Steamboat Pilot & Today

Back Door Slam drummer Ross Doyle can be difficult to understand on the phone.

With a thick accent native to his band's home on the Isle of Man, Doyle speaks briefly but confidently about Back Door Slam's life on the road. On Sept. 5, Doyle turned 22 years old at the end of a tour opening for Kid Rock and circuiting the country with longtime friends and bandmates Davy Knowles and Adam Jones.

When Back Door Slam starts playing, any hurdles in communication disappear. Knowles, who at 21 is more than a little bit of a blues guitar prodigy, has the voice of a much older man, shredding through original song after original song. Doyle and Jones back him with solid rhythm, but they know better than to get in Knowles' way - the kid is going places, and his band is happy to go with him.

On Saturday, the trio plays at Old Town Pub, back on the road after an appearance today at Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Doyle talked to 4 Points about his band's sound, his favorite drummers and what it's like to be a young success.

4 POINTS: How would you describe Back Door Slam's music?

ROSS DOYLE: It's blues-rock high-energy, I'd say. We've got a good bit of blues in there.

4 POINTS: How did you guys start playing blues music?

RD: Davy was listening to that when he was younger, and when he started the band, that was the kind of music he wanted to do, so we just wanted to follow that.

4 POINTS: You guys have known each other for a while, from growing up together on the Isle on Man. Do you think that helps the dynamic of the band?

RD: It does, yeah. We know each other, and because we have that base, we can learn each other musically, as well, so it (the music) can be kind of tight, as well.

4 POINTS: Who are your favorite blues-style drummers?

RD: John Bonham, I'd say of course, in Led Zeppelin. And Steve Jordan, he's a session drummer. : John Bonham of course, he's amazing, he can play anything he wants.

4 POINTS: What do you think of getting these opening spots on tours and getting as much attention as you have, being as young as you guys are?

RD: I think it's an amazing experience for us. We've been very lucky to get this far, especially with this Kid Rock tour - it was a stroke of luck getting that.