DEFINING MOMENT

[dave robinson]

Who the hell is Buddy Hooly?

[noelford]

There's no denying Bert, having inspired many, many, young guitarists, was upstaged by upstarts like The Shadows, back in those days and did, indeed, seem to us fickle buggers, a bit 'square'. One of my most vivid memories of those days is playing a Bert Weedon LP and thinking that it sounded a lot better than normal - and then realising that I was playing it at 45rpm instead of 33! But you can't take it away from Bert that he was one of the biggest influences of the time. I watched one some of his later stuff on YouTube recently and he is certainly a fine guitarist. And, without a doubt, without Bert, thousands of players would never have taken up the guitar. He is, and deserves to be, a Guitar Hero!

[d jones]

Hi all.Dave, just a thought Buddy Hooly could be an Irish tribute act!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

[Pedro]

There's no denying Bert, having inspired many, many, young guitarists, was upstaged by upstarts like The Shadows, back in those days and did, indeed, seem to us fickle buggers, a bit 'square'. One of my most vivid memories of those days is playing a Bert Weedon LP and thinking that it sounded a lot better than normal - and then realising that I was playing it at 45rpm instead of 33! But you can't take it away from Bert that he was one of the biggest influences of the time. I watched one some of his later stuff on YouTube recently and he is certainly a fine guitarist. And, without a doubt, without Bert, thousands of players would never have taken up the guitar. He is, and deserves to be, a Guitar Hero!

I would totally agree!

[Bluesnote]

Yeah, well Bert was definately an inspiration in my starting the guitar. I would'nt say he was the greatests guitarist that ever roamed this earth but were it not for him you'd never have heard of half the guitar greats of the following years of that I'm sure, and his book really was all we had to go on in these days, no clicking on the internet and finding any kind of information you could possibly want to learn from in your quest to become a guitarist like it is nowadays. He definately goes down as an inovator for sure
I often wonder how much different things would have been had I been brought up over the pond, they had much much more examples to learn from than over here in Britain and especially Scotland which was even more starved of musicians to get some info on how best to tackle the guitar.

[JimN]

Bert's Stranger Than Fiction (of which I now have several copies on CD) used to be played as interval music at the Majestic Cinema, Daulby Street/Boundary Place, Liverpool. It was the first electric guitar record I remember hearing, and I was bloomin' well impressed with the playing and the sound (this back in the 1950s).

But the one that made me want to play was Duane's Because They're Young in 1960. That is still a sensational record. It's even better in stereo, though the two channel version makes it clear that Duane only plays about 50 of the guitar notes on it, with Howard Roberts and Barney Kessel playing rhythm and all the fills.

JN

PS: I'm just going to play it again (Because They're Young).

[Rosemary]

I'm pretty new to guitars (about 10 months). My brothers and I certainly tried to play Beatles songs with plastic guitars, toy drums and a 1-string ukelele (I can never remember it having all its strings), when we were very young in the 60s but it was The Shadows and Sir Cliff tour last year that got me really fired up to learn.

Actually I wasn't really sure I wanted to learn until my husband brought home a very old cheap acoustic guitar he'd bought for me from the markets one day. Until then I was happy enough picking out tunes on the keyboard or iPhone pocket guitar. When he brought home a real instrument that was it. I was so excited, I dropped everything and started googling guitars to learn how we could repair it and make it playable.

My husband and his Dad took on the task and spent about a month or so restoring it. When finished it looked absolutely beautiful. The only problem was that once the strings were on, it was obvious it needed some extra support as the action was too high to be able to play comfortably. This was pretty heartbreaking after all the work but my husband agreed I'd never be able to learn to play it properly like that and further repairs were not practical so I bought an acoustic and then later a new American Standard Strat and later still a backup Mexican Strat.

As I started so late I know I'll never be a really good player but it's a lot of fun trying!

best wishes
Rosemary

[Bluesnote]

I dont know Rosemary. You seem to be coming on pretty well to me. As long as you keep enjoying what you are doing and keep listening to better musicians, you'll keep getting better, its as simple as that, and in the end you will become a really good player. There's many a good musician has started out later on in life on many types of instruments. Its also better to have an older head on your shoulders, I'm much better at learning something now than I was in my youth. I practice much more sensibly now than I did then.
Hugh.

[Rosemary]

Thanks for the encouragement Hugh
I think I'm better at practising now too and get really happy if I finally get a difficult passage more or less right. It's those little things that really show up progress. Often I can't hear it but then remember a few months ago I couldn't play a section the proper way and now I can.
All the best
Rosemary

[51 Relic]

Yeah, well Bert was definately an inspiration in my starting the guitar. I would'nt say he was the greatests guitarist that ever roamed this earth but were it not for him you'd never have heard of half the guitar greats of the following years of that I'm sure, and his book really was all we had to go on in these days, no clicking on the internet and finding any kind of information you could possibly want to learn from in your quest to become a guitarist like it is nowadays. He definately goes down as an inovator for sure
I often wonder how much different things would have been had I been brought up over the pond, they had much much more examples to learn from than over here in Britain and especially Scotland which was even more starved of musicians to get some info on how best to tackle the guitar.

A few years ago Maureen and I went on our / pilgrimage to the london guitar show .When we stopped at the Ovation stand she noticed a well dressed gentleman standing looking at the guitars with intrest ,he took a guitar of the wall and sat down ,putting his hand in his pocket he looked up at me and asked "Do you have a pick i could use " I gave him my plectrum with a heartfelt thank you .On leaving the Ovation stand my wife said "do you know that chap "my reply was every one playing a guitar in this building knows him , this day is because and due to him Mr Burt Weedon