Israeli Blues Rocker's “X-Mas Blues” and “New Year’s Blues” Trigger Avalanche of New Fans on Social Media

Israeli Blues Rocker's “X-Mas Blues” and “New Year’s Blues” Trigger Avalanche of New Fans on Social Media

(Lazer Lloyd on Facebook: http://facebook.com/lazerlloyd)

CHICAGO, IL - Lazer Lloyd, known as “Israel’s King of Blues Rock,” may have released the holiday songs of the season and grown legions of new fans in the process.  His “X-Mas Blues” (link below) posted on his Facebook page, quickly drew over 400,000 views and hundreds of comments. He followed that with “New Year’s Blues” (link below), attracting over one million views, 14,000 Likes, 10,000 Shares and 1,400 emotional and enthusiastic comments from music fans discovering him for the first time. The phenomenon has continued with “Living Is to Struggle,” a non-holiday tune which has now been viewed 800,000 times with 5,700 shares. Lloyd draws large crowds in Israel and has a growing, passionate following in the U.S., where his “Burning Thunder” is the #2 song of 2015 on the Blues Rock chart and “Broken Dreams” is #6. 

People of all kinds are discovering this genre-defying artist whose music is inspiring them to make comments such as:

‪Mike Scott (Iowa) “Would LOVE to find where I can purchase this song. I sat here in my office for 90 minutes, listening to it - over and over. Very cool sounds. First of its kind I've ever heard.”

‪Scott M. Bernard (Louisiana) “You got a sound that’s out this world man! Made me think, just because we say to ourselves ‘Guess I didn’t need 'em around when they hurt me’...doesn't make it any easier to let them go. Keep on jammin brother!”

Sidney Panek (Michigan) “Don't know how you popped up on my feed, but you're sticking around. Jimmy and SRV and anyone else I can think of comes back from the dead.”

Andy Alpern (Israel) “This was the only thing that stopped my baby crying after an hour straight this morning! Thanks Lazer.”

‪Jonjuan Santiago  (Florida) “Wow, amazing just what I need it at this moment going through a lot at the moment and something told me to click on this video and your energy with the electric guitar gave me goosebumps, love this video thank you…Much respect.”

‪Robert Stevens (Minnesota) “You have a true gift, this is the first I've seen you. Must See More. I've always wanted to play guitar, and you give me inspiration to try.

Thanks.”

Lazer's visibility has also been spreading through traditional media as shown by the raft of rave reviews printed throughout music publications in the summer of 2015. His current feature as one-to-watch in the glossy Vintage Guitar Magazine's 2016 holiday edition describes Lloyd “showing off his chops on tough blues-rockers, soul ballads, and funky Hendrix-inspired rock.” More http://lotsofloverecords.com

“Exuberant vocals and razor sharp guitar work” - Downbeat

“Reminds of Santana's Best” - Elmore

“An almost spiritual force” – Gonzo Online (Canada)

Whether smoking hot or meditative, Lloyd’s unique style is forged through the white-hot furnace of his three insatiable loves: songwriting, guitar, and communicating with the audience.  At the core he notes is, “Blues, roots rock, folk, it’s real; it’s about everyone’s life story and it heals.”

“Xmas Blues” by Lazer Lloyd

Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/lazerlloyd/videos/1710693202507534/?theater

YouTube: https://youtu.be/tc-gictt3XY

“New Year’s Blues” (original title is “Dikla”) by Lazer Lloyd

Facebook:  https://business.facebook.com/lazerlloyd/videos/1712340682342786/?theater

YouTube: https://youtu.be/iyTTjHN5D4g

“Living Is To Struggle” by Lazer Lloyd

Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/lazerlloyd/videos/1713439815566206/?theater

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ymNmP2UEVuA

Lazer Lloyd on the phenomenon of his songs spreading around the world

“The X-Mas Blues was inspired by hearing many of my friends and fans from the U.S. talking about the pressures of the holiday and even complaining that they dread the holiday season either because of how competitive it can be or because of the feeling of loneliness it brings up. This is something I hear from both my family and friends from all backgrounds around the holiday season so I wanted to give over a message on the deeper meaning around the holidays.

“Within about 24 hours, as we climbed above 100,000 Facebook views, I realized that the song had really touched a nerve. So a few days later I posted “To Live Is to Struggle” and “New Year’s Blues.” The “New Years Blues” was originally entitled “Dikla” and it is an instrumental song which was written from a place of deep pain but also hope during this wave of terror here in Israel and around the world. The beauty is that the melody is wordless, so to each person it can mean something else. 

“To me the message of these songs is not to deny the pain and terror we are experiencing, but to use them to connect with others and help heal their pain. I think the holidays to many people represents a time of loneliness and exclusion and I wanted my music to be a cure to that.

“I play about 100 shows overseas per year to literally every type of crowd and I firmly believe that even if our beliefs are not the same, we can all respect each other and learn from each other. I think we need musical and cultural bridges between people and that’s what I try to do.

“I've made an effort to read through the thousands of comments and have replied to hundreds of them, and I see that the songs really touched people, each in their own way. This is unbelievably gratifying and humbling to me.”

Background

Israeli blues rocker Lazer Lloyd's burgeoning success in the international roots music scene was already growing into a powerful force for healing divisions and improving world unity. The trailblazing singer/songwriter’s live shows and his brand of blues and psychedelic roots rock are legendary in his home base of Israel. He is now blowing down the doors of clubs and festivals worldwide. Major influences include BB King, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Santana, and Middle Eastern Oud.

“Fasten your seatbelts!” wrote Gary von Tersch in his review. “I’m impressed by Lazer’s tightly composed compositions, deeply expressive writing, plangent vocals and crackerjack guitar and harmonica work.”

Tim Parsons, editor of Tahoe on Stage, laid out the case clearly: “It’s one thing to be a student of the blues, which began as gospel, and it’s another to be able to release the emotion to make it authentic. Lazer Lloyd does both.”

Israel's Blues-Rock King, Lazer Lloyd, delivers a hot, new, self-titled album due June 9th in North America and kicks off his 2015 tour at the House of Blues in Chicago on April 20th

Israel’s Blues-Rock King, Lazer Lloyd, delivers a hot, new, self-titled album due June 9th in North America and kicks off his 2015 tour at the House of Blues in Chicago on April 20^th

Lazer’s signature deep lyrical writing and vocals combined with his virtuoso guitar work takes listeners from the depths of mind-searing pain to the highest pleasures of love, hope, and healing

CHICAGO, IL – Israeli blues-rock singer/songwriter and guitaris­­­­t Lazer Lloyd announces a self-titled album of all new electric and acoustic material to be released on CD and vinyl in the USA on June 9th.  The Lazer Lloyd album, releasing on the Chicago-based LL Records label, is packed with 11 new original songs and a cover of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay.” It follows on the critical success of his 2013 stripped-down acoustic solo album, Lost on the Highway (on U.S. label Blues Leaf Records) and his 2012 electric CD, My Own Blues (on Helicon, chosen by the Israeli Blues Society’s for best 2012 blues album). The new album was written and recorded in two Tel Aviv studios (Sonic and Papa) during a period of intense songwriting throughout 2014.  Lazer gives voice to his experiences shuttling between a demanding touring schedule on the stages of Israel, as well as in Russia and North America – often playing live knowing his wife and five children were sitting in a bomb shelter back home. 

The cover art for the album was done by Markus Greiner, a brilliant Chicago-based artist who designed the DVD release cover for the 2015 Oscar-winning film, Ida, as well as many album covers for Bloodshot Records, and other musicians such as Graham Parker, among others.

Highlights of Lazer Lloyd's upcoming Spring and Summer 2015 tour include: House of Blues (Chicago) on April 20 and May 19 (as part of the Israeli Jazz & World Music Festival); Steve’s Live Music (Atlanta) on April 30; Waterfront Blues Fest (Portland, OR) on July 5; Hayward Russell City Blues Festival (San Francisco Bay Area) on July 12 (afternoon); Biscuits & Blues (San Francisco) on July 12 (evening); The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI) on August 3; and Bayfront Blues Festival (Duluth, MN) on August 7. For a complete listing of tour events, visit his website. On his 2015 North American tour, Lazer will perform his new material backed up in the Midwest by notable blues veterans Johnny B. Gayden (Albert Collins and Johnny Winter) on bass, and in the West by Ron Perry (John Lee Hooker) on bass, with drums by Kenny Coleman of the Chicago Blues Kings and previously Koko Taylor and Sugar Blue, among others.

On the new CD, Lazer Lloyd takes his signature songwriting to another level with guts and groove that won’t quit, and is certain to become a favorite with global blues and blues-rock audiences.  During the recording sessions, Lazer was joined by his regular Israeli bass player, Moshe Davidson, and studio pros Kfir Tsairi on keyboards and Elimelech Grundman on drums.

Lazer’s music is influenced by blues, gospel, southern rock and the great guitar traditions of power and groove from Jimi Hendrix to Wes Montgomery.  Known by many as Israel's King of the Blues, he cites B.B. King as one of his biggest inspirations in music and in life. He also draws on the blues work of Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Son House, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Albert Collins, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter and Santana.

“This is the first record I ever made where I successfully recorded in the studio things better than I can do live,” Lazer says, “and I really am happy finally with how things came out. Hopefully, I can help release some pain from someone's heart and make them feel good. I think blues in all its forms continues to generate a devoted following because it's real; it's about everyone's life story and it heals." 

He also used a wide array of guitars to get specific sounds he wanted in each of the songs. “All of my guitars are always messed up because I'm always looking for a unique sound somewhere between a Gibson 335, a Fender Telecaster and a Stratocaster, so I usually have homemade stuff that I've changed the pick-ups on at least 100 times and I'm still not happy,” he recalls.

Lazer offered up some comments on the origins of several of the tracks on Lazer Lloyd. “On ‘Burning Thunder’ - this is a song about the raw energy of both the Godly and Animal soul driving a person in opposite directions.”

“Suffering” - “The life on the road and becoming a successful performer tears you in 1000 directions and it's no secret that there are dark times when a person feels alone and enslaved.”

“Rocking in the Holy Land” - “There were many places that I had a chance to break my career from and places that the record company thought I should break it from. But Man makes plans and God laughs - from a strange twist of meeting a homeless man in New York City’s Central Park, I played a concert with a hippie rabbi, who convinced me to play with him in Israel to check it out and I fell in love, so I'm there more than 20 years.”

“Love Yourself” - “This song is expressing the reality of the ultimate oneness of the world and to internalize the fact that if you hurt someone else or - God forbid - kill someone else, you are hurting or killing yourself. My original concept for the song was for so-called religious terrorists.”

“Time to Love” - “Everybody has their own blues and everybody has different levels of blues: their personal blues, blues for their loved ones, blues for their friends, blues for the country and then you have the big picture blues for the world.”

Born Lloyd Paul Blumen in New York, Lazer moved at a young age to Connecticut with his parents.  Eliezer Pinchas Blumen is his Hebrew name.  Lazer is short for Eliezer and Lazer Lloyd is a combination of his Hebrew and English names. Growing up in Connecticut, at age 15, Lazer was already playing in night clubs along the Connecticut shoreline. At 18, Lazer went to Skidmore College to study music under Milt Hinton (bass player for Louis Armstrong), Randy Brecker (Blood, Sweat and Tears), and Gene Bertoncini.

After college, an A&R executive at Atlantic Records organized a showcase for Lazer in Manhattan with plans to send him to Nashville to work with producer Garry Tallent (of Springsteen’s E-Street Band fame).  One night in New York, Lazer played a gig with the legendary singing Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach, who invited Lazer to play with him in Israel and he quickly decided to take his music to the Middle East in 1994.  Once in Israel, Lazer joined Reva L’Sheva as their lead guitar player.  With few blues fans in his new home country, Lazer became a trailblazer, as he wrote and performed his own blues tunes mixed with the classics and built an audience for the blues in a country where it was an exotic delight. 

In 2014 and 2015, Lazer brought his blues act to the USA to rave reviews, featuring great musicians such as bassists Johnny B. Gayden and Ron Perry, drummer Kenny Coleman, and for  Canadian dates his band featured blues all-stars Gary Kendall and Mike Fitzpatrick from JUNO award-winning band, Downchild. 

Lazer has successfully crossed over into the Israeli mainstream music scene, and has been featured playing live on some of Israeli TV and radio’s most popular programs. As one radio host said, “From the moment the sounds of his blues guitar reached the air, it was completely clear that this is an international-level guitarist. His shows are worth every minute. He’s one of the great musicians.”

Reviews of his previous albums have been total raves. “I have been listening to the blues for most of my life and had never run into a blues record from Israel before, but this first one is setting the bar high. His guitar playing alone is worth the price of admission, and when you add in his vocals and strong songwriting skills, this disc is a winner,” wrote Blues Blast Magazine in its review.

Lazer Lloyd, Israel's King of Blues Rock, on U.S. Tour, Plays The Mint

Lazer Lloyd, Israel's King of Blues Rock, comes to the Southland for a series of shows beginning on Monday, November 17 at UCLA and culminating with a show at The Mint in Los Angeles on Monday, November 24. More below and also at www.lazerlloyd.com.

LAZER LLOYD, ISRAEL'S KING OF BLUES ROCK,  COMES TO THE SOUTHLAND FOR SERIES OF SHOWS BEGINNING NOVEMBER 17 Performs Locally: The Mint In Los Angeles- Monday, November 24      (LOS ANGELES, CA) - Lazer Lloyd, Israel's "King of Blues Rock," brings his fresh sound, new songs, and deep roots to the Southland for some select solo shows and trio performances with all-star backing.    Lazer Lloyd performs locally at The Mint, 6010 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Monday, November 24. Showtime is 9:45 p.m. Tickets $8. in advance, $10. at the door. Info: (323) 954-9400 or http://themintla.com/.   Lazer Lloyd is an Israeli singer/songwriter and an international recording artist influenced by blues, gospel, southern rock, and the great guitar traditions of power and groove from Jimi Hendrix to Wes Montgomery. His music takes the audience into his world from the tender moments of a traveling musician in the song "By Your Side", to a man struggling with life in "Talk". Lloyd opens hearts with his "world soul groove" sound on "Way Down" and "Back Porch", and then rocks with intensity and joy on irresistible tunes such as "Good Man Down", "Set My Soul Free", and "Rockin' in the Holy Land".    Lloyd has crossed over into the Israeli mainstream music scene and has been featured playing live on Israeli Channel 8 TV’s “Guitar Heroes” hosted by Tal Friedman, Channel 10′s “London and Kirschenbaum”, Israeli Channel 2's "Good Morning", 88FM with Gedi Livneh, as well as on Yoav Kutner’s Army Radio program. Kutner commented, “From the moment the sounds of his guitar reached the air it was completely clear that this is an international-level guitarist. His shows are worth every minute. One of the great musicians.”   Flying to the USA fresh from his second tour of Russia, Lazer has opened for such artists as Johnny Winter, Prince, and Olie Brown.  Lazer Lloyd's singing and guitar playing has been honed to perfection by his constant touring in Israel. Lazer and his all-star partners will perform an unforgettable evening of music presenting some of Lazer Lloyd's greatest tunes and previewing his upcoming self-titled 2015 album of new electric music.  His previous album of all original acoustic solo tunes, "Lost on the Highway", was released in 2013 on Blues Leaf Records.  Lazer's 2014 album, "Insides Out" is a  collection of his popular songs from past albums and classic live performances at Jerusalem Woodstock and the renowned Israeli venue, Yellow Submarine.                       WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING...ABOUT LAZER LLOYD "Lazer Lloyd’s Lost on the Highway provides a fresh take on the blues and it is definitely worth a listen.  His guitar playing alone is worth the price of admission, and when you add in his vocals and strong songwriting skills, this disc is a winner."                                                    BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE “Lloyd’s guitar skills are impeccable, along with a rich, vocal delivery. A consummate musician, writer and storyteller.”                                      NASHVILLE BLUES SOCIETY “He handles his guitar like it was an extension of his lanky, but sturdy body, and the glorious noise that it emits emerges directly from his soul. He’s the best guitarist in Israel.”                                       JERUSALEM POST "We are extremely excited and honored to present a world-class musician such as Lazer Lloyd in concert here in Long Beach. Lazer sharing the stage with Long Beach music legend, Bernie Pearl, should be nothing short of magical."                     BILL GRISOLIA (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, NEW BLUES FESTIVAL) “This is the best Rock N Roll Blues that I have seen in Israel. Amazing, you have to see him live.”                              BEN RED, 88FM  (ISRAELI RADIO)       Lazer Lloyd -  California Tour Itinerary & Radio Interviews Nov. 16 (Sun.) Nov. 17 (Mon.) Nov. 17 (Mon.) Nov. 18 (Tues.) Nov. 18 (Tues.) Nov. 20 (Thur.) Nov. 21 (Fri.) Nov.  22 (Sat.) Nov. 23 (Sun.) Nov. 24 (Mon.) KOCI 101.5 FM - LIVE INTERVIEW UCLA HILLEL MAUI SUGAR MILL SALOON MAKING A SCENE/LIVE INTERVIEW LONG BEACH BETH SHALOM* GARFIELD THEATER KX93.5 FM - LIVE INTERVIEW BETH SHALOM BISCUITS & BLUES THE MINT    *with Bernie Pearl    Costa Mesa, CA    Westwood, CA    Tarzana, CA    World Wide Web    Long Beach, CA    La Jolla, CA    Laguna Beach, CA    Charmichael, CA    San Francisco, CA    Los Angeles, CA                                                  www.lazerlloyd.com                             https://www.facebook.com/lazerlloydbb

Blues in Tel - Aviv - Lazer Lloyd

Lazer Lloyd is a World Renown Blues/Rock singer/songwriter/guitar player that lives in Israel. He record’s and performs both acoustic and electric. Lazer has toured around the world and has warmed up for such artists as Johnny Winter, Prince, Snowy White, Olie Brown…as well as headlining major festivals in his home country Israel.

Lazer was raised on The Blues. That was his religion growing up in CT/USA. At age 15 Lazer was playing in night club’s and around the Connecticut Shoreline/New Haven in his successful group Legacy. At 18 Lazer went to major in music at Skidmore College where for 4 years he played extensively and studied under famous blues men such as Milt Hinton (bass player for Louis Armstrong) Randy Brecker (Blood, Sweat and Tears) and Gene Bertoncini.

After college Lazer returned to CT to form his own band The Last Mavericks which played Lazer’s original energetic and emotional Blues/Rock. The Last Mavericks became very popular and their first Demo gained them a showcase with Atlantic Records. Toby Mofet from A&R at Atlantic brought Lazer into Manhattan to record more material and wanted Lazer to go to Nashville to work with producer Gary Talent(Bass player from The E street Band). Lazer came and lived in Manhattan and by miracle was given a gig with his most famous blues musician/guru of all time Shlomo Carlebach. Shlomo told Lazer that he want’s him to play with him in Israel and the rest is history. Lazer in 1994 went to conitinue his deep search for his own blues in Israel.

Lazer has recently finished his own acoustic album as well as his own Electric Blues album and is touring non-stop around Israel.
Lazer’s has had major success in the Israeli media with appearances on TV on Channel’s 2/10/8/23… Yoav Kutner, Ben Red 88FM, ABC TV, Kutiman, Tal Friedman Guitar Heroes… Yediote Achronote, Jerusalem Post…

Lazer is married to his savior Elana and they live together with their 5 kid’s in Beit Shemesh. Lazer does not like to be referred to as Jewish or Religious or Chassidic – just REAL. LOVE PEACE AND MUSIC DUDES…
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”