Back Door Slam

British blues-rockers Back Door Slam boast a tough, streetwise sound that recalls veteran U.K. blues players such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and John Mayall, though these young guitar slingers represent a new generation -- when bassist Adam Jones joined the group in 2006, guitarist and singer Davy Knowles and drummer Ross Doyle were all of 20 years old, while Jones himself was just 19. The members of Back Door Slam grew up in the tiny seaside community of the Isle of Man, and Knowles decided he wanted to be a guitar player at the age of 11, when he heard "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits on the radio while riding in the car with his father. After borrowing his father's acoustic guitar, Knowles began teaching himself to play and digging into his dad's old records, which led him to discover the sounds of the golden age of British blues, while later he began embracing the music's American roots (the name comes from a song by latter-day blues guitarist Robert Cray). After mastering the rudiments of live performing with a handful of local bands, Knowles joined forces with Ross Doyle, bassist Jamie Armstrong, and rhythm guitarist Brian Garvey to form Back Door Slam in 2003. After Garvey died in an auto accident in 2004, the band stripped itself down to a power trio and began earning a potent reputation playing clubs and festivals as well as opening for acts ranging from Don McLean to the Who. In 2006, Jamie Armstrong left the band and Jones arrived to solidify Back Door Slam's lineup. In 2007, Back Door Slam recorded their debut album, Roll Away, and headed to the United States for a concert tour that included appearances at the Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits music festivals. Tour dates with Kid Rock followed in 2008. ~ Mark Deming