Robert Johnson - how things change...

[Jimi75]

During the last day of my holiday, I decided to return to thefret with a Robert Johnson thread. I had Kenny Wayne's 10 das out and Robert Johnsons's songs on my MP3 and listened to them on heavy rotation every night and something happened that I did not experience in a long time...

I heard of RJ for the first time when watching "Crossroads" the movie that is partly the story of RJ. Back then I must have been 15 years old, an absolute youngster on the guitar and at that time I knew nothing about delta blues man, nor about the blues itself. Anyway, the story of RJ excited me, well honestly spoken at that time the fact that RJ sold his soul to the devil to become a great player was way more interesting to me than any other aspect of his music. Nevertheless, I felt a fascination for RJ that grew from year to year. Please bear in mind that at that time there was no internet, no cds or fancy magazines - this meant that I had to interview guitarists that came to our town and ask them what they knew about RJ. My guitar teacher did a good job and copied some old articles from the guitar magazines he bought in the USA.

Then when I turned 16 my brother brought a RJ record with him that he bought in New York. It was the "King of the delta blues" record and I must admit that I was frightened when I listend to it for the first time. This was so real and at the same time so spooky - knowing and believing the story of closing the pact with the devil and listening to RJ's music under my headphones, it seemed as if he was directly playing in my room. I had to turn on the lights in my room - this was the most intensive music I have ever heard in my life. For the first time I understood the lyrics and it was pure, raw and wonderful at the same time. I couldn't really figure out what he was playing so I just let myself go with the music.

Of course we all move on and change our interest...only years later when I was already working for Fender I came across a documetary on RJ that was made by John Hammond Junior. It was an import DVD and very expensive at that time (approx. 60USD), but I have spent it and this documentary brought me right back to where I stopped investigating. It contained so many additional information....and now I was an adult that had learned many things about the circumstances those people made music under, their lives, the social situation and all of this put it under another viewing angle that made me even more respect RJ and what he did. This is how things change sometimes when you grow up.

To return to what I said in the beginning - over he years I almost forget about the myth that RJ sold his soul, as I was focused more on the other aspects that surrounded him and now in my holiday, I was sitting on the terasse watching the ocean and listening to RJ when I felt like back when I was 15 again, believing the myth and I swear I could hear it in his music...there is still so many things unclarified about RJ..... Man, what a great musician he was.

I have never ever tried to play one of his songs, tuning my guitar to open A or whatever...never felt the need to do so and still would feel a little frightend playing his music on my guitar.

[marnold***]

The thing with Robert Johnson is that he is equal parts myth and reality. He was just this supernova that appeared on the scene for one, brief, shining moment and then he was gone. In the process he changed everything.

[guitartist]

The thing with Robert Johnson is that he is equal parts myth and reality. He was just this supernova that appeared on the scene for one, brief, shining moment and then he was gone. In the process he changed everything.

Yeah, he was like Jimi in that way.

I had read about Johnson's legendary playing for years before I actually got to hear it...in the mid-eighties a fellow I worked with made me a cassette copy of those Robert Johnson LP's that were issued in the late 60s/early 70s...they were scratchy and it was a supercheap poor-quality cassette, but Johnson's great playing and tortured-sounding singing fascinated me. Its so nice to have those recordings remastered on cd now.

I've never learned to play any of the original versions of Robert Johnson's tunes either...over the years I've learned Cream's version of "Crossroads" (Johnson's version is known as "Crossroad Blues"), the Stones' version of "Love in Vain", & Elmore James' version of "Dust My Broom", but they all differ quite a bit from the originals. I'd love to learn the original Johnson versions one of these days, if my picking skills ever get up to that level. (lately my style has been transitioning from a Chicago blues sound to more Delta acoustic, been listening to people like Rev. Gary Davis & Skip JAmes a lot lately).

I used to have a Robert Johnson t-shirt with his photo on it...his fingers were extremely long and slim, which no doubt helped his amazing technique. I remember wearing it once and an older black person came up to me and started talking to me about Robert Johnson...they seemed amazed that a young white guy would even know about Robert Johnson.

[Big_Rob]

Crossroads was the movie that got me into Robert Johnson as well.

Theres a movie out called "Cant you hear the wind howl" http://www.robertjohnsonfilm.com/ Staring Keb' Mo as RJ that I want to see about the life and music of RJ

Robert Lockwood Jr. was a good friend of RJ and sounds a lot like him
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lockwood_Jr.

Sweet Home Chicago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_7UkcMVzag

[guitartist]

Theres a movie out called "Cant you hear the wind howl" http://www.robertjohnsonfilm.com/ Staring Keb' Mo as RJ that I want to see about the life and music of RJ

Thanks for mentioning that. I read an interview with Keb Mo a month or so ago in Acoustic Guitar magazine, where he mentioned being in that movie...I had lready forgotten about it, I need to put that in my Netflicks que!

Speaking of Keb Mo, I just got the Buddy Guy cd "Bring 'em In" this weekend, and Buddy does one of Keb's songs (with both Keb and Keef playing on it)...mighty sweet! And the version Buddy does of "I put a Spell on You" with Santana out-n-out SMOKES!

[Big_Rob]

sadly its not available on Netflix

[guitartist]

sadly its not available on Netflix

Rats....oh well, thanks for the info. Maybe I'll get to see it eventually.

Surprised Netflicks doesn't have it....their selection of guitar instructional dvds is pretty darn good!