It seems that more myths and misconceptions surround the blues and the people who perform it than any other musical genre. Probably the most common is the image of the blues man as a sort of surly, brooding soul. Although this may seem romantic, it's probably not an accurate description of most blues musicians today, and it's certainly not true of the three guys who comprise Blue Attitude. Their style is not fueled by melancholy, but rather a true love of the blues and of performing it live.

Featuring Jerry Thompson on lead guitar and vocals, Steve Gross on bass, and Dave Hoffer on drums, Blue Attitude performs what Thompson calls "blues from the heart." Their sound is primarily based on Chicago blues, and is surprisingly forceful considering the band is just a three-piece outfit. This depth of sound is due largely to Thompson's meticulous rock-infused guitar style and smoky vocals. A typical Blue Attitude performance features songs that run the gamut from B.B., Freddie and Albert King to Stevie Ray Vaughan to Thompson's own originals.

Although the band was formed just a year ago, Blue Attitude has been steadily gaining fans and drawing crowds at many area clubs over the past few months. Each member testifies that the mailing list is growing, and they are beginning to notice fans who follow them from gig to gig.

The band came together when Thompson and Gross met through mutual musician friends who often jammed together. Gross had previously played with Hoffer, whom he introduced to Thompson. "It all sort of fell together quickly," says Thompson. "But when you find the right guys who do what you like, you know it right away, and you stay together."

Gross and Hoffer admit that they were not steeped in the blues until they met Thompson, the understood leader of the group. Gross, who says he grew up listening to classic and Southern rock, had previously played in an alternative band that played the "typical college-type stuff--R.E.M., the Lemonheads--the alternative Top 40." He didn't begin playing the blues until meeting Thompson. Similarly, Hoffer had played only in rock bands.

Thompson, on the other hand, has been playing the blues since he learned it as a child on the Hammond organ. In the '70s, he played with a number of blues bands and toured extensively. Thompson realized he had some work to do with his new band mates, and quickly set out to introduce them to the blues.

Gross says he learned more as a musician when he began playing the blues with Thompson. "The blues makes you get back to basics. A rock song and a blues song may have the same three-chord progression, but how you change the tempo and how you play it makes all the difference."

Hoffer agrees, stating that a steady diet of playing rock got to be mechanical for him, and he prefers playing the blues because it allows a musician to be more intuitive. "With the blues," he explains, "it's all about feeling. How you feel a song on a certain night is how you're gonna play it. A song is never the same night after night."

Although each member of Blue Attitude appreciates the intuitive nature of playing the blues, they stress that they don't just get up on stage and break into a meandering jam for two hours. They prefer to stick to a tight play list. Thompson has developed a "force arrangement" which involves playing a series of upbeat tunes followed by a slower song that acts as a sort of break for the band and the audience. "After years of playing live, I can see what moves people," he says. "People like to get up and dance or move around to the faster songs. But then you have to give them a slower one to catch their breath or go get a beer to get ready to get up and dance some more."

Watching the band perform, it's easy to feel how genuinely Blue Attitude likes playing live and how they like the people they play for. During a show, Thompson manages to maintain a great rapport with the audience by talking to them, thanking them for their support, and explaining a little about the songs the band plays. Thompson says it's important for the audience to feel welcomed and comfortable at a Blue Attitude show. As men with day jobs, the band members know what the audience feels like after a long work week. "We're all involved in heavy stresses in life, and it's hard to get a compliment from anyone anymore, let alone a pay raise," Thompson states. "I feel the audience needs to at least know someone cares. We play to make people feel good. That's my whole thing."

The Lancaster area is not a Mecca for the blues, but that hasn't prevented Blue Attitude from successfully converting some of our rock and country loving locals. The band says they love playing the local blues joints, such as Big Mama's and Smokin' Jake's, because as Gross says, "the people who patronize these places expect the blues."

"But," Hoffer is quick to add, "we've always been accepted when we've played the clubs that usually book rock bands.

"Sometimes we'll be playing to an audience who you know expected to see a rock band," Hoffer continues, "and pretty soon you see them getting into it. Then they're like, 'Oh, so this is the blues. Cool.' All it takes is Jerry going into a great guitar groove, and you convert a lot of people." Gross believes that the blues can actually appeal to a wider audience than rock because it's less age-exclusive. P14="You don't often see an older couple at an alternative show, but you're more likely to see a wide variety of ages at a Blue Attitude show," he says.

Blue Attitude usually performs as a three-piece group, but from time to time, they invite guest musicians to play with them. Although they have no plans to permanently add other members to the band, they do enjoy playing with other people and experimenting a little. According to Thompson, he'd like to work with a harmonica and sax player in the near future. "We feel like every three months of playing we'll try to get a guest for the night to break things up," he says.

In addition to being an accomplished guitarist, Thompson is a prolific songwriter and has penned a number of originals that the group performs. He says he is most influenced by older blues men like Howlin' Wolf, but also loves the music of more modern performers such as Mike Griffin, Tinsley Ellis, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Thompson is Blue Attitude's primary songwriter, and although he accepts input from Gross and Hoffer, he usually has a really strong impression of exactly how he wants a song to be performed. "Sometimes I think the guys may wonder why I'm so insistent about certain things when we're practicing a new song," he says, "but I tell them to trust me. When our songs come together, they're 100 percent right."

Gross adds, "It usually doesn't take more than 45 minutes for one of Jerry's songs to come together."

In the near future, the band plans to release a CD of Thompson's originals. According to Thompson, everything is written and ready to record. He says he is looking forward to working in the studio with Gross and Hoffer because they are the hardest working guys he's ever played with.

Even though the guys in Blue Attitude have full-time jobs and families, they admit that they spend a lot of time practicing and discussing their playing. Each member says that the band is the major source of recreation and relaxation in their lives. Although they love performing, Blue Attitude has no plans to solicit record companies or begin touring extensively. Unlike some unsigned groups, they have a very casual attitude about the band; they simply play because they love doing it. Thompson explains, "Playing in the band is how we relax. People come to see us because they want to get out and relax and forget about their troubles. We try to be a release for them. Well, my release is performing. That's when I really let go and forget all my problems. It's great."

So, the next time you need a break from the job, the schoolwork, or the everyday troubles, check out a Blue Attitude performance. I guarantee their sound won't give you the blues.