Mahavishnu Orchestra - Noonward Race 

I was actually just about to pull the trigger and get RU-vid Premium, but I refuse to reward bad behavior! Interrupting a song with an ad?!!! I refuse to give one red cent to a company with that little respect for either its product (music!) or its users.

Totally agree. I say F RU-vid! Then they run those stupid polls that say, “Help RU-vid by answering one question.” Help RU-vid?!? Do what? Target their damn ads better? Give me an effing break! I never answer those questions.

Fook yeaa mane kick em all fricking a cheers 🍻

Disgraceful practice on the part of RU-vid. No respect for the art.

Yup - I wont be harrassed into being a subscriber and their algorrila shouda figured that out

I second that! What a drummer!

Best drummer in all multiverses!

As a drummer I know how very influential Billy Cobham was. His work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra was ground breaking (check out Inner Mounting Flame for instance) and he inspired so many drummers including Dennis Chambers many years later. I have seven of his LP's and have seen him about three times. His first solo LP, Spectrum, is also a game changer.

The Driving force of mahavishnu for sure !!!!

Yes, amazing. In my top 5

The original fusion guitar “shredder” The pioneer. Ppl that really know, know John is one of the greatest and most influential Guitarists ever.

A guitarist I knew hated McLaughlin, called him a noodler. Unbeknownst to him I put a bootleg Mahavishnu CD on in the car, playing the drum/guitar duet at the beginning of The Noonward Race. For 6 or 7 minutes in that version Billy & John fling fusillades of 32nd notes at each other in what Robert Fripp refers to as 'a calisthenic display of virtuosity.' A couple minutes in, my McLaughlin-hating buddy asked, "DaYUM, who is that?" I broke the news gently.

Who cares about list s

McLaughlin is the full shit on an axe, while most guitar polls are full of shit.

Zappa said he was the best.

Always heard of him but now I'm listening. Very talented and tasty drummer

Lefty

you prolly dont care but does anyone know of a way to log back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!

@Jase Lucian Instablaster ;)

Man o man! It took me this long to realize just how important and soothing Jerry Goodmans violin was acting as counterpoint to all the other instruments! I love, love, love this group! When I first heard Birds of Fire I thought I had taken a musical trip to another planet!

Laird recorded with Wes Montgomery too! He was primarily an upright bassist who Mac recruited for MO. All primo players

I had no idea he'd died. RIP Rick Laird indeed. One of the true greats.

When did he die?

How Rick keeps up so accurately is amazing.

Zappa

​@@gavindavis1340Larry Coryell same time as well

People didn't know what to make of them because they were very difficult to categorized and the big rock bands like The Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd were afraid to be on the same stage as them because they know who McLaughlin is, and they know they can't compete and they didn't want to risk losing their audience. Remember, John McLaughlin taught Jimmy Page how to play jazz guitar when Page was In high school. he also did some session work on a couple of early Rolling Stones albums he didn't get credited on. He also played with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce prior to them starting Cream, so Eric Clapton knew who John McLaughlin was. They would routinely blow the headliner act off the stage, so they constantly had to change what bands to bill them with until they reached a level of popularity so they could headline their own concerts. But they did influence a ton of bands and artists. Journey was influenced by MO as Journey was started to create a more accessible "rock" version, hence Journey's first album. Santana was influenced by MO, and Santana did the album and tour with John, Billy and Jan. So that album/tour was kind of mix between Mahavishnu and Santana but they were exploring a different thing than just MO. Dixie Dreggs. They used to be a MO cover band before they got their own songs together to put out albums. Jeff Beck. Blow by Blow and Wired albums were heavily influenced by MO. Return to Forever was influenced by MO. Their first album was more acoustic, but after Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire came out, then Return to Forever went electric as they added Bill Conners and then Al Dimeola. Eleventh House was influenced by MO. The Section which was Jackson Browne's/James Taylor back up band made a few instrumental albums and they opened up for MO a few times. Interesting to note, John McLaughlin wrote and performed on a song on an early James Taylor album and MO played with James Taylor at a couple of concerts. Grateful Dead was also influenced by MO as they did some of their more experimental extended jams. I thinks to some degree they influenced Weather Report, and the interesting point is that Weather Report hired Jaco who originally tried out with the second MO. Also, Weather Report wanted to hire Billy after MO split up. Weather Report hired Narada for a couple of songs and some brief touring after his stint with MO. I'm sure I left some out, but they were VERY influential to a lot of musicians and bands. Jan Hammer was the first to play a minimoog/synth like a guitar, so ANY keyboard player that uses a pitch wheel to get their synth to sound like a guitar, was influenced by Jan Hammer. Drummers? Need I say anything about that? Billy influenced just about every major drummers coming out of both the jazz and rock world. It's not too often when a drummer's solo album hits Gold within a few months after release with essentially no marketing or advertising to speak of. Billy didn't even know it was actually on the market at the time. He just thought it would be a great "calling card" to get other gigs. he didn't have his own touring band until after the record label told him to put a band together and start touring due to lots of record sales. Most guitarists that came after that period were influenced by MO. there's probably a list of at least 20 or more rock, progressive rock and instrumental based guitar players that were coming out in the later 70's and 80's that were influenced by MO. Pretty much most, if not all of them. I'm surprised and not surprised MO hasnn't made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their influences on the Rock industry. but then again, the R&R HOF are kind of dumb shits because they allow rappers in.

Forreal the "intro" for lack of a better word bears no resemblance to the recorded. I was trying to learn the drum parts for the intro and came here to try help myself with some visual learning and I found no aid in my endeavor. Therefore i just learned this one instead lmao.

@@Oneness100 "kinda dumb shits..."?? Don't you mean that they are total f'n morons?

@@juniorjohnson9509 That too.

Looks like they played a rather small venue, which is more intimate, and the guys go more for experimental excursions on their stuff. I've seen them in a "bigger" venue 10000 pp? and they just rocked, even more than on the other video from France, which is on YT. Tight as sloppy never comes. Impressive

No. You don’t hear many guitarists with this level of ingenuity either.

Or even play a 6 stringer like that. What a phenomenon that man.

I here You.Wow.I thought a freight train ran through My ear plugs.

We must've shopped the same store. Cut out album. Also has the Allman Brothers altho Mahavishnu was the standout track.

+Robert Skilton Pretty sure its Tantra, not Buddhism. Funny, though.

+Robert Skilton the "church" people must have been worshipping Satan or some other destructive "spirit" ...... tho I think Satan gets a bad rap sometimes

Interesting. Where was this show and when?

jimdep1 yup

well jimdep1 -- try putting a statue of Buddha or Vishnu inside a church & see what happens!!! (I don't think Muslims practice statue idolatry like the other ones do, so much)

Check out Dizzy and Bird...

@@freein2339 Yes,I have alot of them,one of my fav films is Bird,love jazz in quartet or quintet form.

And Jean Luc Ponty went from Frank’s Band to this band. And I never heard FZ say a kind word about John or Mahavishnu !😹🎭

Black Midi's latest kexp set is super high energy and packs in some serious chops! They would be worth checking out for sure :)

Frank could be a real shit about other people. Anyway John's untouchable as a Master Musician. 🕉 .

Yeah. Funny how time slips away. Just the visuals were mind blowing. The double neck guitar. The transparent drums. Dual bass tubs. Didn't know what to make of the music at the time. Wot? No singing? If I could go back in time and see any band the original Mahavishnu would be the one.

In my opinion the next greatest Fusion band was weather report.

Wow! what a memories. I wish there wd be a duo os Jerry and L Shankar! 2 violin Gods 🎻🎻

By then John Mclaughlin had done a lot of acid.

According to himself.

Yes. But his new method was Meditation. 🕉 .

@@maxinemckenzie6076 As it should be. :)

The acid apparently greatly influenced his path into spirituality, but indeed he wasn't high in Mahavishnu Orchestra. He said he wasn't hanging out, didn't chase women either, just meditated and lots of yoga! Although the band split up due to tensions, the diverse personalities probably created some of the intensity and magic in the music anyway, so it is what it is. Great stuff!

Uuuh Electric 12 string is not that common in Rock/Fusion circles. Especially twin neck, but check out Leo Kottke he is the master on Acoustic 12 string.

You got to watch your bends on a 12 string

You need to listen to Steve Howe’s playing on Awaken.

Ralph Towner could on the acoustic 12 string. Tremendous player

And sadly not now.

That may have been my introduction to MO too. Life changing.

I really like Rush and Zeppelin but Cobham's the only one of those three in the running.

He’s so much better than those guys, maybe compare him to Buddy Rich

​@@user-rc8ov3di5k how about not compare him to anyone. No one touches Rich as a soloist but Buddy couldn't play with these guys either

Bonham and Peart would have been ecstatic to be in the same conversation with Billy Cobham.

charlesbyrd1957 and harmony lessons to John Paul Jones.

It's an egregious defilement from hell. Appalling

The add I got was something about pouring salt into a cabbage lol

@@icecreamforcrowhurst just pour salt in the wounds

I refused Premium for a long time but glad I got it. U toob music is good.

Yeah…but you should hear him on acoustic…

He's ambidextrous...

James Dickman McLaughlin gave Page lessons in England for a bit. That says it all. Page himself said Mclaughlin was the best guitarist in England prior to John coming to America.

I'm sure if page wanted to be technical he could have as he came from that experimental era. But he loved the hard rock blues and simple acoustic which you can see from his songwriting so whats your point? And could John write like zeppelin music? Lol I hardly think so.

Chris Mawson gods surely

I had the same experience about 20 later lol bought Inner Mounting Flame at Tower Records London, brought it home and it absolutely blew my mind. Still does.

Some interesting pairings!

+Wayne Danberry practice, practice, practice... Amazing performance from amazing musicians. I love how this fusion really, REALLY works. True MAGIC.

Today this is a standard required skill for accomplished musicians, even Dream Theater do this all the time.

The answer is PRACTICE. ..Now, what was the question?

Drugs

@@u.v.s.5583 This level of musicianship is not a standard skill for accomplished musicians. I haven't the faintest idea why anyone would say that, lol.

twice in Columbus in six mouths including the second to last performance they ever did. Mershon Auditorium on the OSU campus. The sound board recording of it lives on. you can find it with a little digging. grew up Beatles, trough Zep, grew appreciate the art and craft of song writing, get educated in comp and arranging, leaned to love do and create vocal harmony, more into real jazz, the greatest improvisors that ever lived, miles, Parker, D izz, lester, woods... the b-bop geniuses. then these guys came along and used eastern improv form and atonal sounds, no respect for common time signatures, jazz chord extensions and arpegges and ROCK instruments and their virtuoso skills and what they did was the zenith of the rock band fromat. Only months before john had been recording with miles as a jazz player pretty much all best jazz recoding writers wanted to play with him. Cobham had become THE drummer real musicians wanted in the studio. laird, hammer, goodman were very very good players but simply put in my more than casual opinion it's easy to call McLaughlin greatest guitar player that ever lived and Billy Cobham the greatest drummer. John was the fastest play ever, to this day, and you might not notice until you find certain lines in solos because fast was never point where as now everybody want a neon sign "see how fast I can pick" . The reason to pick fast was always, and still is btw because he still plays, always about using right hand's speed to shape lines and create emphasis on a fretted instrument. Cobham was an athlete behind the drums. his physical prowess let him move the sticks and hands from one place to anther faster than any I've ever seen to this day. but that quickness isn't the point either, nor is the great power he could use. it's been about the precision and smoothness of the rolls and the quickness of his mind which let him do what I think he loves best, which is fix his attention on another player and play WITH them. He loves the sum being greater than the sum of it's parts and how players in a band can make each other express themselves artistically more directly and perfectly with what ever force it is that comes through them more purely than they ever thought possible. This band had great great players and and the band was better than any player in it. Much has been said about conflicts between McLaughlin and Cobham personally and in a business sense but one the music started they wanted the rush, the fix. Addicted to the energy that poured through them at moments when they played together. I got to talk to Cobham once and then another even though I'm not a drummer I paid to do a drum clinic of his where the first part of the day was just him talking and demonstrating and most importantly trying to de-mystify what he does. Totally down earth humble without a trace of arrogance about him. He said something like "everything I do you can do if you're serious about wanting to and put in the work". It was hard to get him to admit he had any special gifts. (which was good 'cause I admit Billy and John but would show up occasionally in my dreams as kinda godlike figures) Much of his talk was about how to practice make practice smarter. I'll never forget. Someone ask him what he though of McLaughlin's eastern mystic thing about Sri Chimoy with the white suits and how he presented it all. He said everybody buys into something, with John "It's just a higher form of Bullshit." I didn't detect anything hateful about how he said it at all. It seemed funny, it actually brought the house down but I felt like people were laughing at the misdirection humor without laughing at John. I also admit there comes a point when hearing great players I become aware they are experiencing things, feeling emotions, getting to know what it's like to be a conduit to a powerful kind of joy that you and I are never ever going to feel. I feel jealous of that. I try not to let it show.

btw.. how can you copy text in here without losing word wrap?

That's a weird lineup!!

That is incredibly interesting. What a time and place to be alive, huh? I hope to see a show half as magical as that sounds in my lifetime.

I saw the same bill at Cobo Arena in Detroit. I still chuckle at the unlikeliness of it.

no kidding!

Grady Holt I saw that same show. Same result. Some experiences are formative.

I was there then too, and when they opened for the Allmans a year earlier at The Dallas Memorial Auditorium.

I have had that album for a while now, the Mahavishnu track is ridiculous man, wow.... your head must still be spinning!

Oh yea I got that album too,lots of good music.A really unknown album.

I got the album.WOW.the noonward race.not legal for listening.

Yes any strict yogic can achieve greatness with Vegan diet meditation and worship of Supreme God!

I'm grateful to have seen every mahavisu line up multiple time back then. Good as they all were with billy was the greatest. As loud an intense as they were they always adjusted to the room to have perfect audio. Billy was so great in all his solo endeavors as well.

+Max Millington Is it that, or is it that they don't actually own the rights to the music? There was no issue (that I'm aware of, anyway) releasing "The Lost Trident Sessions";, even though the project was shelved because the band couldn't decide whether the record was finished or not. (JM wanted to bring in a string quartet.) I would hope that after all these years their animosities have cooled off... But yeah, it sure would be great to be able to hear soundboard quality recordings of these concerts.

Max Millington Wolfgangs Vault web site has many live recordings for Mp3 download.

A very good one for sure,but I prefer the french violonist JL Ponty who also played in the beginning of 70's in the MO.The drummer B Cobham is awesome,he shared a lot of performances with JL Ponty on precious records.

Doncaster actually !

Marvin Miller Always my point: find me a more 20th Century guitarist who broke ground on as many genres of music. And covered them all so well. Refined the word "eclectic".