Page didn't invent the distorted guitar sound! He didn't play....

[Rufus]

The Kinks' Dave Davies has slammed the BBC for 'getting their facts wrong' and insists he “invented the distorted guitar sound.”
on the Kink's hit 'You Really Got Me' either!

Guitarist Davies took the the band's Facebook page to take aim at an episode of BBC Radio 2's Guitar Season in which Danny Baker goes on a tour of musical instrument shops in London's Denmark Street – AKA Tin Pan Alley.

The programme repeats an often-repeated story that Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page worked on The Kinks' hit You Really Got Me – a claim Davies fiercely denies.

In his Facebook statement, Davies urges fans to tweet Danny Baker and the show's producer and tell them to “get their facts straight.”

He adds: “BBC tells lies about Dave Davies and The Kinks in their new documentary. I, Dave Davies, invented the distorted guitar sound and played the solo on You Really Got Me and Ray Davies played rhythm guitar. We never used any other guitarists on any Kinks hits.”

Davies' claims he invented the distorted guitar sound centre on an incident in which he sliced the speaker cone of his guitar amp with a razor blade, altering the sound.

[ronmac]

People need to learn the difference between invention and innovation.

[rcarlberg]

I, Dave Davies, invented the distorted guitar sound

What is Link Wray, chopped liver?

[jkelman]

What is Link Wray, chopped liver?

Excellent point!! Just listening to "Rumble" after seeing Bill Frisell's Guitar in the Space Age! show

[Jerjo]

I thought the first distorted guitar was on Ike Turner's Rocket 88?

The song also features one of the first examples of distortion, or fuzz guitar, and feedback ever recorded, played by the band's guitarist Willie Kizart. The legend of how the sound came about says that Kizart's amplifier was damaged on Highway 61 when the band was driving from Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee. An attempt was made to hold the cone in place by stuffing the amplifier with wadded newspapers, which unintentionally created a distorted sound; Phillips liked the sound and used it. Robert Palmer has written that the amplifier "had fallen from the top of the car", and attributes this information to Sam Phillips. However, in a recorded interview at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington, Ike Turner stated that the amplifier was in the trunk of the car and that rain may have caused the damage; he is certain that it did not fall from the roof of the car. Link Wray explains the development of his fuzz tone with a similar story.

[nosebone]

Maybe he meant power chord.

[ronmac]

I thought the first distorted guitar was on Ike Turner's Rocket 88?

That and a slew of other 50s electric blues players.

[GuitarGeek]

What is Link Wray, chopped liver?

To say nothing of Paul Burlison, or the guy who played on Rocket 88, which was like half a decade before Rumble or Train Kept A'Rollin'.

Dave's been whining about this dren for at least 30 years that I know of. He also thinks Van Halen "missed the point" of You Really Got Me. So frelling what?

[ronmac]

He also thinks Van Halen "missed the point" of You Really Got Me. So frelling what?

Well, I agree with him on that. I think VH picked it up from seeing Rick Derringer play it, though. But, EVH was really all about technique, anyway, IMO. I recall many, many years ago he cited Clapton as an influence. Never saw any of that. In fact, I think Eric may have commented similarly at the time.

[WytchCrypt]

Well, I agree with him on that. I think VH picked it up from seeing Rick Derringer play it, though. But, EVH was really all about technique, anyway, IMO. I recall many, many years ago he cited Clapton as an influence. Never saw any of that. In fact, I think Eric may have commented similarly at the time.

The only influence I ever heard EVH credit was Alan Holdsworth

[No Pride]

Davies' claims he invented the distorted guitar sound

Yeah, and Al Gore invented the Internet.

Nine times out of ten, when somebody claims that they invented something, they're either delusional or just don't have their facts straight. I remember an interview with George Harrison where he basically claimed to have invented the b9 chord, although I don't think he called it that (he was referring to a part of "I Want to Tell You"). I have no idea who did invent it, but I strongly suspect that it was around before George was born.

As for distorted guitar, I remember hearing a boot of a jazz jam session in somebody's home with Charlie Parker, and the guitar player, George Freeman had a pretty distorted sound; that had to be in the early '50s. I doubt that the distortion was intentional (probably just a little amplifier that couldn't handle the volume), but it existed nonetheless. And Ron is right, electric blues players had been using distortion before The Kinks existed.

EVH was really all about technique, anyway, IMO. I recall many, many years ago he cited Clapton as an influence. Never saw any of that. In fact, I think Eric may have commented similarly at the time.

EVH had plenty of technique, but I don't think it's fair to say that he was "all about" it. He was a very soulful and aggressive player who just happened to have more chops than most of the rock guitar players that were around at the time (and I say "most" because some guys that came out before him, like Terry Kath and Frank Marino had plenty of chops). But Eddie's finger tapped, classical-ish arpeggios aside, he was basically a blues/rock player and that's where the Clapton connection comes in, though I agree that the influence is vague at best.

The only influence I ever heard EVH credit was Alan Holdsworth

Eddie loved Holdsworth's playing and raved about it, but I don't think he claimed to be influenced by him, though I don't doubt that he was inspired by him. There is a difference.

[grego]

Page had stated, that he played rhythm on YRGM. I don't remember him claiming about distorted sound for Kinks.

[nosebone]

Yeah, and Al Gore invented the Internet.

Nine times out of ten, when somebody claims that they invented something, they're either delusional or just don't have their facts straight. I remember an interview with George Harrison where he basically claimed to have invented the b9 chord, although I don't think he called it that (he was referring to a part of "I Want to Tell You"). I have no idea who did invent it, but I strongly suspect that it was around before George was born.

As for distorted guitar, I remember hearing a boot of a jazz jam session in somebody's home with Charlie Parker, and the guitar player, George Freeman had a pretty distorted sound; that had to be in the early '50s. I doubt that the distortion was intentional (probably just a little amplifier that couldn't handle the volume), but it existed nonetheless. And Ron is right, electric blues players had been using distortion before The Kinks existed.


EVH had
Eddie loved Holdsworth's playing and raved about it, but I don't think he claimed to be influenced by him, though I don't doubt that he was inspired by him. There is a difference.

I remember reading back in the 80s Eddies wide interval ideas on single strings came from Holdsy.

[No Pride]

I remember reading back in the 80s Eddies wide interval ideas on single strings came from Holdsy.

I don't doubt that, although when I think of Eddie's classic one string tapping licks off the top of my (bald) head, I can't recall any intervals bigger than a 6th. Not that it matters...

[ronmac]

But Eddie's finger tapped, classical-ish arpeggios aside, he was basically a blues/rock player and that's where the Clapton connection comes in, though I agree that the influence is vague at best.

Sorry, pal, I just don't hear any inkling of a blues feel in his playing.

[nosebone]

I don't doubt that, although when I think of Eddie's classic one string tapping licks off the top of my (bald) head, I can't recall any intervals bigger than a 6th. Not that it matters...

Check out 0.05 of this EVH solo lesson of ice cream man and you'll hear a good example of Ed's Holdsy rub off.

[nosebone]

Sorry, pal, I just don't hear any inkling of a blues feel in his playing.

Most of his stuff was blues rock based.

it's just that he phrased things unconventionally and had that rectified fire breathing sound.

[No Pride]

Check out 0.05 of this EVH solo lesson of ice cream man and you'll hear a good example of Ed's Holdsy rub off.

I suppose. Of course, it's just arpeggiated parallel major triads, but I guess it's closer to Holdsy than Slow Hand.

Sorry, pal, I just don't hear any inkling of a blues feel in his playing.

Most of his stuff was blues rock based.

it's just that he phrased things unconventionally and had that rectified fire breathing sound.

What Chris said! There's plenty of blues-related things in his playing, but there's other stuff you just don't hear blues players do; tapping, whammy divebombs, etc.

[nosebone]

I suppose. Of course, it's just arpeggiated parallel major triads, but I guess it's closer to Holdsy than Slow Hand.

I was referring to wide intervals in Eddies playing.
That's a helluva stretch, and was very unusual for 70s hard rock guitar.

[No Pride]

That's a helluva stretch, and was very unusual for 70s hard rock guitar.

It's certainly a good pinky workout. But the funny thing is that you can play that lick more easily by using two strings a piece for each of those arpeggios. Well, easier on the left hand anyway...

[ronmac]

Most of his stuff was blues rock based.

it's just that he phrased things unconventionally and had that rectified fire breathing sound.

What Chris said! There's plenty of blues-related things in his playing, but there's other stuff you just don't hear blues players do; tapping, whammy divebombs, etc.

Maybe I'm not being clear enough. Yeah, sure, some of the songs could be considered blues-based rock to some degree. But his playing has no feel of the blues. His technique is missing the main ingredient of blues playing: soul. He might occasionally emulate a blues-type lick here and there, but that ain't the same. His flourishes (all those things "you just don't hear blues players do; tapping, whammy divebombs, etc.") are the opposite of soulful playing. It's gimmickry, IMO.

[GuitarGeek]

The only influence I ever heard EVH credit was Alan Holdsworth

I don't remember Eddie citing Holdsworth as an influence, so much as just saying that he thought Allan was a bad ass player. Apparently, the reason Holdsworth was signed to Warners for awhile in the early 80's (a move that Allan later regretted) was because Eddie pestered Ted Templeman into signing him. Supposedly, there's a recording somewhere of Eddie and Allan jamming at some NAMM event back in the early 80's.

But I also remember reading a lot of interviews back in the 80's where Eddie talked about learning how to play by copping Clapton's solos off the Bluesbreakers record and the Cream records. I remember him saying something like "People think I'm influenced by Hendrix, but I was always more into Clapton".

Edit: Sorry, I wrote this last night before going to bed, but somehow didn't hit the send button before I went to bed, and I left the computer on, so ignore the "not so much influenced by Holdsworth..." clause.

[nosebone]

Maybe I'm not being clear enough. Yeah, sure, some of the songs could be considered blues-based rock to some degree. But his playing has no feel of the blues. His technique is missing the main ingredient of blues playing: soul. He might occasionally emulate a blues-type lick here and there, but that ain't the same. His flourishes (all those things "you just don't hear blues players do; tapping, whammy divebombs, etc.") are the opposite of soulful playing. It's gimmickry, IMO.

This is all very subjective.

"Soulful playing" depends on who's listening.

For example, I hear more soul from Eddie than Clapton, and I like Clapton.

[ronmac]

This is all very subjective.

"Soulful playing" depends on who's listening.

For example, I hear more soul from Eddie than Clapton, and I like Clapton.

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on that. There's nothing subjective about soulful playing. You either have it or you don't.

[nosebone]

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on that. There's nothing subjective about soulful playing. You either have it or you don't.

You mean either you "hear it" or you don't.