Diamond Dust - the Bernie Holland Version

[paulmcmillanuk]

Hi Bernie. This is a beautiful piece. The last time we met was with Billy Connolly in Weymouth many years ago. Before that was with Georgie Fame in Bristol. We First met when I was playing at the Hawthorns hotel in Bristol. You guys invited me up for a drink afterwards. You were with Stomu Yamashta's East Wind. Love to catch up with you some day. I will make it my business to find you and hear you play again

Paul McMillan

[paulmcmillanuk]

@paulmcmillanuk

Sorry Bernie It was Graeme Taylor That played with Billy in Weymouth. I worked with Gryphon in the early seventees and I got mixed up.

[meatpole55]

oh yeah ..i love good popcorn music

[zedboeing]

this is amazing

[callingeuterpe]

Really beautiful version by the composer himself. Can't wait to hear the latest arrangement. Love your soloing too!

[lonegroover]

Love this Bernie, although some of the guitar in the right channel early on seems a little dry. Not complaining, glad you did this - just wanted to offer an opinion. The lead later on is dreamy.

[hooptyhee1]

Bernie--Wonderful, jazzy stuff here, and thanks for posting it. I have all 3 Hummingbird albums (plus Blow By Blow and the two Jeff Beck Group Mark II ones), and thought you guys were just outasight, as we'd say back then. You were magic, and I'm glad to hear you still are. Cheers.

[taildragger53]

Keep coming back to this one. Love it Bernie..love it. Actually it reminds me alot of a beautiful, very early track by Phil Upchurch from 1967.."Electrik Head" its called.

[regoss]

Wow. I love it. The 5/4 time makes it so unique. This song is one of my all time favorite songs.

[SammyS53]

Stunning Bernie - I've been a fan since Blow-by-blow and Hummingbird - how hard are the Hbird albums to find??

My favourites are your 2 solo pieces on each of the first 2 albums.

Can I get a CD of yours??

Sam

[Pablotherapidone]

Amazing job!!!

[philgar5]

This is such a great piece Bernie - has something all of it's own

[dynodenny]

Great Version Bernie. I am so happy we are back in touch. I miss the old days at Scorpio when you,crackle, clive, max, Conrad and anyone else who was around would go off on a tangent and the creative energy would take over. I think those blows were even better than the records. See you soon.

[jsilence418]

Always loved the tune , great post .

[godbones]

Bernie- thanks for posting. I've been separated from my vinyl for about 13 years, which included the Hummingbird albums. I'm listening to "We can't go on meeting like this" right now. These albums are SO awesome and certainly hold up to the test of time. I'm equaling enjoying your post of your version of Diamond Dust. This tune is sacred to me. I've spent many hours driving in my old 65 Biscayne back in the 70s listening to Blow by Blow. No idea that YOU wrote this. .

[taildragger51]

Aha..at LAST!

 The original interpretation from the maker! It was worth the wait Bernie.

[alaincharnier1971]

cool tune Bernie, the Blow by blow version has occupied my mind many times through the years from about 1985 when I 1st heard it. I was really into other odd time stuff like Yes and ELP too, have you ever worked with them?

[EarthSuburb]

This composition of yours has a long history in my heart.

I 1st discovered it during the 1976 summer holidays that I spent with my brother in a host family in Seaford (Sussex), I was 14.

This melody can instantly take me back to this place.

It's a real invitation to travel in your mind.

I must have bought a couple of vinyl copies of the album, and later of the CD.

I also 1st learned to play the melody, then the chord progression.

Thank you so much for this beautiful composition.

Philippe DUREL

[plushlush]

Hello Bernie. I have never heard your version until now. Very ethereal. Greetings from Chicago. Say hello to Max Middleton and Jeff!

[philgar5]

Love this tune. Has it's own unique atmosphere. Great composition and great playing Bernie !!!!

[chicagoslew]

Another take on my Favorite song of

All-time!!! Thanks so much Bernie

for giving us this song,and to Jeff! Should do a version with Jeff sometime... Dean...

[MrJag45]

Well impressed. This number has been part of my life for so long.

Thanks

[LARC43]

oh my god, this amazing, this is one of the most beautiful things ive ever heard, and the bass is so amazing to, i cannot think of words to describe this

[ThePandorasbox13]

Terrific work. It is nice that you added your own original version of this song, it gives us a better interpretation of your intentions for the piece. I wish Jeff Beck would actually play this live because it is my favorite song he has done yet, and it is cool that you wrote it.

[taildragger51]

@ThePandorasbox13 Jeff Beck did do a live version. It's to be found on Wolfgangs Vault".

[50NSM]

Beautiful - this made my day, thanks!

[LesPaulMan50]

Bernie...WOW! Your version of your own masterpiece almost brought me to tears. I love it more than Jeff's. You have that full package of talent like Brian Wilson. I would consider my life's work complete to have written this one stunning tune. Your recording technique and guitar playing is all fantastic and to write such a brilliant tune as well! I'm still working on your other video on how to play DD. I deleted my own version of DD here on youtube since it's so inferior - Jared.

[bandbase2]

Excellent work Bernie! Beautiful track! It must have taken hours!! Steve York

[TheGed61]

Hiya Bernie

Thanks for sending it to me; it's really very good. I love stuff with interesting chords behind it. It's a shame we didn't record all that classical stuff we did in the 1970s at your place. Anyway, I keep telling you...you really MUST come over!

Ged

[mooseontheloose]

Stop it, Berns. Your just making it bad for the rest of us. Amazing stuff. Why aren't you famous?

[livekaloo]

honored and touched to write this comment to the author of this awesome and immortal composition!!! thanks from italy!

[fcastle13]

excellent! Diamond Dust was always one of my favorite songs ever recorded by Jeff Beck.....this song and my headphones spent a lot of time together....had no idea you wrote it....by the way, I still have some of the hummingbird albums! KUDOS to a truly amazing song!

frank

[robertheale]

What a great rendition. Excellent arrangement and very different from the Beck version. A jazz feel rather than rock. Organizing the virtual band must ahve been a lot of work. I'm so glad you were able to post it.

Robert Mason

[bernieholland775]

Thanks Robert - without your encouragement I may well not have bothered doing this !

Yes, it involved a lot of work but the responses I have had over all this have been very positive.

thanks again

Bernie

[hallboyvideo]

@bernieholland775 What a pleasure to hear that ;))).

I'm a fan since the first hummingbird album....

Long time no see...

I hope that we will hear again from you, max and Bob...

[Robokiller80]

This is quite amazing Bernie! Very nice intro and outro as well. I love your style of lead playing and how you managed to solo very tastefully throughout the piece. Well done

[bernieholland775]

Thank you for your kind comments Rob. It is clear to me that you have a good understanding of this tune. Thank you again !

[pickula]

Lovely music, beautiful guitar work, thanks for posting.