Live At Montreux 1992 TRACK LISTING: 1) Iceman 2) Honey Hush 3) Lights Are On (But Nobody's Home) 4) If You Love Me Like You Say 5) Too Many Dirty Dishes 6) Put The Shoe On The Other Foot 7) Frosty
Anyone wanting to play blues guitar should start by listening to AC, in my opinion. Listening to his stuff gives you an ear for what sings, what sounds great over what chord, when to attack, when to lay back, how to sting, how to caress. How to build a solo based on what "sings." If you start at SRV, and move backwards, like I did, you find yourself trying to be SRV, which...its a small list of guys who can play that many notes, and play the blues. You start at Albert, this is the bedrock of electric blues guitar. This is what it should sound like. It will also show you that you don't need to fly around the neck; everything you need is cut out for you across the span of maybe 5-8 frets, and, perhaps most importantly, really, really ingrain the importance of working between major and minor instead of just hanging out in your comfortable minor pentatonic zone. You can't match his attack, his tone, his swagger, but you can certainly glean some incredibly important blues lessons from his playing.
Thoughtful and insightful, exactly what most of us did. We heard Stevie Ray and really kind of missed the point. SRV was a freak show who entertained with astounding guitar licks but not-so-much the essence and message of the Blues. I would say that Stevie Ray was the best guitarist to ever play the blues but not nearly the best "Bluuesman" of all time
I'm an SRV disciple; but you're right on the money with your comments! (This is my FAVE Albert Collins tune, BTW). More people need to circle back and hear the blues players back to the beginning in the delta.
So many great comments, and 100% agree. He pours out his heart, soul and blood, and he takes you from fire to ice in a single note. He doesn't just play the blues - he pours out his pain, heartache and longing. He keeps you right on the edge of destruction, hanging on that ledge, closer, then farther, then closer again, but never over the top. Clear as water, but roaring with fire, he is forever the iceman.
Albert did have one of the best bands of all the blues players. The sound was full and classy. The horn section is just top notch in addition to Albert's playing.
I'm an Albert Collins neophyte and I absolutely love this music. I have noticed in watching a lot of these videos that he often played with some really talented musicians that had no necks. That guy playing the Stratocaster--no neck to speak of. Looks like the thing was just popped on there by Mattel. Another video of his had a neckless guy playing the saxophone. Amazing sax player. No neck. Impossible to behead. Guillotine-resistant. Like Ram Man from the Masters of the Universe. But I seriously love this man's music. I'm going to be listening to a lot more of it. I'm only sorry I joined so late in the game that he's no longer with us. We need to soak up as much of this as we can because their stories have to be told for future generations. Just having the videos isn't enough. They'll get "cancelled" somehow.
Associated Performer, Vocals, Guitar: Albert Collins Associated Performer, Drums: Marty Binden Associated Performer, Guitar: Peter Thoennes Associated Performer, Keyboards: Bobby Alexis Associated Performer, Saxophone: Jon Smith Associated Performer, Trumpet: Steve Howard Associated Performer, Bass Guitar: Johnny B Gayden Studio Personnel, Mixer: David Richards Studio Personnel, Mastering Engineer: Ray Staff Composer Lyricist: John Newton
I saw the ICE man at the Long Star Cafe in NYC around 1985 and sat up front. WTF. Big Mistake. I left deaf. The most powerful sound you could ever hear.
Had the great chance to meet and talk to him a few times.Truly one of the very greats.Miss him alot.Was going to visit him although he was very sick,out in Vegas.He passed the nite before.
A big Thanks to You Tube for having recommended. The style and the Music and Songs of playing and singing. No words can express it's simply Par Excellence. Albert Collins is unmatchable. Enjoying every video.
I saw him at the Union Bar in Minneapolis and talked to him on his breaks. This was in the 1980's when the Union was hopping with the Blues music! I always went up to the artist when I saw he was alone and could've used a friendly local to talk music with. I never had anyone refuse to chat.
Love The Ice Pick Albert Collins! This is some of the most intense City Blues Chicago Style I've ever heard! God bless that man and his contributions thru the years to the blues world! I'm smilin' that's fo sure! 👍🎸🥁🎤🎵🎶⚡️🔈😎
Too many "mere mortal" guitarists wanna be like SRV or Gary Moore (who were really "Vai like" blues players). The other guy with the ridiculous mullet is phenomenal, but then AC plays just one note and it destroys everyone!!!! To me, real blues is about simple phrasing played with the utmost conviction! I had tendinitis in my right picking hand (thankfully cured) which forced me to use my fingers. Best thing that ever happened to me! Blues finger style is essential imo. And sit on the note! Listen to Samantha Fish; she's definitely got it imo. But AC was the epitome of this ethos. And for me, so is Billy Gibbons and Angus Young (I wish he'd do a blues solo album outside of AC/DC!). But, God, I jam and learn from The Iceman more than anyone else! If there is a God, then I thank him for this man!
There's a couple of videos around where Albert King advises Stevie and Gary to slow the heck down and drop 80% of their notes if they want to be regarded as serious blues players. I believe that the environment in which people grow up creates a true blues artist vs a truly frenetic rock'n'roller. For most, growing up in the 50s was nothing like the hardships prior to that. So they start their music journey from a far less painful place and hit the drugs which just makes them more frenetic. That's why most of the blues greats are black folk and the wannabes are white.
Yes to your sentiment. Thank god Albert et al had much of their music recorded and live performances video recorded so we can enjoy them till we join them again.
