Mike Bloomfield and whatever groups and combos he was playing with from Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, The Electric Flag. Al Kooper, and many more. Probably the premier American blues/rock guitarist, who burned himself and his talent out.
Personally I can’t relate to his substance abuse, but instead to his talent as an American blues artist, whose artistry is now gone with the wind, no matter how well he played in his heyday. It’s like all our hippie dreams that went up in smoke. Current politics makes me feel like we’re reliving the fifties, and instead of our hopes and dreams being realized, they went the way of Mike Bloomfield, great then, gone now. I do still hope for the future though, because there’s not another available option. Like Elvis Costello sang, "What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?" Hope it happens pretty soon, "Before I get old" though, because I’m 66 now.
That any closer to what you were looking for, slaw?
Mike
