Big Will & the Bluesmen

Alex Riverside, Jr.

Started playing guitar when I was 17 years old.  I immediately joined the band “The Two Dollar Pistols, straightforward punk rock” in the style of the Ramones. In the same year discovered the music of two legendary bluesmen Robert Johnson and Sonny Boy Williamson. From that moment I knew that I would play the "old blues" someday. But at that ages you do not find teens who want to play authentic blues so I played mostly at home on my acoustic guitar. In the nineties, I played as a rhythm guitarist in the pop-rock band The Eye of Isis. We played own songs and had many performances. It was Fun and a valuable experience. The last few years
 
I played with some friends in the band Harderop. We played own songs and some songs from Johnny Cash, all in punk rock style. However, the blue blood started to itch more and I decided to look for other lovers. I found Big Will, and the Bluesmen. After half a year on the road with this company, my enthusiasm for the blues is greater than ever. Never before have I played with a band were I’ve got a feeling that we play real music. That feeling is confirmed by some of my famous musicians the Dutch blues. Upon hearing some rehearsal footage of the band they were very impressed by the passion and intensity with which we play the blues.

For me a great incentive for Big Will & the Bluesman continue to break new ground and most importantly, the blues music that left to us by the distinguished gentleman as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson will continued to exist and to be heard to anyone!

Gear
-Electric Guitars: Washburn HB35, Squier stratocaster, stratocaster LAG

-Acoustic Guitars: Kalamazoo KG14, Yamaha FG365s

-Amplifiers, Fender Blues Jr, Yamaha G100 Top & Cabinet.

Jos Waal

I’m the son of a jazz drummer, so I grew up with music . Around my 15th birthday I had my first drum kit. Six months later I sold it because I wanted to buy a scooter. Ten years later my neighbor asked me If I wanted to join him in a jam session with some friends . I really enjoyed it and decided to take some drumming lessons at Cleuver. After 2 years of intensive classes I ended up in my first band, Bottom Line. This band played blues and rock covers. From that moment on, I was hooked on blues music. During some temperedly replacement sessions I met the guys from blue Spirit. They asked me to stay. Played with a lot of pleasure for a couple of years. I had to quit the band because I moved to the east of the country.

After a year I moved back to The Hague and joined the band Fat Judy. This band split up after about five years and all the musicians have gone their own separate ways.

In September 2008 I saw an ad from Big Will, I responded and within one week Big Will and the Bluesmen was a fact.
Gear
-Bass drum: Big Circus drum build 1942
-Toms: Premier
-Hardware: Ludwig
-Cymbals: Paiste
-Drumsticks: Homebrand 7a

Henk Wessels

I started playing guitar when I was 15 years old. When I was jamming with a friend(Hans) we blew up some speaker boxes in the Hilton Hotel. We decided to form a band and call ourselves; “Hans & Henk the explosives”.

Later I was playing the bass in Swine Burg City a straightforward punk band similar to the Sex Pistols that was not very long. In the same year I played the bass in Cairo Nights this experience has lasted two years. Then I played in Chapter 2 and the Eye of Isis. The Eye of Isis was a New Wave band. We performed throughout the entire country. In recent years I played with some friends in the band Harderop where we played both own songs as songs of Johnny Cash, all in punk rock style.

In 2009 I discovered "the blues" mainly inspired by the band members of Big Will & the Bluesmen. With blood, sweat and tears I venture back to the Contrabass what so far has been a great experience.
Gear

-Ampeg B2 48 & 350 watt cabinet
-Contrabass wave wood
-Ibanez mc924 electric bass
-Fender Squier P Bass
-Washburn AB-20 Semi acoustic bass
-Harley Benton EUB 500SB
electric Upright Bass

Will van Der Ende

Hi, I'm Will, and play the blues harp on Big Will & the Bluesmen. I’ve always been fascinated by the blues harp. My first blues LPs strains already in the late 70's. Especially the Nederblues I listened to a lot. But it really started with the album ‘Blue Light ‘by Little Mac Simmons, ". I liked the harmonica sound . It gave me goose bumps every time I heard it! Later I began my first cover band, which I started up as a singer. There was this one song were we needed a harmonica solo. I thought it was easy but it was more difficult than I thought. For example I didn’t know there were so many keys. This little gadget had a lot more in it as I initially expected. I decided to take lessons and I was hooked

I also played in an Irish folk-like cover band called "Local Honey". “5 over 10”was the first band I played the harmonica, but that band was too much blues-rock. I decided to form my own band. I went searching and soon found a number of talented people. A name was quickly fabricated and before we knew it we were playing shows and making albums!

Bands I like: The Muddy Waters band with Jerry Portnoy on harp, Little Walter, Kim Wilson, Gary Primich, Charlie Musselwhite, Junior Wells and Sugar Ray!
Gear

-Fender Bassman '59 RI 4x10" 50w
-Dynacord Amigo 1966 2x7" 11w
-Gibson "Gibsonette" GA8T 1960 15w
- Astatic JT-30 mic 1970
-Electro Voice EV630 mic 1952
-Shure "Green Bullet" mic 1992
-Electro Voice RE10 mic
-Harmonica's : Seydel