Posted 2013-09-20 11:40 PM (#475250) Subject: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago
Perhaps a bit sentimental, but.... what was THE guitar piece that changed your life, turned your head around? The tune that went straight to the heart and demanded of you TOTAL devotion to the guitar? (From 1968- 1978 that sound quite likely involved an Ovation!)
For me, it was this mellow tune ("Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"):
Posted 2013-09-21 6:26 AM (#475255 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: April 2003 Posts: 608
Location: Caribou, ME
Any variation or interpretation of Guitar Boogie, be it presented by my older brother on my fathers early 50s J200, a family friend on his '58 Esquire, or any recorded version such as the guitar riff from Charlie Ryan's Hot Rod Lincoln.
Posted 2013-09-21 7:52 AM (#475256 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2009 Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw
It's embarrassing to admit, but it was probably Kenny Loggin's "Danny's Song". Had a girlfriend MANY moons ago that liked it, so I just had to learn it. Taught me to be the picker that I am today. I followed that up with songs like Dust In The Wind, which further solidified the picking aspect of my playing.
Once I learned that I could finger pick AND sing fairly decently, I pretty much concentrated on songs along those lines. (It helped that it was the 70's and lots of popular artists were doing it)
Posted 2013-09-21 3:22 PM (#475267 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: October 2005 Posts: 4071
Location: Utah
If forced to name one single acoustic song it would be "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor. That was the first 45 I bought at the local record store. Honestly though there was no single piece. I liked all the Ovation artists from before I knew what an Ovation was. We watched Glen Campbell on tv and I had no idea he wasn't playing a regular guitar. Cat Stevens. Jim Croce. Kenny Loggins. Neil Diamond (some). Heart.
Posted 2013-09-21 4:54 PM (#475269 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: July 2013 Posts: 21
Definitely was The Bobby Fuller Four, and "I Fought the Law" -middle 60's, whatever, that guitar sound did it for me-I was hooked on guitars then, no running away.....
Posted 2013-09-21 9:06 PM (#475273 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago
Ditto on "Fire and Rain"... no pun intend, but that was an acoustic gem... REALLY turned my head around! A few summers earlier, I remember being blown away by the first minute of Alvin Lee and Ten Years After at Woodstock "I'm Goin' Home." Brother went home too early!
Posted 2013-09-22 1:39 PM (#475280 - in reply to #475250) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan
Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon, Carl Radle, Duane Allman); the entire album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs".
"Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" really showed me what can be done with a guitar and inspired me to pick that thing up and play it. If you're not familiar with the album, watch for a cheap version on Ebay, spend the ten bucks or so, put it in the CD player and get your hair blown back by some of the finest guitar work on the planet!
Posted 2013-09-22 3:24 PM (#475283 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City
There are probably several things like 2112 from Rush, Anything Randy did on Blizzard of Ozz but one that always sticks out in my mind is the Album "Progressions of Power" from Triumph.
Specifically, Rik Emmett's acoustic piece "Finger Talkin'", and the solo on "Nature's Child"
Posted 2013-09-22 7:03 PM (#475285 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: October 2012 Posts: 1089
Location: Yokohama, Japan
First seven chords of Ritchie Blackmore's (Deep Purple) 'Smoke on the Water' caught my fancy. The first two minutes of Mediterranean Sundance hooked me. The rest of Friday Night in San Francisco turned my world upside down. Long before Clapton was "Unplugged" Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola, and John McLaughlin made an acoustic statement that would demand the guitarists attention for generations. To me, it was glorious music that demonstrated the majesty of the guitar; and yes, there is Al Di Meola right in the middle with his Ovation!
Posted 2013-09-22 8:50 PM (#475290 - in reply to #475250) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: December 2004 Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL
Mississippi Queen! Leslie West made me want to play guitar even more than I already did.
After that Mood for a Day and Roundabout, both made bells ring in my head! I must have seen the Yessongs Concert film about 20 times at the midnight movies!
Statesboro Blues, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed and Whipping Post from Live at Filmore East, that whole album was a guitar players dream.
And Cities on Flame by BOC, and Green Manalishi, and Green Grass and High Tides, and Dazed and Confused, and...
Posted 2013-09-23 2:01 AM (#475298 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest
I started playing a lot of sing'along guitar. Raindrops, Sitt'n on the Dock, etc.. but what really did it for me was a guy in high-school who taught me this really cool Hank Williams riff... I incorporated into "This Land is Your Land" and even took 2nd place in a talent show with it. That was the bug that bit me. I recently found him on Facebook. Not sure he really understood the depth of his influence on me but he still plays.
Posted 2013-09-23 10:37 AM (#475311 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho
Lots of memories stirred up here. Except for Damon. His songs were during my 20+ year hiatus from guitar that ended in 2005, when I discovered the OFC.
I started on guitar playing "Diary" by Bread. I was annoyed by a friend in choir who was a good guitar and bass player and singer, but always improvised. He played the intro his way and I went home and tuned my little brother's starter guitar and learned it so I could correct him the next time he played it. I think I might have learned "Aubrey" next, and then a bunch of the other ones mentioned above, plus I wore out my reel to reel and my roommates' patience learning Stairway to Heaven note for note, except for the solo.
I got my first Ovation in 77, largely because groups like Bread, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce played them. Glen's show was over a bit before my interest in guitar started.
Posted 2013-09-23 9:04 PM (#475331 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia
Hmmmmmm, I'd been playing for many years when a friend made me buy and listen to Jeff Beck; Blow By Blow. That's when I knew i could be a singer and an entertainer....but never a real guitar player in my own eyes.
But never let something like a lack of skill and drive stop you.
I don't.
Posted 2013-09-24 8:05 AM (#475345 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago
Takes me back to my first guitar audition (school choir "Good Morning Starshine", fall of 1969). I'm afraid I bombed: WAY too many chords. Besides, I had little idea of projecting a strong rhythm guitar part. But the failure lit a fire under me: I got fierce about learning to do it right, goddamit!
Posted 2013-09-24 10:30 AM (#475349 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: November 2008 Posts: 400
Location: Northwest Arkansas
I could not believe how many chord changes there were in "Blackbird" by the Beatles. Shuffles and 3-chord blues were lost on me until I learned THAT song. Then the world went back to normal, except I was guitar player. I play everything from Leo Kottke to AC/DC to Flatt and Scruggs. I'd have been a lot better if I had stuck with one style, but I'm too ADHD. I can't finish a song if I'm the only person in the room. Thank you "White Album".
Posted 2013-09-25 7:26 AM (#476391 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago
Nothing strange there, Damon. Randy is a ***. Always loved, by the way, how he doubled his parts on "Blizzard".... a thing of beauty. And Rick E. was huge at one time. Very influential. He's been rather quiet lately....
Posted 2013-09-25 1:31 PM (#476409 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: September 2013 Posts: 22
Location: Charlotte, NC
I bet I'm younger than Damon (25)...
It was the Beach Boys, Elvis, The Animals and The Beatles that got me hooked on music/guitar when I was really little... my parents would listen to the oldies station and one year I got a portable tape recorder for Christmas. I remember that ride up to my aunts house later that day, sitting in the back of my moms minivan with the tape recorder right next to the radio speaker recording the songs I liked so I could listen to them later. Classic.
What REALLY blew my mind and got me even more interested in the guitar was listening to Master of Puppets at a sleep over at a friends house one summer. We were up late hanging out in his parents camper behind their house listening to CD's we "borrowed" from my friends older brother. I remember my friend started to fast forward the CD through the first MoP solo and I freaked out. Kirk Hammett blew my mind, I must have been 12 or 13 years old.
Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson was the next song to make my jaw drop (from a guitarist perspective)
Posted 2013-09-25 4:10 PM (#476417 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City
I'm just about twice your age.
The Metallica influence came soon after that first inspiration for me. I had my guitar for about 6 months before "Kill 'em All" started proliferating the school ground on cassette tape. I spent countless hours trying to figure out all the riffs.
Growing up in the Bay Area at the time kinda put you right in the middle of all that. I actually had the chance to jam with Cliff & Lars once... THAT was big fun. I couldn't have been more than 16 or 17. My good buddy Ross joined up with Cliff's former band Trauma. Cliff and Lars stopped by the practice space one night, and it ended up being an eve of booze fueled jamming, including me rocking through Seek and Destroy with 'em. Never had the chance to meet Kirk, but had the chance to study with his teacher and didn't have the $ to do it. Had I known who Joe was... or should I say who he was going to be... I would have found some way for sure.
Posted 2013-09-25 6:05 PM (#476423 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: September 2013 Posts: 22
Location: Charlotte, NC
Oh $#%& Damon, that's awesome! Right place at the right time, huh!
From Eric Johnson I quickly discovered Satch, and he's another who shattered my idea of what was possible, musically.
You had the chance to study with him but didn't, did you ever play with Joe though?
Posted 2013-09-25 6:09 PM (#476424 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: August 2007 Posts: 494
Location: Location Location Location
'Turned my head around.' That was the key phrase. It was a guy in a music store who just picked up a guitar off the rack and played a beautiful fingerstyle rendition of The Entertainer.
Posted 2013-10-18 9:01 AM (#478049 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains
Too many to recall, but from the late 1950's, mostly CW and RR studio musicians backing up a headliner who was in one of our shows, going off on some adlibbed instrumental riff in the middle of a hit song. I was absolutely fascinated by their ability and sound, particularly the pedal-steel guitars. Then came the Ventures.
Posted 2013-10-25 12:13 PM (#478293 - in reply to #475250) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: March 2007 Posts: 843
Location: CA
Probably the first was instrumental: Wipe Out. Loved that thing and still do. I understand the drums on that song were also a major influence on future drummers.
Also really liked the intro to "Turn Turn Turn" by the Birds, and the simple riff in "Sounds of Silence".
Later on, I thought "Going Home" by 10 Years After (immortalized in the Woodstock movie) was as good as rock and roll got.
To this day, my favorite guitar song is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, especially the live version on Distant Sound of Thunder.
FWIW, I eventually was able to learn the first few songs there, but never had the lightning fingers of Alvin Lee on Going Home.
Posted 2013-10-25 3:26 PM (#478297 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho
Nice one, Brad. I hadn't listened to that in years and didn't know or remember it was called Angie. I probably had forgotten it by the time I became interested in guitar, or I probably would have thought it was hopeless.
Posted 2013-10-25 3:34 PM (#478298 - in reply to #475250) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: August 2005 Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio
"Lady of the Island," from the first Crosby, Stills and Nash album. I heard it played by my friend Jody (who I still play in a band with 42 years later). It was a great tune, but what "turned my head around" was the way all the teenaged girls reacted to him singing and playing it. They listened in rapt attention, and he took one of them home with him. I went out and got my first guitar the next day (a Yamaha FG-160) woodshedded like crazy 11 hours a day and three months later we were playing live gigs as a duo.
I think most of us guys who learned guitar in those days (the dawn of the 1970s) used playing guitar as a vehicle to meet and (hopefully) impress girls. But then we realized how great the music was (and those were great days for acoustic music). On that CSN album alone you had "Lady...", "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Long Time Gone," "Wooden Ships," "Helplessly Hoping," "Guinevere" (one of the all time greatest acoustic tunes), and "You Don't Have to Cry." A veritable greatest hits album all by itself. Then james Taylor came along, and Neil Young (and CSNY), and Eagles, Jackson Browne, Lightfoot, Jim Croce, John Denver, Cat Stevens, Loggins & Messina, etc.
That's what REALLY turned my head. But my first clue was "Lady of the Island."
"The brownness of your body in the fire glow,
Except the places where the sun refused to go..."
Posted 2013-10-25 5:55 PM (#478304 - in reply to #478298) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2009 Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw
rick endres - 2013-10-25 4:34 PM
I think most of us guys who learned guitar in those days (the dawn of the 1970s) used playing guitar as a vehicle to meet and (hopefully) impress girls.
Yup. My college bar playing days were very fruitful....
Posted 2013-10-25 8:27 PM (#478313 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: July 2004 Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY
For me it was "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce. At that time, a family friend inserted the cassette in the tape player and encouraged us to check him out. At that time, I never paid much attention to people I knew nothing about, but then the song played and I got drawn into it. I picked up an acoustic guitar, learned some chords and never looked back.
Over time, I eventually learned to play Mr. Croce's timeless classic, and then some.
Posted 2013-10-26 12:25 AM (#478317 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: August 2011 Posts: 887
Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah
Last Thing On My Mind. I was in college and heard it performed by a group of two men and a woman. They played it at a student body assembly and I was hooked. Got a guitar and played all through finals week -- came very close to flunking out of college but couldn't put that guitar down.
Posted 2013-11-09 3:42 PM (#479828 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: October 2012 Posts: 349
Location: Denver, CO
Ok, since I'm not really a "guitar guy," I laid off this thread, but today I had the local classic rock station and "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty came on. I immediately thought, THAT'S THE ONE! Here's a pretty cool youtube clip. This is the first guitar song that really screamed at me. I remember that summer clearly. Funny thing is, I don't think my dad ever had it on the pool hall jukebox. Can't imagine why! Guitar solo starts at about 3:30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo6aKnRnBxM
Posted 2013-11-10 8:33 AM (#479840 - in reply to #475250) Subject: RE: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: August 2009 Posts: 120
Location: Miami
Anyone heard of Wishbone Ash? They were a one-hit wonder band that produced an album called "Argus" in the early 70s which I still think has some of the most beautifully melodic rock guitar I've ever heard. The two guitarists, Andy Powell and Ted Turner, did a kind of Duane Allman-Dicky Betts thing where they'd play crossover lead lines. The songs on the album all have a mythical-folkloric theme. There's little improvisational feel - the soloing seems to have been worked out quite carefully, but boy does it sound good! I heard the album when my brother bought it. I was 13 at the time, and it was thee lead guitar album for me.
Posted 2013-11-11 10:12 PM (#479854 - in reply to #475250) Subject: Re: First guitar piece that turned your head around?
Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago
Big Wishbone fan (as are all the serious guitarists I know!). I also highly recommend their first LP "Wishbone Ash" as well as "Pilgrimage." They did album-oriented rock and were consistently awesome for at least five records. A FIVE hit LP wonder, more like. Here is the bandleader (Steve Upton) leading the boys through a key track on "Pilgrimage"
First guitar piece that turned your head around?