“It’s the hard-driving blues style of guys like Stevie Ray Vaughan, and ZZ Top,” says Elm Street drummer Hank Hess.  “Of course, they were all influenced by the three Kings – Freddie King, Albert King and BB King.”

            This year, the Elm Street Blues Band celebrates [sixteen] years of rockin’ the blues – Texas and otherwise – on the North Coast.  But these guys have been around a lot longer than that.  Hess’s first band was Pig Iron, which was a local club staple back in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.  He has also played with Cleveland’s pioneering bluesmen, Jimmy Ley and Bill “Mr. Stress” Miller.

            Other members of the Elm Street Blues Band have also had their share of gigs.  After honing their blues chops on local guitar legend Glenn Schwartz [from The James Gang and Pacific Gas and Electric (of the 60s)] as well as growing up with Dad’s influences like Wilson Pickett and James Brown, the McFadden brothers Eric, Dan and Chris started playing in their own band.  Then in 1992, they formed Elm Street with Eric and Dan on guitar, Chris on bass, along with Tom Scaparato on drums and Shawn Slagel as lead singer.  Figuring on a name came easy – they just took the name of the street their dad’s body shop business was on – Elm Street in Willoughby.

            Dan says brother Chris became one of the best bass players around after he and Eric made him learn the stringed instrument.  However, nowadays the younger McFadden plays [bass and] guitar [however after 10 years with the band, Chris moved on to play rhythm guitar and bass] for The Mr. Stress Blues Band.  [Chris has currently put a band together with brother Eric to form the McFadden Brothers Band where they both share guitar, bass and vocals].

            Current bass player Jim Bidelman, another former Pig Iron member, recalls the early “Peppermint Stick days” when the McFadden brothers would regularly stop in at the Willoughby bar to watch and learn from one of the most popular biker blues bands of the ‘70’s.  For three years, Pig Iron was the Saturday night house band at the Peppermint Stick.

            “They were just young [kids] back then,” Bidelman says with a laugh.  “I mean, probably only about 12 or 13 years old.  I think Pig Iron had a real influence on them.”

            Dan McFadden agrees.

            “Yeah, and Chris was only about 10 when we’d go see them.  Bill Ely was the leader of that great band and we followed them a lot.”

            Bidelman played rhythm guitar with Pig Iron from 1974 until the “late ‘80s”  (he can’t recall just what year) along with Hank Hess and Bill Ely.  Bidelman has been with Elm Street since June [2002] and says he’s enjoying every minute of it.  He is also a singer/songwriter in his own right and has released a solo CD titled, “It’s about Time, Again.” 

            As with most bands, there have been members who have come and gone over the decade, but today the Elm Street Blues Band is going strong with Dan McFadden on guitar, Hank Hess on drums and vocals, [and] Jim Bidelman on bass.  [Editor's note: The harp player, Trevor Doucette, joined the band in 2004. He was born in Chicago, and he sounds like it.  He cites Sonny Boy Williamson II as well as harp legend Bill "Mr. Stress" Miller as influences.  He stepped down after 4 years of playing with the band and their lastest harp player stepped in, Daniel "Crash" Kowall. ] 

           *Crash has played harmonica ever since 1973 after seeing Wet Willie in concert.  For the next 5 years he has studied the style of Little Walter day and night.  After college, the harmonica tapered off until seeing the J. Geils band in 1999.  Then he knew he should have never stopped playing and has been playing ever since.  His influences include Little Walter, J. Geils, James Cotton, Satan and Adam, and 15-60-75.  Oh yeah....the nickname came from trying to be a pilot.....it didn't work out....      [*Editor's addition]   

           Their repertoire is made for a good time.  A sample of the Elm street song list includes fan favorites such as “Route 66,” by Bobbi Troupe, “Same Old Blues,” by Freddie King, “I’m Tired,” by Savoy Brown, “Work Together” by Canned Heat, and Hank Hess’s personal favorite, an obscure ZZ Top tune called ,“Arrested For Driving While Blind.”