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Thread: Johnny Winter is the man

  1. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post

    The Alligator period put out some great work while SRV was getting all the attention.
    Alligator was putting out a lot of good records during that era. The Albert Collins records I've been listening to lately were on Alligator, and I know Roy Buchanan also recorded about three records for Alligator in the last few years of his life (though I recall a Guitar Player article that suggested at lesat one of the Buchanan records wasn't that great, though I'd have to dig out the particular magazine and look up the details, I remember it being mentioned that there was flanger on the guitar on some of the tracks). In all three cases, I believe the given guitarist hadn't recorded in several years prior to signing to Alligator.

  2. #27
    BTW, I recall hearing a story that Johnny had a clause in his performance contracts that stipulated that nobody could touch him. I was told that's because albinism somehow messes with the immune system, and thus makes the person more susceptible to infections and whatever. I was told he didn't really do meet and greet type stuff often because of that, and it was a rare occasion when a fan got to meet him, get autographs, etc.

    So I was reading this article about contract riders, ya know about how some bands will require certain types of catering at the venue (eg vegetarian or whatever) or there's something stipulating the bar has to be closed (because the performer is a recovering alcoholic). So, as I said, Johnny had this clause that said he couldn't be touched, no handshakes no tap on the shoulder or whatever. So he's playing in this one club, where the dressing room is on the other side of the venue from the stage, and the performer has to walk through the audience to get to the stage. So, as Johnny is doing so, someone touches him on the arm or something, and Johnny freaks and runs back to the dressing room. The promoter had to run in after him and talk him into performing, because Johnny did NOT want to play after that happened.

  3. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post

    Hmm, I don't think I've seen this clip. Did this come out recently? Maybe I'm mixing things up.
    The Woodstock clip I saw was back in the early 90's, like I said, around the time they first started unearthing stuff that hadn't been in the movie. I think at the time, footage of the Grateful Dead, Canned Heat and a few other few others popped up, as well as more stuff from the Hendrix and CSN&Y sets that got left out of the film. Anyway, it was a short clip, probably not even a minute long, and as I said, it probably wasn't anything to really judge the performance by.

    At any rate, like I said, the main thing is, you can't listen to everything, and there's always something that you don't get to follow up on right away, and in my case, one of those was Johnny Winter. I think if I spent some time with some of those records, I'd probably really like them.

  4. #29
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    when the ABB recorded their historic Fillmore album, they were the opening band for Johnny Winter And.
    I'm a huge fan of the ABB and didn't know that
    I can verify this; I was in attendance.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  5. #30
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mogrooves View Post
    I can verify this; I was in attendance.
    Cool.

  6. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by mogrooves View Post
    I can verify this; I was in attendance.
    I didn't know either. So as an opening act, Allmans Brothers were allowed to play a 2 hour set?! Amazing!

  7. #32
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    So as an opening act, Allmans Brothers were allowed to play a 2 hour set?! Amazing!
    They played over the weekend, usually two shows a night.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  8. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by mogrooves View Post
    They played over the weekend, usually two shows a night.
    So how long did they play for any given set? Would they do a set that was just Whipping Post and Mountain Jam, or did do they do a few shorter tunes first before launching into "the main event"?

  9. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    BTW, I recall hearing a story that Johnny had a clause in his performance contracts that stipulated that nobody could touch him. I was told that's because albinism somehow messes with the immune system, and thus makes the person more susceptible to infections and whatever. I was told he didn't really do meet and greet type stuff often because of that, and it was a rare occasion when a fan got to meet him, get autographs, etc.

    So I was reading this article about contract riders, ya know about how some bands will require certain types of catering at the venue (eg vegetarian or whatever) or there's something stipulating the bar has to be closed (because the performer is a recovering alcoholic). So, as I said, Johnny had this clause that said he couldn't be touched, no handshakes no tap on the shoulder or whatever. So he's playing in this one club, where the dressing room is on the other side of the venue from the stage, and the performer has to walk through the audience to get to the stage. So, as Johnny is doing so, someone touches him on the arm or something, and Johnny freaks and runs back to the dressing room. The promoter had to run in after him and talk him into performing, because Johnny did NOT want to play after that happened.
    That doesn't sound believable to me, especially that last part. Parts of it makes sense, but Johnny let people on his bus to meet him in later years. I did that twice. I can't say he let anyone touch him, but many guitarists, don't want their hands touched. The albino thing has some myths attached to it. One is about their life spans being short.

    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    The Woodstock clip I saw was back in the early 90's, like I said, around the time they first started unearthing stuff that hadn't been in the movie. I think at the time, footage of the Grateful Dead, Canned Heat and a few other few others popped up, as well as more stuff from the Hendrix and CSN&Y sets that got left out of the film. Anyway, it was a short clip, probably not even a minute long, and as I said, it probably wasn't anything to really judge the performance by.

    At any rate, like I said, the main thing is, you can't listen to everything, and there's always something that you don't get to follow up on right away, and in my case, one of those was Johnny Winter. I think if I spent some time with some of those records, I'd probably really like them.
    Yes, that's the footage I was thinking of. It came out many years ago when MTV was doing their Woodstock Minutes (20th anniversary, I'm thinking.) I actually got a copy of the footage that was given to them and it had that short clip that begins in the middle of the longer track posted.
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  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    That doesn't sound believable to me, especially that last part. Parts of it makes sense, but Johnny let people on his bus to meet him in later years. I did that twice. I can't say he let anyone touch him, but many guitarists, don't want their hands touched. The albino thing has some myths attached to it. One is about their life spans being short.
    Doesn't sound right to me either - when I met him, he had no problem shaking my hand.

  11. #36
    PE Member Since 4/9/2002 NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Some time ago I was wondering about Johnny and SRV, Texas blues greats, there must be a jam session out there somewhere?

    None that I could find, although I noticed Johnny did play at a memorial for Stevie.

    I did find this from "Raisin Cain":

    "Vaughan's relationship with another Texas blues legend, Johnny Winter, was a little more complex. Although they met several times, and often played sessions with the same musicians or even performed the same material, as in the case of Boot Hill, Vaughan always refrained from acknowledging Winter in any form. In his biography, "Raisin' Cain", Winter says that he was unnerved after reading Vaughan stating in an interview that he never met or knew Johnny Winter. "We even played together over at Tommy Shannon's house one time." Vaughan settled the issue in 1988 on the occasion of a Blues Festival in Europe where both he and Winter were on the bill, explaining that he has been misquoted and that "Every musician in Texas knows Johnny and has learned something from him"."


    So they did share the bass player Tommy Shannon...
    “Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson

  12. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    That doesn't sound believable to me, especially that last part. Parts of it makes sense, but Johnny let people on his bus to meet him in later years. I did that twice. I can't say he let anyone touch him, but many guitarists, don't want their hands touched. The albino thing has some myths attached to it. One is about their life spans being short.
    .
    Well, all I can say is, this came from an article about contract riders, and the guy who told the story was a promoter or club owner who said it actually happened. Maybe it was in his earlier years when he was a little more sensitive about such things, and he kinda eased up later on.

  13. #38
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    So how long did they play for any given set? Would they do a set that was just Whipping Post and Mountain Jam, or did do they do a few shorter tunes first before launching into "the main event"?
    They did 45 to 60 minute sets--give or take--of long and short tunes. Elvin Bishop opened.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  14. #39
    I have 2 Rockpalast shows with him. Nice stuff. Haven't played them for quite some time.

  15. #40
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    I love Johnny Winter. Sadly I never went to see him play live. I dunno why. I just assumed there would be plenty of time later. I prefer when he sticks to blues. My least favorite aspect of his career is when he did rock & roll covers like "Johnny B. Goode", etc. They just sounded thin, loose and sloppy to my ears.

  16. #41
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    ^Agreed, the Chuck Berry/Little Richard covers are the weak links for me too.

    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    That doesn't sound believable to me, especially that last part. Parts of it makes sense, but Johnny let people on his bus to meet him in later years. I did that twice. I can't say he let anyone touch him, but many guitarists, don't want their hands touched. The albino thing has some myths attached to it. One is about their life spans being short.
    Including one S. Howe, from what I've read over the years.

  17. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post



    Including one S. Howe, from what I've read over the years.
    Well, it's one thing to not want to shake hands. WHen you consider people who insist on using as much pressure as they can when they shake hands (and I've met a couple people who have a vice like grip under such circumstances). What is the reason for that?! You're trying to prove how masculine you are by crushing someone else's hand?!

    The story I read about Johnny Winter had more to do with more casual contact like someone touching him on the arm. But like I said, this was I don't know how many years ago, back in the 90's, sometime, so maybe he mellowed later on.

  18. #43
    PE Member Since 4/9/2002 NeonKnight's Avatar
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    I just realized he will be gone now 3 years on 7/18.

    Nice article on his life and how he cleaned up with the help of Paul Nelson, the other guitarist in the Lettermen clip....
    “Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson

  19. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by NeonKnight View Post


    I just realized he will be gone now 3 years on 7/18.

    Nice article on his life and how he cleaned up with the help of Paul Nelson, the other guitarist in the Lettermen clip....
    Like I noted, Paul saved Johnny's life.

    In fact, he saved Johnny's legacy, too.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  20. #45
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    ^Agreed, the Chuck Berry/Little Richard covers are the weak links for me too.
    Not my favorite stuff either.

    One of the great intros:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUoQzZUu5i8
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  21. #46
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    ^'I'm Yours And I'm Hers' also has a great riff. Played (I think?) only the once by The 'Stones at that Hyde Park show, their first with Mick Taylor, and I believe chosen because Brian Jones liked the track.

    I know he also did the John Lennon song 'Rock And Roll People'. Lennon's own version only came out posthumously.

  22. #47
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    My favorite electrical blues rocker.
    Nobody sounded like he did.

  23. #48
    Sadly, one of the few "bucket List" guitar players that I missed seeing LIVE before their passing....my loss for sure.
    G.A.S -aholic

  24. #49
    I just saw this video posted. This is ultra-cool. I've never seen it before.

    Johnny playing his National.

    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  25. #50
    PE Member Since 4/9/2002 NeonKnight's Avatar
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    That was a neat clip posted by ronmac thanks. Interesting to see him play with a Les Paul towards the end, never seen him play an LP before...

    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post

    Well, ya know, as much music as there is, it's hard to to hear everything. To be honest, I'm kind of only now picking up on a lot of the blues stuff I should have heard years ago. You'd be surprised how little blues music I had in my collection just a few years ago. But picking up a budget priced multi-disc Blind Willie McTell anthology that Wayside Music was carrying kinda got me trying to rectify that. Just this week, I've been trying to work my way through a five disc T-Bone Walker set, while at the same time making my way through the Albert Collins catalog.

    So I'll probably get to Johnny Winter at some point. I'll probably have to check out Captured Live and a couple other things. I'm sure I'd dig it if I had a chance to spend some time with it.
    Really curious to see if you've got around to Captured Live yet? Like to hear your reaction, good or bad. Let me know if you need another link.

    This one might wet the appetite. One of the many things I love about Johnny is the way he picks up the tempo with these ringing, ascending chords and finishes with some blazing lead runs. He does that several times on this clip, one good example starts at 3:41. Really almost a trademarked Johnny move...

    “Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson

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