I mostly agree with Koda. Yes, Wray very much represents a middle point between, say, Muddy Waters' Pat Hare and the "Hendrix-Clapton-Beck-Page-Townshend mob." But, no, he didn't invent the power chord. In fact, power chords were all over R&B records of the pre-Link era--oddly enough, I dealt with this very issue in a recent post (cue the theremin music). That post featured the slashing, distorted power chords of guitarist Pete Lewis on Johnny Otis' 1947 Midnight in the Barrelhouse. This time, we're going to listen to some early-1950s power chord examples by Howlin' Wolf (featuring Willie Johnson), John Lee Hooker, and Eddie Kirkland. If you spot any smoke coming from your CPU, do not be alarmed--these are, after all, some smokin' licks coming up.
How Many More Years, Howlin' Wolf with Willie Johnson, lead guitar, 1951. (Gosh, I wonder if the Stones ever heard this one? Or the Kinks?)
Chocolate Drop, Howlin' Wolf with Willie Johnson, lead guitar, 1952. (The jazzy opening power chords are rootless 9th chords a whole-step apart. They sound awesome, don't they?)
Rock House Boogie, John Lee Hooker and Eddie Kirkland, 1952. (Slide-guitar power chords? You bet. Courtesy of Eddie.)
Gotta Boogie, John Lee Hooker and Eddie Kirkland, 1953. (Practically a heavy-metal remake of Hooker's 1948's Boogie Chillen by Hooker. With help from Eddie Kirkland, that is. The killer power chord near the end is Hooker's.)
Some great Link Wray mp3s are showing up elsewhere, hence my tribute to Wray by way of the power-chord sounds that made his possible. Proof that great music inevitably inspires more of the same. R.I.P., Link.
Link Wray (1930-2005)
Lee
5 comments:
Thanks for posting Chocolate Drops, Lee, I haven't heard that I don't think, though I have a different version/title somewhere. All my records are up in the Attic waiting for a record player to rise to the top of the priority list.
I was wondering about the Memphis distortion scene, thinking of Paul Burlison and the RocknRoll Trio and wondering if there was more of a story to this.
Thanks for a wonderful Blog, and the good timing (I linked to your page from my post, Caught The Train), and extra points for telling me what the chords are (lol)
Doorkeeper,
Thanks for the nice comments--sorry if this is a late answer. Wolf did two takes of "Chocolate Drop" for the RPM label, both much more laid-back than the Sun version. Yes, there was so much distorted guitar work and/or power-chording prior to Link, though Cub Koda (in his much-quoted quote) kind of contradicted himself by saying that 1) Link invented the power chord but 2) Link was following in an earlier tradition. I think Coda meant to credit Wray specifically with ROCK power chords, the kind of garage-band chords played by the Who, etc. That's my best guess....
I'll check out your site! Thanks for commenting.
Lee
First, awesome site! Spectacular music and thanks! However ...
The difference between this fantastic electric blues riffing and Rumble is specifically the full dirty E chord. The big chords at the end of the JLHooker are distorted and come the closest to Rumble's sound, but aren't the 'power chords' as we play them after The Who (and LedZ who certainly pillaged the great era for riffs as well) - Link Wray is.
From the post: Coda meant to credit Wray specifically with ROCK power chords, the kind of garage-band chords played by the Who, etc.
I would agree. I feel the same way about RnR Trio's Train Kept A Rollin: An undeniably heavy riff, but a riff none the less. The Howlin Wolf proves once again that, regardless of of any inconsequential classification from me, he's the heaviest to come down the road yet. Heavier then Muddy, and that's heavy.
My two c.
I wish us poor commentors could get reply notification ;~)
I can imagine that Link certainly spurred things on for east of the Atlantic (british) musicians by a) making a great record a hit and b) managing somehow to become notorious by being banned. I don't know how many english blues guys would have got as far as Willie johnson in the mid sixties.
I came across a great interview with Paul Burlison (see above) where he relates how he used to play with Wolf in the early fifties on his radio show!
Vintage Guitar March '98
Came across this while learning about Smokey Joe Baugh for a new post up any hour now.
none of those so called power chords your talking about have the power behind them that link Wray incorporates. Link Wray is the true King Of Rock'n'Roll.Period!
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