Wolf Mail
True bluesmen are travellers by nature always heading to the nearest gig or hangout to play their music and play their trade. Of all the blues players alive to day Wolf Mail could stake a claim to being the most travelled, the road, the band van and that 'big ol jet airliner' are where he lives most of the year. He's covered a million miles and more to bring his music to the people. Sometimes racking up over 200 shows a year, ripping it up in smoky dives, energising large halls and bringing his distinctive stage flourish to festivals.
Born in Canada, Wolf Mail started his journey into the music world when his obsession and raw talent with the guitar saw him play his first ever gig at the age of 14. His main influences are Elmore James and Peter Green. He recalls being virtually pushed on to the stage by one of his friends to play in front of almost 1000 people at an outdoor show . "I was terrified and played the whole gig with my back to the audience'. At 17 he ran away from home to put his own band together.
At age 19 he made a decision that would change the course of his life, he purchased a one way bus ticket from Montreal to Los Angeles.
Though it was hardly an instant ticket to fame and fortune, and for a while Wolf lived on the road quite literally, living in the San Fernando valley (North Los Angeles) in a 1963 Chevy Nova station wagon. He picked it up for $300 and says ' living in the back of your car tends to get you focused on what really counts, it made me determined to make something of myself and my music”
Wolf started gigging around the LA scene at places like the Troubadour and the famed Whisky a-gogo in West Hollywood. Within a few years he was performing interstate onto Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Colombia, Alberta and many other states.
It was also a time when Wolf honed is writing skills and, to cut a long journey short, got it all together to make his first Album 'Solid Ground' in LA. With his contacts and playing pedigree Wolf had no trouble getting great musicians around to help with his debut record including Greg Babcock of Traffic on drums, Jeff Healey's Steve Mc Cormack on bass and Eric Clapton’s Pattie Rich on backing vocals. It retains a special place for Wolf who says 'it was fantastic I am still very proud of 'Solid Ground' and it has a sound that I will be revisiting in future work'.
After the first album things took off literally - more planes, trains and band vans. "I toured in Europe for a while, doing support for Robben Ford and others, so with Solid Ground getting a great rap I started touring there seriously. Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria, Scandinavia and my first break into Russia. After so long in the USA - Russia felt like another world. Travelling the Trans Siberian Express with a band and gear to some out of the way out cities is up there in my life and music experiences. I still love the place and the people'
Over the next few years Wolf's musical journey accelerated. After the 'playing the blues dues' slow build to the first album, Wolf recorded two more studio albums after securing his first Japanese recording deal and deciding to call Sydney, Australia home. The Japan deal brought him a top 10 hit and a coveted exclusive endorsement deal with Gibson Guitars.
Player Magazine selected Mail as the "Close-up" artist of the month in June 2005. Other artists have included Robert Cray and Brian Setzer.
He'd learned about Australia's blossoming blues rock scene from Australia's premier Blues guitar legend Mal Eastick and decided to try out writing much of his next album down under. Recorded between LA and the South of France with The Steve Miller Band 'Blue Fix' saw a Wolf go for broke with power guitar riffing and a full blues rock sound.
Wolf has a unique affection for the show and one of his most memorable experience was supporting the late great Johnny Winter.
'My music icons are Elmore James, Peter Green, Hendrix and Miles Davis, if I can get somewhere in the ballpark blending those guys I am happy'
Wolf Mail’s set includes numbers from all his studio albums aforementioned rootsy debut 'Solid Ground' , 'Blue Fix' , 'Electric Love Soul' and most recently 'Above the Influence'. There's also a couple of stunning covers- John Lee Hooker's "It serves me right' and 'Need your love" originally made famous by Peter Green. Yet this performance perhaps transcends them all, a culmination of everything that has gone before it also points to a fresh direction.
In 2010 he signed an endorsement deal with Australian guitar luthier Mark Gilbert, which saw the birth of a Wolf Mail Signature Guitar. Rolling Stone Magazine selected it as one of its “choice award” top 10 instrument of the year. Wolf is also endorsed by Carvin amplifier, and was one of the first artists with Joe Walsh to use the Carvin Bel Air vintage series.
In 2012 MusicOz Australia gave Wolf Mail best top 5 international performer of the year award.
In 2014, after an extensive tour of Scandinavia, while supporting Blues legend Johnny Winter, Oseana Auditorium was released.
In 2018 he joined forces with Australian Soul singer Milena Barrett. The pair recorded an album and toured Internationally to support it. A US Blues Music Award nomination followed. Milena and Wolf performed several memorable shows at the BB King Club in Memphis, TN.
In 2020, eager to pass on his musical knowledge and experiences, Mail started “Wolf Guitar School”. His unconventional teaching style, heart and soul driven has attracted a large number of student. So how can we sum up Wolf's million mile journey.
Perhaps the most appropriate quote comes from Alligator records CEO and founder Bruce Iglauer who has spent half a century in the music business, and recorded the likes of Buddy Guy and Otis Rush.
Bruce just said 'I'm really impressed with his playing, Wolf Mail really knows how to take his time which is not always true for blues rock guitar heroes'
