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I cut my guitar strings in his honour.
Most anyone who's picked up a guitar in the last 40 years and has some chops cites Wray as an influence - Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck, balam, David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, David Bowie...
Neil Young once said, "If I could go back in time and see any band, it would be Link Wray and the Wraymen."
"He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar," sez Pete Townshend of The Who.
Rumble. Inspired by an audience fight and released in early 1958, it scared America. Wray invented the "power chord" - a mainstay of heavy rock to this day - and a fuzzed-out sound made by poking holes in his amp's speakers with a pencil - who doesn't own a distortion pedal now? - and he used these weapons to win every dirty street fight he played on stage.
Rumble. Voted The Number One Rock Instrumental of All Time by The Book of Rock Lists. Uncut Magazine listed Wray as the 33rd of the Top 100 guitarists in the world, and notes this of the world's most threatening instrumental:
"The violent intimations of Rumble so struck sensitive late '50s sensibilities that it was banned by many radio stations. Not bad for an instrumental. Rumble will outlive us all."
Rumble. Almost 50 years on, if listening to this song doesn't make you want to pull out the knives & chains and punch someone in the face, then the music's too loud & you're too old.
Rumble. A song & man that influenced & inspired rockabilly, punk, surf, heavy metal, country, grunge...
Rumble. Dick Dale kicks, but Link Wray pummels you into submission.
Rumble. Wray would tell audience members that, "God is playing my guitar." I saw it with my own eyes, and I know we're all going to Hell.
Rumble. Midnight. In the alley. I'll be the one with the ducktail & flick-knife...
Link Wray [linkwraylegend.com]
