It's Wednesday and we have discussion on a few topics today. The first relates to…
Peter Green playing again
Peter Green was the best electric guitar player of all time (that’s my view anyway) and I loved his sound and phrasing. His Gibson Les Paul (1959 model) was accidentally modified (he put the magnets back in upside down) and he discovered in the middle position he got an out-of-phase tone that honked so strongly that the mod remained. Unfortunately he took too much acid and had a disposition to mental illness and spent most of time since the 1970s in various states of ill health occasionally re-appearing to play again. Never regaining the dominance of the 1960s though. But once again he is playing again and this time he is sounding better.
Peter Green recently played (February 21) at the Paradiso near the Leidse Plein in Amsterdam. I have the whole show on mp3 (thanks to Wouter Vuijk) and while it is not the PG of old, he is playing with great tone again – this time on a Stratocaster with stacks of reverb. If anyone wants to hear some of it let me know and I will make some links.
Someone has also put some video up on Youtube from the show.
You can also also see another version of Albatross which was recorded from his appearance on Monday, February 23 on the Belgian TV’s De Laastse Show backed by the De Laatste Showband (featuring fantastic Belgian guitarist Chris Peeters).
And from another era when Peter Green was the hottest guitarist of all time – playing on John Mayall Bluesbreakers The Hard Road – The Supernatural just to remind you of how fabulous he was.
Update: Monday, March 2 – News came through that today, Peter Green is planning to keep this band together and do a 5-show tour to see if he wants to launch a full third comeback. Lets hope it works out and we see him playing more often.
Dear Bill,
I have always prefered Green’s version of Black Magic Woman to that of Carlos Santana. However, for me Hendrix will always be the man
My dream band would consist of:
Drums: Ian Paice
Keyboards: Rod Argent
Bass: John Entwhistle
Lead Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Rhythm Guitar: Link Wray (or Pete Townshend – I cannot split them)
Vocals: Paul Rogers.
cheers Alan
Dear Alan
Santana’s version of BMW was trite compared to Peter Green’s original (given the latter wrote the song). Carlos abandoned the beautiful Dm-C-Bb-A-Dm run down which makes the song in my view. I also love the sparseness of Mick Fleetwood’s drumming in that song.
As to dream bands hmmm, that is really difficult. It is easy starting with what instruments:
Guitar (strats and out of phase gibson)
Bass
Drums
B3 Hammond with Leslie cabinets
Harmonica
Brass section (Tenor, Baritone, Alto, Trombone and Trumpet)
Singer
Putting names then is the hard part. But Peter Green would be my guitarist.
best wishes
bill
Dear Bill,
Interesting progression there “Dm-C-Bb-A-Dm”. From memory I think the bridge / organ solo in House of the Rising Sun is very similar except A is possibly Amaj7….
I like the instruments for your dream band. I’ll take a wild guess and say you are a big fan of the blues brothers as well ?