Well, on the basis that it was five o’clock somewhere (in my kitchen, actually) I cracked open a couple of beers whilst cooking the tea, slipped some Little Feat into the CD player and went back thirty years. Oh man, I just love that band. I used to play these albums to death and in the re-spinning of these discs this evening it all came back to me. To me this music is as beautiful as the most gorgeous sunset. I think it was Linda Ronstadt who said she missed Little Feat as much as she missed being five years old. I get it. I really do. I’m not sure there’s ever been a better white blues singer and slide guitarist and song-writer than Lowell George. He was my hero back in the sixth form and he still is. I think I need to play more slide!
You know, last week I watched that documentary (
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f1bt0/sweet-home-alabama-the-southern-rock-saga ) that the BBC aired about Southern Rock. That took me back too. Duane Allman was another hero. Dickie Betts, also. That’s how I play a guitar. I never got the Chicago blues thing, but I got the Southern Rock thing – still love me a major pentatonic. Those are the records that I grew up with. I feel guilty (actually, no, I don’t) that I went for the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd and Little Feat and Tom Waits and Jackson Browne rather than The Smiths or Madness or The Specials. Always loved The Stones and The Beatles, of course, but that goes without saying. Back on planet earth I was into that American music and it wasn’t a choice it was just what I was drawn to. That documentary took me back and I grinned so hard my face hurt. Man I wore out my vinyl copy of the first Allman Brothers album working out Duane’s parts and later Midnight Rider was my favourite song for a while (in between Drift Away and The Heart of Saturday Night probably).
What a wonderful week – I feel like I’ve been recharged with some magic fuel that is only offered to a few. I still play Little Martha at gigs and I’ll argue to anyone that’ll listen that Steve Gaines could’ve been one of the greatest ever had he not been killed in that plane crash. Listen to his singing, his song-writing on Street Survivors and once you’ve placed him in the three guitar line up on One More For The Road listen to his playing on that double album and you’ll realise what a master he was.
I don’t mean, or intend, to belittle today’s artists – I’ve no doubt that there are contemporary bands and artists and individuals that have as much effect on the kids today. But these were the guys that did it for me when I first had a guitar in my hands. I just love what they did and I can’t imagine anyone doing it better. It was a time when music was everything, no video games or boxed sets on demand or gyms or iPhones or anything. But like I say, I’m sure it’s the same for sixteen years olds today and they’re worshipping the ground that, I don’t know, Bruno Mars or Ed Sheeran walk on, and they’re analysing and figuring out every off-beat chord and funky bass line and soaring guitar solo that these guys play. In fact, I hope they are. I hope this feeling gets passed to every generation.
But for me, there’s no contest. These guys were the best
Of course, I’m drunk. On beer and on the funky blues.
Anyway I have an evening of ironing ahead me but I have a Little Feat DVD and more beer…
