I had the great pleasure of meeting him when he and Robert Gordon were touring together. Spent half an hour backstage with them before the show. Couldn't have been more friendly and polite.
The only time I saw Link play live was a set he did with the great John Cipollina in 1977 at the Long Island club My Father's Place (NOT the 1979 bootleg CD of Link there that's on sale at Amazon, which does not feature Cipollina). I have pictures of them somewhere, but would be hard pressed to find them at this late date. John was my musical idol, and we knew that Link was his. It was an hellaciously intense set. When they played a cover of I Fought the Law, it was so intense that it seemed implausible that the Law would win. I became friends with John towards the end of his life and first heard the hole in the speaker story from him. I also became a fan of Link. He's never been inducted into the HoF because Jann Wenner isn't a fan, and only people that Jann likes get in. I'm friends with a critic (name withheld, but he's active on FaceBook) who used to be on the committee and he kvetches at times about Wenner's dictatorial style.
I was thinking The Man With the Golden Arm, Peter Gunn, Staccato’s Theme are powerful but it’s almost expectantly exciting music listened to in a cinema or armchair. This is much more threatening.
I had the great pleasure of meeting him when he and Robert Gordon were touring together. Spent half an hour backstage with them before the show. Couldn't have been more friendly and polite.
Probably one of the 10 best shows I ever saw. He did Ruble for an Encore and it literally brought tears to my eyes. My black lab is named Link.
Thanks for showcasing Link Wray. Great to hear music recorded live in a studio too. Bootstrap music.
The only time I saw Link play live was a set he did with the great John Cipollina in 1977 at the Long Island club My Father's Place (NOT the 1979 bootleg CD of Link there that's on sale at Amazon, which does not feature Cipollina). I have pictures of them somewhere, but would be hard pressed to find them at this late date. John was my musical idol, and we knew that Link was his. It was an hellaciously intense set. When they played a cover of I Fought the Law, it was so intense that it seemed implausible that the Law would win. I became friends with John towards the end of his life and first heard the hole in the speaker story from him. I also became a fan of Link. He's never been inducted into the HoF because Jann Wenner isn't a fan, and only people that Jann likes get in. I'm friends with a critic (name withheld, but he's active on FaceBook) who used to be on the committee and he kvetches at times about Wenner's dictatorial style.
I was thinking The Man With the Golden Arm, Peter Gunn, Staccato’s Theme are powerful but it’s almost expectantly exciting music listened to in a cinema or armchair. This is much more threatening.
It is a scary sound, so, very expressive. Maybe other similar(?) pieces used in films for example don’t actually express violence so well.
Another great account - and, yes, Link Wray's acknowledgement is LONG overdue!
Hi Ted. For your amusement, here he is performing "Rumble" on November 19, 1974 at Winterland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A4ioMwAto0
Great article, thanks! I’d never heard of Link Wray, nor heard any of his music, but you make me want to do so.