When I found this guy ca. 1967, it felt like discovering the mother of all guitar music, Absolutely haunting, and primitive. He was clearly conversant with a lot of the music that preceded him, but he boiled it down to the basics. He inspired many followers of solo guitarists, from Leo Kottke through Michael Hedges. What comes across in these interviews is his underlying genius and crippling shyness. He spoke in the language of guitar.
I started buying John's records in the early 70's. From the get-go I understood this thing about playing what you feel. Got complaints because I didn't play stairway to heaven. John was walking and talking art, an example of what artists do. They do their thing. John just did it better than most. A guitarists guitar player.
Yeah it seemed that Stairway To Heaven was a lithmus test - if you couldn't play it then you sucked. Thankfully I came across Fahey, Kottke and Lang, then I could ask the other players if they could play THEM!
been listening to fahey for a long time and for some reason never looked up an interview till now. he's unbelievably cool and humble and friendly, i love him. san bernadino birthday party is a real killer.
I never heard of him until recently, and thru a fan with links on his RU-vid page, can’t remember who exactly but thx a bunch this guy is really a gem!! For those who want to hear more there’s a 1999 interview on a channel called six string something or other, just an audio track but pretty darned interesting I thought, with very different content than this one.
Fahey was a true original and such a huge inspiration for so many fingerpickers...his music is so atmospheric, really paints exotic scenes and carries you off somewhere far away).."play what you feel" yea brother.
I do write music, acoustic compositions inspired by Fahey and many, many others. I write lyrics, sing ol' time blues, country. I'm not an innovator, I just love music, my whole heart and soul. Dedication comes naturally, it takes time. I'm thirty three, been playing since I was seventeen. Earlier I played and learnt songs. Anything from technical death metal to folk. These days I compose (still learning loads, though, my output changed). I play at least two hours six days per week. Sometimes ten hours, etc. When you love creation, playing, an instrument, time doesn't exist. It's kinda funny, how you do it just for the feeling you have, the sake of art, when you don't judge, just create. Fahey was unbelievable, what an Innovator, I can write an essay about him lol. Blessings y'all
For the time ,he was interesting. He said he didn’t practice much, but when he did he’d sit down and practice 6 or 8 hours. What he didn’t say was that at the end of the session he was faced and passed out, not to “practice” again for some time. Even most guitar acoustic players of any seriousness today are better. John was innovative for the time, but he was a mess
@@Claytone-Records Yes l do, "The transfiguration of blind joe death" I think it was originally released in a vinyl pressing in 1965.. but it is just amazing even today.. and Yeah lm getting pretty old. Hahaha.
One of the greatest contemporary composers of all time. Yes "composer", exactly what he was. An infinite amount of rhythmic variation and melody playing that could easily be transcribed for an orchestra. It's a shame this comment section is focused on the meaningless behaviors of both Fahey and the interviewer. Just enjoy the weird eccentricities of one of the greatest humans ever and forget about all the other rubbish
But that's exactly what you have been doin. Then lied about it by sayin "nope". That's two crimes. Not to mention cussin and personal insult, which is a killin offense. Total -- four crimes.
John makes some fascinating statements. The interviewer asks no further questions, but just changes the subject. A frustrating and strained interview. John is very gracious.
I'm just now finding these interviews, after basically a lifetime spent listening to Fahey - he was a formative influence on my playing. My first reaction upon seeing a much earlier clip was that John was a lot like Michael J. Pollard in demeanor - sorta innocently awkward but with an edge of something deeply weird, possibly not quite right mentally. He seems much more at ease here, less weird for sure, which is surprising. Very talented guy, sort of a tragic life towards the end.
This is the man I learned from in real time, 60's on. I now play the surbihar, it is currently in a cabin in northern CA as the Dixie fire threatens the area as I wait to hear of the outcome, I hope it as well as my guitars are safe,
Wow I relate fahey, I couldn't use a pick either an then when I found out more about fingerstyle guitar thats when I really got into guitar playin cause I couldn't use a pick but I could use my fingers an I was using my fingers before I learned about fingerpicking except I just didn't know about alternating bass an monotonic bass with the thumb
$500 in 1959 = $4316.72 in 2019. Berry Gordy began with $50,000 from his parents/familyplus several existin studios owned by his cousins, which he consolidated. Motown Records founded same year as Takoma Records. $50th in 1959 = $433,054.98. Sold the company for $30 million but sold film rights and other features separately.
I'm here after watching the 2001 Joe bussard interview where he recorded John in the late 50s early 60s and his basement I think it's the same guy let me know thanks for the content
He went to Italy and wrote hours of music for Zabriskie Point, but they got into an argument and Fahey punched him, the music wasn't used but it's floating around on the internet.
I think you're thinking of , Dick Waterman, Phil Shapiro and Nick Perls;who rediscovered Son House in 1964.It was John Fayhe, Bill Barth and (Canned Heat guitarist) Henry Vestine who rediscovered Skip James the same year .All of them were friends: along with Alan (Blind Owl) Wilson ,who was also from Canned Heat. Unfortunately Alan Wilson missed all three rediscovery, Son House, Skip James and Bukka White ,but he did get to preform with them shortly after.
+MistuhCoolio john had alcoholism problems and also prescription drugs abuse. I think the reason he sounds so zoned out here (and in most of his interviews) is because of the medication he took. I don't know, it might just be his personality.
