"Werl, I let my axe speak for me, dunni?"

To answer my many critics who say; "Ed, all you write about are young ladies or otherwise female warblers.  And we've seen your blog about the pre-Raphaelites - a preponderance of damsels.  We begin to doubt that you are truly an impartial observer of all things popular musical.  What of Rory Gallagher, Wilko, or The Boss and his sweaty, checked-shirt shoutings?  Eschew this nimminy-pimminy, and do some in-depth analysis of something grungey".  And since they are currently backing this up with mobs, torches and pitchforks, and the paint on my mock-Edwardian front door is starting to blister, I thought I'd comply.

Now look, on the male/female coverage front, the only reason I haven't done anything about, say, Neil Young is because, like Kate Bush (Careful - editor), the subject is vast.  Buffalo Springfield NY, CSNY NY, NY solo, NY and Crazy Horse, 'TRANS' NY, post-vinyl digital NY ...... left-wing NY, redneck/C&W/reactionary NY ..... even I haven't listened to all his tracks.  But I know I love at least some tracks from every aspect of his career;  until 'How to be Invisible' by Kate Bush (I said "Careful"! - editor) came along, I was going to be cremated to the sound of 'Cinnamon Girl' (with the full guitar flourish at the end).

So, to business.  The 'axe', or lead guitar, if you will.

We are going to have to take Jimmy Page as a given.  Like B B King or Muddy Waters, there's no more to be said, there.

No, we're going into the murkier waters (see what I did there?) of the vast range of 'not quite guitar gods, but people will glass you in pubs when their incoherent arguments fail to convince you that THEIR particular candidate is one' string pickers.

I've listened to them all.  Jeff Beck.  The guy from 'Chicago' whose name always escapes me, but who Jimi Hendrix (another one) said was a better guitarist.  Jeff Lynne.  Steve Hillage.  Gilmour.  J J Cale.  Syd Barrett, god love him.  And others too numerous to mention hem hem.  Ooh, Bill Nelson (who has possibly released more albums than anyone else on the planet apart from Frank Zappa, without becoming well-known, never mind famous)!

"But surely," I hear you interject, "it's common knowledge.  Eric Clapton, without a doubt."

Whisper it quietly - I have never rated Slowhand.  I tried hard to like Cream and Blind Faith, because everyone else did, and The Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers are interesting pieces of popular music archaeology, but - apart from one startlingly good riff (Layla, you knew, it was going to be Layla) - he bores me stupid.

Oh look, we've gone too long without a video.  Take a break and just enjoy this (I know I do).  A cover of Led Zep's 'When the levee breaks', by Zepparella:

Ah, Gretchen Menn, there, on lead guitar.  Check out her YouTube video of 'Oleo Strut', it's immense.  A talented guitarist.  She does not need to wear those clothes her PR people foisted on her for that other video, which (Ed, we've been through this, get a grip or we'll pull the plug - editor)

As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, there's more to slightly-less-than-guitar-god-but-still-major status than finger speed and facility.  For example, although I like Mark Knopfler, and 'Local Hero' wouldn't have been the same without his music .... it's more something to admire than get lost in.  Like a rock crystal, as opposed to a fish supper with mushy peas. (Needs work - editor)

Funnily enough, I was reminded of my choice by a lunch we had to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday, round at their gaff.  Her other half and I were discussing technical issues while the ladies twittered charmingly about ladies' topics, and he wanted to demonstrate his sound system.  He's a guitar instructor (also does a bit of consultant technician work for QOTSA, Rage, bands like that), so after about half an hour perusing the vinyl collection, he chose Django Reinhardt, and the 'Hot Club de France' waxing.  If you've ever listened to that (it's purely acoustic, one-take, no overdubbing, autotuning - nothing), you'll know it's phenomenal.

"Now," I said to myself, "which latter day guitarist would I put up against Django, to achieve the same degree of fluidity and yet with feeling?"

Here he is.  Not fashionable, never in the charts .... Johnny Winter, playing "Jumpin' Jack Flash".  There are dozens of videos I could have chosen, but I chose this to honour my pal DW, who is probably still reeling from the BBC coverage about one of his favourite bands, 'The Rolling Stones', and if he hasn't got a ticket to their forthcoming O2 concert performances may be suicidal.  Dave, I'm here for you.  I'm not a Rolling Stones fan, but I will feel your pain.  Let me divert you with Johnny a'prancin, and a'hollerin!

Dave says; "I want red meat - and you offer me veal!".

Well, the hell with it.  Just trying to be a bro.

Any road up .... do you realise, Johnny was a twin.  An albino twin - he was the virtuoso guitar player, and his brother Edgar Winter was the virtuoso keyboard player.  I hear that Edgar is now born again and preachin' and all that, but before THAT he was famous for recording 'Frankenstein': 

I think what I like about Johnny's guitar playing is that it looks effortless, and inspired moment to moment.  He's virtually blind, he can't be looking at his finger placements anyway, and he just intuits his way through riffs, transitions and songs.  Sure, I know that he's been playing these for decades, but he still manages to inject them with feeling.  If you look at recently uploaded videos, you will see that he's now as ancient as hell and close to the Reaper, but when he picks up a guitar he still has it.

If you want a more extended workout, then here it is.  Remember, Johnny did this kind of performance every couple of nights, for about a quarter of a century, and still he seemed to enjoy it.  That's called paying dues.  Respect.

The essential recordings for Johnny Winter are 'Johnny Winter And', and 'Johnny Winter And Live'.  Of course, I have them both, in pristine condition.  I also have 'The Johnny Winter Story' double album, a cheapo compilation which nevertheless has many interesting items of note.

He played on these with Rick Derringer, famous name, fabulous rhythm guitarist and second lead.  They played intuitively together.  Rick wanted him to do "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Coo" as a 'heavy metal' number.  Johnny wouldn't desert da blooze.  Wouldn't it be nice, to have a cause to live and die for.  

I want something good to die for
To make it beautiful to live.

QOTSA


Oh hell .... look, I'm never going to do an in-depth piece about Queens of the Stone Age, because although they reach me and push some buttons, I don't share a hinterland with them.  So I might as well put up my favourite song right here, right now, and get it over with.  It's 'Go with the flow'.  

QOTSA are dark, noisy and Handel would not have understood their choice of chord progressions and diminished ninths.  Which is probably the point.