"McDermott emerges as a scrappy, tonewise blue-slinger. His solo electric tunes highlight a wacky blend of humor and chops. His vocalizing numbers frame smooth, impassioned white boy pleas. Elvisy posturing, and telephone rap with soulful savage and savvy six stringing that recalls Gathmouth Brown, Guitar Slim and a pair of Kings."
-- Guitar Player Magazine
"Breathing new life into the blues, McDermott does just that."
-- Nantucket Map & Legend
"Mcdermott has a totally original sound
that, for lack of a better phrase, can be called
alternative blues"
- Bill Harriman, Soundwaves
Guitar player Mcdermott is a member of a new school of blues based performers coming out of Boston that also includes G -Love. Like G-Love Macdermott's new album "Got It Made" features almost exclusively original tracks, with beat poet style story telling and rhyming.
His lyrics often reach a frantic pace of that resembles scat singing and rap at the same time. But is Mcdermott's accomplished, straight blues guitar that sets him apart as a real blues act. The acoustic slide of the instrumental track "Fishin Through The Fence" lull the audience into a trance, while the spontaneous tearing off of such classics as "Born Under a Bad Sign" raise the energy of Mcdermott's shows to a fever pitch.
To survive, the blues has to change with the times. No one knows this better than Mcdermott. He gets his inspiration from the masters, and injects it with his own brand of back beat rhythms and often humorous lyrics. Says Mcdermott of of the blues "...we're hoping to breathe new life into it."
It is with this freshness and the band's extensive touring all over the country and Europe that they has been able to win such a wide range of fans. Even blues purists, if initially taken aback by the band's atypical style, are eventually won over by their raw chemistry and contagious enthusiasm. This coupled with the taste and virtuosity of Mcdermott's guitar playing make him and his Wild Combo" a universal crowd pleaser.