Samantha Fish talks soloing strategies and blues heroes ahead of Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival
Samantha Fish’s take on contemporary blues guitar is multi-faceted, with elements of bluegrass and country thrown into the mix.
Having grown up with Appetite For Destruction on repeat in her car stereo, the invitation to perform in Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival is a dream come true…
Looking ahead to the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. tour, how are you planning to make your set stand out?
“I’d like to think I’m a unique performer. I’m a guitar player, I’m a songwriter, I’m a singer… I do my best to put on a show that takes people on a trip. My show will be different from everyone else’s because I’m me! Nobody else is me and I’m nobody else. I try to win people over with energy.
“One thing I’m always told is that it’s my live shows that draw people in. The records are the records. I put my heart and soul into them, but the live show is where I’m home. I’m very comfortable on the stage. That’s where I’ve honed my skills, where I’ve spent most of my time. Anyone watching will get a really healthy dose of blues and rock ’n’ roll with a lot of power and soul. There will be original songs mixed with covers.”
What kind of tracks will you be playing?
“I’m in the process of reimagining all of my material with my new band, who are really talented. I just finished the US leg of the Death Wish Blues tour, which is an album I did with Jesse Dayton. I might play some of that stuff but I will mainly be revisiting a lot of older fan favorites, which is a first for me! I’ve never done that before, because usually I will base the show around the new record. I’m still working on new material, too…”
I can only fit so many guitars into my show, but I do my best to fit in as many as possible
You’re typically seen playing a white Gibson SG, Fender offset guitars, and a cigar box guitar through Category 5 amps. Is there any new gear you’ll be using on this tour?
“I have this new Martin D-18 they gave me just over a week ago. I’ve been playing that a lot and I’m excited to be partnering with them. It’s a beautiful-sounding guitar. I’ll have all of my gear for the full tour, so there’ll be my SG, Firebird, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, and cigar box. There are also the old-school Supro-esque or Danelectro-style guitars that I use for open tunings.
“I can only fit so many guitars into my show, but I do my best to fit in as many as possible! I’ve been using Category 5 amps for years, I really like them. As for the pedalboard, I want to mix it up a bit. I’ve been using the same pedals for a long time: my go-to’s are the Analog Man King Of Tone, the JHS Mini Foot Fuzz, plus various delays and octaves.”
There’s a deeper meaning behind this festival – as well as championing blues music, Slash is also calling for more inclusivity and equality…
“I’m all for promoting positivity and equality. It’s a good message and something that we need in the world today. Music is the greatest connecting factor amongst us as human beings. It’s the universal language we all speak. That’s why the blues has been around and relevant for so long.
It’s such a diverse line-up – there are female musicians and people from minority backgrounds, the kind of artists who have often been neglected in the past
“It touches your heart and soul, and there are no boundaries for that. It connects people to each other through stories and experiences. I’m a big supporter of that.
“It’s such a diverse lineup – there are female musicians and people from minority backgrounds, the kind of artists who have often been neglected in the past. There’s a big sense of coming together…
“The whole lineup is stellar. It’s a very good representation of the blues scene right now, which is why I feel so honored to be part of it. All of the artists playing this festival are blues-oriented but they have different sounds and come from different walks of life. The connecting factor is the music, which brings people together.”
Slash is a huge advocate for the blues. All of his solos seem to come from that background, even when it’s delivered in a hard rock context…
“When I learned to drive, I’d take my family’s Chevy Suburban around Kansas City. I’d be driving so fast, and probably quite recklessly, to Appetite For Destruction. I love that stuff! It’s almost hard to pinpoint one solo, because he always plays with a lot of dynamics and takes people on a journey.
The best guitar players know how to tell a story and Slash is definitely one of them
“The best guitar players know how to tell a story and he’s definitely one of them. It’s not about coming out of the gate and saying everything you know, it’s about having a conversation with its own varying nuances. You take the time because there’s an art to storytelling.
“When you figure out how to do that on a guitar, that’s when you start using it most effectively. It’s all about the dynamics, and Slash has always done that really well. I’ve been a fan for a long time so I’m excited to get this opportunity, which connects me back to when I was first getting into music. It’s a full-circle moment for me, especially if I get to spend some quality time with Slash!”
And, of course, it all ties in with his new blues album.
“Yeah, the first single with Brian Johnson and Steven Tyler sounds great! Killing Floor is a track I used to play when I was starting out in blues. It’s a classic Howlin’ Wolf standard and a beautiful song that’s stood the test of time.
“I love how these stories keep getting retold, kicking back to the originals and the great songs they wrote. Hubert Sumlin and Howlin’ Wolf played such a big part in the movement.
“There are other tracks I’m excited to hear, like Crossroads with Gary Clark Jr., who is such an amazing modern blues artist. I love how he puts his own stamp on everything and is keeping the guitar alive at a time when a lot of modern artists aren’t even using real instruments!”
You’ve previously jammed with Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram on tracks like I Put A Spell On You and Going Down. It seems as if there’s a lot of love and respect between you guys?
“He’s amazing! We first met in Portland back in 2016. He was really young then – he’s still really young now! We played together and I knew straight away that the guy was really special. He’s carrying the blues torch and rightfully so. I’m a big fan and think he’s wonderful.”
So who else would you cite as the ultimate storytellers in blues?
“I’ve always loved B.B. King. He used his voice and guitar as counterparts to each other. There was something so sweet about the way he played, and you’d know it was him the second you heard him. He’s definitely up there for me, as is Freddie King. I’m a big fan of the Delta blues musicians, too – all that North Mississippi stuff like R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.
“It’s a different take on blues, with the guitars rockin’ around the drums in this groove-oriented thing. It has its own feel. As for contemporaries, I think Derek Trucks is amazing at that. He really knows how to build his ideas.”
Death Wish Blues is out now via Concord.
Slash's blues fest kicks off today in Bonner, MT. See S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival for dates and ticket details.
