|
Post by martin w on Feb 22, 2007 13:06:41 GMT
For Rory Gallagher, I would pick "Souped Up Ford" from "Against the Grain" And for Jim Page I would go for "Nobody's Fault". Again, seeing them performed live on the box made a big, big impact.
Great thread this, but it is tempting to list your own favourites rather than genuinely groundbreaking tracks. Inevitably the choice is entwined with with your age and when you got into this sort of music.
For example, EC's "Motherless Children" from 461 blew my cotton size 10s off when I heard that riff for the first time, but it probably isn' t exactly groundbreaking I guess.....
How about JoJo Gunne doing Run Run Run? Not exaclty groundbreaking either but did have prominent slide, was a hit and made enough of an impression for me and my contemporaries to ask what the hell was making that amazing noise.
|
|
|
Post by martin w on Feb 22, 2007 13:25:19 GMT
Just had another thought: what about folk artists like Martin Simpson creating that kind of Celtic Blues, using slide on old traditional British tunes? That was a change in direction.
Hearing slide adapted to that kind of music for teh first time was fairly revolutionary (for me anyway).
M.
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 22, 2007 13:51:14 GMT
Hi Martin,
All good thoughts & comments. Interesting how age affects our tastes. If I were picking a Rory Gallagher track I would possibly go with something from 'Live In Europe'. I would have to include more than one song from 461 Ocean Boulevard...all the slide playing on that record is amazing.
The Martin Simpson folk/celtic area is also an interesting one. That is not mainstream or popular culture, but it is an important area of development. That ties in with Bernie's mention of John Fahey. Martin was certainly one of the first people I saw playing celtic tunes on slide guitar in the early 80s. I suspect he was influenced by dobro 'steel' players, and more importantly by fiddle and pipes players. I am sure he has talked about it in interviews.
All good stuff! Thanks again.
Shine On, Michael
|
|
|
Post by fitchmeister on Feb 22, 2007 14:22:23 GMT
What about 'Bad to the Bone' ? I knew that track waaaaaay before my more eclectic tastes took me elsewhere.
Roj
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 22, 2007 14:49:32 GMT
When I think of George Thorogood I think of those first two albums on Rounder Records in 1977 and 78 'George Thorogood & the Destroyers' and 'Move It On Over'. George was a powerful force back then and those two albums knocked my socks off and opened up some new areas of music to me.
'Bad To The Bone' in 1982 - is an important recording that I had forgotten about. As you say Roj, it really was a mainstream song. Good one! It wasn't a big one for me, because by 1982 I was deeply into pre-war and post-war blues, and world music was just breaking through, so mainstream rockers at that time passed me by. My Brother, Alan, photographed and designed George's next album, Boogie People, in 1991. Since then I have to say that I have lost track of George and have no idea what his later recordings are like.
Thanks,
Shine On, MIchael
|
|
|
Post by martin w on Feb 22, 2007 15:01:05 GMT
Bad to the Bone, of course, was played at Live Aid as well, which must have given it more exposure than an awful lot of other slide tracks.
Michael, you're comment about Martin Simpson being influenced by fiddle and pipe players is something I hadn't picked up on. I had assumed, given the spooky sound of those tracks, he had adapted Blind Willie J's Dark was the Night to fit Celtic tunes.
M.
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 22, 2007 15:36:59 GMT
You are not wrong about Blind Willie Johnson influencing Martin, I am sure he did. Blind Willie's Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground is out there on its own as a unique piece of music. As much as I love Blind Willie Johnson's music, I have say that Dark Was The Night.... is in a league all of its own. Regarding Martin Simpson's playing....open D tuning and celtic/gaelic fiddle & pipes tunes are made for each other.
As my research goes on, I am beginning to see Blind Willie Johnson as one of the most important and influentual slide players of all.
Good to hear from you Martin!
Shine On, Michael
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2007 17:58:08 GMT
Martin, you pipped me with the Jo Jo Gunne track. Had the album too, but none of it was good as Run, Run, Run. Any Rory is good for me (All Around Man is pretty damn good , especially the live version from OGWT), but I do like the slide sound he got just after Taste split, so would wholeheartedly go with Live in Europe and would add to that "Crest of a Wave" from Deuce. In particular, even to this day, I find "Crest of a Wave" one of the most uplifting pieces of music I know. In the same way Ry Cooder "I Think It's Going To Work Out Fine" from Bop Till you Drop always gives me a lift. I think that Martin Simpson's version of "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes" has all of the hallmarks of a landmark slide track. Although a Blind Wille Johnson number, I sincerely believe that he has made it his own and taken it beyond just a copy of the original. I saw him do it live and the audience was completely caught in its spell. He does a neat instrumental slide version of "The First Cut is the Deepest" too on what sounds suspiciously like a reso . Michael, can't you change the time period to post-war, then you'd get Muddy Waters "I Can't Be Satisfied" - I don't think anyone would disagree that it should be on any list of landmark slide track.
|
|
|
Post by rickS on Feb 22, 2007 21:07:48 GMT
Mention of Martin Simpson reminds me that I've read an interview where he attributes his early inspiration to seeing Mike Cooper playing in folk clubs in the 60s - in terms of influence, I guess that Cooper, together with JoAnn Kelly & her brother Dave, got a few guitarists sawing off lengths of steel tubing! (Coincidentally, I see that Cooper's 1st album, 'Oh Really', is available again at long last - lotta good slide on that)..oh,did Leo Kottke get a mention yet?..
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 23, 2007 0:39:55 GMT
That is true about Martin Simpson being influenced and inspired to play slide from seeing Mike Cooper play. I first met Martin when I was playing with Mike and that was discussed. Mike Cooper is definitely an influential player - he got many people on the slide trail. In 1985 I was in Nashville in Gruhns Guitar Store and started playing an old style O in open G with a slide. One of the sales staff, Dennis Watkins, came over to me and said..."Do you know a guy called Mike Cooper because you sound just like him?" .....I did and at that time was when I was playing in a duo with Mike. I guess I did sound a lot like him back then, less now as my own style has developed. I am proud of my connection to the British blues players; not only Mike, but Jo Ann and Dave Kelly were big influence on me too. When met Mike Cooper in 1982, I think he was amazed and amused that someone of my age (26 at the time) was into delta blues and played slide guitar on a National. So we became friends and I went out on gigs with him. It was via Mike that I became known in the folk & acoustic blues scene. Leo Kottke.....I nearly mentioned him in the first Martin Simpson post!
Shine On, Michael
|
|
|
Post by rickS on Feb 23, 2007 9:16:46 GMT
HI Michael - just to ramble on a little more - I used to see Mike just about every week in the local Reading folk/blues clubs from about '65 on, & he played no slide at all at that time, only Fuller-ish fingerstyle; the first player that I can remember really having an impact as a slide player was Dave Kelly, who had a voice as powerful as JoAnn's, but had that Fred McDowell style well & truly nailed - & that's the point of this post - there were VERY few available records of acoustic slide blues back in the early 60s, but one of the biggies was Mississippi Fred's one on Fontana, that had 'Shake'em On Down' & 'A Few Short Lines' on it, both of which songs became club standards ( the Son House 'rediscovery' LP & Robert Johnson reissue were available, but not so easy to find); coupled with his touring (where I believe Cooper encountered & was maybe influenced by him), I reckon this puts Mississippi Fred well in contention as being THE key influential slide player of the time.The Elmore James/Muddy thing kicked in a bit later when the electric bands started to dominate, IIRC, but early on Fred was the man! M'lud, I rest my case..
cheers,
Rick
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 23, 2007 10:44:50 GMT
I agree with you about Fred McDowell being a major influence, especially here in the UK. Ian Anderson (editor of fROOTS and recording artist) has the chair from Fred's concert at the Mayfair Hotel in London - it is one of Ian's prize possessions! All the British players that I have met and talked about that early period, talk about Fred McDowell as the best slide player of all. He was a wonderful player, there is no doubt about that.
Shine On, Michael
|
|
Hermann Attenberger
Guest
|
Post by Hermann Attenberger on Feb 23, 2007 11:25:55 GMT
Hi Michael Watching that discussion I found someone mentioning Roy Rogers, but you didn`t give a response to that. But I think some one has to do that. Maybe Roy Rogers is not yet cosidered as a landmark because he's a contemporary player and he did not make soundtracks for famous movies like Ry Cooder and also has never been playing in a famous band. But in 20 or 30 years Roy Rogers maybe considered one of the greatest landmarks in slide guitar music ever. His paying is authentic, no covering of anyone and he opened new ways. If you listen to his "Slideways" I'm sure you will know what I mean. In the case of Bob Brozman I agree with you. He's a remarkable skilled player and musician but not really important! Don't worry, it is not important to be on a list slide on Hermann from germany www.atte.dewebmaster@atte.de
|
|
|
Post by smojo on Feb 23, 2007 12:38:27 GMT
Glad someone mentioned Mississippi F. Mcdowell.
Bonnie Raitt playing "I'm in the mood" with John Lee Hooker is great.
Rory Gallagher - yes but go further back to when he was in "Taste" around 1970 "Taste" and "On the Boards" albums were some of my earliest rescollections of great slide playing.
Son House's "Death Letter" is a classic.
Also very early Fleetwood Mac first album (dog and dustbin) Jeremy Spencer picking up on Elmore and I'm sure some of that Robert Johnson stuff they did was played by one of my heros Peter Green.
John Mayall of course legendary "Father of British Blues - as well as his various guitar apprentices he was/is a pretty good player too.
Pity you don't include lap steel - Juicy Lucy "Who do you Love" - saw them live around 1969 - brilliant
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Feb 23, 2007 14:00:21 GMT
Hi Hermann,
Welcome to our forum!
Roy Rogers is definitely an incredible player. In 1997 or 98 I did a gig/workshop with Roy in Dublin. He knocked me out with his incredible technique, he is very quick! And he has an unusual approach to accompaniments sometimes.
My favourite Roy Rogers recordings are the ones he did with John Lee Hooker and my alltime favorite Roy Rogers moment is the soundtrack to 'The Hot Spot' movie, with Taj Mahal, Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker and Roy Rogers. It's great record.
I do think Roy is a major player in the world of slide guitar & thank you for your contribution.
Keep in touch Herman.
Shine On, Michael.
|
|