"You can practically fry eggs on the man as he radiates energy into the room. His gravel-gargling voice is a perfect compliment to his 1930's National steel guitar, harmonica and footboard. The sound he produces has astonishing depth ..." Bill Grainger (Beaford Arts)
"... totally compelling ... furious energy ... he blew me away!" Netrhythms
" ... poweful attacking style ... John Crampton takes no prisoners!" Blues in London
" ... rough-house emotionality and gutsy physical immediacy like nothing else I have heard !" Netrhythms
" ... stunning blues voice ... I was blown away!" Blues in Britain
" ... one of the finest blues solo acts on the British blues scene ..." Blues Matters Magazine
" ... there is a deeper sweetness to his playing that comes from a great deal of conviction !" Blues in London
"we've put together a line up of three of the finest acoustic players in punk rock blues in the world today. First up is John Crampton, one of only about two members of the British Blues old guard we'd give the time of day to! John's incredible, he takes to the stage with nothing more than a National Steel guitar, a harp and miked up stomp box and then lets rip." The Spitz, London
" ... stomping and unstoppable ... like a runaway train ... an act well worth watching " Blues in Britain
Crampton plays a mean bottle-neck on a ancient looking National Steel whilst providing his own percussion via stomp box. Add some gravel vocals and the occasional harmonica burst and really the man can’t beJohn Crampton, an amazing one-man blues band with steely reverberating guitar and harmonica galore. His playing was like a locomotive, his singing like an angry chainsaw and as he steamed through his set ... this man could not be faulted. Blues in London (Mr K)
John Crampton, an amazing one-man blues band with steely reverberating guitar and harmonica galore. His playing was like a locomotive, his singing like an angry chainsaw and as he steamed through his set. BBC Southern Counties
... next was John Crampton ... his blues are down and dirty ... a voice sounding like an earthquake ... we thought we had slipped way down south to the mississippi ... Mrs
Yarrington
" ... Crampton plays heavy blues in a kind of Tom Waits/ John Hammond vibe ... a wonderful singer and guitarist ... really cooking!" Michael Messer
"one of the Uk's top accoustic slide and steel guitarists ... " Hookers Blues Club
" a one man blues explosion" The Spitz, London
" a one man powerhouse ...superb!" Digital Blues
Voted " Best Solo Act 2004" Phoenix FM
"A one man band, he is, but you would have thought he had an entourage of musicians with him as he managed to create so
many sounds." Blues in Britain
" ... perhaps the finest blues performer in the South ... sheer breathtaking energy! ..." Steampacket Live
" ... low down, dirty, foot stompin' blues ... what an act! Where does he drag those growling, powerful vocals from? ..." Blues in Britain
" ... the slide guitar playing is outstanding ..." L'Agenda du Blues (France)
"... Crampton creates a big and powerful sound which gets your feet tapping, your body dancing and your heart singing ... everyone was blown away ..." Ashwyn Smyth (Digital Blues)
"... Crampton's slide guitar playing was in a different class to anyone who appeared at that magical weekend ..." GW on Mettmann Blues Festival (Germany)
... next up was the extraordinarily talented John Crampton, the despair of every band that had to go on after him. All eyes were on John as he cast his manic spell over the music fans assembled. I don’t think this city had ever seen anything like him before! He does about four jobs at once: pounding a foot on his stomp box, playing guitar like a demon, blowing up a frenzy on the harmonica and growling out those tough lyrics (many self-penned) with awesome commitment. For some of us he stole the show.
The Venue
As we arrived, the man had started his first set ... my jaw dropped with total amazement ... this guy was indeed talented ...
(Bob Pierce)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Blues in the South Magazine