Well, we're just gonna have to agree to disagree. In response to Mikefule - Gary Moore, and ilk, are, to my mind, one of the reasons why the blues became a musical pariah. All that'Going down to Louisiana, crap' when he's from Belfast. For me, he's a bull in a china shop with dreadful tone, and it surprises me especially that you can call Steve "busy" and then adduce Moore as a good quality modern bluesman... dear old Gazza scratches around nineteen to the dozen. I could write more, especially about some of the idiotic statements made concerning 'authenticity' here, but I'll let it lie. Go to bluesinlondon.com and read their interview with Steve before his current fame, and that might help explain some things.

Max is technically good and pleasant to listen to, but the oomph just isn't quite there for me - it's all a bit reverential - and his voice (or whoever's singing) is just not in the same league as Steve's. Would like to hear Poppagator if anyone's got a link.

By Poppagator's yardstick Steve has made a 'strong positive impression' on literally tens of thousands of people in the last year or so. Make of that what you will: - people are gullible or Steve's 'got something', or a mixture of the two.

For me Steve's got something in spades...

Happy New Year.