This is now what I think of when I see white guys playing 'blues'

[Mr Neutron]

SRV's tone horrible?

i've now heard everything.

[chille01]

You don't have to be a black man to play real blues, but you also don't need to be a white boy to play lame white boy blues.  Kenny Wayne Shepherd is lame white boy blues, regardless of who plays it and what color they are.  As Chovie D pointed out, the average trip to the blues bar will result in a great night of mediocrity. The blues is so simple that any chump (white or black) thinks he can insert a cool middle name like Joe "Guitar Man" Average and sell tickets. Unfortunately, they're right. There will always be a market for mediocrity, which is what the original link is poking fun at.  However, some people know that you have to have a genuine talent and soul to play the blues well, and stand above the crowd.  And the older the blues get, the fewer of those people there are, white or black or green or purple.

Ps, for the record... I DON'T got it. But I know it when I see it.

[Discö Rice]

I didn't say SRV's tone was horrible, I said I don't like it. His voice was horrible. Definitely 100% Huey Lewis. Also, while I wouldn't dispute his virtuosity, I'm not moved by his music. As for not thinking him some sort of demi-god being a sign that I don't know what makes music good, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, especially considering it's popularity, but I'm not terribly worried about your silly ideas or how they'll affect public opinion.

[Baltar]

Rory Gallagher, County Cork.

Interviewer: "What's it like being the best guitar player in the world?"
Jimi: "I don't know, go ask Rory Gallagher."

[mortlock]

Rory Gallagher, County Cork.

Interviewer: "What's it like being the best guitar player in the world?"
Jimi: "I don't know, go ask Rory Gallagher."

ive always said jimi was over-rated..

[neighbor664]

Charlie Patton was only 1/4 black, 1/4 Cherokee and 1/2 white. Is he 3/4 not a "real" blues man?

His blues are to some degree the blueprint that much of American blues that came after him follows and he's mostly not black.

[Jor el]

Don't care how 'good' he was - I found SRV to be incredibly boring.
Like, Fabulous Thunderbirds kind of boring.

MORE IMPORTANTLY,
There is no fucking way that Ralph Machio is better than Steve Vai.

[neighbor664]

MORE IMPORTANTLY,
There is no fucking way that Ralph Machio is better than Steve Vai.

Yeah but Ry Cooder REALLY IS better than Steve Vai

[Jake]

Yeah, but Ry Cooder can't crane kick worth a damn.

[mortlock]

larry coryell is the greatest guitar player ever..

[MikeyT]

^ No, but while we're talking about Larry Coryell* & Jimi Hendrix, Mortlock; you may recall an interview with Larry where he related a brief story about Jimi's RED HOUSE. He told about riding in a cab in NYC when Red House came on the radio. Larry said, "If I could play the Blues like that I could make a million dollars".



        Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are good 'guitar teachers'.




* For the record, I respect and admire Mr. Coryell's playing, and don't think he's overrated (except perhaps by Mortlock).

[MikeyT]

Rory Gallagher, County Cork.

Interviewer: "What's it like being the best guitar player in the world?"
Jimi: "I don't know, go ask Rory Gallagher."

  I've heard he said the exact same thing, but in reference to Phil Keaggy.

Whether he said one, or both, or neither, you have to understand that Jimi probably wasn't actually making a serious statement. He was replying to a question which made him a little uncomfortable, and attempting to deflect attention away from himself onto another player. He was very shy, and didn't handle direct compliments well. Introverts often have a hard time accepting compliments gracefully because they're not sure if they deserve them, or because they don't want to be (or be seen as) boastful or egotistical. They may have a genuine sense of modesty, or may not want to take credit away from other musicians.

"I feel guilty when people say I`m the greatest guitarist on the scene. If only people would take more of a true view and think in terms of feeling. Your name doesn`t mean a damn, it`s your talent and feeling that matters. You`ve got to know more than the technicalities of notes, you`ve got to know what goes between the notes" - Jimi Hendrix

[neighbor664]

MikeyT, thank you for mentioning Phil Keagy. Great guitar playing. I had no idea who he was and had to look it up.  He's from Youngstown, LOL!

Of course he claims that Hendrix never could have said that.
Keaggy has long insisted that such stories are completely unfounded, noting that "it was impossible that Jimi Hendrix could ever have heard me...We...recorded our first album at Electric Lady Studios two weeks after his unfortunate death, so I just can't imagine how he could've heard me. I think it's just a rumor that someone's kept alive, and it must be titillating enough to keep an interest there...So I don't think it was said...and that's it for that!"

[MikeyT]

While we're (loosely) speaking of Jimi, in a John Burks interview (published in Guitarplayer magazine in 1975) Jimi was asked if there were any musicians he went out of his way to see.

Came the reply,

"Nina Simone and Mountain. I dig them.".




         


                 

                        Very nice photo of Johnny.

[blaffman]

its all fucking jungle music

[VOLVO)))]

I'm going to pull a Worthless Willie, and say, IF that is racism in any way, shape or form, you're a complete and total fucking moron.

[Jake]

It's racist against heavily wooded areas in humid tropical areas, that's for sure.

[Instant Dan]

I got the blues
The middle aged white dude blues
Oh... I got the blues..
The I'm try to relive my youth blues

I drive up vintage prices
I over bid on e-bay
I'm the dude
that will suck your mojo away

I got the blues
the bored doctor/lawyer blues
Oh I got the blues
the creepy rich guy blues

I wear a hat
A bluesy hat
I type of fucker
that couldn't cut jazz cat

Oh I got the blues
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