Who’s Calling is an astonishing and fresh-sounding album from the 77-years-young guitarist, who beat long odds just to record itWho’s Calling is the 16th album under Harvey Mandel’s name as a leader, and his second for Tompkins Square following the 2016 acclaimed comeback, Snake Pit. Joined by guitarist and co-producer Ryan Jewell (Ryley Walker, Laraaji) […]
Harvey Update, March 16, 2023
GOOD NEWS! YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE PAYING OFF! Harvey is doing better health wise these last few weeks, but not financially. He needs to pay for his latest surgery, and with your help we can knock off some of his eye doc bills. Harvey has now had cataract surgery on both of his eyes, and he […]
Harvey’s Medical Mess
Harvey Mandel needs our help He was a member of Canned Heat. He played with John Mayall. He played with The Rolling Stones. In fact, he almost became a Rolling Stone. He is Harvey “The Snake” Mandel. His career has spanned over 50 years, bridging the gap between the blues, jazz and rock with his […]
Did Harvey Mandel create two-handed tapping, or was it Van Halen?
According to George Lynch, guitarist for Dokken and later Lynch Mob (not to mention a tapping expert) he witnessed Mandel employing a tapping technique at a Canned Heat show at the Starwood, a popular West Hollywood club, in the Seventies. Lynch wasn’t alone that night. He was accompanied by a friend and fellow guitarist who […]
Happy Woodstock day Harvey Mandel ♪
Woodstock, the iconic festival that rocked New York, took place the weekend of August 15-18, 1969, on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York, 40 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock. Unsurprisingly, it remains the most famous music festival in rock ‘n’ roll history. Canned Heat’s gig took place during sunset. The sky […]
“Did you ever cross paths with Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix? “
In Josh Rosenthal’s 3/11 2015 interview with Harvey Mandel, he asked: “Did you ever cross paths with Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix? “ Harvey answered: “Yup. Not Jim Morrison. I never really crossed paths with him. But Hendrix, when I did my first record, “Cristo Redentor” we went to New York at Electric Ladyland and […]
Harvey Mandel’s Fan Page kidnapped?
Harvey received a chilling email 9/24 stating that his Facebook Fan page was being suspended, this time, for alleged child nudity and sexual exploitation. That’s right, “this time,” as he was unduly suspended on 9/12 and faced his page being “unpublished because it violates Pages terms.” We replied that it was a mistake. It was. […]
UPDATE: October 6
Harvey’s visit to the “finger” doctor was troubling. He can slightly move his finger up and down, but can’t bend it at all. He’s now in a new splint that lets him move his other fingers, but not the pinky. Harvey says his doctor is the top hand orthopedist specialist at UCSF and he’s back […]
Harvey Mandel at Woodstock
Harvey Mandel’s participation at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was accidental. Playing at the Fillmore West, Canned Heat’s guitarist Henry Vestine suddenly left the group. Canned Heat asked Mandel to sit in for one half and Mike Bloomfield the other half (not bad replacements!). Afterwards, the Heat offered Mandel the guitar spot. He accepted and […]
I heard it through the…
“I heard the guitar the way you hear it today. I knew where guitar was going twenty years before it got there.” This quote comes from Gary James of ClassicBnds.com when he interviewed Harvey Mandel. “I just knew in my head that guitar players were trying back then to play more like horns or like […]