The Independent On Sunday, (Nick Coleman), October 2, 2011
(4 stars) Tom Wait’s “Heartattack and Vine” gets a run-out…if you know that small masterpiece, then you’ll know the M&A vibe.

Guitar & Bass, November 2011
With one of the coolest throbbing guitar sounds we’ve encountered, M&A instantly have our undivided attention.

Amazon Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raw and Bold, Rock and Blues, 30 Aug 2011
By Dr. Debra Jan Bibel “World Music Explorer” – Published on Amazon U.S.
This review is for: Just a Dream (Audio CD)
This music grabs you from the outset: raw rock, gritty electric blues, deep Southern guitar, harmonica, keyboards, voice, and pounding drums. This music is thick as molasses. Not an expert on blues, though much appreciative of the various regional styles, I soak in the notes, the emotional rhythms. These three musicians conjure an atmosphere of heat, a rural bar scene, a crowd of head-nodding and torso-shaking listeners. The 48 minutes and 11 tracks speed by and I must . . . listen . . . again. This is an impressive, strong album.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Band…Better Live, 16 Sep 2011
By Dr.Bob Cohn – Published on Amazon U.S.
This review is for: Just a Dream (Audio CD)
Saw these guys about a month ago in Alexandria Va. They opened for Eric Johnson. I was really not ready for the amount of sound these guys created as a 3 piece band. Their back to roots blues is awesome…and they can wail!!!
I suggest picking up this album…It’s great.

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Moreland and Arbuckle!!, 25 Aug 2011
By Dylan Argyle – Published on Amazon U.S.
This review is for: Just a Dream (Audio CD)
This album is classic Moreland and Arbuckle. There is not a weak song here; every tune is a rocker. They do repeat a song: “So low” which originally appeared on the “Floyd’s Market” album (it’s a different version there), but it is such a great song, I don’t mind. The group is growing and expanding and exploring into new territory, but it is still the great sound that they are known for. If you’ve liked any of their previous albums (or are into the Black Keys, or Joe Bonamassa), you’ll love this one!
CD Description
Since their beginnings in the Kansas heartland a decade ago, guitarist Aaron Moreland and vocalist/harpist Dustin Arbuckle have captured the visceral spirit of the early 20th century Delta blues and the raw energy of post-World War II urban blues and distilled it all into a hard-driving and powerful garage-rock configuration of guitar, vocals, harp and drums. Moreland & Arbuckle build on that solid foundation with the release of their second album, ‘Just a Dream’, which features special guest Steve Cropper on one track.
The 12-song set showcases Moreland’s dynamic and compelling guitar work – two tracks were recorded on his cigar-box guitar consisting of three guitar strings and one bass string – Arbuckle’s emotionally charged vocals and edgy harp, and drummer Brad Horner’s rock-solid backbeat. The album is comprised of 8 new songs written by guitarist Aaron Moreland and vocalist / harpist Dustin Arbuckle, including the title track “Just a Dream” and the hard driving “Purgatory”. Also included are “Heartattack and Vine” by Tom Waits and Steve Cropper’s “White Lightnin’”, a track that the legendary guitarist makes a special guest appearance on. ‘Just a Dream’ adds a few layers of sophistication to the rootsy sensibility previously captured in the band’s acclaimed 2010 debut, ‘Flood’.

Moreland & Arbuckle – Purgatory - From The Album “Just A Dream”

Its been a long time coming but it’s nearly here! Friday 18th March is going to be a very special day for the UK cigar box guitar scene.
Borne out of discussions on The Brits Are Coming group on the Cigar Box Nation website, the innovators of the UK Cigar Box Guitar Festival, Chickenbone John, Randy Rooster and Smojo have taken it upon themselves to set up THE HOME GROWN MUSIC COLLECTIVE.

Quoted from the website: “The Home Grown Music Collective has one fundamental aim: We want to ensure that making music is accessible to EVERYONE, regardless of their financial situation, social standing or geographical setting.
It is a tall order in this commercially driven environment, but even in these hard financial times, we believe we can make a difference.
The message is simple, you do not need an expensive shop bought instrument and years of training to make good music. Music comes from the soul, and that, you already have”

This is well illustrated by the explosion of the UK Cigar Box Guitar scene, growing from an online idea into a real-world thriving community of friendship and creativity.
For the uninitiated, a cigar box guitar is simple stringed instrument made from an empty cigar box. No frills, no big names, and more importantly, no exclusions!

“Some of the objectives of the group are:

To foster and encourage the playing and performance of music on instruments outside the scope of mainstream conventional instruments. The group recognizes that it has arisen from the “cigar box guitar” culture, but that this is by no means an exclusive genre and reflects the ethos of making and playing instruments made from found objects and recycled materials, using innovative designs.

The group seeks to encourage and revive the idea of making one’s own musical instruments, and making music without having recourse to using commercial standardised instruments or adhering to conventional musical genres.”

The membership will be opened on the 18th March, so make sure you check in and join up to receive your membership card, 2 x free HGMC plectrums, 2 free stickers, and a voucher entitling you to a £5 discount off the price of an all day ‘Boxstock’ ticket!

To learn more about the objectives of The Homegrown Music Collective and it’s creators, click on the banner below.

One String Diddley Bow Number 2

This is my second One String Diddley Bow, 25 1/2″ scale made for a friend who did me a big favour. The friend was over the moon with it!

Parts Used To Make A One String Diddley Bow

Parts List: An empty cigar box, a guitar string, a closed machine head tuner, a broom handle (not shown in picture), a jubilee/hose clip for the nut, a piece of threaded bar for the bridge, a 1/4″ flat piece of wood for the bridge saddle (not shown in picture), a pop rivet sleeve to protect the hole drilled in the broom handle for the string, a small nail to thread through the end of the guitar string and hold the string in place, a piezo transducer and 6.35mm chassis socket soldered together to enable the Diddley Bow to be connected to a guitar amp. Finally, a length of string for use as a strap.

Tools and Parts Used

These are the tools and parts that I used in creating the Diddley Bow.

Cigar Box Guitar No.3

Romeo & Julieta Cigar Box, undercoated white, photo of Liverpool badge glued onto the box and then the box spray painted with automobile paint.

Hemlock stair spindle used for the through neck, shaped with a spokeshave and sanded smooth.

Hinge used for string retainer, threaded bar used for the nut and the bridge.

Piezo pick up, so the Cigar Box Guitar can be plugged into an amp.

25 1/2″ scale fretless, frets marked with a red biro!

Sealed machine head tuners.

Designed to be played with a bottleneck slide.

Sounds fantastic!

Liverpool-3 String Cigar Box Guitar