THE FULL STORY

Playing in bands since the age of sixteen, Scottie "Mad Dog" Blinn cut his teeth with legendary
San Diego bluesman Tomcat Courtney in the late '80's. By 1992, at the age of 23, Blinn hooked
up with drummer Tom Essa, who was drumming for the rock band Natashia's Ghost. With bassist
Mike "Sandalwood Haze" Jones joining up, they formed the Mississippi Mudsharks, a hard rockin'
blues band that took the San Diego scene and developed a young, loyal following.

By 1994, the Mudsharks were gigging 300 nights a year, and put out their first CD "Workin' For
Nickels And Dimes", and opening for every major blues headliner coming through town. What really
set the band apart in the blues scene was the energy coming off the stage at every show, the "we
don't give a fuck if it's too loud" attitude, and the effort they put into writing original songs.

With all the hard work paying off, the band was touring the southwest and California regularly, the
European market was taking notice, and they were opening shows for the likes of Buddy Guy,
George Clinton And P-Funk, Dick Dale, and Willie Nelson. Even Brian Setzer and Clarence
"Gatemouth" Brown would drop by to sit in! But the highlight was getting to hang with ZZ Top
several times, including a night where Blinn and "idol" Billy Gibbons pulled an allnighter in Dallas,
Texas, talking cars, guitars, blues, and playing guitar.

By 1996, the Mississippi Mudsharks were on their way to Europe, where their first CD hit #1 on the
CrossCut Records Blues Charts. Following up the tour, they returned home to record their second
CD, "Traditional Heavy". This CD also hit #1 on the CrossCut Blues Charts, and by 1997 the band
received the honor of receiving their third straight San Diego Music Award for "Best Blues"
('95, '96, '97).

1998 brought more of the same for the Mudsharks, with touring and more recognition in Europe,
ranking #2 at the Cologne, Germany's "Talkin' Blues Show".

By 1999, everyone was tired, and musical differences broke up the band. They put out one more
CD, the live "Whatcha Hear Is Whatcha Get", and toured Europe one more time. Blinn also formed
a new hard rockin' trio , The Tiki Torchers, with former "Hooters" drummer Dave Uosikkinnen and
Tim Butler (Hot Rod Lincoln) on bass. They put out the CD "Hoodoo Charm". Blinn's efforts earned
him San Diego Music Award nominations for "Best Blues" with the Mudsharks, "Best Blues CD"
with the Tiki Torchers, and "Artist Of The Year" the same year. "Hoodoo Charm" went to #4 on the
CrossCut Blues Chart, following Stevie Ray Vaughan & Albert King, Rory Gallager, and Luther Allison.

After a 2001 European tour with The Tiki Torchers, Blinn hooked up with old friend and former
harmonica player for Social Distortion, Eric "Jailhouse" Von Herzen, and formed "Mississippi Mud".
This proved to be a great turning point in the musical direction of the band. After three European
tours and two CD's, "Mississippi Mud" (2002, nominated "Best Blues Album at the SDMA's), and
the EP, "The Hangin' Tree" (2004), Blinn and Von Herzen had planted the seed for a "new sound"
they coined "Grease Punk".

After a serious illness sidelined "Jailhouse" in 2005, Blinn regrouped with original Mudshark
drummer Tom Essa, and bassist "Big" Mike Lars. The Mississippi Mudsharks were back! 2006
brought a new CD of originals, "Train Rolls On", which hit #3 on the CrossCut Blues Charts, was
nominated for "Best Blues Album" by the San Diego Music Awards, and has received great reviews
for it's hard edged roots/punk sound. The band immediately went on a festival and club tour in
Europe for two months to support the CD, and came home fired up.

2007 had the boys at it again with a Summer European Tour, hitting Germany, Belgium, Holland,
and Switzerland for festival and club dates. The tour was probably the best yet, hitting hard and groovin' their
European friends and fans at packed shows night after night.

2008 started off on a high note with the return of Eric Von Herzen on harmonica and vocals
(fresh off of playing with Social Distortion on the So. Cal. leg of their tour), and Greg "Whiskey Willy"
Willis on bass (both of "Missisippi Mud"). A new CD titled "Voodoo Doll" was recorded, and the band just returned
from an extensive 8 week tour to promote it. One of the main highlights was opening for one of "Mad Dog's"
favotrite bands, "Tito & Tarantula" at the Rockhouse in Salzburg, Austria.

~~The Mississippi Mudshark's Sound~~

Blinn's aggresive guitar style, and propensity for putting drunk patrons in their place, earned him
the nickname "Mad Dog" by Eric "Jailhouse" Von Herzen. He approaches the blues, and all roots
styles, with the same aggressive attitude.

"Grease Punk", and the Mississippi Mudsharks, are a cross of early tradtional blues, country, and
surf, done with a "fuck you" attitude. It has been described as "Screamin' Jay Hawkins meets the Cramps",
and draws as much from Lightnin' Hopkins and John Lee Hooker as it does from the Clash and
Social Distortion. The roots are firmly planted, making any style they want to mix them with work.

Blinn likes to compare it to his '52 Chevy....flat black on the outside, but a souped up 350 under the
hood, and loud ass lakespipes off the sides. Greasy, primitive, and raw...The Mississippi Mudsharks.

Photo by Scott Blinn