Rocky Athas ‘Livin’ My Best Life’ Review

Rocky Athas ‘Livin’ My Best Life’ Review

By Hal Horowitz

You don’t need to be from Texas to know about Rocky Athas, but it helps.

The veteran Lone Star guitarist who, back when he was 23, was touted as one of the Top Ten best six-stringers in the state, is now 69 with a resume any roots musician would envy. Although he has worked with his own bands, it has been his participation as a member of Black Oak Arkansas and especially John Mayall’s ever-changing Bluesbreakers (2009-2016), which brought his talents to a worldwide audience.

His skills were so obvious that he didn’t need to audition for either of those jobs. He was hired on the spot. This is a guy who so impressed Thin Lizzy that Phil Lynott even wrote a song about him. There aren’t many other guitarists that can brag about that.

Athas was also friends with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tommy Bolin and worked alongside Band of Gypsy’s drummer Buddy Miles.

After the Mayall gig ended, Athas released 2017s Shakin’ the Dust, but nothing since. Until now.

For Livin’ My Best Life, his first offering in seven years, he again joins with son/bassist Rocky Athas ll and drummer/vocalist Walter Watson (the older Athas does not sing). He now adds Watson’s son Jared on second guitar, making this a sort of family affair. Regardless, you can assume that the opening title track of this 10 song set, Athas refers to himself as now living his finest times. He surely seems in good spirits, spitting out tight, tough, flamethrower solos on this long-awaited return featuring a combination of originals and covers.

Along with tightly wound riffy blues rockers like the driving “Dark Days” (lots of Thin Lizzy here) and a grizzled take on Don Nix’s “Black Cat Moan” (recorded by both John Mayall and Beck, Bogart & Appice but an homage to the latter’s iconic guitarist), there are lighter moments which display Athas’ less demonstrative side.

Previous boss Mayall drops by to blow searing harmonica on a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Long Grey Mare” (a nod towards Peter Green’s impact) and Athas tips his guitar neck to Robin Trower slathering psychedelic bluesy molten licks in “Solid Ground,” a tune that wouldn’t have been out of place on Bridge of Sighs. Gary Moore’s meaty sustain tone is infused in the blazing retro slow dance of “Strange Affairs,” one of this set’s finest examples of Athas’ musical grip and control.

Athas covers Free’s tensile “Walk in My Shadow,” throwing in a Cream-styled solo as a tribute to that band’s guitarist Paul Kossoff (Joe Bonamassa also famously covered the song) and shuffles down south with a chugging, militaristic Southern rocking slant on Dylan’s “Watching the River Flow.”

Another influence is Freddie King, whose iconic “Palace of the King” gets the energetic Athas treatment. Here Rocky burns through the rocker with class and passion as Watson sings “I can make you smile, every note I play/I can make you happy, by playin’ the blues my way.”

That’s a good enough summation of Athas’ intent, inspiration to keep going, and an acknowledgment of his positive outlook on life exemplified by this terrific comeback.

“Livin’ My Best Life”