Thursday 31 January 2019

Guitar, Drum and Bass on BBC 4 - Series 1.3. On Guitar ... Lenny Kaye!


No, I hadn't heard of Lenny Kaye. He is Patti Smith's long time collaborator and guitarist and did a fine job describing the evolution of the electric guitar. I was very interested in all the old stuff, starting with Les Paul. He was an innovator who wanted something better than electrifying an acoustic guitar and developed the first Gibson solid body instrument.

We were soon hearing Bo Diddley transforming blues into rock and roll, Duane Eddy ( I hadn't heard "Because They're Young" for years - I would always remember it as the theme music for DJ Johnnie Walker.) There was a short section about early sixties instrumental records from The Ventures ("Walk Don't Run") to those from The Shadows.

A piece about the 12 string guitar included clips of George Harrison's playing on Beatles records like "A Hard Day's Night" ad The Byrds with "Mr Tambourine Man". More innovations came with The Kinks and the fuzz-box on "You Really Got Me", and then , of course, The Rolling Stones and Keef.

It couldn't miss The Who and Pete Townsend on "Can't Explain" and their increasingly anarchic live performances. However, when we reached Jimmy Hendrix and heavy metal, I was lost. But up till then I was entranced.




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