maximumrockandroll

As the Fifties dawned, rocking and rolling was stricly a between-the-sheets sort of activity. There was rocking music aplenty-from up-tempo black blues and r&b to the more dance-oriented and blues-drenched jazz bands to hillbilly boogie-but no rock and roll as such.

Disc jockey Alan Freed popularized "rock and roll" as a generic term for r&b- based music, without the racial stigma inherent in other labelling, but even then the music differed from the rock of subsequent decades in at least one important respect: it was not a guitar-centered or guitar-dominated music.

In much Fifties rock and roll, the rhythmic and harmonic instrument of choice was the piano, played in rocking, two-handed boogie-woogie style.Often, the drummer and standup bassist (the bass guitar wasn't widely used until 1958-59) played straight-ahead swing rythms to complement or push and pull against the piano's boogie beat. The guitar often played subdued, jazz-like rhythm function. Most of the instrumental solos were taken by tenor saxophonists, with occasional blues-derived guitar solo for a change of pace

The guitar may not have dominated the Fifties rock and roll sonically, but as an icon, a visual symbol for the music, the rocker with his flashy attire, exaggerated sneer and strap on guitar exerted wide appeal. The more youngsters followed the first generation rockers to create their own variants, the prominent guitar became.

Link Wray Rumble! : The Best Of (Rhino,1993)

This one lunged Cherokee Indian Hillbilly guitar genius performed unspeakable acts with amps long before it became fashionable.Worth the trouble finding it.

Cream : Wheels Of Fire (Polydor,1968)

Hot stuff. Three guys experimenting with what inevitably became so popular to the point forcing Mr.Clapton to leave the band. But thats another story altogether.Listen to it in your car and burn rubber.

Woodstock Soundtrack (Cotillion,1970)

Wanna get hip to the sixties guitar playing? This is the place to start.It's all here : Crosby,Stills and Nash' tie-dyed folk,Hendrix attempts at becoming immortal. To top it all of, a genuine rock-opera by The Who?. Make love not war.

Jimi Hendrix : Band of Gypsys (Capitol,1970)

The maestro's finest hour. Sez me.

Allman Brothers Band :At The Fillmore East (Capricorn,1971)

Substantial evidence to establish prima facie.Duane Allman was convicted of playing premeditated killer riffs.

Stevie Ray Vaughan :Texas Flood (Epic,1993) For all the obvious reasons.Tone,phrasing,attitude,great song and great playing.Endless inspiration for guitar players.

Neil Young : Arc (Reprise,1991) The most anguished guitar playing since Hendrix. The Father of Grunge? They wish.

The Beatles : Meet The Beatles (Capitol,1964)

The first time the world heard a Ric through Vox amps.This the band that change the overall standard of how modern music could be played.And they did a remarkable job at it. Since the first time the Fab Four were heard through the analog radio A.M format,the world sat on the edge of their beds anxiously waited and wondered what will happen to the music they have been listening to and critisiced, to put it mildly, the four lads from Manchester for "demoralizing" youths, so to speak, especially the girls. Give it a go and if you don't like it give to your mother. She'll love you even more because of it. Trust me, I've been there.