Looking Back At Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble ‘Texas Flood’ – The New York Times

Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon of Double Trouble, the band that Stevie Ray Vaughan fronted for years, sat in a North Austin coffee shop on a recent afternoon, trying to wrap their heads around the last three decades. Things are coming into focus with the release of the 30th-anniversary Legacy Edition of Texas Flood, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s debut album.

…Mr. Layton said he remembered thinking Texas Flood, released in June 1983, had a lot going against it. The album was raw and muscular, flush with guitar histrionics and deep Texas blues, mixing both original compositions and tunes from Howlin’ Wolf, the Isley Brothers and Buddy Guy. It was a departure from the Billboard Hot 100, which featured singles from Culture Club and Men at Work.

…“Right after the record came out, we pulled up to the place where we were supposed to perform in San Francisco,” Mr. Shannon said. “We’d played there a few times before to maybe 50 people. Now there were hundreds outside that couldn’t get in. We pulled up and thought, ‘Who’s playing here tonight?’ We couldn’t fathom they were here for us.”

Read more at The New York Times.