(Copyright © 1999-2024 Piero Scaruffi | Terms of use )
|
, /10 | Links: |
|
Frederic Lincoln "Link" Wray (nato in North Carolina ma cresciuto in Arizona)
fu uno dei rocker piu` autenticamente ribelli,
e uno dei pochi a continuare a fare rock and roll durante gli anni in cui
venne restaurata la canzone melodica.
Lo strumentale Rumble (1958)
introdusse il suono distorto di chitarra piu` tardi noto come "fuzz-tone".
La piu` aggressiva
The Swag (il suo retro) era quasi garage-punk, ed era tipica
della sua enfasi sul "riff", sul "power chord" (dodici anni prima dell'hard-rock).
Link Wray and the Wraymen (Epic, 1959) sarebbe rimasto il suo album
migliore. Il repertorio si arricchi` del
rockabilly Raw Hide (1959), di
Comanche (1959),
Slinky (1959),
Radar (1960),
Jack The Ripper (1961),
Mr Guitar,
Ace Of Spades.
L'ultimo singolo venne pubblicato nel 1965, ma
Wray continuo` a raffinare il suo incandescente stile per
anni nell'anonimato, sperimentando con feedback e tremolo.
Torno` sulle scene con l'album Link Wray (Polydor, 1971), seguito da
Be What You Want (Virgin, 1973) e Stuck In Gear (Virgin, 1976),
lavori sempre meno eccitanti.
Si riscatto` parzialmente soltanto a 68 anni suonati, con
Shadowman (Hip-O, 1997).
White Lightning (Sundazed, 2007) documents some lost sessions of 1958. Wray died in 2005 at the age of 76. |
(Translated from my original Italian text by Joshua Maislin)
Frederic Lincoln “Link” Wray
(born in North Carolina, but grew up in Arizona) was one of the most
authentically rebellious rockers, and one of the few who continued playing rock
and roll during a period when melodic pop songs had made a comeback. The instrumental
Rumble (1958) introduced the distorted guitar sound later known as
“fuzz-tone.” The more aggressive song The Swag (Rumble B-side), was
almost like garage-punk, and was emblematic of his emphasis on the “riff” based
on the “power chord” (12 years before the advent of hard rock). Link Wray
and the Wraymen (Epic, 1959) remains his best album. He enriched his
repertoire with the rockabilly inspired Raw Hide (1959), Comanche (1959),
Slinky (1959), Radar (1960), Jack The Ripper (1961), Mr
Guitar, and Ace of Spades. His last single was published in 1965,
but Wray continued to refine his lightning-hot style in anonymity for many
years, experimenting with feedback and tremolo. He eventually returned to the
scene with the album Link Wray (Polydor, 1971), followed by Be What
You Want (Virgin, 1973), and Stuck in Gear (Virgin, 1976). These
albums were distinctly less exciting than his early work. He only partially
redeemed himself at age 68 with Shadowman (Hip-O, 1997). White Lightning (Sundazed,
2007) documents some lost sessions from 1958. Wray died in 2005 at the age
of 76. |
| 
| 
| 
|