Michael Katon

Audio Clips | Riders & Publicity

Just before Michael Katon hits the road again it’s time to release the new live album. It features 12 songs of the Katon catalogue. Classics like “American McMofo”, “Back To Your Cages”, “Bad Machine”, “Rock ‘n Roll Man” and “Motorcycle Blues” are just a few of the songs on the album. The sound of Live & On The Prowl is raw, mean and spirited, combining lowdown blues and boogie with the amped-up approach of the highest energy rock ’n’ roll band you’d care to name. So beware of the boogieman from Hell, Michigan or you’ll end up Boogified!

The Story So Far

His fans call him 'The Boogie-Man From Hell'. Michael Katon from the village of Hell, Michigan USA stands for roadhouse boogie, a kind of rock and roll mixed with blues, rockabilly and country; actually he makes the kind of boogie that should be played with the volume on maximum.

Michael Katon started playing the guitar in 1965. After he had learned a few chords, he discovered and started studying the work of all great bluesmen and rock and roll pioneers and bought an old Telecaster with the loudest amplifier he could find. His greatest inspiration came from musicians like Otis Rush, Albert, B.B. and Freddie King, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elmore James. From then on the young guitarist started playing anyw­here people wanted to hear his brand of raw blues and rock and roll.

In 1974, Michael moved to Los Angeles where he found that people were more into "disco-boogie" than into his type of boogie. He still managed to scratch out a living by playing in every "blues joint" he could find down the California coast line. In 1977 he headed back home to the more fertile "boogie ter­rain" of the Midwest and formed a band for the purpose of recording songs for his first album. Various recording sessions were held in Chicago but the produ­cer in charge could never capture the raw sound Michael was looking for. In order to capture that sound, he realized that he had to produce the recordings himself, so that's what he did. On a shoestring budget he bought some second hand recor­ding equipment, assembled his own crude studio and set to work.

In 1984 Michael's first album "Boogie All Over Your Head" was released on his own Wild Ass Record label. The record received favourable reviews in a number of US music publications. A review by Cub Koda for Goldmine Magazine caught the attention of the Swedish record label, Garageland Records who released this pure boogie rock & roll album.

In 1987 a second album "Proud To Be Loud" was released in Sweden. This hard edged blues and boogie album was well received and critical acclaim prompted British/French company Loop Records to offer a deal which paved the way for Michael's first overseas appearan­ces. Michael Katon and his music survived his first 2 European record companies and signed to Provogue in 1993.

In March of that year Provogue released Michael Katon's third album "Get On The Boogie Train". On the thirteen tracks the artist stays true to playing the blues with raw energy, straight from the heart. Because "Proud To Be Loud" had only been limited available, it was re-released by Provogue in Sep­tember 1993. The album, containing high energy blues 'n boogie again was remastered for this purpose.
The 1994 album "Rip It Hard" was, if possible, even heavier than the previous albums and helped him to establish further as one of the leading names in heavy blues.
Spring 1996 saw the release of the album "RUB". Rock and roll boogie, loud and intense as always but on the second part of his last studio album Katon can also be heard accousticly in the slow blues track "The Devil's Daughter" and the Zeppelinish "Back Water Moon", while he received great critical acclaim for the compelling "Attack Of Badness", a boogie that reminds one to Prince.
Michael Katon toured Europe in 1998 and 1999 in support of his live album "Bustin' Up The Joint-Live" which was recorded in Howard's Club in Bowling Green, Ohio,.

“The Rage Called Rock’n’Roll” is Michael’s previous instalment in the musical saga of Michael Katon, the boogie man from Hell. Signature Katon style is what you got yet Michael headed into new directions. Check out “Two Angels Flying”, “Runaway Train” or “Jesus Wears Adidas”. A jagged thread of tradition while breaking new ground. Pure Rock’n’Roll that beats from a blues heart as straight up as they come.

“Bad Machine” is Michael Katon’s 2002, 8th and it’s a traditional Katon album. Check out the blues song “The Lost TV Clicker Blues” to boogie tracks like “The Pierced, Tattooed and Twenty Somethin’ Boogie” and “The Detroit River Dirty Blues”, this is one smokin’album.

“MK” is Katon’s latest album released by Provogue Records in February ‘06. It featured 10 new hard & heavy blues rock songs in vintage Katon style. His sound is raw, mean and spirited, combining lowdown blues and boogie with the amped-up approach of the highest energy rock ’n’ roll band you’d care to name.

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