Thanks Chris Dreja!

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As an era slips into dust I once again mourn the loss of a great from the past.

The Yardbirds were a seminal band from the early sixties. They took Chicago Blues and boosted it into an amphetamined speed and intensity.

Back in those early days it seemed that a new great band blasted into existence every five minutes – Who, Smallfaces, Downliners Sect, Rolling Stones, Them, Animals, Spencer Davies, Kinks, Manfred Mann, Sorrows, Measles, Pretty Things, Birds, Bo Street Runners. So many great innovative bands.

Sadly, they are fading away, one by one. Where once we had trendy, dynamic long-haired young men we now have balding old men. They still know their craft though! The music lives!

I was fortunate enough to live through that age. The Yardbirds were one of my favourites! I remember buying Five Live Yardbirds and all those early singles.

Thank you Chris Dreja and the rest of the band. Those were great days.

Best Electric Guitarists I’ve seen play live!

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Best Electric Guitarists I’ve seen play live!

Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix still rates as number one. I’ve never seen anyone generate such excitement. I saw him three times including the Bath Festival, a small club (I think it was Klook’s Kleek) and the last concert at The Royal Albert Hall.

The small club and Bath were amazing. The Albert Hall was a bit disappointing but that was probably too high expectation.

Zoot Horn Rollo

Captain Beefheart just blew me away and Zoot was immense. One of my heroes! But then so were Alex St Claire, Denny Walley, Jeff Cotton and Gary Lucas.

Pete Green

I first saw Pete when he was playing with John Mayall. Loved his clear, crisp fluid style – better than Clapton. I used to see him quite regularly with Fleetwood Mac. They were a great band. I used to love the mixture of Pete’s incredible Blues, Jeremy Spencer’s Elmore James covers and then later with Danny Kirwin. I loved the way that he moved from the Blues into the stupendous progressive rock style.

Eric Clapton

Again, he was a guy I first saw with John Mayall, then it was Cream. He was stupendous with Cream, rivalling Hendrix for excitement. Then it all went wrong. Saw him with Blind Faith and I thought they were a big disappointment. Then it was Derek & the Dominoes, Delaney and Bonnie and cabaret.

Rory Gallagher

I was fortunate enough to catch Rory playing with Taste. A really powerful Hard Rock trio. His playing was so raw and earthy. Loved it.

Roy Harper

I know that Roy is normally thought of as an acoustic guitarist but I just love the sound he creates on an electric – check out ‘Hell’s Angels’ – it rocks.

Jimmy Page

As a session man he played on everything. I saw him at the Toby Jug with Zeppelin just after they returned from the USA. They were hot. I was lucky enough to be at the recording sessions with Roy Harper when he performed on ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ – amazing. I also caught him playing with Roy a few times. Superb.

Dave Gilmour

I used to see Dave playing with the early Pink Floyd. Loved that brilliant sharp sound he got out of the guitar – so clear, crystalline. He was another great guitarist that I was fortunate enough to meet through Roy. He played on a number of Roy Harper tracks. Really nice guy too.

Mick Taylor

Another of the greats that I first saw with John Mayall. Next time I saw him was with the Stones in Hyde Park. He brought real power to the Stones and gave them much more of an edge. You can hear that on ‘Exile On Mainstreet’. A real powerful blues player.

Ron Wood

I first saw Ron play with The Birds. They blew me away – first gig I ever went to. Then I caught him with the Stones a few times. Great guitarist.

Pete Townsend

He powered the Who, not only with his brilliant guitar – rhythm and lead, but with all those antics. So visual. Such a powerful performer.

Johnny Winter

I only saw Johnny play once. Seemed too flash to me. I wasn’t greatly impressed but I could certainly appreciate the technical skill and I loved his playing with Muddy Waters.

Keith Richards

I’m not sure about Keith. I love his riffs with the Stones but for me the really musician was Brian Jones.

Alvin Lee

Ten Years After were a good festival band and Alvin could certainly play. I just got a bit pissed off with all those protracted solos from every band member. Got a bit much.

Frank Zappa

I was disappointed with the Mothers when I saw them. They felt a bit mechanical and over-rehearsed. Perhaps I caught them on a bad day? Zappa could certainly wring notes out of that Guitar though.

The Ones That Got Away

Buddy Guy, Ry Cooder, JJ Cale, Elmore James (My hero),

Probably hundreds more that I can’t think of. But that’ll do for now. Over to you….

Today’s Music To keep me SsssSAaAnnNNeee in Isolation – The Yardbirds – Roger the Engineer

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Three of the best guitarists!! Exciting to see live!!

Roy Harper Advertisement

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A stoned, loony track off Whatever Happened To Jugula. A great bit of fun.

Roy Harper & Jimmy Page – Advertisement ( Beggars Banquet ). – YouTube

Roy Harper – Nineteen Forty-eightish

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A great number for the solstice!! Roy with Jimmy Page. Superb.

(10) Roy Harper – Nineteen forty eightish – YouTube

Roy Harper – Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion – MCP Blues

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This is a stunning version – with Jimmy Page on second guitar. I love this riff.

Roy Harper – Male Chauvinist Pig Blues

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I’ve seen Roy perform this live in many a duo – Jimmy Page, Andy Roberts and Nick Harper come to mind. That riff is fabulous.

A slice of Roy’s life served up to a powerful bit of guitar from Valentine.

Roy Harper – The Same Old Rock

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Another track from Stormcock – the best album that has ever been recorded – sublime music and thought-provoking, poetic lyrics.

If you don’t have it buy it straight away, sit quietly, play it and melt into awe. Marvel at the duelling guitars of Roy and Jimmy Page.

Roy Harper – Hope – a song written with Dave Gilmour and played with Jimmy Page.

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What an interesting set of ideas – that looking in the mirror we can both see the echoes of our ancestors and future generations.

What would those future generations make of us – weird archeology? Could they really know how we really felt?

Life is such a wondrous thing we want it to go on forever.

The planet is such a beautiful place we should cherish it.

Time is passing and our time will be done. The hope is that we pass something important down to those who follow. We are not just spirits disappearing.

It is interesting to hear Jimmy’s guitar on a Roy Harper/Dave Gilmour song. For Roy to be associated with two such wondrous guitarists is something.

An interesting song.

Hope – Roy Harper

When you look at me
From your own century
I may seem to be
Strange archeology
But when the winds blow
From this direction
You may sense me there
In your reflection
I think I feel you
But I will never know
As the swallows leave
And the children grow
I wanted to live forever
The same is you will too
I wanted to live forever
And everybody knew
When I caught you there
In tomorrows mirror
I thought felt you
Jump out of my skin
Throwing oil into
My blazing memories
Filling empty footsteps
I was standing in
I wanted to live forever
The same as you will too
I wanted to live forever
And everybody knew
As the falling rain
Of the northern jungle
Hanging droplets on the leaves
Bombards my brain
I hear you
Across the room
A sea of daffodils spring into bloom
You are the mist
The frost across my window pane
And again
She moves her body
And her whispers weave
And the world spins
And tells me that I’ll never want to leave
As I think of you
From this dark century
I will always be
With generosity
That we both may share
The hope in hearing
That we’re not just
Spirits disappearing

Led Zeppelin – Opher’s World pays tribute to genius.

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Montreux 1971

Led Zeppelin came like a heavily armoured fluorescent giant phoenix out of the ashes of the Yardbirds last magnificent incarnation.

For some inexplicable reason the Yardbirds, like their devastating two lead guitar attack from Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, descended into disharmony and split up. I can only infer from what has been said that it was Jeff Beck losing interest and becoming keen to cut free and do his own thing.

Page was left holding the corpse. He tried running with it a while but rapidly gave up. Rather than trying to put together a new incarnation of the Yardbirds he decided to put together a completely new unit.

Page already had a number of numbers that he’d been trying out with the Yardbirds and he wanted to develop that heavier tack.

It was the birth of Led Zeppelin.

The band was founded on the heavy handed pounding and rhythms produced by John Bonham and the bass of John Paul Jones. They provided a granite-like foundation so that Jimmy had the room to demonstrate all his guitar pyrotechnics, flamboyant moves and general fireworks. All they lacked was a singer who could carry it off. Robert Plant was a complete unknown but he filled the gap admirably. He looked the part and his voice could soar to those shrill notes up there in the stratosphere. He had the range.

It all came together in a way it hadn’t done with Keith Relf and the boys for a long time. With Peter Grant to guide them and clear all obstacles out of the way they were ready for take-off.

The band looked every bit as good as they sounded. Page got on his strides with their embroidered dragon breathing flames, his long curly dark hair hanging and guitar slung low. He strode the stage majestically pausing to assume shapes, thrash out chords or produce those solo runs that burned. Plant stood centre stage, hands on hips, bare chest, skin tight trousers, long wavy gingery fair hair catching the lights, holding the mic-stand like a guitar posing with Page, throwing his head back, mouth open wide, eyes tight shut hitting those notes. This was the dream of stadium Rock that made them mega.

But Led Zeppelin was no ordinary Heavy Metal unit despite becoming rapidly saddled with that label. Their music was visceral and heavy but it was also complex and sophisticated. They were influenced by the likes of Roy Harper and Bob Dylan and developed epic songs with acoustic touches. They could veer from riffs laden with doom to delicate acoustic finger-picking chords. Some of their themes were from Blues, some from old English Folk, Arthur and Norse mythology. The panorama of their scope was different to that of any other band.

They proved to be not so much as Zeppelin as a space battle-cruiser adrift from Star Wars.