I've been a Michael Hedges fan since 1984 and every time I see one of these videos I see or hear something I didn't see or hear before. The compositions are exquisite, and the technique and execution of these magical notes makes him a wizard of music. There was just so much more music yet to be written. Thank you Randy for capturing his spirit.
IMHO Hedges is the most creatuve and innovative guitarist that has ever lived❤Unbelievably talented full of heart, spontaneity and Soul. God was in his hands❤
I grew up in the South Bay and went to numerous Hedges shows (along with Big Bang Beat, a fun Motown band!) mid-late 80s. May have been at this show! Saw Michael once out on the patio with Michael Manring before he moved indoors/on stage. Hedges’ talent, soul, his fluid playing, and those spatial chords at volume was mesmerizing to watch. Forever shaped and influenced me and my mediocre guitar playing, lol. A very sad day when I heard about his car crash… thank you Michael. Randy, thanks for posting these! A treasure…
I was present for this performance. The sound system was fantastic. This video does not do justice to that booming Martin! Afterwards I was so blown away I went up and talked to him. At one point I asked if he'd give me a lesson or two. At first he was reluctant, but became intrigued when I told him I lived in an Ashram. He agreed. I got two lessons from him. I was one of very few people who got some of his time. He told me the most important thing was rhythm and playing from the heart. I still have my notes. He was traveling a lot. A few years later he was dead, a very sad and terrible loss. He was deep and intelligent person. He drove a VW bus at the time and was pretty stoned when he came over for my lessons ...lol. He had a wife and a son. Glad I had the chance to know him. Rest in peace Michael.🙏
While Michael found folks living "alternative" lifestyles intriguing, and while I am quite sure you are a very special person, Michael was much more open than you suspect and gave in such a fashion to many. Stories of Michael's personal generosity run throughout my channel. Yes, we were all very lucky to have approached his orbit.
@@rlutge I'd say you were right about his generous and open nature. He was quite tolerant of my enthusiasm. Lol He was intrigued when I showed him around the ashram and spoke of our meditation schedule and discipline. He and his wife lived in a small house one block off University just minutes from the Varsity Theater. Some months or years later he had moved to Inverness near Pt. Reyes and shaved his head for some reason. Maybe he went through a "monk" period, I don't know.
@@onesource9527 Everyone's remembrances from events so long ago vary. Mike and Mindy moved to a small town on the coast, not unlike Inverness called Mendocino. He first shaved his head as a reaction to a change in his relationship with Mindy. Mike was always deeply spiritual and in constant search of ways to live a pure and aware life and I'm sure his visit to your ashram, as well as his frequent visits to Harben Hot Springs, fit well with his burgeoning world view. Pick up Jake White's biography of Michael when it comes out next year as it will be wonderful, and definitive. Lucky you, lucky me, to have come so close to his bright light.
I had the privilege of seeing Michael Hedges twice at the Luther Burbank Center. He easily recreates his music from the studio but also adds quite a bit of flourish along the way. He was also quite the showman and very comfortable in front of an audience - at once pleasing and taking us along for a very humorous and enthralling time with his jokes and virtuoso performances. The music world lost a unique voice when he died in that automotive accident.
Back in the 80's I saw him almost every year he appeared on Long Island. I knew him first for his outstanding guitar instrumentals, then when I saw him live and heard him sing I was blown away again. A true legend.
Got to see him play this in Salem Oregon / Lucky to have see him at all / David Crosby about threw up when he seen Michael first play ! He couldn't believe his own eye's ! Me too !
I first heard M.H.'s music while serving onboard a nuclear submarine 400 ft or so below the waters surface, when a friend turned me on to a Windham Hill music sampler.... The stunning beauty and originality of Micheal's compositions helped me deal with the enormous pressures (pun intended but true) of my life then....and here for the first time seeing this video and he states that the piece was originally conceived as SUBMARINE MUZAK....Micheal, you've blown my mind wide open once again......One Love.
He was reading about Admiral Rickover at the time. He played it for me the morning after the night he wrote it, something I will never forget. I could hear the sub descending from that first playing. What a GREAT tribute/story that you heard it while serving way down under. Thanks for your service! Michael would have loved this story. We will share it with his family...
Beautiful music from a master of the guitar and music. Listened to for over 30 years - original and unsurpassed to this day, though an inspiration to many guitarists since . .... (A.M., L.S., J.G., C.G. ...)
What a magical musician! He had a remarkable creativity - who knew a guitar could even be used that way. So glad to watch this. Thank you for sharing this.
amstranut..... You are one lucky dude!! I can barely imagine seeing Hedges on a regular basis. Especially in those earlier formative years. Much envy! In a good way :)
Another anecdote about this performance. Later in the set he played the Beatles "A day in the life". At the point in the song where he sustained the phrase 'I'd love to turn you on..." an ambulance or fire engine drove right by on University Ave next to the outdoor theatre and the pitch of the siren exactly matched the sustained note.... It was an amazing synchronicity and he even looked up from playing in surprise... blew everybody's mind. That was an absolutely eerie and priceless moment!
While an ambulance may have added some sounds to his performance, and it quite well could have been a Beatle tune, I do not recall him doing "A Day In The Life." Pretty sure the entire performance is up on my channel.
@@rlutge If the video captures the siren incident and you see him look up, whatever the song was, it synched perfectly. Admittedly, it's been a long time but I thought it was a Beatles tune. The live performance was being professionally recorded and one or two songs were represented on a Windom Hill sampler release.
@@onesource9527 I produced and shot this show. It likely was "professionally recorded," but to my knowledge was never released. While Michael was on some "Windham Hill Samplers," I would love for you to direct me to one that included Varsity performances.
In my teenage years me and my stoner friends used to frequent the New Varsity… Amazing films changing every two days in the movie theater, getting stoned in the alley in the back, and seeing these amazing musicians in the courtyard. Which included Tuck and Patty, Stanley Jordan, and Michael Hedges. How is it that three players who were redefining what the guitar could do were all playing for free in the courtyard? I don’t think I appreciated at the time just how special this was. Wish Michael Hedges was still with us.
But why Rickover? I was browsing a record store in Groton Connecticut in 1984 and discovered this song. I was into Wyndham Hill then. And I was a nuke sub officer on my second boat. Admiral Rickover was a force of nature. His real “dream” was the preservation of freedom and liberty. Through hard work, perseverance and ruthless accountability he achieved that dream… for awhile. The Soviets were largely defeated when they were unable and unwilling to spend their money necessary to overcome our freedom. Rickover’s Dream? FREEDOM. Fighting for freedom is a never-ending challenge.
chi sono i due che hanno messo il pollice verso? ha ha ha ha aha .... i soliti imbecilli.. questo pezzo starordinario ha rivoluzionato la storia e la cultura della american steel guitar, ma proprio in misura epocale.. tagliatevi quel pollice verso miseranti
This ^^^ is the EXACT REASON that I became a guitarist. This exact song. He impacted my musical soul more than anyone - ever. I sorely miss Michael.
Me too
🤍
I've been a Michael Hedges fan since 1984 and every time I see one of these videos I see or hear something I didn't see or hear before. The compositions are exquisite, and the technique and execution of these magical notes makes him a wizard of music. There was just so much more music yet to be written. Thank you Randy for capturing his spirit.
IMHO Hedges is the most creatuve and innovative guitarist that has ever lived❤Unbelievably talented full of heart, spontaneity and Soul. God was in his hands❤
I grew up in the South Bay and went to numerous Hedges shows (along with Big Bang Beat, a fun Motown band!) mid-late 80s. May have been at this show! Saw Michael once out on the patio with Michael Manring before he moved indoors/on stage. Hedges’ talent, soul, his fluid playing, and those spatial chords at volume was mesmerizing to watch. Forever shaped and influenced me and my mediocre guitar playing, lol.
A very sad day when I heard about his car crash… thank you Michael.
Randy, thanks for posting these! A treasure…
I just shed a tear from both joy and sadness,
miss you Michael, you touched many souls
yes, sensitive souls were hugely touched
Thank you Randy for having the eye and ear to spot genius and foresight to capture so much of Michael for all of us.
I was present for this performance. The sound system was fantastic. This video does not do justice to that booming Martin! Afterwards I was so blown away I went up and talked to him. At one point I asked if he'd give me a lesson or two. At first he was reluctant, but became intrigued when I told him I lived in an Ashram. He agreed. I got two lessons from him. I was one of very few people who got some of his time. He told me the most important thing was rhythm and playing from the heart. I still have my notes. He was traveling a lot. A few years later he was dead, a very sad and terrible loss. He was deep and intelligent person. He drove a VW bus at the time and was pretty stoned when he came over for my lessons ...lol. He had a wife and a son. Glad I had the chance to know him. Rest in peace Michael.🙏
While Michael found folks living "alternative" lifestyles intriguing, and while I am quite sure you are a very special person, Michael was much more open than you suspect and gave in such a fashion to many. Stories of Michael's personal generosity run throughout my channel. Yes, we were all very lucky to have approached his orbit.
@@rlutge I'd say you were right about his generous and open nature. He was quite tolerant of my enthusiasm. Lol He was intrigued when I showed him around the ashram and spoke of our meditation schedule and discipline. He and his wife lived in a small house one block off University just minutes from the Varsity Theater. Some months or years later he had moved to Inverness near Pt. Reyes and shaved his head for some reason. Maybe he went through a "monk" period, I don't know.
@@onesource9527 Everyone's remembrances from events so long ago vary. Mike and Mindy moved to a small town on the coast, not unlike Inverness called Mendocino. He first shaved his head as a reaction to a change in his relationship with Mindy. Mike was always deeply spiritual and in constant search of ways to live a pure and aware life and I'm sure his visit to your ashram, as well as his frequent visits to Harben Hot Springs, fit well with his burgeoning world view. Pick up Jake White's biography of Michael when it comes out next year as it will be wonderful, and definitive. Lucky you, lucky me, to have come so close to his bright light.
I had the privilege of seeing Michael Hedges twice at the Luther Burbank Center. He easily recreates his music from the studio but also adds quite a bit of flourish along the way. He was also quite the showman and very comfortable in front of an audience - at once pleasing and taking us along for a very humorous and enthralling time with his jokes and virtuoso performances. The music world lost a unique voice when he died in that automotive accident.
Back in the 80's I saw him almost every year he appeared on Long Island. I knew him first for his outstanding guitar instrumentals, then when I saw him live and heard him sing I was blown away again. A true legend.
Got to see him play this in Salem Oregon / Lucky to have see him at all / David Crosby about threw up when he seen Michael first play ! He couldn't believe his own eye's ! Me too !
I first heard M.H.'s music while serving onboard a nuclear submarine 400 ft or so below the waters surface, when a friend turned me on to a Windham Hill music sampler.... The stunning beauty and originality of Micheal's compositions helped me deal with the enormous pressures (pun intended but true) of my life then....and here for the first time seeing this video and he states that the piece was originally conceived as SUBMARINE MUZAK....Micheal, you've blown my mind wide open once again......One Love.
He was reading about Admiral Rickover at the time. He played it for me the morning after the night he wrote it, something I will never forget. I could hear the sub descending from that first playing. What a GREAT tribute/story that you heard it while serving way down under. Thanks for your service! Michael would have loved this story. We will share it with his family...
How could you top that ? I 1st heard Micheal in the Coast Guard on a surface ship - salute to the silent patrol.
Beautiful music from a master of the guitar and music. Listened to for over 30 years - original and unsurpassed to this day, though an inspiration to many guitarists since . .... (A.M., L.S., J.G., C.G. ...)
My favorite of his songs. Thanks for sharing this! He was one of a kind for sure!
What a magical musician! He had a remarkable creativity - who knew a guitar could even be used that way. So glad to watch this. Thank you for sharing this.
Randy glad you had the opportunity and good wisdom to document so much of Michael's early and continued time there. Miss him and echoing everyone.
Thamn
Thanks Jim. Michael and I were with our wives in Tahoe when he completed this tune. I'll never forget hearing it for the first time...
grazie..ottimo suono!
ottimo anche il video...
grazie..grazie ..grazie
First time I noticed that he's playing behind the frets in the intro. This guy packed so much originality into his music!
Thank you Randy for posting....He was in a league of his own..................
I love Michael. Thanks Randy !!!.
Michael Hedges~Genius~Artist
Magical composition
Submarine wonderment
Admiral Rickover
One of my all-time favorite guitar pieces. Thanks for sharing this!
amstranut..... You are one lucky dude!!
I can barely imagine seeing Hedges on a regular basis. Especially in those earlier formative years. Much envy! In a good way :)
'chills every time I hear it...
Another anecdote about this performance. Later in the set he played the Beatles "A day in the life". At the point in the song where he sustained the phrase 'I'd love to turn you on..." an ambulance or fire engine drove right by on University Ave next to the outdoor theatre and the pitch of the siren exactly matched the sustained note.... It was an amazing synchronicity and he even looked up from playing in surprise... blew everybody's mind. That was an absolutely eerie and priceless moment!
While an ambulance may have added some sounds to his performance, and it quite well could have been a Beatle tune, I do not recall him doing "A Day In The Life." Pretty sure the entire performance is up on my channel.
@@rlutge If the video captures the siren incident and you see him look up, whatever the song was, it synched perfectly. Admittedly, it's been a long time but I thought it was a Beatles tune. The live performance was being professionally recorded and one or two songs were represented on a Windom Hill sampler release.
@@onesource9527 I produced and shot this show. It likely was "professionally recorded," but to my knowledge was never released. While Michael was on some "Windham Hill Samplers," I would love for you to direct me to one that included Varsity performances.
@@rlutge My CD is long gone. If Windom Hill is still around look through the 1983-1986 catalog.
@@onesource9527 Would have been fun, but it didn't happen.
one of my favorite pieces
In my teenage years me and my stoner friends used to frequent the New Varsity… Amazing films changing every two days in the movie theater, getting stoned in the alley in the back, and seeing these amazing musicians in the courtyard. Which included Tuck and Patty, Stanley Jordan, and Michael Hedges. How is it that three players who were redefining what the guitar could do were all playing for free in the courtyard? I don’t think I appreciated at the time just how special this was. Wish Michael Hedges was still with us.
hey corey, remember when we went down to see Michael? we thought we were so something.. sitting out in that outdoor courtyard. man, good times.
Senza parole...
i've never heard this tune so good!
do you have video which michael cutting the strings when he plays
But why Rickover?
I was browsing a record store in Groton Connecticut in 1984 and discovered this song. I was into Wyndham Hill then. And I was a nuke sub officer on my second boat.
Admiral Rickover was a force of nature. His real “dream” was the preservation of freedom and liberty. Through hard work, perseverance and ruthless accountability he achieved that dream… for awhile. The Soviets were largely defeated when they were unable and unwilling to spend their money necessary to overcome our freedom.
Rickover’s Dream? FREEDOM. Fighting for freedom is a never-ending challenge.
As a former nuclear submarine crew member I can relate to this song very well.
Incredible!
The bubbles rise ...
he can do that.
epic!
🤍
Submarine MewsaK
can't believe he supported fahey. what i would give...
God is a guitar
706 views?? wtf
Parcelles d'Harmonie lancées dans l'Univers , sont les Notes de Michael .
Seriously no body care since then?
Genius suck
chi sono i due che hanno messo il pollice verso? ha ha ha ha aha .... i soliti imbecilli..
questo pezzo starordinario ha rivoluzionato la storia e la cultura della american steel guitar, ma proprio in misura epocale..
tagliatevi quel pollice verso miseranti
:)
:)