Hi, I'm Jim McAllister. I've been playing the guitar since 1971, starting on acoustic. In 1972, I bought my first electric guitar, a Hofner. I've been into the Blues since before I could even play. I'm unashamedly fondest of the British Invasion Blues artists of the 1960s, including Eric Clapton, Alvin Lee, and early Jeff Beck. I learned of the Blues firstly through the British guys and even though I have an extensive collection of African American Blues music, my heart is still anchored in the formative music that first made me realize I needed to play the Blues myself. "You don't choose to play the Blues, The Blues chooses You" is as true today in my life as it's been in those of everyone who lives and breathes The Blues. That notwithstanding, I also love Classic Rock and I've managed to combine the two genres and develop an individual style that owes equal portions to both.
I have been in and out of bands since 1972, but always worked a day job. I have been a vehicle builder, a spraypainter and a truckdriver, while playing guitar for fun in my spare time and gigging occasionally when my bands could get the work.
From 1978 till 1988, I didn't play in public because there was nowhere to play thanks to disco. My spare time during these 11 years was taken up by doing competitive Powerlifting. I have lifted weights since 1966. Because it's my nature to try to be the best I can be, I threw myself into it and enjoyed a long career, the highlight of which was winning the Australian Drug Free Championship in the 100 kg division in 1986. I was Runner-up in the Superheavyweight division in 1988 and was ranked Top 10 in the World from 1986 to 1989.
I knew if I waited long enough disco would die out, and sure enough it did. I came back playing in a '50's and '60's band, then played lead guitar in the top originals band in Queensland, winning the Sunny Award in 1993. I then formed the good-rockin' James Gang, and gigged sporadically until 1997. After being made redundant from my truck driving job after 15 years, I decided to pursue a full-time career in music. The James Gang broke up at exactly the same time and at the encouragement of my drummer, I went solo.
I've been a full-time professional musician since October 1997. My reportiore consists of songs by Gary Moore, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Thorogood, Cream, Deep Purple, and many other classic Blues/Rock artists. I keep it as real and as live as a soloist can, given that I play to backing tracks. Since June 2005, I've also been a member of TALIZMAN, a three-piece band playing much the same music as I do as a soloist. Click on the link below to go check out my other site that features TALIZMAN'S songs and pictures as well as more of my personal pics.
TALIZMAN myspace page
For more complete information on what I do and my band TALIZMAN, check out my website by clicking the banner below.
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You see me on the horizon, I always come alone.
Traveling the highways, no friend to call my own.
Come into your city, don’t care how near or far.
Hard as nails, a loner, I live by my guitar.
I live my life my way, follow my own code.
Living for my music, and the never-ending road.
You won’t understand me, I walk a different path.
Fire burning in my heart, can’t do things by half.
You ask me what drives me, as if you’d understand.
Never had it easy, never had no helping hand.
People try to shut me down, but I won’t go away.
The Blues and me are partners until my dying day.
Iron in my fingers, and gravel in my throat,
Everything I feel comes out in every note.
Honor in my heart, I’ve paid up all my dues.
Don’t care what you call me, I’m the Black Knight of the Blues.
