winter at the fillmore east with his brother on board. best show i ever saw there. when he was a blues player he was absolutely hypnotic to watch. i thought he was less adapted to rock. i skipped seeing him last year because i was afraid i would be disappointed. i know he has had health problems. well next time i'll be there. |
So what is the "best" guitar player anyway ? If you like the music then you probably think the guitarist is the best! Personally, while I like the long or wild solos as much as the next guy, that isn't the be all or end all to great guitar playing. Style, tone, and subtlety means a lot, as well as can the player PLAY rhythm too ? Van Halen has been quoted as saying he is proud of the fact, and others agree that he is a great rhythm guitar player, and that among serious guitar players - soloing is considered extra or showing off. The meat and potatoes of a good guitar song are the rhythm guitar parts and being a GOOD rhythm guitar player is essential and part of being a good guitarist. |
I think I am the only one with enough energy left to tell the tale! Perhaps fearing the structural integrity of the house, he saved this barn-burner tune for last! |
"LITERALLY brought the house down"
So are you the only one left to tell the tale or were their more survivors? |
I'm a huge Winter Bros. fan since the '70's. I saw them both a bunch of times back in the day. Being a fan I try to support their work to this day, Edgar's last record, 'Jazzin' The Blues' was the best thing he's done in decades! That said, I picked up Johnny's last record, I can't even remember the name, and sold it the next day! His playing was sub-standard but most striking to me was the complete deterioration of his voice. Again, being a fan, all I can say is it really saddened me. |
I saw the Winters brothers with Derringer in 1971 (good show).
Taj Mahal was the opening act.
Still have one of Derringer's Fender Heavy picks in my old "Lake Okaboji, IA" souvenir stash box. |
I met John and Edgar back in the mid '70s at a friends bar in Jacxonville. he wasn't in great shape then either but he did get around seemingly pretty well. he was lucid and both him and Edgar were deep into the conversations. Funny guys too, now and then.
Sure he played a really hot guitar then adn I doubt his skill set has degraded much if any... albeit, that being said, he's simply not the greatest guitarsmith arounde from a purely inovative, articulate and dexterious perspective. I do enjoy his earlier work immensely, but he sure isn't the best guitar player around nor was he ever. knowing that didn't prevent me from enjoying his performances... and I went to several way back then including one where he had Rick Derringer playing with him. Later in that same bill he played with the Caldwells of Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, and others from Ozark Mt. Daredevils, Little River band. ZZ top closed that bill later that night. Weird as this may seem... KISS opened the show at 10AM that morning.
A southern rock show with KISS opening things up... Amazing, huh? |
Still a top slide player despite physical woes. |
I have brought my custom ear plugs to shows since before my sister worked for Bill Graham Presents, and I saw a show a week in SF. Last night was LOUD at times but I only put the plugs in to tone down the audience screaming at the top of their lungs! |
I hope nobody thinks I was slamming Johnny Winter. Some places just do not sound good and I've even heard him tell the guy working the mixer that the music was too loud and got him to turn it down. It's just too bad he still doesn't play Chuck Berry and Rolling Stones songs live very often anymore. I saw him last month and for the 1st time in 1968, so I've also heard (live)the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Alvin Lee, all the Guitarists that played for Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas, Eric Clapton and more. Johnny smokes em all! Go Johnny Go! |
HDtracks had a high resolution sampler download with one of his recent (I think )songs. It was pretty good! |
I saw him less than a year ago and was shocked at his physical condition...he must be deaf too...he played so loud I couldn't even hear the drums! We left because the music was so over the top loud and distorted....big disappointment. |
I have seen and heard and have almost everything Johnny Winter has ever done and sadly say he ain't got it no more. I guess I just got spoiled the way he used to rock&roll. Now it is just blues. Too slow. I'm a Bluesman is a great cd. I think he fell and broke a hip back in 2000, so that's why it's hard for him to get around. Can anyone play better than Johnny Winter? IMHO "F" NO! He's the greatest if you ask me. I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I last heard him Nov. 22 08 and will go any time to see him play. |
Got home (six blocks away) and fired up my six figure system, which of course sounded like crap! 25 bucks to see Johnny from 15 feet away and center, was the bargain of a lifetime. |
Winters is blind (been legally blind for years). |
We saw him in State College, PA roughly a year ago. He definitely still has it. |
