Paul Butterfield Live at The Maintenance Shop 1985

[@paulspeziale679]

I still listen to East West at least once a week. I’ve been doing that since I was fifteen. I’m 72 now. Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop continue to be two of my major influences. Both Paul and Mike Bloomfield died too young. It’s a hard life, not for everyone. On the other hand, there are people like Buddy Guy who approaching 90 are still in good health and playing at their peak. I can’t criticize this band. Those are tough shoes to fill.

[@user-by2mq9lo2e]

69 now i lived in eastgermany. At TV Rockpalast i heard The Paul Butterfield Bluesband. Since this evening I loved this man and his music. Thanks for your music, Paul. RIP Paul Butterfield

[@bobh2581]

Paul Butterfield did not die, he went home. I will never stop listening to him, I can't.

[@blakeforrestmcbee1765]

Time flies on. Years fly on.R.I.P. PAUL BUTTERFIELD!

[@MarshallAmpMan]

Mark Knopfler on drums - a rarity

[@clancykobane9102]

Vocals aint what they used to b here but the spirit is undaunted and the harp still shines, RIP PB, MB

[@brucekolinski5401]

Fell in love with blues as a high school sophomore when I heard the '65 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band album with Bloomfield on lead and Bishop on rhythm. Life altering for me.

[@zenzen1916]

🤔 ...this is 85, in spring of 87 Paul was turning his life around, but monsters were at play. Left his three sons way too soon, not by choice.Miss and love you Paul, we almost made it.

[@production58]

I have to say this is incredibly sad to watch. From being one of the most brilliant artist that I’ve ever seen to a former shell of himself just really breaks my heart. I saw some epic Butterfield concerts in my time and I always left the show knowing that I saw something so special. Between 1966 and 71 I saw them probably at least 25 times maybe more. You can tell the drugs and alcohol with the demise of his brilliant talent. His voice is barely passable at this point but yes he can still play the harmonica but not with the philosophy. The real drag of it is is he really wasn’t that old. He should’ve been hitting a peak..The band is just OK considering where he came from in the Titans that were a part of his groups. I’ll just put this one away and enjoy those wonderful albums and if I want to hear them live that Butterfield live at the troubadour Definitely is Representative Of his immense talent and vibe

[@VBForbes]

My thoughts exactly

[@hubertsumlin9697]

Yeah it's rough. The sideman ate kind of a joke.

[@zenzen1916]

Knew and loved Paul from 75 up until his death, he suffered from immense pain..yet even while medicating..the strongest person I ever met..he left his three sons way too soon..not by choice🎶

[@3345646]

Butter means sincerely what he plays he never wanders and gives 💯.

[@asfcharters1]

Only show I have walked out of ever, His half hearted playing and singing plus he was down right obnoxious. I had bought tickets for me and my Three friends. He was an absolute jerk off had his shit miked way up had no choice. This was at my father's place Roslyn Ny. Repetitive riffs over and over sucked. No where his former self drugs booze

[@jackparkes9310]

Isn't the blues about pain and expressing it in music? Thats why his music here is so authentic😄amazing harmonica playing and very good singing from the heart! I listen to this when i do my walk

[@Amedeo9]

Omg, this music is so fucking good!!! It seems like very rare concert. I love it.

[@harmonica212]

It kind of is because it is not in a DVD format. It may have been out of print and once on VHS or DVD at one time because there are other blues concerts on DVD or that are on KZbin that can be put on DVD format. I guess was not able to get the full concert only part of it but there still is a good chunk of the concert you can see and it is pretty good.

[@zaynaldin3778]

Start loving his blues harp playing when listening 'I'm Drifting'..one of the best all time blues harp player..

[@ShawnWilliams1987]

One of my favorite blues harp players

[@chriskroll4166]

It's kind of like a jazz band playing Blues. And I mean that with the highest compliment. 🙏

[@sdxn8117]

I met Pauls contempory here in Eugene, OR and he played with PB regularly in Chicago in the daze...Charlie Musselwhite the master. What a great guy and influence on Paul. Very similar vocals. Charlie glowed when I asked if he ever played with Paul....Hell yes! Legends.

[@johnwescott9008]

Paul influenced Charlie fact and is (was) a far superior harp player. Paul has soul in his playing and his singing. A total original.

[@Vodichka9]

@@johnwescott9008 I pretty-much agree, but fwiw, I thought Charlie's playing on the Stone Blues album was phenomenal. His version of Juke surpassed much of Butterfield's renditions of LW tunes, like Off the Wall...

[@Vodichka9]

I love Charlie Musselwhite, but he was no influence on Paul Butterfield. Everyone who was listening in the 1960s knew that they were miles apart.

[@kulusadira8658]

Did you ever meet my old bandmate James Bradshaw in Eugene? We had a blues band in Long Beach Cal in the mid 60s.

[@RogerSteinbrinkh2oBrother]

On another note, Charlie's daughter, Layla Musselwhite is pretty amazing. I saw her in Nola backed by Nola guitar whiz Jimmy Robinson. She is quite the slide player, singer, song writer, and to play like that in front of Jimmy Robinson is no mean feat!

[@davidpershing9934]

just now discovering paul .. lookin' forward to a way excellent journey

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Welcome it's a safe rabbit hole to fall into

[@zenzen1916]

RIP Mike Bloomfield🥀✡️💔Stop the Hate You were a Hero

[@hellmi8386]

This man is great white bluesman with his blues harp. Amazing!

[@LolsilverfoxJohnson]

Such a shame the way some geniuses of the harp can go. I have a album called Low blows..Anthology of Chicago blues and Paul is on that ....mind blowing harp playing .

[@shmrsh]

I saw both shows there that day and the second show was by far the best.

[@felineth56]

So good!

[@alknauber9877]

To see something so new and yet so late in Butterfield's career is outstanding. If you, like me, regard Butterfield as the man in blues/jazz harmonica then you will definitely want to check this out. Thank you for this posting.

[@alknauber9877]

I neglected to mention/celebrate the bass player. If his performance isn't the most outstanding one you've ever heard/seen, glad you could make it here. What fun!

[@joelfass2697]

It IS kinda sad---but also beautiful and touching, a la late Billie Holiday. Mostly he was going on heart (playing still very much intact. It was the voice and pain in his face and mien that hurts to watch)---but SO much heart...

[@zydeco2378]

Thanks so much for uploading this concert, I've been looking for it for years ! Paul Butterfield is my favourite blues harp player. If you love Paul Butterfield you must see the beautiful dvd documentary "Horn from the heart - The Paul Butterfield Story".

[@GerryBlue]

Thanks for the recomendation, I'll look for it

[@Vodichka9]

I first heard Butterfield and his band with Mike Bloomfield when I was a young teenager. You cannot overestimate the incredible influence of Butterfield on American music for the next several generations. I loved Horn from the heart. It was overdue, but at least it happened.

[@bonnieknight8045]

Horn from the Heart, great Butterfield biographical documentary on KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ-UhJJ-otdnkKc

[@zenzen1916]

@@Vodichka9 Horn from the Heart was a farce.

[@ronaldlevao8251]

Yes, a great documentary, amazing footage. There's also a 90-minute Bloomfield documentary on.

[@papanchopo]

heartfelt

[@Hikaru109Ichijyo]

wow he is awesome but he also has an awesome band

[@trentland]

I see me! What great nite.

[@nicholasbrunetto966]

not the picture of health here boy could he still play!!!!!

[@jacestephenweatherall1732]

Rip Paul

[@leroyjohnson5705]

ONE OF THE TOP DOGS''🎶

[@leroyjohnson5705]

DOGS🎶 OF THE TOP 🪗 •

[@johnsteele55]

Gerry Blue, I thank you. If this last 21 months of challenges gave you time to download this, well one great thing came out of it. Good music makes kitchen clean up easier.

[@GerryBlue]

Happy to share real music

[@geovanecaetano8885]

Um dos melhores gaitistas do rock blues!!!

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

holy shit so this is where that classic footage with the million views and more comes from Ames Iowa. one of the best concert venues in Iowa the famous Iowa State University run maintenance shop. it was an actual whole show somebody got it it was on for the longest time just this song. so cool you're able to get the whole thing up

[@armandohernandessolus7715]

Este maestro es mi idolo ya estoy llorando con esta csncion saludos y gracias

[@zachvanslyke4341]

Thanks for this

[@murattaner7384]

He used to play guitar and piano much better than most professionals - no daily practices, of course....:)))

[@robomaster4882]

Do sad that in less than 2 yrs. after this performance he would be dead.

[@flashingturtle6505]

This is fuckin great

[@borislonic4476]

Paul Butterfield was clearly nowhere near his peak period from the 60s or even the 70s in this live performance, but he could still blow some commanding harp licks. Give me a middle aged Paul Butterfield in decline, musically and health wise, over these fast and flashy modern players any day!

[@Vodichka9]

His band was on fire in the beginning. I met him in 84 and was shocked by his appearance But, I will always love and admire him.

[@vKarl71]

True. And this band is just awful. Good musicians (well, the guitarist & drummer, anyway) playing bad music. Really sad.

[@landztranz]

@@vKarl71 Bad??? The audience seems to be having a good time.

[@webjammer1]

@@landztranz I was at this show and I was underwhelmed by performance but was thrilled to see a legend.

[@jquery2774]

Thanks for the whole show. It is a treat. Thanks also for the girls in the video. There they were, looking excellent.

[@user-cs8sx3fi1y]

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26) The Maintenance Shop Iowa State University - Memorial Union LINE UP: Paul Butterfield - vocals, harmonica, piano Frank Gravis - guitar Danny Draher - bass Ricky Sebastian - drums show intro 02 [05:43] Walkin' Blues [cuts in] 03 [09:23] Born In Chicago 04 [10:13] The Thrill Is Gone 05 [05:20] Take Good Care Of Me 06 [07:17] I Got Fooled 07 [04:46] Take Your Love and Your Money [cut] total - 43:18

[@GerryBlue]

Thanks, info added to description, chapters are already there

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Frightening ... and I spare you any more unpleasantries .. for what a magnificent and tough man .. is calling for Charon on his harp . here before my eyes 🌹 ... and b.t.w. I hope the lessons are worth it 😏

[@ron2shoes980]

Butterfield: even in his declining years was way better than anyone else on the stage. And at his best he was better than anybody. Period. You can't argue with genius. You can try, but who? What harmonica player? What guitar player? What sax player? Nobody. And he did all that on an extremely difficult instrument to play well. Give it 500 years and there may be somebody. We were gifted with his person and talent. That's okay. He borrowed it from black musicians and made it so much better. Still waiting for the next genius. 500 years? Not fair. The bass player had access to notes way lower than Butter could reach on the harmonica. Shoulda gone uptown and play it there. Maybe in third position which He was also very good at. Just talkin', there is no way I was ever that good.

[@harmonica212]

This is A great concert do you have the setlist? I have A good friend of mine who would love to hear this. He was around all these great musicians when he was little. His dad is Ronnie Barron who played the Keyboards for the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and was best friends with Dr. John AKA Mac Rebennack. I remember my friend telling me about the knife fight between James Cotton and Little Walter in the basement. My friend's dad Ronnie Barron told my friend to go ask Paul Butterfield to show you how to play the Harmonica so he did then Paul Butterfield said go way kid you are bothering me. Haha! He would always tell me stories when I see him when I tell him what I have found on KZbin or any type of Blues music online. My friend is very talented and plays the Harmonica and the Guitar. I would go see him play live with my friend's band and he is blind. He is a very cool guy. I don't know where you found this but this is pretty cool to see Paul Butterfield. Somehow there is a software to make the quality better or to make it into Bluray. Paul Butterfield, He is how I learned to get a great vibrato and from listening to one of my other friends and Little Sonny from Detroit and listening to Andy Just and Robben Ford's younger brother Marc Ford. Marc Ford said when he had heard Paul Butterfield play the Harmonica he walked in his house and heard him playing one of the records Robben Ford brought home and said that is a Harmonica I want to play like that so he did and that right there is what broke them loose. All these guys I have named are the badest cats in Blues music they are great. Thank You! for sharing.

[@GerryBlue]

Great story, sadly I don't have the setlist but I'm sure someone knowledgeable will soon post one. Peace

[@harmonica212]

@Gerry Blue, I look forward to it Thanks!

[@harmonica212]

@Gerry Blue, I just found it. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26) The Maintenance Shop Iowa State University - Memorial Union Iowa Public Television: "At The Maintenance Shop" [first aired 1985] This show has been shared before but not from this source tape. If anyone has more of this and/or a better quality copy, please share it! (The quality here is pretty decent TV audio though not perfect.) 01 [00:36] show intro 02 [05:43] Walkin' Blues [cuts in] 03 [09:23] Born In Chicago 04 [10:13] The Thrill Is Gone 05 [05:20] Take Good Care Of Me 06 [07:17] I Got Fooled 07 [04:46] Take Your Love and Your Money [cut] total - 43:18 Paul Butterfield - vocals, harmonica, piano Frank Gravis - guitar Danny Draher - bass Ricky Sebastian - drums

[@zydeco2378]

@@harmonica212 thank you for your story, if you have more stories about Paul Butterfield please share them with us. BTW the right title for the song n.5 is "Done a lot of wrong things" written by Bobby Charles. The song is included in the DVD documentary "Horn from the heart - The Paul Butterfield Story, in great video quality and stereo sound (probably from the original source). The performance of this song and Paul's harp solo are very moving, he had a great soul. I hope they are going to release this concert officially, very soon.

[@harmonica212]

@Zydeco 23 , Sure... I hope it is released very soon too. I will share more stories when I see or hear from my friend if he tells me something new. My friend met a lot of cool Blues musician's over the years. I saw the Documentary and it was great. I plan on buying it. Paul Butterfield was originally a guitar player then he started playing the harmonica and got really good in only 6. months and he could even play it backwards and you didn't know it. Paul Butterfield was amazing. He even played the piano and the flute. That is just plain amazing. Paul Butterfield even used Stevie Wonder's backup band because he liked them so much. He loved their sound. There is also a DVD from 1978 at Rockpalast Germany with Paul Butter Feild and his band check that out it is really good with great guitar playing.

[@billiam8270]

While I am glad to have another piece of Butterfield's musical history available (and this does seem like a rare piece), does anyone else who is familiar with his work think this band kind of sucks, like the worst he ever had? And someone below says the "girls" in the crowd were excellent. Umm...I guess if you are into square mid-West plain-looking women. And poor Paul - sweating bullets due to his alcoholism and failing organs. Oh well, we all evolve and die.

[@stevendreith4343]

I agree with you Billiam, not the greatest band, but you still get Butterfield. I've seen him live in the 60's in his prime, and nothing will replace those memories.

[@williamdelmer1869]

SurlyBill: Who was the Bass? And was that Mike Bloomberg on guitar?

[@billiam8270]

@@williamdelmer1869 Surely you jest. How about when the bassist rolls his eyes up in his head. What is up with this? I will block this out of my memory as I LOVE Butterfield and his music and this is just awful.

[@williamdelmer1869]

@@billiam8270 I meant "was that Mike Bloomfield on guitar" instead of Bloomberg. Sorry If I disturbed You by mentioning the bass player.

[@kevinwatson4541]

@@williamdelmer1869 not Bloomfield he died in ‘81.

[@jamesmares4206]

His voice is hacked and reminds me of the Bob Dylan Rough and Ways concert I saw last year. Dylans voice is completely gone. It s a ver sad thing. It is hard to listen to. Who are the musicians.?

[@patrikduller8449]

Am I the only one who thinks Paul doesn't sound as good there? Not to mention his look. Poor guy, he was clearly already in decline. RIP!

[@BarryMiller2956]

I concur. He was hurting but it didn't stop him from giving it his all.

[@RasTuft]

Yeah I agree. I love the guy, but he is NOT on form here and looks like shit. Very sad to see. RIP

[@roberttemple2521]

Very hard to watch this as it is quite obvious that Paul is not up to par.

[@Vodichka9]

He was dying of diverticulitis and peritonitis. His incredible ability to tolerate pain is what killed him. BB King said "Paul Butterfield was a real man." And he was.

[@billpresing5568]

OK, so here's the deal, all the instructor's say you must hold the the harmonica in your left hand soo I guess the great Paul Butterfield couldn't play the harmonica ? Hmmm !! Whadda y'all think ? I like to do as Paul does, so I guess I l'll stop fightin the feeling.

[@TedBurke]

there is no bigger butterfield fan than myself, but i am forced to say that this awful. this was recorded just a year before he died and that ravages of alcohol and heroin are obvious here. his singing is off key, his harmonica playing is wavering and uncertain. this was painful .

[@Vodichka9]

He died because he checked himself out of a hospital when he had peritonitis due to an attack of diverticulitis. Some people have a high tolerance for pain. I had exactly the same experience, but I survived. Paul's death has been sensationalized for years by people like you. Your self-professed fanboy attitude is no excuse for your post. Bye, Ted.

[@production58]

I have to agree with Ted. Seeing Butterfield With everyone of his great bands and then seeing this is a terrible bring down and very sad. He didn’t deserve such a sad and tragic ending. One of my top three artists that I’ve seen in my lifetime

[@Glofern]

I broke down crying hysterically when Paul died and yet I knew he was in trouble even before I moved from Chicago to south Florida in 1985

[@klausnordmeyer]

The Wrong Things song is pain-infused soulful blues at its purest. He may have been at the bottom, but he was also at his top.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

​@@Vodichka9yes unfortunately we all know about the drugs and the booze and he did sort of wreck his body but of course the final blow was the other health issues that were not substance-related you are absolutely correct

[@mitchgawlik1175]

This was a bit tough for me to watch.

[@harmonicabill]

This man is running out of energy by now, still little burst of great blues harmonica. sad thing drugs

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

It wasn't just the drugs in the booze though it was also the stomach issues that would plague him also towards the end

[@greghenderson4582]

Who is the guitar player ???

[@bassmangotdbluz3547]

Do you know what happens when the Drums stop? BASS SOLO !!!! Pugsly burned it down.

[@davidcrawford5711]

This is what hard drugs do ! The band must , be hurting to hear this poor performance ! Jimi Hendrix played on barbiturates ! At Devonshire Downs , in California ! He was a mess ! 🤔

[@zenzen1916]

Paul had awful health problems,band was self medicating..still one of the strongest people I ever met.Left us too soon...not by choice.

[@landztranz]

That bass player was sure singing some Jewish blues there.

[@blueguitar1952]

Draher on guitar, not bass.

[@GerryBlue]

Thanks, I'll switch it, I'm guessing Gravis is bass?

[@blueguitar1952]

@@GerryBlue I would say yes.

[@GerryBlue]

@@blueguitar1952 Changed, thanks for the info

[@uncleenore]

Butterfield's cover of "The Thrill is Gone" is SO much better than the original. Beautifully done.

[@davechae5890]

Inheavennnnnnnnnnnnen

[@hubertsumlin9697]

Somebody stop that bass solo. Jesus.

[@pharmerdavid1432]

The Holy Bible says your body belongs to your wife, and her body belongs to you, but God owns your souls...........or satan.