Black Diamond Heavies
Encyclopedia
Black Diamond Heavies is a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...

 band originating from Nashville, TN. The band is composed of John Wesley Myers aka Reverend James Leg, formerly of The Immortal Lee County Killers
The Immortal Lee County Killers
The Immortal Lee County Killers were an American rock band from Auburn, Lee County, Alabama. Playing in the punk blues style, as well as garage punk, the band consisted of Chetley "Cheetah" Weise on vocals/guitar, plus assorted musicians over its roughly three incarnations.Weise had formerly...

, on bass keys, Fender Rhodes, organ, and vocals with Van Campbell on drums.

Style

After the departure of Mark Porkchop Holder, the guitarist, Black Diamond Heavies set out on a venture to take on the blues from a whole new perspective, with the only instruments being a keyboard and drums. The self-proclaimed "vagrants/citizens of the world" create an extremely raw and stripped down to the roots punk/blues sound, but simultaneously an intense new type of dirty, whiskey stained blues. Myers' soulful, "raspy growl" is reminiscent of and has often been compared to the great Tom Waits. With the intensity of Myers voice, and his insane ability on the keyboard, along with "the raucous flare kicked" drummer Campbell, the Black Diamond Heavies create a can't miss original sound.

You Damn Right EP

Black Diamond Heavies formed in 2004 as a three piece band: John Wesley Myers as lead vocals and on the keyboard, Mark "Porkchop" Holder on guitar and harmonica, and Van Campbell on the drums. They soon after started performing and in 2005 the Black Diamond Heavies self-released their first EP, You Damn Right. In 2006 Holder left the band after becoming discouraged with the hardships of life on the road. Myers and Campbell decided to continue the band as a two man act. Soon after, in the summer of 2006, the band was given a record deal with Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

.

Every Damn Time

In 2007, with the band now signed to Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

, Black Diamond Heavies released their first studio album, Every Damn Time.

A Touch of Someone Else's Class

In 2008, Black Diamond Heavies released their second studio album under Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

, A Touch Of Someone Else's Class. For their second studio album Black Diamond Heavies turned to Dan Auerbach
Dan Auerbach
Daniel Quine Auerbach is an American musician. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known as the guitarist and vocalist for The Black Keys, a blues rock band from Akron, Ohio. He is married to Stephanie Gonis, with whom he has a daughter, Sadie Little Auerbach, born in 2008.- Childhood and early...

 of The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....

 who produced the album while it was recorded at his Akron Analog Studio. The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....

 drummer Patrick Carney
Patrick Carney
Patrick J. Carney is a multi-instrumentalist best known as the drummer for The Black Keys, a blues-rock band from Akron, Ohio...

 joined Black Diamond Heavies on their recording, "Bidin’ My Time".

Alive As Fuck

Since their inception, Black Diamond Heavies have been hyped as great live performers, with their live performances being termed as "both 'Pentecostal' and 'Demon-Possessed'." In 2009 they were able to show the world what the hype was all about, with their first live album, Alive As Fuck
Alive As Fuck
-External Links:...

, recorded during a gig at the Masonic Lodge, in Covington, KY,. This album was released under the Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

 label.

Solitary Pleasure

In December 2010 Myers recorded a solo album, Solitary Pleasure, under his pseudonym, James Leg. The album is set to be released on April 5, 2011 under the Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

 label. Jim Diamond (music producer)
Jim Diamond (music producer)
Jim Diamond is a music producer, studio engineer, and bass guitar player based in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the first two White Stripes albums and played bass with The Dirtbombs.- Background :...

 of Ghetto Recorders mixed Solitary Pleasure. He is most noted for producing The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...

 first two albums. Leg is currently on a European tour promoting his solo album. The tour is scheduled until the end of April 2011.

Discography

Studio albums
Release date Title Label Notes
2007 Every Damn Time Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

2008 A Touch Of Someone Else's Class Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

2011 Solitary Pleasure Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

As James Leg

EPs
Release date Title Label
2005 You Damn Right Self-Released

Live albums
Release date Title Label
2009 Alive As Fuck
Alive As Fuck
-External Links:...

Alive Records
Alive Records
Alive Naturalsound Records – also known simply as Alive Records – started in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, by Patrick Boissel, is an independent record label specializing in garage rock, punk blues, garage punk, psychedelic rock, power pop and blues-rock music. It grew out of Boissel's...

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