Derek Miller

Derek Miller - The Dirty Looks - 2006 - Arbor Records

Guitarist Derek Miller is a great bluesman in the vein of Eric Clapton and Jeff Healey. And while his live shows are incredibly energetic and mesmerizing, this album is a great source of big, brawny blues-rock in the vein of Canadian act Big Sugar. The album opens with the seedy, slinky "Devil Come Down Sunday," which has Miller's chops front and center. It's a great song from start to finish and never falters. From there, Miller opts for a somewhat leaner, linear pop/rock number entitled "Stormy Eyes," which brings the likes of Big Wreck to mind. However, the musician falls into a trap with a stale, run-of-the-mill "Girls!," which adds little to the record. A syrupy, sugary duet with Lucie Idlout on "Ooh La La" works far better and is a vast improvement. When the performer goes with his greatest assets, as is the case with the slower but strong "Ocean (All Night Long)," Miller is at his best, despite not breaking out into the type of loud barroom blues romp he's noted for. This song is also one of the dark horses or sleeper picks of the dozen presented here, and perhaps the only power ballad still showing some snippets of his great guitar work. But Miller ups the ante with the rollicking, George Thorogood-ish stomper "10 000 RPM" and the equally hellacious "Shot o' Cake," which never lets up. However, all of these gems pale compared to the verve and passion he brings to the table during a cover of "Mystery Train (The Lonely Hearts Club)." © Jason MacNeil © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/dirty-looks-2006-album-by-derek-miller-1

"Exudes the kind of bravura technical skill, keen power pop sensibilities, and refreshing youthful rock `n' roll energy that I haven't seen or heard the likes of in a nascent group since I saw Rush's first live performance in front of an audience the night they made their public debut." - Jeffery Morgan, CREEM EDITORIAL REVIEW (Amazon.com)

Second full-length by blues-rock singer/songwriter Derek Miller! Debut CD Music is the Medicine won Juno, Indian Summer Music, CAMA, and Nammy Awards. The release also placed in the top third of the Village Voice Critic's Poll and made Top 10 of the Year in the Detroit Metro Times Critics' Poll. In January 2005, Miller performed at the American Indian Presidential Inaugural Ball in Washington DC. EDITORIAL REVIEW (Amazon.com)

Good follow-up album to Derek's Juno Award-winning "Love Is The Medicine". Some of the best tracks are "10,000 RPM", "Devil Come Down Sunday, "Shot O' Cocaine" and "Never Gonna Get Enough". Sometimes sickly sweet balladic rock tunes can be a turn off for many blues rock fans, but the tracks "Ocean", "Stormy Eyes" and "Ohh la la" are an exception to the rule, being bluesy and soulful, and far less "sugary" than some of the commercial so called blues rock power ballads heard on mainstream radio. Derek Miller is a wonderful guitarist, and very worthy of a wider audience. [ "Musically, Miller utilizes the power chord with an unbridled energy with the dexterity of a samurai swordsman". © Brian Wright-McLeod 2007 www.indiancountrynews.net ] Buy his terrific "Music Is The Medicine" album and promote this great musician.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

Devil Come Down Sunday - Derek Miller
Stormy Eyes - Derek Miller
Girls! - Derek Miller
Throw the Hammer Down - Derek Miller
Ooh La La - Derek Miller
Never Gonna Get Enough - Derek Miller, Morningstar Diabo
Ocean (All Night Long) - Derek Miller
10 000 RPM - Derek Miller, Morningstar Diabo
Malibu - Derek Miller
Shot o' Cake - Derek Miller
Wishing Well - Derek Miller, Dave Deleary
Mystery Train (The Lonely Hearts Club) - Sam C. Phillips, Herman Parker, Jr

MUSICIANS

Derek Miller - (Guitar), (Synthesizer), (Bass), (Percussion), (Keyboards), (Vocals)
Brandon Friesen - (Guitar), (Synthesizer)
Ken Hoover, Dave Deleary - (Bass), (Vocals Background)
Matt Campbell - (Organ), (Piano)
Sean Kilbride, Christian Dugas - (Drums)
Paul Scinocca - (Percussion)
Lucie Idlout - (Vocals Background)

MORE ABOUT DEREK MILLER / ALBUM

The most exciting aboriginal singer songwriter working today, Juno Award winner Derek Miller who’s career was kick started in 2002 with the release of ‘MUSIC IS THE MEDICINE.’ has taken his career to another level in 2008 with the release of ’DIRTY LOOKS.’ The new CD is a collection of songs that reflect the changes he went through purging the bad habits he had cultivated on the road. Derek spent some time in the one place you won’t find Amy Winehouse, a rehab centre. The mood of his new materiel may be somber but his guitar playing is all fire and brimstone. From the scorching blues licks in The Devil Came Down on Sunday to the subtle melodic touches he adds on Stormy Eyes. Derek Miller consolidates his standing has one of the finest musicians of his generation. ‘’By 2005, I felt like I had lost my soul completely, touring, drinking and pumping my body full of drugs. It had me reeling pretty bad and I knew I had to stop or I would die but I needed help. That’s what I was battling as I went to record Dirty Looks. It was the hardest thing I’d done at that point, then I went through rehab and wrung out the laundry. Though native culture, ceremony and trauma recovery I felt I’d won my soul back and you can hear that torture on that record, I’m just grateful I lived through it. I am very grateful.’’ It’s been a long road for Derek Miller who grew up on the Six Nations reserve in Ontario and started playing guitar when he was given a warped neck Fender guitar that was found in his grandfather’s closet at age 13.’’ Looking back at it now, it was as though his spirit was saying, take this, talk to your mystery through this guitar and everything will be fine’’ Derek went through his mother’s record collection and found he had an insatiable appetite for the blues. He found his mentors in Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughn along with rock guitarists Peter Townsend and Eddie Van Halen. He developed as a singer listening to Jimmy Reed and Otis Redding. Derek played in pick up bands and local outfits honing his skills and writing until he released an EP entitled Sketches. The first recording showed a guitar player with a lot of talent and a blossoming songwriter but it due to independent distribution it didn’t generate large numbers in the sales department. He moved to Arizona to join Keith Secola and The Wild Band of Indians, Secola had reached cult status with his song INDIAN CAR, also toured with the Grateful Dead and was on first name basis with the members of U2. Derek worked on Keith’s award winning FINGERMONKEY CD and spent a lot of time on the road. He gained some very valuable experience from the old road warrior Secola who toured across America and Europe, this would help him later down the road when he would be in charge of his own band. He returned to Canada to start his solo career and released MUSIC IS THE MEDICINE, the CD won a Juno award for him and more important introduced him to a much larger audience and international touring. He had yet to become a household name but his talents have impressed many of his peers such as Buffy Ste Marie who described him as ‘’ Derek is like Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Kris Kristopherson but better. He’s got a Mohawk heart.’’ Robbie Robertson a brillant guitarist himself whose career produce such timeless hits as THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN was taken by Derek’s fretwork. ‘’ Derek’s guitar playing and vocals really get under your skin.’’ The DIRTY LOOKS CD is Derek’s best musical statement so far, the songs part of his spiritual journey serve as a catalyst for the curing of a troubles soul. The opening cut THE DEVIL CAME DOWN SUNDAY sets the tone with in your face guitar and lyrics that pay homage to blues seminal godfather Robert Johnson who in blues mythology sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads and later wrote a song . Derek is dealing with his own devil, the conflict is a personal one. "The devil came down on Sunday, offered me a ride. I’m going down to the Crossroads, Mohawk road". THROW THE HAMMER DOWN is another pedal to the mettle that shows Derek at the turning point, now willing to stand up and fight with the conviction that winning is the only option. "You feel you’re losing ground. You got to dig a little deeper even though you’re hands are bound. Time for some action a different point of view. It’s just a matter of reaction. Time to throw the hammer down". © Len O'Connor, Septemper 10th, 2007, First Nations Drum http://firstnationsdrum.com/2007/09/derek-miller-time-to-throw-the-hammer-down/

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Derek Miller (born October 29, 1974) is an aboriginal Canadian singer-songwriter from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. He is a two-time winner of the Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year, for his albums Music Is The Medicine and The Dirty Looks. He performed at the Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics with Eva Avila and Nikki Yanofsky. Derek Miller is a journeyman musician with eclectic taste and a knack for blues-inflected roots rock. Miller became interested in music in his early teens, and by the late '90s had not only toured with iconic Canadian vocalist Buffy Sainte-Marie, but had also won 2 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Having performed at showcases, the occasional opening act solo slot and many shows in his own right, Derek has been brought to the attention of veteran and well respected musicians, such as Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson and Buffy Ste. Marie. He opened for Buffy on a series of theatre concerts where he wowed crowds with songs from his debut five song EP CD entitled Sketches. In 1999, this EP won him a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Male Artist. During the same year, Derek moved to Arizona where he co-produced the Keith Secola and the Wild Band of Indians "Fingermonkey" release. This inadvertently won a Native American Music Award in 2000 for Best Independent Album. Then in the Fall of 2002 he released his debut album, Music Is the Medicine, a collaboration with Juno Award Winning Producer Brandon Friesen was released on Grammy Award Winning label Soar Records in the United States and Arbor Records in Canada. Music is the Medicine is a perfect amalgamation of influences culled throughout his 14 years of performing. Blues based rock inspired by the likes of Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Hank Williams Sr. is how his music is best described. Derek's live performances strike a contrast between the dark, soul searching messages in his music and his light hearted enthusiasm and vitality. Derek performs his music with an air of feeling totally comfortable on stage… like he was born explicitly to write, sing and play. Music Is The Medicine has already won "Aboriginal Recording of the Year" at the Juno Awards and the "Outstanding Music Achievement Award" from the First American In The Arts! Derek continues to tour in support of his releases throughout Canada, USA. and Europe. Extensive touring followed his debut success, and by 2005 Miller found himself exhausted and struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. Subsequently, he entered rehab and spent the next year or so working to regain his physical, mental, and spiritual health. In 2007 he released his sophomore effort, The Dirty Looks. “He’s like Hank Williams and Link Wray on peyote…”- Jim Jarmusch. "Derek’s guitar playing and vocals really get under your skin." —Robbie Robertson. Derek’s next album ‘Derek Miller with Double Trouble’ takes us to the heart of Native Americana romanticism. It uses vintage tones and aesthetics of 50’s rock and roll with a modern twist, telling the story of a mythical man who has a blind moment of insanity and the events that got him to that point. The development in his newest recordings describe in a metaphoric way, the trials and tribulations of the artist. The first single ‘Damned If You Do’ features Willie Nelson singing a duet with Derek, which has a ‘Rez Dub’-like backing track complete with horns to add some sizzle. “The album is my attempt to create the feeling I got from soul, blues and country records I have listened to. Hillbilly Soul with some Mohawk swagger.” Derek Miller is a dynamic performer, whether you catch him live or are listening to his studio albums, you can get a real sense of an artist striving for the pursuit of perfection in his work. Derek is currently expanding his skills even further than singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer and actor to entrepreneur, with his new project Derek Miller Enterprises “DME”, Derek’s multi-media entertainment company. “I’m very excited with everything that is swirling around at the moment. I am confident that the business ventures I am committed to will help build an infrastructure to benefit the generations to come.”