music.

[@sparkster65]

He used to repair my Guitars back then

[@ronaldbacha7818]

Blues is a cool person, I jammed with him at brian guitars in New Haven CT, we where checking out guitar pickups when the trembucker came out,,,, good times,,,later,, RJ Bacha.

[@ETB-wb4io]

This guy was so ridiculously bad ass in the late 80’s early 2000’s when I was a young shredder. I haven’t heard hide nor hair of him for 25 years and it’s so cool to see him again.

[@kennyjfresh1]

Mike Charvel and I saw him at the NAMM show in the early nineties, with Terry Bozio and Dweezil Zappa! He asked us to buy him beer, because he was too young to buy it himself!

[@AJgeartalk]

This guys a MONSTER!! One of my favorites! Thanks Norm. Greatly enjoyed B.S. More playing next time!!

[@danwilhite]

Blues is amazing! Glad he's doing well. The songs he did with Poison are great!

[@christopherspearrin5250]

BLUES SARACENO IS A LEGEND. . FEW GUITARISTS FROM THE EIGHIES N NINETIES...ARE STILL RELEVANT N HES FREAKY COOL....I STILL TOO THIS DAY LOVE THEM OL PLAID YAMAHA RX SERIES GUITARS. AWESOME!!!!

[@spideymarino]

I remember seeing Blues play with Jack Bruce in the early 90s. Brilliant stuff.

[@Daionzrip]

What a trip, glad he's doing well. He was amazing at a local clinic as a young hair farmer / Yamaha endorser. Really had it down! real smart and just about the nicest guy that ever stepped into the store.

[@billwelshsf]

I bought his first record when he was a teenager I think in the late 80s. I can see him on the cover looking like he was 12. Now hes 46! It was great music.

[@jsims2985]

Loved his tunes for decades.

[@fenderjazz6213]

First time I saw this guy was at the Belly up tavern in Salona Beach..He was 18 and playin guitar for Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker..

[@rguitar101]

Yup...that's when I saw him....doing the Cream stuff at the Bayou in D.C. I remember him as skinny with a funky fro, and his playing was on the wilder almost metal side....Jack Bruce impressed the Hell out of me....

[@Gregorypeckory]

Incredibly, he had never heard any Cream when he went for the audition, so Jack said he asked Blues to check out Cream, and come back later, and that Blues came back two days later, ready to gig, having learned every riff of every Cream tune.

[@J.Dove3D]

Yeah man. I remember when he was playing plaid finished Yamaha guitars.lol

[@rickcarroll102]

Do you remember the Samick models

[@J.Dove3D]

@@rickcarroll102 The TV Twenty. 3×3 headstock, a contoured modern Tele type body shape, humbucker,sing,sing pickup configuration. I never played one though.

[@chronicfatigue5416]

I remember when he was playing Ibanez RG550s.

[@YesuAiNimen]

@@rickcarroll102 I owned a red one. It was one of the easiest guitars to play that I ever owned.

[@rickcarroll102]

@@YesuAiNimen great guitars, I wouldn't mind getting one in the near future

[@pabdiary]

Wow I remember reading about Blues in my first Guitar World magazine in 1992. He’s been aROUND!

[@cliffordamey4822]

This is the first time I have ever seen an interview with Blues Thanks

[@eljefeguapobarbon]

His TV Twenty and Radio Ten guitars are wonderful! Among my favorites🤙🏼

[@Jeff_H_the_Guitarist]

I totally wore out my copy of "Never Look Back". Amazing guitar work that never loses any strength for me.

[@KennyHolloway]

Hey, I met Blues at a guitar shop in Merchantville, NJ back in the early 90s when I was a long haired rocker.

[@coldouglas3455]

Love to see Blues keeping on the journey these days. And digging the whiskers!

[@gaggle57]

One of my favs from back in the day. I like Haiirpic even better than Plaid. (It's on KZbin of course.)

[@vintagetone22]

this is the first guitar player that i listened to.amazing

[@billvillamusic3625]

Blues is such a great player. Much love from Nor-Cal 👍

[@pauljohnson1065]

Saw him as a guest appearance with Dweezil! He is great and unique! love his tone. His Dad does pedals, and they are great!

[@gandhiabad9402]

one of the best guitarist around!

[@Redrumin237]

I remember when Blues was living in Conn. and played with a local band called Street Legal. Around ‘89 or so.

[@johnscards4633]

Bro I met Blues back in late 80's maybe early 90's at the Namm show at the Anaheim Convention Center. Holy eff we are getting old...FUCK!!!

[@narcissus79]

Yeah, try finding a Hagstrom these days and you'll know pain! 😂

[@onevoiceinc]

The plaid Yamaha guitar! I had one of his tapes! Yes, cassettes not CDs. Amazing guitarist. Very soulful. He's jammed with everybody.

[@keithowensmusic37]

Blues is still one of my favorite. His tone from Plaid was one of the best ever. I hope some day to come to Norman's and buy a guitar. Or two.

[@tmeo9712]

Blues, you got me through some tough times with your albums, even without lyrics. Words are not enough and I am glad to see you are still doing well today. Sadly, a guy who had a TON of hair in the 80's, is losing it like the rest of us in 2020.

[@telecasteroil]

still one of my favorite players! good to see Blues!

[@brolsonmusic]

Still have the signed photo from him from like 1989 when he was doing in store appearances for his first album!!

[@dennismetzger9287]

Love that album and cover!

[@Bodyknowledge77]

When I went to guitar /music camp in Connecticut in 91' Blues was one of the guest performers! I've got the grey in my beard now too Blues..:-0 And I write/compose too.

[@SA8N]

I saw Blues at a Tascam 4 track demo back in the day in San Diego,....Awesome guitar player,...

[@Guitarjosii]

Blues Saraceno is amazing! Some of his songs absolutely NAIL my taste of music... I could never found some other artist who did that. Always wondered what he looks like. Thank you for that video, Normans Rare Guitars!

[@mbhftw]

his stuff that is on the Dark Country compilations is incredible. I wish he performed that stuff live. Not sure if he does.

[@coryclark9336]

One of my all time favorite players!!

[@jinx0192]

I listen to his CD Plaid often to this day. Great stuff! Glad to see he is doing well, but would still love another CD from him in the future. Showing my age I guess.... nobody uses CD's anymore though.

[@cyrilstut]

I bought "Never look back" when i was 17, i'am 46 now.... great musician.

[@kitoyobeni1]

@@cyrilstut Had that on cassette, still casually looking for it on CD. I also have Plaid, Hairpick, the Kingdom Come album he played on (Hands Of Time, their 3rd album), Poison's Crack A Smile, Transmission OK's The Sky, The Stars And The Great Beyond, and even Ziggy Marley's Dragonfly. Happy to see he's still very active in the music industry, even if in a very different way. Been a fan from the start! Odd that Poison could get Kotzen and Saraceno, but dump each almost immediately. Instead they bring back CC and stop writing songs.

[@evomink]

Remember when he was in Poison for a hot minute?

[@rollacoastaride1937]

great, always wanted to hear a cool blues player holding a nice old fender blues machine, yeah

[@MattyK-USA]

Ah, man - Whiter Shade of Plaid I will never forget - I think he's from Middletown CT originally? Edit: For those of you that haven't heard him play before, go look for early stuff - he is OFF THE CHARTS talented, and was shredding before that was a term.

[@stellowmusic9169]

I understand why it’s not worth it to him to make instrumental albums anymore but man would I love some new stuff from him. Still listen to his old stuff all the time.

[@obbor4]

I saw him play with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker at The Coach House, in San Jaun Capistrano, Ca. when he was about eighteen. They played on Ginger Baker's birthday. sometime in the early 90's.

[@rodentcafeteria]

What exactly does a "black guard Tele" look like (other than the black pickguard)? Was it a special finish or color?

[@QuistJam]

Great stuff 👌🏼

[@RezaKhan2024]

Blues nice to see you growing old as I am. I still have a Yamaha.

[@guitarslinger32269]

There’s a trend with bands/artists: pay upfront if you wanna see the album made; maybe that’ll get us a Plaid II😉🙏🏻🎸

[@TAMAGNATV]

The best of the best guitar player !

[@rockers2rockers616]

The Telecaster is THE weapon of choice!

[@NSalonen]

Basically, for those who don't know him; this is the guy responsible for the theme songs for all them "reality" tv-shows about truck drivers and lumberjacks.

[@orangeblue3531]

Hairpick, Plaid, and Never Look Back were fucking masterpieces!

[@Abravenewfear]

First time I ever heard of this guy was on a Voodoo Labs sampler CD. Killer!

[@rjc7289]

Good to know Blues is still active in the business in some capacity. I remember seeing the ads for his solo albums in Guitar For The Practicing Musician magazine, and one issue way back when had a pull-out poster featuring him and Greg Howe. And that album he recorded with Poison was way cool too!

[@stargatewv]

great. i want an old black guard again

[@shadeshadyshade254]

Holy fakk! Haven't seen this guy since the 80's....never would have known that was him. Great player though👍🏼👍🏼

[@Ar41e]

Blues is such a tasteful and very rhythmic-oriented guitar player!

[@neonlights_12]

I LOVE Blues Saraceno's dark country stuff, Dogs of War is a good starting point but he's got a ton of good tracks

[@afrojack9061]

I saw Jim play in Athens Ny.talked to him for awhile and he let me play that beloved Tele! Jim is one smooth guy...and one hell of a guitar maniac monster! Jim Weider check out his telecaster videos all of youtube

[@salmonline]

Damn! I remember when this guy was a teenager...

[@roba1899]

Yep, I was a teenager right with 'im !

[@tonray9395]

Almost 6 minutes before a note is struck....Norm...come on now man...we don't watch your vids for blabbering and blithering

[@sunsparkle8443]

just skip through it .

[@Disco-Terry]

Thought it was Rob Chapman from the thumbnail !

[@18JR78]

물고기 Haha was wondering if anyone else noticed

[@mrbigg7255]

Me too 😂

[@LilSirAxolotl]

Same 😋

[@rochat]

GREEEEEEEEEETINGS!

[@__s_t_w__]

too!

[@Kris-P343]

I think Blues worked at one of Ed Romans Guitar shops here in CT back in the day....

[@rickchandler5587]

I watched him play at a freestyle event with Transmission o.k. on a trailer, it was awesome!

[@9unslin9er]

Godammit, I search every year for a rare Blues Saraceno video. Either I get 10 billion notes coming out of Paul Gilbert's fingers or 100 gazillion words coming out of Blues' mouth. Fucking libras.

[@djdrives]

Greetings from Portland CT.

[@timhoovermusicman]

Greetings to you from Portland,Oregon !

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

I remember him on a Poison album. One song in particular titled; "Sexual Thing". Blues has great phrasing and skills.

[@KOLDBLU3ST33L]

Blues!! YOU ROCK!!

[@christianparkinson6249]

Wow! What a monster player. Great segment you guys/gals

[@eshaman3334]

guys/gals?..look, f political correctness, it a man's world.

[@CRISSFRESNO]

*Wow ! He is so changed ! But he still keeping the feel !*

[@davejohnsonmusic]

Looks like my Dad's Tele from back in the day, though I think his was in the 60's.

[@anthonycosta2662]

I have a bunch of his early stuff great player.

[@casadamusica551]

Great guitarman! !! Congrats from Brasil !!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ryanlevis7532]

He looks a little like Willie! Loved this guy on Dark Country 3 and 4!

[@yragnellaable]

Phenomenal guitar playing.

[@comment.highlighted]

I remember Blues Saraceno’s “Never Look Back” 😀

[@sickb2200]

I've always liked him. I was wondering what he's been doing lately. Seems like he did some great video lessons. Check out his NAMM 2010 and 2016 videos if you're not familiar with his playing. Good stuff, Maynard.

[@Cremedevoodoo8]

He seems he really cool and nice guy !

[@GuitArmy]

Blues is an awesome guitar player. I wore out my cassette tape of Plaid.

[@davidcampbell4174]

Damn, I love Blues. Still have his old stuff in serious rotation throughout my playlist. Tommy Gun, Elvis Talking, etc. Where is the plaid guitar bro ;)

[@Gregorypeckory]

The plaid guitar was not a good look; I'm glad he dropped it; I agree he is a great player, but I always shook my head at that ridiculous finish. Van Halen's random striped designs were cool; plaid? Not so much.

[@samadams1076]

Wow, I dig that cats playing!

[@huntergatherer4223]

I met Blues at a guitar clinic in 1990.

[@jamesmagana4303]

Wow great tone one of best guests

[@noahporter4487]

As much as a lot of these older players want to talk about how the lack of enforcement of intellectual property has taken money out of the pockets of major artists, the opposite could be said about smaller artists. The internet has really given rise to making yourself a personality as opposed to just putting out records. It's also allowed for smaller people to make money through niches, products, education, and just generally making guitar oriented music a lifestyle that's much more ubiquitous now than ever before, as opposed to only popular recording artists making massive profits and massive record labels taking an even larger cut of that.

[@starshineraiser6729]

Is there anything more delectable than a 50’s blonde Telecaster? Definitely not.