British blues-rock outfit Back Door Slam delivers a gritty, street-smart sound that echoes the veteran British blues scene of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and John Mayall, yet these younger guitarists mark a fresh wave of players. When bassist Adam Jones came aboard in 2006, guitarist and vocalist Davy Knowles along with drummer Ross Doyle had just turned 20, while Jones himself was only 19. All three musicians spent their early years in the small coastal enclave of the Isle of Man. Knowles first resolved to pick up the guitar at age 11 after catching Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing” on the radio during a drive with his father. Borrowing his father’s acoustic instrument, he taught himself by poring over his dad’s vintage record collection, which introduced him to the classic era of British blues before he later absorbed the genre’s American foundations. The band’s name itself derives from a track by modern blues guitarist Robert Cray. After gaining initial stage experience in several local groups, Knowles teamed with Ross Doyle, bassist Jamie Armstrong, and rhythm guitarist Brian Garvey to launch Back Door Slam in 2003. Following Garvey’s death in a car crash in 2004, the remaining members pared down to a power trio and quickly built a strong following through club and festival gigs while supporting artists that ranged from Don McLean to the Who. In 2006 Jamie Armstrong departed and Jones joined, locking in the group’s final configuration. The following year Back Door Slam cut their first album, Roll Away, then crossed the Atlantic for a U.S. tour that featured sets at both the Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits festivals. Additional road dates alongside Kid Rock took place in 2008.
