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Ok, I admit it, I'm a drummer and some times when it comes to guitar
players, I just don't get it. A case in point
a few weeks ago I took a
gig at an open jam for guitar players. That night I backed over a
dozen different guitarists. Some good, some not so good and some were
really fine players. We did the usual mix of 12 bar blues, Clapton &
Hendrix tunes and, here's the rub, one Chuck Berry tune. I swear if I
have to play Johnny B. Goode one more time I'm going to puke. Why is
JBG the ONLY Chuck Berry tune guitar players know??? The dude wrote so
many cool tunes
Around & Around, Too Much Monkey Business, Maybeline,
Memphis, Brown Eyed Hansom Man, Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little
Sixteen
I could go on for pages, why, at EVERY jam, is it always
JBG??? It's not that any of his other songs are hard, or have complex
arrangements, on the contrary I could play any of these tunes, and my
guitar playing, well let's just say it's not pretty.
Will somebody please explain to me why the father of rock & roll guitar
is remembered for only one tune?
Dave "W"
Ha! Ha! Ha! You're right. It is the most covered Chuck
tune; but then it was his biggest mainstream hit.
If I were one of those guitar players I would have
played "Round and Around" (really gets the joint
jumpin') or "Go Little Queenie."
Dick Stewart
Editor - TLM
--- howlinthurstons <> wrote:
> Ok, I admit it, I'm a drummer and some times when it
> comes to guitar
> players, I just don't get it. A case in point
a few
> weeks ago I took a
> gig at an open jam for guitar players. That night I
> backed over a
> dozen different guitarists. Some good, some not so
> good and some were
> really fine players. We did the usual mix of 12 bar
> blues, Clapton &
> Hendrix tunes and, here's the rub, one Chuck Berry
> tune. I swear if I
> have to play Johnny B. Goode one more time I'm going
> to puke. Why is
> JBG the ONLY Chuck Berry tune guitar players know???
> The dude wrote so
> many cool tunes
Around & Around, Too Much Monkey
> Business, Maybeline,
> Memphis, Brown Eyed Hansom Man, Roll Over Beethoven,
> Sweet Little
> Sixteen
I could go on for pages, why, at EVERY jam,
> is it always
> JBG??? It's not that any of his other songs are
> hard, or have complex
> arrangements, on the contrary I could play any of
> these tunes, and my
> guitar playing, well let's just say it's not pretty.
>
> Will somebody please explain to me why the father of
> rock & roll guitar
> is remembered for only one tune?
>
> Dave "W"
>
>
>
>
Dave,
I am gonna go out on a limb here. But in quest of giving you an answer, I would
suggest that JBG is such a well known classic that it is just one of the first
things that come to mind during a "jam session". You can be fairly sure that the
rest of the musicians know JBG, after all, it is fairly basic and very well
known. I am not disagreeing that JBG is overplayed, but then again, so is
Freebird and "Rollin on the River" (0pps! I mean Proud Mary, LMFAO!)
Try this? The next time you are backing a jam and someone mentions JBG, say
enthusiastically, "Hey, Do you know Memphis or Roll Over Beethoven?" You might
get lucky and they may be able to play something a little more technical?
Stewd.................
----- Original Message -----
From: howlinthurstons
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 10:57 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] A question and a Rant from a drummer
Ok, I admit it, I'm a drummer and some times when it comes to guitar
players, I just don't get it. A case in point.a few weeks ago I took a
gig at an open jam for guitar players. That night I backed over a
dozen different guitarists. Some good, some not so good and some were
really fine players. We did the usual mix of 12 bar blues, Clapton &
Hendrix tunes and, here's the rub, one Chuck Berry tune. I swear if I
have to play Johnny B. Goode one more time I'm going to puke. Why is
JBG the ONLY Chuck Berry tune guitar players know??? The dude wrote so
many cool tunes.Around & Around, Too Much Monkey Business, Maybeline,
Memphis, Brown Eyed Hansom Man, Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little
Sixteen.I could go on for pages, why, at EVERY jam, is it always
JBG??? It's not that any of his other songs are hard, or have complex
arrangements, on the contrary I could play any of these tunes, and my
guitar playing, well let's just say it's not pretty.
Will somebody please explain to me why the father of rock & roll guitar
is remembered for only one tune?
Dave "W"
.
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--- In , Dick Stewart
<rvstewartproductions@y...> wrote:
> If I were one of those guitar players I would have
> played "Round and Around" (really gets the joint
> jumpin') or "Go Little Queenie."
"Go Little Queenie." What a great tune! Dude, if ever you're down
NOLA, check out Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris, a really great singer.
Dave "W"
--- In , "Stewd Dude" <stewddude@s...>
wrote:
> Try this? The next time you are backing a jam and someone mentions
JBG, say enthusiastically, "Hey, Do you know Memphis or Roll Over
Beethoven?" You might get lucky and they may be able to play something
a little more technical?
Yeah, right. And how many times have you listened to your drummer???
Dave "W"
Personally, I'd play "My Dingaling"....
:-)
You're question has an easy answer, Dave. Guitar players are stuck on Johnny B.
Goode because the tune is about a guitar player.
-Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: howlinthurstons
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 7:57 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] A question and a Rant from a drummer
...Why is JBG the ONLY Chuck Berry tune guitar players know???...The dude
wrote so
many cool tunes.Around & Around, Too Much Monkey Business, Maybeline,
Memphis, Brown Eyed Hansom Man, Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little
Sixteen.I could go on for pages...
Dave "W"
.
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--- In , "Marty Tippens" <mctippens@e...>
wrote:
> You're question has an easy answer, Dave. Guitar players are stuck on
Johnny B. Goode because the tune is about a guitar player.
I can't buy that. That like tellin' me a good reed man will only play
Decon Blues or Carol King's Saxman.
Any fool can bang out Wipe Out or the Bo Diddly beat on a table top but
that don't make them a drummer.
Dave "W"
> Any fool can bang out Wipe Out or the Bo Diddly beat on a
> table top but
> that don't make them a drummer.
>
> Dave "W"
i can beat out "goofy foot" by the lively ones on the table
top...does that make me a drummer?
;) dp
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--- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
>> i can beat out "goofy foot" by the lively ones on the table
> top...does that make me a drummer?
> ;) dp
>
Depends...do you do it with your hands or with your feet???
Dave "W"
...well...feet, of course...doesn't everyone?
duh!, the tune's called "goofy foot" for cryin' out loud...
-dp
--- howlinthurstons <> wrote:
> --- In , DP <noetical1@y...>
> wrote:
> >> i can beat out "goofy foot" by the lively ones on the
> table
> > top...does that make me a drummer?
> > ;) dp
> >
> Depends...do you do it with your hands or with your
> feet???
>
> Dave "W"
>
>
>
>
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--- In , "howlinthurstons"
<howlinthurstons@y...> wrote:
> --- In , "Marty Tippens" <mctippens@e...>
> wrote:
> > You're question has an easy answer, Dave. Guitar players are stuck on
> Johnny B. Goode because the tune is about a guitar player.
>
> I can't buy that. That like tellin' me a good reed man will only play
> Decon Blues or Carol King's Saxman.
>
> Any fool can bang out Wipe Out or the Bo Diddly beat on a table top but
> that don't make them a drummer.
Although I agree with Phil Dirt in most instances, the subject of Wipe
Out always perplexes me. Dirt says all the time that nobody can match
Ron Wilson's playing on the original recording. I'm a drummer and
generally feel that covers can't compete with the original, and he
*may* be right on this. That being said, I can't figure out what is
so great about his playing and why it's so untouchable according to
Phil. Sandy Nelson's playing on Casbah and Let There Be Drums can't
be touched (I have yet to hear a cover of the latter that doesn't
SUCK). I love the Space Cossack's version of Third Star to the Left
but Bruce McCoy's drums on the Nocturnes' original can't be improved
on IMHO. Along with the recording techniques, Sandy Nelson had the
amazing ability to make simple patterns sound huge, and impossible to
recreate. Ron Wilson's drums on Wipe Out? Yeah, it's cool, but
that's pretty much it.
Shawn Martin
Life is short. Play for the music. Wear your heart on your sleeve.
So I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to
keep me in constant touch with my limitations
-Apostle Paul
Yes, Dave, it is like saying that reed players will only play "Decan Blues" or
"Jazzman" never-the-less, what I said is true. Guitar players chose Johnny B.
Goode over Roll Over Beethoven because it's about a guitar player. You're right,
we don't hear reed players stuck on Deacon Blues and Jazzman but that's because,
in general, the guitar players in the bands don't know those tunes. The guitar
players know Johnny B. Goode (that Chuck Berry song about a guitar player). The
reed players have no trouble hanging with a I IV V like Johnny B. Goode so they
go with it.
In my experience I have found that reed players are more versed in all kinds of
tunes. Most of the ones who still play by the time they're my age are doing so
because they can hang with any standard. Many rock guitar players have trouble
jamming once you leave the I IV V pattern.
Now how did you think I was saying that Wipe Out makes the drummer or Johnny B.
Goode makes the guitar player? Of course niether is true.
-Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: howlinthurstons
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 11:30 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: A question and a Rant from a drummer
--- In , "Marty Tippens" <mctippens@e...>
wrote:
> You're question has an easy answer, Dave. Guitar players are stuck on
Johnny B. Goode because the tune is about a guitar player.
I can't buy that. That like tellin' me a good reed man will only play
Decon Blues or Carol King's Saxman.
Any fool can bang out Wipe Out or the Bo Diddly beat on a table top but
that don't make them a drummer.
Dave "W"
.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dude:
You make some good points. First of all you're right the tune
is "Jazzman" not "Sax man" My bad.
Horn players, as a whole, seem to be a different breed of animal.
The few I've worked never ask what key or what's the cord structure,
they just seem to know what to do. I've seen really good guitar
players do the same thing but its rare. I don't know maybe it a
training thing. Horn players I've come across usually have had more
formal training and a greater overall knowledge of theory.
That bit about wipe out was my poor attempt at sarcasm...I meant that
knowing one piece does not make you proficient on an instrument
regardless how good you can play that piece. A keyboad player once
taught me the opening cords to "The Nutcracker" and I can play it
really well and it sounds really impressive, however, it's the only
thing I can play on a keyboard.
I doing another jam for guitar players on Saturday 6/18 on 30th
street from 12 noon to 6pm in NYC. If you or any cats on this list
are around you're welcome to drop by. Email me a note off list and
I'll give you the details.
Dave "W"
P.S. If you get me drunk, I'll play Johnny B. Goode.
Dave "W"
--- In , "Marty Tippens"
<mctippens@e...> wrote:
> Yes, Dave, it is like saying that reed players will only
play "Decan Blues" or "Jazzman" never-the-less, what I said is true.
Guitar players chose Johnny B. Goode over Roll Over Beethoven because
it's about a guitar player. You're right, we don't hear reed players
stuck on Deacon Blues and Jazzman but that's because, in general, the
guitar players in the bands don't know those tunes. The guitar
players know Johnny B. Goode (that Chuck Berry song about a guitar
player). The reed players have no trouble hanging with a I IV V like
Johnny B. Goode so they go with it.
>
> In my experience I have found that reed players are more versed in
all kinds of tunes. Most of the ones who still play by the time
they're my age are doing so because they can hang with any standard.
Many rock guitar players have trouble jamming once you leave the I IV
V pattern.
>
> Now how did you think I was saying that Wipe Out makes the drummer
or Johnny B. Goode makes the guitar player? Of course niether is
true.
>
> -Marty
>
I've often wondered why it is that horn players more often have the formal
training than guitarplayers and I guess it's 'cause there is no easy way to play
a horn other than getting down to the nuts and bolts of theory and harmony and
the technique of just making a decent sound out of a horn. There is an easy way
to pick up the guitar. Once ya figure out chord charts, one can entertain
themselves at length and never need to bother with theory, harmony or reading
notes.
Mar-Dude
----- Original Message -----
From: howlinthurstons
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 2:03 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: A question and a Rant from a drummer
Dude:
You make some good points. First of all you're right the tune
is "Jazzman" not "Sax man" My bad.
Horn players, as a whole, seem to be a different breed of animal.
The few I've worked never ask what key or what's the cord structure,
they just seem to know what to do. I've seen really good guitar
players do the same thing but its rare. I don't know maybe it a
training thing. Horn players I've come across usually have had more
formal training and a greater overall knowledge of theory.
That bit about wipe out was my poor attempt at sarcasm...I meant that
knowing one piece does not make you proficient on an instrument
regardless how good you can play that piece. A keyboad player once
taught me the opening cords to "The Nutcracker" and I can play it
really well and it sounds really impressive, however, it's the only
thing I can play on a keyboard.
I doing another jam for guitar players on Saturday 6/18 on 30th
street from 12 noon to 6pm in NYC. If you or any cats on this list
are around you're welcome to drop by. Email me a note off list and
I'll give you the details.
Dave "W"
P.S. If you get me drunk, I'll play Johnny B. Goode.
Dave "W"
--- In , "Marty Tippens"
<mctippens@e...> wrote:
> Yes, Dave, it is like saying that reed players will only
play "Decan Blues" or "Jazzman" never-the-less, what I said is true.
Guitar players chose Johnny B. Goode over Roll Over Beethoven because
it's about a guitar player. You're right, we don't hear reed players
stuck on Deacon Blues and Jazzman but that's because, in general, the
guitar players in the bands don't know those tunes. The guitar
players know Johnny B. Goode (that Chuck Berry song about a guitar
player). The reed players have no trouble hanging with a I IV V like
Johnny B. Goode so they go with it.
>
> In my experience I have found that reed players are more versed in
all kinds of tunes. Most of the ones who still play by the time
they're my age are doing so because they can hang with any standard.
Many rock guitar players have trouble jamming once you leave the I IV
V pattern.
>
> Now how did you think I was saying that Wipe Out makes the drummer
or Johnny B. Goode makes the guitar player? Of course niether is
true.
>
> -Marty
>
.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
People start horns,woodwinds, and orchestral stringed instruments at
an early age. I would assume schools recommend that the kids in their
band programs get lessons. There are also private instructors that
come in a teach in class. There really isn't a place for guitar in a
school band.
--- In , "Marty Tippens" <mctippens@e...>
wrote:
> I've often wondered why it is that horn players more often have the
formal training than guitarplayers and I guess it's 'cause there is no
easy way to play a horn other than getting down to the nuts and bolts
of theory and harmony and the technique of just making a decent sound
out of a horn. There is an easy way to pick up the guitar. Once ya
figure out chord charts, one can entertain themselves at length and
never need to bother with theory, harmony or reading notes.
>
> Mar-Dude
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: howlinthurstons
> To:
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 2:03 PM
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: A question and a Rant from a drummer
>
>
> Dude:
>
> You make some good points. First of all you're right the tune
> is "Jazzman" not "Sax man" My bad.
>
> Horn players, as a whole, seem to be a different breed of animal.
> The few I've worked never ask what key or what's the cord structure,
> they just seem to know what to do. I've seen really good guitar
> players do the same thing but its rare. I don't know maybe it a
> training thing. Horn players I've come across usually have had more
> formal training and a greater overall knowledge of theory.
>
> That bit about wipe out was my poor attempt at sarcasm...I meant that
> knowing one piece does not make you proficient on an instrument
> regardless how good you can play that piece. A keyboad player once
> taught me the opening cords to "The Nutcracker" and I can play it
> really well and it sounds really impressive, however, it's the only
> thing I can play on a keyboard.
>
> I doing another jam for guitar players on Saturday 6/18 on 30th
> street from 12 noon to 6pm in NYC. If you or any cats on this list
> are around you're welcome to drop by. Email me a note off list and
> I'll give you the details.
>
> Dave "W"
>
> P.S. If you get me drunk, I'll play Johnny B. Goode.
>
> Dave "W"
>
> --- In , "Marty Tippens"
> <mctippens@e...> wrote:
> > Yes, Dave, it is like saying that reed players will only
> play "Decan Blues" or "Jazzman" never-the-less, what I said is true.
> Guitar players chose Johnny B. Goode over Roll Over Beethoven because
> it's about a guitar player. You're right, we don't hear reed players
> stuck on Deacon Blues and Jazzman but that's because, in general, the
> guitar players in the bands don't know those tunes. The guitar
> players know Johnny B. Goode (that Chuck Berry song about a guitar
> player). The reed players have no trouble hanging with a I IV V like
> Johnny B. Goode so they go with it.
> >
> > In my experience I have found that reed players are more versed in
> all kinds of tunes. Most of the ones who still play by the time
> they're my age are doing so because they can hang with any standard.
> Many rock guitar players have trouble jamming once you leave the I IV
> V pattern.
> >
> > Now how did you think I was saying that Wipe Out makes the drummer
> or Johnny B. Goode makes the guitar player? Of course niether is
> true.
> >
> > -Marty
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
>
>
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
There really isn't a place for guitar in a
> school band.
There certainly is. I have quite a number of guitar players in my
Concert Band program (Gr 7-9). When not playing chordal parts, they
are often reading oboe parts.
I realize most Concert band programs would frown upon guitars, but
that attitude seems to be musically close-minded (I see it here in the
Board I work for).
This has been going on for about 5 years in my program and I'm
starting to see it more accepted now.
Mike
I attended High School from 1967-1970, and our H.S. Band always had at least one
electric guitar player.
Bruce D
urbansurfkings <> wrote:
There really isn't a place for guitar in a
> school band.
There certainly is. I have quite a number of guitar players in my
Concert Band program (Gr 7-9). When not playing chordal parts, they
are often reading oboe parts.
I realize most Concert band programs would frown upon guitars, but
that attitude seems to be musically close-minded (I see it here in the
Board I work for).
This has been going on for about 5 years in my program and I'm
starting to see it more accepted now.
Mike
.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
our school actually has an electic bass player, but no guitars. they
even played a miles davis tune at the middle school graduation the
other day which was pretty surprising.............i taught some of
the middle school kids 'diamond head' and they've made it fast and
furious but at least it's a start...(i guess) sorry for rambling,
i've been driving all day and the new longboard ranch cd saved my
sanity while driving around washington, dc :)
thanks.....
--- In ,
bruce d <wizzbangg2003@y...> wrote:
> I attended High School from 1967-1970, and our H.S. Band always
had at least one electric guitar player.
>
> Bruce D
>
> urbansurfkings <surfkings@h...> wrote:
> There really isn't a place for guitar in a
> > school band.
>
> There certainly is. I have quite a number of guitar players in my
> Concert Band program (Gr 7-9). When not playing chordal parts,
they
> are often reading oboe parts.
>
> I realize most Concert band programs would frown upon guitars, but
> that attitude seems to be musically close-minded (I see it here in
the
> Board I work for).
>
> This has been going on for about 5 years in my program and I'm
> starting to see it more accepted now.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Actually, as burnt out on wipe out(heard it way too many times live in
the past 8 years of surf shows) as I am.
Most People don't play it right, with the correct pause and accent in
the drum solo sections.
Occasionally when somebody does do it right, it grabs my attention.
And I stop dazing off, talking, watching girls go by, and watch.
But it doesn't happen often.
Jeff(bigtikidude)
--- In , "howlinthurstons"
<howlinthurstons@y...> wrote:
> Any fool can bang out Wipe Out or the Bo Diddly beat on a table top
but
> that don't make them a drummer.
>
> Dave "W"
