Second Cup Cafe: Back Door Slam

For three musicians in their 20s from Britain's Isle of Man, being dubbed as having the "spirit" of the legendary Jimi Hendrix may seem a bit surreal.

The 3-piece blues-rock band Back Door Slam introduced their contemporary yet traditional blues-rock brand of music to the audience of the Saturday Early Show's Second Cup Cafe.

The talented trio is made up of Davy Knowles (guitars, vocal, mandolin, lap steel), Ross Doyle (drums) and Adam Jones (bass).

Immersed in the blues genre since their youth, Back Door Slam's influences range from B.B. King to Hendrix, Howlin' Wolf, SRV, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, John Mayall and Ray Charles, among many others.

The band formed three years ago when they started playing gigs around their native Isle of Man.

After a successful run, they began touring around the U.S. at places like Austin City Limits, SXSW, Download & Lollapalooza, as well as supporting legends like The Who, Styx, REO Speedwagon and Grammy Award-winning fellow Running Media artist Corinne Bailey Rae.

The up-and-coming U.K. band launched their debut album "Roll Away" in 2007, which has recently risen to No. 7 on the Billboard Blues Chart.

"Roll Away" has been considered a tribute to the band's Celtic roots as well as an exemplary reflection of the band's songwriting capability.

Managed by Bob Miller and signed to Blix Street Records, Back Door Slam hopes to leave their mark on the blues-rock industry with their high intensity and genuine love of the genre.

"If 'Roll Away' isn't a hit, then every rock music writer (myself included) is responsible. The album is a grenade launcher; it's an incendiary device, it's a melodic, melancholy and effervescent cannonball set to music," said Jason Hood, a Time Out music columnist.
By Melissa Castellanos