You know, I saw Roy Buchanan, Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan live on seperate occassions just before each of them died. I don't go to blues gigs any more.
RE Kapacon. This is true . But Roy Bucahanan was also shy and not into promoting himself . You are right ,being able to sing well is big advantage ,particularly in getting radio airplay , but on the other hand Jeff Beck mostly plays instrumental music and is successful . Also maybe Roy"s drug and alcahol problems kept him down too , unlike SRV he din't get on top of them.
But blues has limited commercial rewards . SRV played rock as well as blues , plus he had a more flashy style and employed stage theatrics . Also he had influential people who helped him , before that he was playing bars . For a bluesman, Roy Buchanan was reasonably successful , international reputation , sold records and toured around world , thats not bad.
Man, the Texas Opry House! Haven't heard of that place for a long, long time. I used to live in the Montrose when there were a bunch of hippie freaks, and body painting salons. We used to go there to listen to good music cheap! I saw several people there for $1. It was a rough place back then with a backstop in front of the stage, just like the Blues Bros. movie. People used to throw bottles at it all the time! I wish Rowy would have been there when I lived there!
Why do people always wonder why virtuoso guitar players never get commercial success? SRV did because he was a complete package--killer voice. Hendrix got there for the same reason--killer voice. No matter how fast you can rip through the scales, if you don't have the voice or the frontman with the voice, you'll only go so far. That's just the public for ya!
@wayne653042 Hey may, that's a great way to put it. Too much overplaying these days. I know it's heresy to say this, but sometimes Gatton used to overplay a little. Emmons (steel) always overplayed! (but he was too drunk to know it!). Check out Brent Mason - Mozart of modern guitar - tons of quick crisp notes, all in the right place. Good comments dude.
The blues is the blues. Ain't for the fluff crowd. Nothing like a little bar somewhere with a nice scooner of beer and some cat playing like this. The point is Success is not always the goal. If it is then go to Wall st. Leave the playing to cats like this. Fame is lame!!!!
RAY GOMEZ who played with Roy on some albums, deserves more success . If anyone has not seen it , check the video here of him playing "blues for Mez" , beautiful playing.
Billy Price is from Pittsburgh and Roy played there a lot with Billy on vocals. Saw Roy at the old Heinz Hall. He was amazing player on a stripped down Tele and no pedals to speak of. Amazing virtuosity.
in 1967, you felt that you were floating in the English Channel in the middle of the night when his band played "Ferry Cross The Mercy" at the Round Table in Georgetown,Wash. DC
My dad and his friend saw Roy in some bar in Cal City he was playing. They talked to him before the show and he set them up all night. Cool, regular dude. ...and not a half bad guitarist.
That's sad. I had tons of fun there, and you don't see many places like that anymore, at least I haven't found any. I guess the place lives on in our memories. Rock-n Roll Baby!
No doubt, Roy did very well. I just think the public hears the voice and the whole package before they hear fantastic guitar playing with no voice. And as you pointed out, especially in the blues.
I saw him live in Miami's Gusman Hall (perfect acousticals) in '74or '75 I think. He led for "Richie Blackmore's Rainbow" of Deep Purple fame. I only went to see Roy. What a show! He has and will always be my favorite guitrist. He is THE KING!
Thanks for posting! I've seen Roy Buchanan on three different occasions...twice at the Cleveland Agora, and once in Atlanta when he opened for John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers! A true virtuoso. Thanks again!
You know, I saw Roy Buchanan, Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan live on seperate occassions just before each of them died. I don't go to blues gigs any more.
RE Kapacon.
This is true . But Roy Bucahanan was also shy and not into promoting himself . You are right ,being able to sing well is big advantage ,particularly in getting radio airplay , but on the other hand Jeff Beck mostly plays instrumental music and is successful . Also maybe Roy"s drug and alcahol problems kept him down too , unlike SRV he din't get on top of them.
But blues has limited commercial rewards . SRV played rock as well as blues , plus he had a more flashy style and employed stage theatrics . Also he had influential people who helped him , before that he was playing bars . For a bluesman, Roy Buchanan was reasonably successful , international reputation , sold records and toured around world , thats not bad.
Man, the Texas Opry House! Haven't heard of that place for a long, long time. I used to live in the Montrose when there were a bunch of hippie freaks, and body painting salons. We used to go there to listen to good music cheap! I saw several people there for $1. It was a rough place back then with a backstop in front of the stage, just like the Blues Bros. movie. People used to throw bottles at it all the time! I wish Rowy would have been there when I lived there!
Why do people always wonder why virtuoso guitar players never get commercial success? SRV did because he was a complete package--killer voice. Hendrix got there for the same reason--killer voice. No matter how fast you can rip through the scales, if you don't have the voice or the frontman with the voice, you'll only go so far. That's just the public for ya!
@wayne653042 Hey may, that's a great way to put it.
Too much overplaying these days.
I know it's heresy to say this, but sometimes Gatton used to overplay a little.
Emmons (steel) always overplayed! (but he was too drunk to know it!).
Check out Brent Mason - Mozart of modern guitar - tons of quick crisp notes, all in the right place.
Good comments dude.
The blues is the blues. Ain't for the fluff crowd. Nothing like a little bar somewhere
with a nice scooner of beer and some cat playing like this. The point is Success
is not always the goal. If it is then go to Wall st. Leave the playing to cats like this. Fame is lame!!!!
RAY GOMEZ who played with Roy on some albums, deserves more success . If anyone has not seen it , check the video here of him playing "blues for Mez" , beautiful playing.
I haven't seen or heard anything about that PBS video since I saw it back in '71! Killer cool you have it:-)!
Do you have it on DVD?
Rock On!!:-D
You are so right....but then again..Ravi shankar is not a pretty one, nor many others...so..what is it? why success gets to some and others not?
Hey don't forget about Albert Collins, the other true spokesman for the Tele. They were both passionate and incredible. Thout Id brought that up.
Huhuhu, I remember this Concert, but I was very drunk this night. Hi Mike, do you remember that concert too?
First one is instrumental adaption of James Brown's Night Train. Don't know the second.
Billy Price is from Pittsburgh and Roy played there a lot with Billy on vocals. Saw Roy at the old Heinz Hall. He was amazing player on a stripped down Tele and no pedals to speak of. Amazing virtuosity.
Rolling don't have the level to Roy. some are famous, Roy is good.
Great tone. Better than the fake noise boxes in my opinion.
@ld68 Second song is an old standard called 'Linda Lou*
LOL at the ''not a half bad guitarist ''
in 1967, you felt that you were floating in the English Channel in the middle of the night when his band played "Ferry Cross The Mercy" at the Round Table in Georgetown,Wash. DC
you sure it wasn't the magic mushrooms?
SAW HIM LIVE. INCREDIBLE LOSS. DAVE
that's getting your moneys worth
no wonder they stopped dying. :P
Yes it was. Is it still there??
bring that up**** :)
whos better?
Yes Sir!
My dad and his friend saw Roy in some bar in Cal City he was playing. They talked to him before the show and he set them up all night.
Cool, regular dude.
...and not a half bad guitarist.
That's sad. I had tons of fun there, and you don't see many places like that anymore, at least I haven't found any. I guess the place lives on in our memories. Rock-n Roll Baby!
No doubt, Roy did very well. I just think the public hears the voice and the whole package before they hear fantastic guitar playing with no voice. And as you pointed out, especially in the blues.
I saw him live in Miami's Gusman Hall (perfect acousticals) in '74or '75 I think. He led for "Richie Blackmore's Rainbow" of Deep Purple fame. I only went to see Roy. What a show! He has and will always be my favorite guitrist. He is THE KING!
That was a cool vid ,and brought back more great memories of Roy, Thankx for the post,in fact, Thank Ya Veri Much!! R.I.P. Roy.
Thanks for posting! I've seen Roy Buchanan on three different occasions...twice at the Cleveland Agora, and once in Atlanta when he opened for John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers!
A true virtuoso. Thanks again!
Roy, you are sadly missed. I can only think that you are in a Chicago Smoke Shop...up in the sky!
One of teh best, he makes teh guitar talk, sing!
what a tone. unmistakeable
Iconic artist, thank you.