British guitarist reacts to John Fahey's CRAZY consistency and hidden subtlety!

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ส.ค. 2024
  • Tonight I'm taking a look at John Fahey showing us some serious finger picking technique!
    Original Video - • John Fahey - Poor Boys...
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ความคิดเห็น • 383

  • @markparee99
    @markparee99 5 ปีที่แล้ว +76

    John described his style as 'American Primitive'. I saw him around this time frame at a small club on Long Island. Dead drunk when he took the stage, but as soon as he picked up his guitar he played like an angel. He'd mumble incoherently between songs and then play another beautiful piece. I never saw a transformation like this from human to divine and will never forget the show.. Great analysis, Fil

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Cool! Thanks!

    • @paulfavour7790
      @paulfavour7790 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      My brother-in-law was a dedicated Fahey fan and taught me a lot about fingerprinting. He also told me about seeing Fahey live and drunk just as you said. Thanks for explaining Fahey so well.

  • @tmage23
    @tmage23 5 ปีที่แล้ว +106

    Love that you're covering John Fahey. Not enough people know about him

    • @redshield3296
      @redshield3296 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      tmage23 I never heard of him. I love his music. I googled him and he passed in 2001. His music lives on though.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      👍☺

    • @johnleonard3806
      @johnleonard3806 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Red Shield
      I think that is this channels greatest asset, introducing artists that we have never heard of. There have been a few that I wasn't familiar with myself.

    • @redshield3296
      @redshield3296 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      John Leonard I agree! I’ve gone from never hearing of some of these guitarists, to being fans and buying their iTunes and playing their songs. And I really like this guy, and his attitude towards music. He’s open to every style. Plus I’m Swiss and I’m always study the way the British speak English. It studied English in the UK. Americans, Australians and Canadians alway think I’m English, LOL, but I never fool the British! They always know something is not quite right with the way I speak. I’ll even say things very British like “Cheerio!” and they’ll laugh and say “Seriously, where are you from?”

    • @audraeden8923
      @audraeden8923 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@johnleonard3806 So true..that’s in part why I use the Share Arrow to send to budding musicians. Fil's body of work is phenomenal and must be shared.
      When you get a kid started with merely thinking about a subject, he or she will remember you forever.
      Just glad Fil finally left a guitar case opened in the form of a Thanks Icon. Thanks, Fil.

  • @jimsteele2072
    @jimsteele2072 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    I love John Fahey. What an inspiration. Listening to his playing is like taking a magic carpet ride.

  • @timgelder4263
    @timgelder4263 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    Fil, thanks for exposing more people to this under appreciated genius of Americana

  • @richardbraley7774
    @richardbraley7774 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I saw John in Huntington Beach Ca. in what must have been 1970. He came onstage with his guitar (which might have been a Recording King) and a cigarette and a can of Coke (mostly whiskey). He took a big drag off the cigarette, said something no one understood, then a long pull off the can then started to play and went on for about forty five minutes without letup, sometimes tuning on the fly. His playing was at a very casual tempo yet with an amazing attention to detail; he could live an eternity inside each note and still be accessible. He suddenly stopped playing and lit up a fresh cigarette and had another big toke from the can and announced: "my wife left me" then tuned up and played for another forty five minutes with about half of the audience (and me) mouth breathing for most it. He played totally clean and sounded like two guitar players; I couldn't believe someone could play like that and have been a fan ever since. Years later I watched a video (on TH-cam) of Leo Kottke telling his audience that he owed his entire adult life to John Fahey before launching into "The Last Steam Engine Train"; a fitting eulogy for an incredible talent and a tragic life. R.I.P. John.

    • @cherylmillard2067
      @cherylmillard2067 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I saw Fahey in Bellingham while at WWU in the early 80's, he was amazing, saw Kottke in Bremerton around 05', I took my young son to see him, he was enthralled. The people we sat next were also at the same Fahey concert in WWU, what a small world.

  • @CroatAndNettles
    @CroatAndNettles 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    I first heard Fahey play back in 1967, so I've grown to know his music fairly well over the decades. "Relaxed and easy to listen to" is not something I've ever heard someone say of Fahey because it isn't true. He is a master, he was extremely creative dreaming up a way to make the American steel string dreadnought a concert instrument even though he often used open tunings, and he had a particularly difficult life. But of course, he produced a brilliant body of work. The video used here, which is part of a pretty good performance in Germany, still suffers from what Fahey was going through at the time. On a happier note, there is an excellent British guitarist, Kris Dollimore, who really understands Fahey and plays him very well. But as far as I know, he continues to enjoy the same obscurity as his mentor. You would all do well to hear how accomplished a musician he is. He has many excellent Fahey covers on You Tube.

  • @scottsteeves
    @scottsteeves 5 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Love acoustic picking and he was great. Who needs a band when you have that.

  • @Voirreydirector
    @Voirreydirector 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Oh man makes me cry, it is so like my dad’s playing. So soft and easy. He was an antiques man and fine cabinet maker, and when he played guitar it was gentle as well. Thank you for teaching about composition. You should have a mad number of students or even teach group master classes.

  • @annmarieyellico2714
    @annmarieyellico2714 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    John Fahey....so talented, so underrated. Thanks for sharing.

  • @bonusgolden12
    @bonusgolden12 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I saw John Fahey at Folk City in NYC sometime in the 80's. About halfway through the set he leaned into the microphone and asked, "Is anybody driving to Yonkers tonight?" Somebody in the crowd flagged him and I guess that's how he got home that night. I loved his recording called "The New Possibility".

  • @dmskon
    @dmskon 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    Instant thumb's up from me. One of my all-time favorites. What a sad life but such a rich musical legacy. Fare Forward Voyageurs is the zenith of his playing and composition skills. Stunning album.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      👍

    • @danielschaeffer1294
      @danielschaeffer1294 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Personally I'll take "America," but maybe it's just a matter of taste.

    • @audraeden8923
      @audraeden8923 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not so sad. He knew all that he could be. It was there if he wanted it. He knew it.

  • @davidkey3766
    @davidkey3766 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    Fil im really happy you did an exam on John Fahey. I was very fortunate and blessed to see Fahey perform at The Amazinggrace in Evanston,Illinois in 1976. And he was mezmerizing. He played a lot of very long instrumentals which never bored because, as you described, his fluctuating techniques and his incredible improvisation skills. He was almost like Coltrane. Incredible. The man is very very funny as well. Didnt speak a word to the audience until about 30 minutes into his performance. I swear he was wearing the same clothes as in your video. But he suddenly stopped playing this medium paced hypnotic drone/raga type thing...put his guitar down and giggled. He asked "Where is the bathroom?" This took everyone by surprise and no one responded immediately. John asked again finally someone from the audience explained to him the whereabouts of the bathroom. Fahey got up jumped off the small stage and disappeared thru the crowd which was a Theatre In The Round type arrangement. People began laughing and talking. Fahey returned 5 minutes later. He sat up on his stool guitar in hand and explained he has been trying to give up drinking and the promoters put a cooler full of Heineken Beer in his dressing room and he got a bit drunk. Anyway...Fahey picked up his guitar and...to my ears...picked up exactly where he left off. It was amazing.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Cool!

    • @loripond1839
      @loripond1839 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      David Key....great story!...thanks for sharing...✌

    • @davidkey3766
      @davidkey3766 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@loripond1839 you are most welcome Lori!!

  • @brianmiller6055
    @brianmiller6055 5 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    Absolutely beautiful piece of music, played by a true master of his art.

  • @iznot2
    @iznot2 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I meant to add that john Fahey's Christmas albums get a lot of play around here. Great renditions of Christmas songs even some of those that you may not like so much. Thank you for posting hos music.

  • @scottchoate6987
    @scottchoate6987 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Thanks fil,for taking us on a musical journey,idk how long you wanna keep doing this on yt,but for now,i appreciate each video,have a great weekend brother.

  • @sandyboudreaux-barber9586
    @sandyboudreaux-barber9586 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you thank you thank you! I discovered John Fahey in 1975 and he remains my favorite guitarist ever. He’s a hidden gem.

  • @MaxStax1
    @MaxStax1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Fil, the hardest working TH-camr, putting out videos everyday and with the most epic mic.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks! 😂

    • @gregormiller4037
      @gregormiller4037 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Agree max...That's why I've linked one of my favorites, look above, I hope he likes, link will be below:)

    • @ennbee2051
      @ennbee2051 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      You mean Phil, surely?

  • @jlr3636
    @jlr3636 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I was privileged to see Fahey play at the Back Door at SDSU (San Diego) 1969 or 70, couldn’t have been more than 50 people in attendance. John walked on stage eating a sandwich, tuned his guitar and played an amazing set, then exited. Really not any talking, just played and left, no encore, just played and exited. He was one of my favorite back the and still is. I still have the Yellow Princess vinyl album and I had an Irish Setter, if you have ever owned an Irish Setter that song sums it up. Loved his playing.

  • @jimji5116
    @jimji5116 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I've been a John Fahey fan since the 60s.
    I actually met John, he had come to Montreal to play at a local folk music club. Apparently he had a girlfriend in Montreal.
    In between sets I would talk to him in the green room. He had been to India and also I had been to India. Apparently he was or had been a follower of a woman saint, Anandamayi Ma.
    After the gig, I drove him back to his hotel. The next morning he was
    flying back to the states.
    I still love his music, an originator of the guitar style called "Americian Primitive Guitar".

  • @bigdaddystinkeye
    @bigdaddystinkeye 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    My beloved John Fahey. Thank you. Little known fact: he and Alan Wilson were very good friends as teenagers where they began molding their techniques and careers. Alan would later have success as a musician with Canned Heat. One of the best harmonica players I have ever heard.

    • @PaisleyPatchouli
      @PaisleyPatchouli ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Wilson was no slouch on slide guitar either...

  • @bekind6763
    @bekind6763 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    What a great musician, very mellow.I never heard of him until now,. Thank you for sharing, Fil❤✌

  • @daveayers3236
    @daveayers3236 5 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Wow! First I've heard of him, but some great work! Thanks!

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      👍☺

    • @iskandertime747
      @iskandertime747 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      He had a lot of Records, and some of them are very different and experimental.

  • @JamesMacDonald-xf6jt
    @JamesMacDonald-xf6jt ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This brings tears to my eyes ( that John passed and played so beautifully). By the way, the real title to this cut is "Poor boy long ways from home'. The boy is alone and a long way from home. Loneliness. John must have felt it at times.

  • @StellarFella
    @StellarFella 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    His 1967 album 'Days Have Gone By' was his greatest album IMO.
    'The Portland Cement Factory In Monolith California' is a great composition and the story behind it is quite interesting as well.
    Get this album and listen to it from start to finish with headphones. A total masterpiece. The Bacon and Day guitar he had then had the rarest of tonal qualities.

    • @paulthanasse7405
      @paulthanasse7405 21 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Couldn't agree more about The Portland Cement Factory...one of fave compositions...phenomenal

  • @loripond1839
    @loripond1839 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Fil... you're so good at explaining musical techniques and pointing these things out to some of us, such as myself, that are novices. You explain these musical concepts in a way that makes it simple for me to understand. The piece by John Fahey is beautiful! I could listen to it over and over and over again. It does sound a bit familiar to me. But he is someone I haven't consciously been made aware of, again when I was a kid in the 70's I didn't listen to as many different genres of music as I wish I would have... you really have opened up a whole new world of music appreciation for me and for that I'm very grateful...❤🤘

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      No problem! ☺

    • @audraeden8923
      @audraeden8923 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Wasn’t played on the radio. There were often college stations, alternative radio was available in some big cities.
      But no commercial radio stations were playing music like his. Even in his hometown of DC.
      He played at Cellar Door which is virtuality on the campus of Georgetown University.

  • @KoDaMoJo
    @KoDaMoJo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Big smile on my face throughout this performance. I bet this was a joy to play on a bright springy Martin.

  • @jazzcat8786
    @jazzcat8786 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Alternate tunings are awesome, they can give you new territory to explore. This performance was flawless🤟🏻

  • @Terra148
    @Terra148 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    So well done sir having John Fahey up for a listen and discussion. His blend (and mastery) of standard folk and blues styles and at times incredibly unorthodox playing is what got me to pick up a guitar.
    I remember a folks festival back 40 years or so when I was mesmerized by a performance by this odd, mumbling eccentric cat under a musty canvas tent to a crowd of about 5 or 6 people. It was incredible.

    • @Terra148
      @Terra148 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I still get teary-eyed when I listen to him playing 'Lion'. I miss my cats . . . . . .

  • @themememachine3945
    @themememachine3945 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    John had a sad beautiful soul and it showed every time he played. My favorite artist.

  • @miketayse
    @miketayse 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I was captivated by his playing back in the early 70's and learned a few of his tunes and his influences gave me more fodder for study. Thanks for posting and love the show!

  • @usermo
    @usermo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I consider you my Rock Pundit! Always looking forward to your next video! Peace

  • @Shell6424
    @Shell6424 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    He's very smooth and slick, so soothing on a Sunday arvo.

  • @droliver
    @droliver 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Love John Fahey. He's got this whole spooky vibe. There's a lot of good compilations of his work on Spotify, but I'd steer you towards his 1975 "Old Fashioned Love" album. It alternates between some beautiful weird eastern songs like this video, then veers into some full band dixie land jazz, and finished with some very bleak delta blues flavored work. It's just a bizarre album, but it works and has some of his best work on it. Check out song 2 on that album, "Java Shiva Shankarah" which has a beautiful open C tuned melodic guitar duet on it. The opening track "In a Persian market" is also a really odd but rewarding meander through 3-4 different styles (eastern->dixieland->spanish)

  • @kaylycoleman9956
    @kaylycoleman9956 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I looooove John Fahey so much. He is so underrated. Sad that he was so troubled with alcoholism and substance abuse. Sometimes the greatest artists have the most troubled souls. Regardless, such talent deserves recognition. I hope his soul is at peace and knows how much his art is appreciated posthumously.

  • @pauljohnson7382
    @pauljohnson7382 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Why do the really good musicians make it look so easy? Fil, I appreciate your ability to break down and explain the technical aspects of what the musician is doing to create each particular portion of their music. For someone like me, who would only make a great roadie, seeing the other side is fantastic!
    You Rock! 🤘

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks!

    • @clasicradiolover
      @clasicradiolover 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm at the point of starting to play the guitar and I am feeling overwhelmed.

    • @danbgt
      @danbgt 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Paul Johnson They make it look easy because it is easy. To them! Many, many, many hours of practice. There is a video where John says that when he practices it is usually for 8 hours or more.

  • @TheDivayenta
    @TheDivayenta 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Everyone was trying to play like him back in the day. Thankyou for this appreciation- stellar as usual. I think you’d love Gillian Welch’s songs and Dave Rawlings’ accompanying guitar work and harmonies. Great Americana!

  • @chuckvt5196
    @chuckvt5196 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I was not familiar with John. What an amazing talent! It's sad that he is no longer with us. Thanks for spotlighting this amazing man!

  • @JAK0449
    @JAK0449 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Im a twenty + years bass player,always trying to evolve as one..but Fahey is the one that actually convinced me to really learn the acoustic 6 strings guitar and to be very More interested by sound,technique,gear,players, history etc..thanks ï love this Channel.hugo from france

  • @jamesstory6961
    @jamesstory6961 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Oh yes! I love John fahey! I'm glad you played him. he's not really known too well. I'd say he's underrated lol

  • @scottmclain2738
    @scottmclain2738 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Fahey's playing has had a profound influence on mine and my musical mind in general. I agree with other people who post that although he is revered in guitar circles he is relatively unknown and that is a shame. What a fantastic talent who played music from such a pure unadulterated, unspoiled place. He was effectively homeless and broke at one point and a re-release kind of saved his butt after that. A complicated human with massive music heart. Thanks for reviewing him Fil, your respect for him is evident.

  • @todds596
    @todds596 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank You again Fil for introducing me to this fellow!!!!
    What a player....
    Love your videos here in Catasauqua PA USA !!!!!

  • @gregmardon6973
    @gregmardon6973 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Such a wonderful piece of music, this guy is really amazing. It's hypnotic and pulls you in♡

  • @tical523
    @tical523 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Awesome breakdown, appreciate it! I love his songs ‘Sligo River Blues’ and ‘View from the east Trestle Bridge’.

    • @tical523
      @tical523 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The title is actually ‘View East from top of Riggs Road’. His songs ‘Dalhart Texas’ and ‘Sunflower River Blues’ are also killer. But thanks for the videos. I loved your breakdown of that Glenn Campbell ‘Gentle on my Mind’, one of my all time favorite videos.

  • @StellarFella
    @StellarFella 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    He lived out his life in Salem, Oregon because it was a railway center and he loved the sounds created by trains.

  • @paulthanasse7405
    @paulthanasse7405 21 วันที่ผ่านมา

    It is said: "alot of musicians have perfect pitch...John Fahey had perfect tone".... rip John...you were absolutely my fave and certainly one of the very best

  • @jrw344
    @jrw344 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Saw John many times in Seattle, including U of W campus. Stunned me when I discovered an early album on a friends record player in 1968.

  • @loricole4906
    @loricole4906 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Growing up in L.A., I discovered him in high school and got to see him in concert a couple of times; the first time he was completely brilliant, but the second time he got pissed off about something, walked off the stage, and never came back. At one time he was married to my middle-school science teacher's daughter; he and his wife were famous for keeping turtles in their bathtub!

  • @BanjosandRobots
    @BanjosandRobots 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great analysis! It's clear how much you appreciate Fahey and his more popular protege Leo Kottke. When Kottke and Fahey rose to popularity in the early 1970's many of their fans were listening to them under the influence of pot or LSD. Those drugs relaxed the listeners and helped them appreciate the subtleties you talk about. But some of us don't need drugs to listen that carefully! My own instrument is 5 string banjo, but my personal style was influenced by guitarists like Fahey and Kottke.

  • @lijopunnapra1683
    @lijopunnapra1683 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for the beautiful video...
    John Fahey's rendering, brings tears to my eyes...!!

  • @billstatton5563
    @billstatton5563 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thanks for taking such a good look at John Fahey's music, which really deserves more widespread recognition--it's so beautiful. If you ever want to do more shows about open tuning, I recommend some shows looking at Hawai'ian slack key style guitar. There are many great players--one was a colleague of Fahey, George Winston.

  • @deanbull7767
    @deanbull7767 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I didn't know what I've missed until the last few months when I first heard him and I'am sixty five. How could I miss something this good, well now I know and it's a big plus to add to the stuff I like and can buy, Thanks for great vid.

  • @garyyeigh6098
    @garyyeigh6098 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    He was so good it actually brought tears to my eyes.

  • @temeyer
    @temeyer 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I saw him play in a club in Chicago late in his life around 1997 with another avant- garde player named Jim O’Rourke, who championed him to a whole new indie rock audience. O’Rouke played a couple of droning, looping extended pieces from his records of the time and then played a bit with Fahey when he came on, the whole time lit by only a couple small lights. One of the most memorable concerts of my life.
    I have been listening to ‘On the Sunny Side of the Ocean’ from the same show every few months for the last, oh, 5 years or so. I think it’s even more amazing than this. :)
    th-cam.com/video/qYDrkG2EGwg/w-d-xo.html

  • @justMe-zl4pu
    @justMe-zl4pu 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I could listen to acoustic guitar all day.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      👍

    • @briansbrain426
      @briansbrain426 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not if I was playing it.

    • @justMe-zl4pu
      @justMe-zl4pu 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@briansbrain426 if you play all day today I'm sure you would be worth listening to all day tomorrow
      😊

  • @annettemarshall4895
    @annettemarshall4895 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    thank you thank you thank you - and for the note on the shared Ry Cooder style...

  • @lipby
    @lipby 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Combined old-time American folk, Indian-flavored microtones, and classical elements. Absolutely unique and deeply weird.

  • @michaelvaladez6570
    @michaelvaladez6570 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    A true inspiration. to any after him Leo Kottke.Robbie Basho,to contemporary players on You Tube.The first FIL. I heard him his playing immediately turned my ears,that led into Pentangle and recognized that was a wave of interest of guitarist seeking something other than blues players that were in the popular field on the American radio.Kudos to you for bringing to the forefront John Fahey to new audiences. Keep up the good work Fil.

  • @danielschaeffer1294
    @danielschaeffer1294 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I first discovered Fahey in the mid-sixties, and what with his work as a musicologist and a producer, I think he was one of the most important people in American music. Like a lot of other people I learned how to play by listening to his amazing records. And a word to aspiring students. If you think that playing with your fingers in syncopation with your thumb is easy, just try it. Thanks for the vid, Fil, as usual.

  • @dannybaker4641
    @dannybaker4641 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Another incredible player!

  • @quicktastic
    @quicktastic 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Now I have to go see if there are videos of the 'Blind Owl' out there. Such an interesting character taken way too soon.

  • @greatsilentwatcher
    @greatsilentwatcher 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I worked for the Takoma Records co-founder, the late ED Denson, and didn't know for some time that he was connected with a guitar player I enjoyed hearing. Sometimes the world has ways of bringing us together. Never saw that coming...

  • @sandraard4306
    @sandraard4306 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Love your explanation of the different techniques of these excellent guitar players. Once these things are pointed out we can understand them and notice them in other players thus expanding our knowledge and awareness leading to better appreciation . Please excuse the long winded explanation!

  • @harrietmiller3982
    @harrietmiller3982 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have listened to John Fahey since the late sixties🎸🎶‼️. He has always knocked me out. Loved your stellar (as usual) reaction🌟‼️ i always thought he was playing a 12 string before I could see it was a six. Thanks for checking him out.✌️🦋

  • @Tomloser4321
    @Tomloser4321 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I started performing John's music when I was 19 and I'm still playing his stuff.I saw him at Stanford in 1973.

  • @rossduncan9505
    @rossduncan9505 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This guy is a good picker,he had it going on big time,god bless.

  • @mattzr2blazer
    @mattzr2blazer 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You always bring us awesome content. It helps me forget about the trouble in the world and appreciate the beauty.

  • @davidkey3766
    @davidkey3766 5 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Some other fine acoustic players you could look into are Glenn Jones and Jack Rose..all aficionados of Fahey. Another excellent player is Daniel Bachmann. Fahey is an interesting writer as well and there is a book of his short stories. One of the stories is a true story that takes place in 1964 or 65. Fahey describes he was in a club to see electric Blues guitarist Henry Vestine play. This was before Vestine was in Canned Heat..but after the performance another guitarist..a young Black man..joined Fahey and Vestine at their table and introduced himself. It was Jimi Hendrix. Jimi had not yet been discovered and was playing in all manner of bands. Fahey yesrs later actually covered a Hendrix song..."May This Be Love" from "Are You Experienced?". Fahey also did a version of "Layla".

    • @danielschaeffer1294
      @danielschaeffer1294 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      As it happens, Jimi was also roommates with John Hammond for a while. Apparently John tried to teach him acoustic finger-picking, but Jimi never got it.

    • @davidkey3766
      @davidkey3766 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@danielschaeffer1294 Thats a very cool story and thanks for sharing. Did Hammond ever tell you how he had both Hendrix and Clapton in his band for about a week in NYC in 67 or 68? Can you imagine how that sounded?

  • @StoyTheOld
    @StoyTheOld 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I discovered Fahey while listening to the " Kottke , Fahey , Lang " album . Several of his albums have travelled with me for the last forty plus years . I only managed to see him perform live once , but it was an amazing night for me . I saw him at a small club called the Hummingbird in Indianapolis . I bought him a beer and we chatted for a few minutes during his break . I wish I could remember what we talked about .

  • @rickg8015
    @rickg8015 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Great reaction.. Bert Jansch next please.

  • @JAK0449
    @JAK0449 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    John Fahey was a genuine poet...love him...the springtime comes again is my favorite of his tunes

  • @stevehowell231
    @stevehowell231 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    First heard John on John Peel's 'Perfumed Garden'. Me and my friend Dennis Murphy. In darkest Greenford back in 1967. My parents went to San Francisco in 68 and came back with about 4 of his albums. Still in love with that Senorita guitar.

  • @docbailey3265
    @docbailey3265 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    As an erstwhile Fahey specialist, I say that he was as much a magician as he was a musician. And he was the consummate storyteller and popularizer of the old Afrogospel blues of the pre-war days.

  • @hereigoagain5050
    @hereigoagain5050 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Another great WoP breakdown with Fil. If I taught a music appreciation course, I'd just have the student watch WoP videos :)

  • @robertsparkman8516
    @robertsparkman8516 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    What a pleasure to listen to, thanks

  • @carbine090909
    @carbine090909 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Wow I love how the melody and tempo sort of meander on this song. That's so funny, at 8 minutes in, I went back to look at the name of the song and noticed the same thing. It really does sound like a journey. Did he write this song?

    • @redshield3296
      @redshield3296 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Renee Brutvan what composition was that?

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      It is his song, but if you go to the original video in the comments you can see people debating this! I think it's a very common progression that repeats in a few songs!

    • @SidBonkers51
      @SidBonkers51 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There are many blues songs with this name or very similar names like 'Poor Boy Long Ways From Home' making "way" the plural rather than "boy" by people like R.L. Burnside, Gus Canon, Barbeque Bob, Mississippi John Hurt and even Howlin Wolf = th-cam.com/video/FEyU2jyMpho/w-d-xo.html it seems to have been a popular theme in the blues.

    • @carbine090909
      @carbine090909 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      thanks! That makes sense. Nostalgia, powerlessness & longing are the lettuce, tomato & mayo of a great blues sandwich.

  • @FarmerSlideJoeBob
    @FarmerSlideJoeBob 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Faheys Album Railroad was my personal discovery and experience last year. When I started play more acoustic and my style changed, I was a bit shocked, it got a lil' kinda way of how he play it. And I love his play and how he used the slide, he is damn important as a musician and more people should know him🙂

  • @kevincorkery6292
    @kevincorkery6292 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’ve always loved Johns playing.

  • @sm6jesse
    @sm6jesse ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great commentary at 12:40 Very insightful

  • @PaulMcCaffreyfmac
    @PaulMcCaffreyfmac 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I was lucky enough to see John Fahey at a free concert in Parliament Hill Fields in North London in 1969 with Procul Harum headlining and fell in love right there and then. He is mesmeric and absolutely fascinating as a player and a 'personality' and if you love Leo Kottke but want half the notes in better time JF is yer man....Hahahahaha (I jest of course - Kottke is a miraculous timekeeper but Fahey is like the reassuring tick of a beautiful grandfather clock)

  • @jackadoddle
    @jackadoddle 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    John discovered a guitarist called Peter Lang who is also amazing, he did a couple of albums then became an animator, check out his track Turnpike Terror, amazing 👍

  • @thelonious-dx9vi
    @thelonious-dx9vi 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Nice. He's definitely channeling Charley Patton with the increasing tempo (and just generally). Spoonful Blues, Mississippi Bo' Weevil Blues, etc. Patton would build it like a train picking up speed. Folks who like this should get with Charley, who may have been the guitar-playin'est mf'er of them all. And I don't say that lightly.

  • @PaisleyPatchouli
    @PaisleyPatchouli ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Go and find the several different, excellent versions that Fahey does of this traditional song over the years, and you'll discover that he tried many varying approaches in his arrangements; he rarely played these songs the same way from one year to the next. There are indeed other, earlier versions of "Poor Boy" that I prefer, but I can appreciate what he is trying to do here, and also remember that he was having to play a lot of these same songs year in and year out, so he had to become inventive in terms of phrasing and tempo in order to himself keep interested in the repertoire, and to keep it interesting and indeed surprising for his audiences.
    Bravo Fahey, you are one of my guitar Gods. Whenever I play this song for someone who has never heard me play before, I sure do get a reaction! :)
    On another note, go listen to "Prodigal Son" by the Rolling Stones. Notice anything familiar? It's the same song... :)

  • @audraeden8923
    @audraeden8923 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thanks!

  • @jimmyclay9316
    @jimmyclay9316 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    In the Delta dialect the original correct title is "Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home"

  • @johnleonard3806
    @johnleonard3806 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I think it is great you are showcasing all of these artists. There are so many. 👍👍

  • @nickglass12
    @nickglass12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What a master. He’s in his time all the time.

  • @stevemccart9109
    @stevemccart9109 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    John Fahey!!! Now ive seen everything. I dont know if its you or a recommendation ,but how great to hear you talk about him. Home run fil.

  • @Mauroleiicus
    @Mauroleiicus 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    check out Robbie Basho as well, he was a friend of Fahey's (John released his first record). What John does with the bass strings, Robbie does with the high strings, often. There's only one live video though. And he died on his chiropractor's table in the 80's.

  • @tspicks4360
    @tspicks4360 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I actually learned to play guitar by copying John Fahey - slowed down "The Yellow Princess" on my tape machine and figured it out note by note ... such primitive learning style on my part! :) But I did learn ... talk about diving into the deep end! Fahey was a great player. I went on to take lessons, which was a MUCH easier way to progress.

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Cool!

    • @knawl
      @knawl 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It might seem primitive and slow but its a great way to develop your "ear" for music. An exercise I used to do was to write out or transcribe songs by ear then have my teacher critique it. We often fool ourselves about timing and that helped straiten me out. An easy example to relate is when I transcribed "pictures of home" by Deep Purple. The song is pretty easy for the most part but part of the hook has quarter note triplets in it which really threw me off and I tried all sorts of things to get the timing figured out. I could play it by feel but just couldn't figure how to count it out until he pointed out the obvious, which never occurred to me. At any rate the process helped straiten out my timing quite a bit after doing it for a while. Of course I already knew how to read music from playing brass instruments and training is pretty important too, especially if one isn't exactly a natural, but getting too much into theory without balancing it with feel can make one sound sterile, Like everything else balance is key.

    • @tspicks4360
      @tspicks4360 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, you're right ... developing one's "ear" is important and valuable. Where I was primitive was in taking on a difficult Fahey piece before I'd even learned scales, or anything other than basic chords and thumb/fingers plucking. It did work, and I learned a couple things that way ... but it was inefficient.

    • @knawl
      @knawl 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@tspicks4360 yeah you are right too. Some people have a knack for playing by ear but most beginners get pretty frustrated with it until they have some experience under their belt. On the other hand it seems to be important to address it before one gets too far as one can get wrapped up in technical stuff and theory which ironically can make it harder to develop ones ear for many people. Like with all art its a very personal process. Not saying the way I learned is best for everybody but it helped me and is something to try, especially for analytical (possibly overly so) people like me. It one of those ways to make a talent, which might be more developed, develop another which might not feel so natural

  • @cunard61
    @cunard61 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You can hear a lot of Fahey's "Sunflower River Blues" in this song.

  • @je7647
    @je7647 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    one of the best ever imo, it's the way he holds the timing and that does it for me. check out the channel "blind lewis" if you want a lot of rare fahey performances that are mostly high quality, he has a lot of them

  • @georgeadams8230
    @georgeadams8230 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    John lived in Salem Oregon where I live , Guitar Castle in downtown has a nice display of some memorabilia .

  • @powerWithinUs4055
    @powerWithinUs4055 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Well done, Fil.
    He's Takoma's Home Town Boy.
    John has it in his genes. His father, Aloysius played the harp.

  • @kingrobert1st
    @kingrobert1st 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Now I see where Leo Kottke got his piece Busted Bicycle from.

  • @edwardsauve4836
    @edwardsauve4836 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Loved Faheys music since first hearing him in the 1960s , my favourite guitarist .

  • @aarontrudeau3257
    @aarontrudeau3257 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for this video. John Fahey is so smooth

  • @russellesimonetta3835
    @russellesimonetta3835 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Fahey had a small recording studio and recorded Leo Kottke's six and twelve in an afternoon. Everything in one take!!! Sold a million copies!! Fahey said of Kottke,, he started playing fast because of Leo!!! Faheys mean joe death, red pony and impressions of Susan are master pieces!!!

  • @cawfeedawg
    @cawfeedawg 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    wow i cant believe ive never heard of this guy.. Thanks Fil for once again opening my eyes.

  • @robertwheeler412
    @robertwheeler412 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    John was a virtuoso. Which I think was fabricated by listening to blues songs, delta blues with boom boxes on either side of his head. But what amazed me, and my pure delight was to discover how he composed.
    Not at all from this plane, and one note at a time.
    I think that he liked beer more than music on earth, but wanted to please his many fans.

  • @knawl
    @knawl 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Never liked using thumb and finger picks when finger picking but they do give a crisp sound, always liked John, great Americana folk

    • @wingsofpegasus
      @wingsofpegasus  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      👍

    • @jaredcraver3898
      @jaredcraver3898 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I don't like using picks in general...they sound great but i just feel less in control than when im using my fingers