Coinciding with Red Giant’s May 2025 UK tour supporting Troy Redfern, the band has released a cover of Robert Johnson’s 1930s blues classic ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’.
Released by Radio Silent Records, ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’ is available on all streaming platforms here, and is accompanied by an official music video you can check out here at RAMzine.
Using only the words and a barely recognisable 12-bar structure to betray its origins, Red Giant – featuring Dave Simpson (Guitar, lead vocals), John Joe Gaskin (Drums, percussion) and Keria Kenworthy (Bass, vocals) – take ‘Judgement Day’ to new heights by channelling the song as a dark and sombre vehicle on a journey into a world of lost love and pain.
Driven by a primeval, tribal drumbeat, powerful dual lead vocals, sporadic droning bass and ambient guitar, the song becomes overpowering in its intensity as it reaches its climax and dies into quiet resolution.
Red Giant’s tasteful rendition of Robert Johnson’s seminal ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’ is an exceptional and unique treatment of a blues classic brought into the 21st century.
A new guitar band formed by YouTube presenter and guitar prodigy, Dave Simpson, who has amassed over 141,000 YouTube followers (Visit his YouTube channel here), Red Giant’s eponymous debut 2024 album is available here.
Red Giant’s video for new single ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’ was recorded in a church where we hear blistering soundscapes tumbling out, and aging 70s music fans might initially find themselves explicably drawn back to when Tangerine Dream went round the UK performing at such venues for later release on record.
Rather, as ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’ spans out it puts you in mind of a churlish Pink Floyd with an added distortion factor; that such a mega-act started out as a blues cover band back in the 60s and this is actually an old Robert Johnson song makes it all the more curiouser.
Ironic though, that one’s overall impression is of it as an affecting ruminating modern musical score.
