This week's guest is Alan Paul. Alan is a former Guitar World and Wall Street Journal writer from the US who somehow became a notable Beijing-based blues musician. Alan wrote a memoir called Big in China about his crazy musical experiences here, and tells the story of how it all began - thanks to a broken guitar, a Chinese repairman who was also a secret musical wizard, and their shared love of Stevie Ray Vaughn. And in a strangely related note, Alan also has a huge connection to legendary Southern rock group the Allman Brothers Band. From writing about and interviewing them over a 25 year period, Alan became an insider in their world, and he talks a lot about his best-selling Allmans book One Way Out. The story of how it came to be, in part, because of Allmans drummer Butch Trucks’ discovery of and respect for Alan’s China book is pretty awesome. Great talk.

"Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom" is sponsored by STACKRY. Stackry is the global leader in international parcel forwarding from the US to anywhere in the world. The way it works is that you shop at any US retailer, have your packages shipped to your Stackry address, and once everything has arrived, Stackry consolidates your stuff and ships it to you anywhere in the world, even China, saving you up to 80% of the shipping costs versus shipping things directly from the store. Stackry provides free storage, same day consolidation of your packages, and a tax-free US address for you to use. Sign up TODAY via the link below, and use the offer code BIGFISH at the checkout to save 10% off your first shipment.

Lastly, the "Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom" Facebook group has really been growing lately, and the show is now also available on the Stitcher platform! Apple Podcasts and iTunes downloads and subscriptions are still as important as ever, but I’d also really like to have a nice showing on Stitcher our first few weeks if possible, so please check out the Facebook group, SUBSCRIBE in Apple Podcasts and/or Stitcher if you want to help the show find new fans, and thanks in advance!

 

SUBSCRIBE to “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” at: 

Apple Podcasts / iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/big-fish-in-the-middle-kingdom/id1237037187?mt=2 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=174877&refid=stpr

 

SPONSOR: 

Stackry “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” sign-up link: http://bit.ly/BigFish2018  Use the offer code BIGFISH at the checkout, and save 10% off your first shipment!

 

GUEST: 

Alan Paul LINKS: 

www.facebook.com/alanpaulauthor 

www.alanpaul.net/blog 

One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band 

Big in China audio book: http://amzn.to/2FaeKcm 

Big in China Band 

Friends of the Brothers band

 

HOST / SHOW: 

please LIKE “Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom” on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BigFishMiddleKingdom/ 

Brendan Davis on WeChat: BrendanDavis 

Brendan Davis on Twitter: @VeritasInLux 

Other links to LISTEN: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com/podcast-links/