The new 100 Greatest Artists list just came out by Rolling Stone Magazine & the Linkster is NOT on it!! What the hell?? This man is soooo cool! Besides being cool, he is (was) one of the best, most innovative guitarists to date.
I think one can tell that he was of Native-American descent (and proud of it too probably, hence songs like Comanche, etc..). I really like the fact that he had nice things to say about Sid Vicious too, and that he clearly had an historical vision of Rock'n'Roll, as an on-going art-form, a great tradition, of which he was one of the great pioneers.
This man was really something. Thank you so much for posting this
@kidcalabria The amazing thing is his lack of 'ego' !! All the top R&R guitarists point to him as their influence - most of them having giant egos, and yet this man talks about them as if hes merely just another fan ! Cool as hell he was....
just raw guitar! amps all the way up play as hard as you can! this is true guitawisdom that most bands today really need to take link's advice because todays music lacks that true rocknroll tone!
Link Wray, the "father of the power chord", since the 1950's, from humble beginnings in Dunn, NC to the freakin' w-o-r-l-d, the man, the legend, the real deal, he just "wanted to do his own thing", yes!
I love this interview cause Link tells us rock n roll through time and the rock legends he met over the years. Wouldve loved to meet him and hear his rock n rolls stories. Great stuff.
I agree, what an amazing talent and certainly one of the kindest and most gracious men I've ever met. I babysat his children and he took us to a few of his concerts. He was unbelievably humble and gracious, just a beautiful soul.
@Watchthetube2140 I always thought that JFK's death was the begining of the end for the USA........thats when all the mistrust of government started and the spark of the hippy movement....etc. Kennedy's death was the fuse that ignited the chain reaction to come
A huge trip down memory lane. In the sixth grade I used to go home and play all the songs by this guy and people he talks about. At that time he was a very big deal. Thanks for posting.
This is more of an informative relaxed conversation than interview. Link seems to love to just talk and respond to the interviewer. I love it. I learned a lot and enjoyed the banter.
Love this piece! Where is it taken from and when was it recorded? Link really lights up. He seems so eager and happy to talk and to share his memories! The interviewer barely has a chance to speak! I'm glad he was humbled by Mr Wray's presence and gracious enough to let the Rumbleman speak so freely. Good job! I'm happy to have found this. There seems to be hardly any Link Wray interviews around.
This is unwatchable. That interviewer is completely unbearable...yeah yeah. If he says yeah one more time!! Link seems very cool. Wasted on this idiot. yeah yeah...ugghhh.
@thepagodas No. Link Wray and Dick Dale have totally different styles. Link Wray is considered the father of the power chord and a simplistic "Less is more" style.
Dick Dale used and still does use a style called "Double picking". Sort of how a mandolin would be played. Dick Dale is also an originator of what is considered the "Surf sound". It is a true fact of history that the Fender reverb unit was created for Dick Dale. Until Dick Dale used it there was NO reverb guitar sound.
Co-wrote it with Ike, and there are covers of Rocket 88 by both The Stones and The Beatles.
Not that I really give a shit, but you can't tell Zapwatt he's wrong when according with the evidence he's right, even though its hard to pin-point the exact record where boogie-woogie became rock n roll.
Zapwatt, i guess you never heard of Jimmy Preston's rock this joint. Listen, there are plenty of song that could be considered the first rock and roll songs, there is no correct anwer. All i meant was there are a lot more important and influential people in the history of rock and roll than Ike Turner. How many ike turner songs did the beatles and stones cover.
I think you are missing the point. I didn't say that Ike was the most important, the most influential or most covered by the Beatles (WTF?). What I said was that Ike Turner probably invented rock & roll and most rock historians credit his 'Rocket 88' as the first rock record. BTW Jimmy Preston's 'Rock The Joint' {"rock this joint"[sic]} could be called an early rock record or it could simply be called jump-blues. Don't take away Ike's greatness or his contributions.
Ike Turner did invent Rock N Roll format! Dont take away the man's credit when its due on account of he loved to beat his women. Nonetheless, As much of an asshole as he was He was still responsable for the seeds of rock n roll. What Link did was ultra Amplify it. Made it more loud guitar....
Most definitely a grandfather of rock & roll for sure. Ike Turner invented rock & roll in the original format of drums+piano+saxophone but Link Wray probably made it drums+bass+guitar. . . or at least made everybody want to play guitar.
Kgrease101, "Rocket 88" recorded by Ike Turner 1951 at Sam Phillips, the first rock & roll record. Ike Turner basically invented rock & roll. Do your homework before you speak so rudely.
nrobnas43 i was thinking the exact same thing, that crazy energy that comes out of him is amazing, he's non stop but he doesn't talk nonsense, he's quick.
FUCK that was awesome! It's so cool when someone like him just lays shit out, "This happened and then this and then this," just plain Jane, no bs....it's like a history lesson. But it's from someone who saw it and wasn't making anything out of it that it wasn't.
It's a trip how someone who talks and thinks so fast made "Rumble"...THE lesson in Cool Patience....
Link reminds me of Dean Moriarty from On the Road. Just the hyped up crazy expressive quality which is really cool and sincere. I wonder if Kerouac listened to Link Wray.
@nrobnas43 Interesting comparison. I doubt Kerouac listened to Link Wray. Probably heard him, but I don't think he would've bought any of his records. I think he was more into stuff from Bach to Charlie Parker. Still, great stuff.
I got to interview Link about the same time. He was about the nicest most gracious person I have ever met. He sat and played guitar and told stories for about an hour, let me see if I can find the master and I'll post it.
Me and my mom were watching The Incredibles, and right when a fighting seen started my dad started playing "Rumble" on his guitar out in the garage. He ended at the same time too and me and my mom thought it was just part of the movie.
Lets take it back to the IRON SOCIETY .a motor cycle gang without motorcycles from the LIVERPOOL,N.SYRACUSE.MATTYDALE NY area they had colors just like the Hells Angels have and they had a clubhouse in an abandoned house in Liverpool and me and my envious friends would sneak up and peek in the widows and watch them party... and they had an old reel to reel tape player,must have been battery operated and they must have had Link Rays greatest hits cause they were blasting ace of spades,rumble,jac
I don't think that the "Host" tried to "ruin" the Interview ... I think that He was a Bit "Excitied" + got "carried-away" at-Times ... be-thankful that It was at-least conducted by Someone who seem genuinely interested in (Rock+Roll / Rockabilly / Instrumental) Music , and NOT Someone from a More "Corporate"-Type Organization (Dick Clark or Casey Kasem , for-Example ... Two People who lived thru the Era , but seem to remember NOTHING about Actual Events)
@thePharoah90086 Good call although I feel like he wanted Link to discuss Rumble and obviously Link has talked about that track since1958 and has other tracks he would rather talk about.
Word. The English young guy looks ridiculous, whereas Link - over 70 years old here - still looks cool as a motherfucker, but gracious and affable. A true legend of 20th Century culture!
Like my grandpap says - "The only rock n roll greatest not hooked on junk"
SweetJaneofGoth 3 weeks ago
Wait a second. I don't remember his name being "Link Wray". I thought it was "God".
spicyMcHAGGIS9green 2 months ago
The new 100 Greatest Artists list just came out by Rolling Stone Magazine & the Linkster is NOT on it!! What the hell?? This man is soooo cool! Besides being cool, he is (was) one of the best, most innovative guitarists to date.
librabonze 3 months ago
I think one can tell that he was of Native-American descent (and proud of it too probably, hence songs like Comanche, etc..). I really like the fact that he had nice things to say about Sid Vicious too, and that he clearly had an historical vision of Rock'n'Roll, as an on-going art-form, a great tradition, of which he was one of the great pioneers.
This man was really something. Thank you so much for posting this
kidcalabria 6 months ago
@kidcalabria The amazing thing is his lack of 'ego' !! All the top R&R guitarists point to him as their influence - most of them having giant egos, and yet this man talks about them as if hes merely just another fan ! Cool as hell he was....
ironman5454 2 months ago
the guy was absolutely THE SHIT. thanks for the interview; "crank the amps and let it fly, baby!
alleyjagger 7 months ago
Pause at 3:35 and take a look at the size of Link. He was shaking it in that guys face, lol.
Hondos 8 months ago
just raw guitar! amps all the way up play as hard as you can! this is true guitawisdom that most bands today really need to take link's advice because todays music lacks that true rocknroll tone!
YeshuaISMessiah1 10 months ago
Link Wray, the "father of the power chord", since the 1950's, from humble beginnings in Dunn, NC to the freakin' w-o-r-l-d, the man, the legend, the real deal, he just "wanted to do his own thing", yes!
JoesDynamo 10 months ago
the man is COOL!!!
jocam32 11 months ago
I love this interview cause Link tells us rock n roll through time and the rock legends he met over the years. Wouldve loved to meet him and hear his rock n rolls stories. Great stuff.
deel85 11 months ago
This man is God. Respect!
dirtynuke 1 year ago
Certainly one of the Godfathers of Rock and Roll!
ExpatBlues 1 year ago
What's with the fat Johnny Ramone?
LeLimeLine 1 year ago
johnny ramones little brother on bass? badass vid.
5150zombie 1 year ago
I agree, what an amazing talent and certainly one of the kindest and most gracious men I've ever met. I babysat his children and he took us to a few of his concerts. He was unbelievably humble and gracious, just a beautiful soul.
eiforget 1 year ago
What an utter sweetheart Link is ... total legend!
Rikitocker 1 year ago
Link wray > the Fonz
XuliusCaesar 1 year ago
" '50's rock n' roll died the day Pres. Kennedy was shot..." ...Link Wray What a statement!
Watchthetube2140 1 year ago
@Watchthetube2140 I always thought that JFK's death was the begining of the end for the USA........thats when all the mistrust of government started and the spark of the hippy movement....etc. Kennedy's death was the fuse that ignited the chain reaction to come
inkey2 1 year ago
A huge trip down memory lane. In the sixth grade I used to go home and play all the songs by this guy and people he talks about. At that time he was a very big deal. Thanks for posting.
moonwarrior5 1 year ago
Coked up?
leebouldog 1 year ago
@leebouldog looks like it.
5150zombie 1 year ago
incredible memory. amazing how he remembers the exact year (and time of) for different events.
brianbu410 1 year ago
This is more of an informative relaxed conversation than interview. Link seems to love to just talk and respond to the interviewer. I love it. I learned a lot and enjoyed the banter.
rwm1 1 year ago
Wow! Link Wray is so freakin bad, He sounds like he comes from every country in the world. I love it!
skrimpshidy 1 year ago 3
Love this piece! Where is it taken from and when was it recorded? Link really lights up. He seems so eager and happy to talk and to share his memories! The interviewer barely has a chance to speak! I'm glad he was humbled by Mr Wray's presence and gracious enough to let the Rumbleman speak so freely. Good job! I'm happy to have found this. There seems to be hardly any Link Wray interviews around.
gronx1979 1 year ago
This is the first true guitar hero. Fuck you, Steve Vai.
moparmonster1965 1 year ago 4
This is unwatchable. That interviewer is completely unbearable...yeah yeah. If he says yeah one more time!! Link seems very cool. Wasted on this idiot. yeah yeah...ugghhh.
cottageorgan 1 year ago
i bet he didn't think he'd be doing it so many years later
rockshred5150 1 year ago
I interviewed Link several times, he is a gentleman and can play anything from soulful ballads to full-on blues raunch.
incongra 1 year ago
The most important D chord in Music History wry well put it!!!
Rumble is the starter and we all know that accept or not
Link Wray is there with me every time I play a D note
and I'm bull XXXXX around RIP.
redmanalish66668 1 year ago
I wish this dick interviewer would shut up, absolute suck up.stop speaking, stop making your shit fake laugh, Your an ass!Link Wray is a legend
michaeljd500 1 year ago
Were Dick Dale and Link Wray cut from exactly the same cloth?
thepagodas 1 year ago
@thepagodas No. Link Wray and Dick Dale have totally different styles. Link Wray is considered the father of the power chord and a simplistic "Less is more" style.
Dick Dale used and still does use a style called "Double picking". Sort of how a mandolin would be played. Dick Dale is also an originator of what is considered the "Surf sound". It is a true fact of history that the Fender reverb unit was created for Dick Dale. Until Dick Dale used it there was NO reverb guitar sound.
jdukulele 1 year ago
Link had a song out in the 70's called Super 88
jefftherealdrunk 1 year ago
Zapwatt, if im not mistaken Jackie Brenston wrote and sang lead on rocket 88, correct me if that's wrong.
kgrease101 2 years ago
You are wrong. :)
zapwatt 2 years ago
Co-wrote it with Ike, and there are covers of Rocket 88 by both The Stones and The Beatles.
Not that I really give a shit, but you can't tell Zapwatt he's wrong when according with the evidence he's right, even though its hard to pin-point the exact record where boogie-woogie became rock n roll.
goonbot3030 1 year ago
Zapwatt, i guess you never heard of Jimmy Preston's rock this joint. Listen, there are plenty of song that could be considered the first rock and roll songs, there is no correct anwer. All i meant was there are a lot more important and influential people in the history of rock and roll than Ike Turner. How many ike turner songs did the beatles and stones cover.
kgrease101 2 years ago
I think you are missing the point. I didn't say that Ike was the most important, the most influential or most covered by the Beatles (WTF?). What I said was that Ike Turner probably invented rock & roll and most rock historians credit his 'Rocket 88' as the first rock record. BTW Jimmy Preston's 'Rock The Joint' {"rock this joint"[sic]} could be called an early rock record or it could simply be called jump-blues. Don't take away Ike's greatness or his contributions.
zapwatt 2 years ago
Ike Turner did invent Rock N Roll format! Dont take away the man's credit when its due on account of he loved to beat his women. Nonetheless, As much of an asshole as he was He was still responsable for the seeds of rock n roll. What Link did was ultra Amplify it. Made it more loud guitar....
jimflicks2 2 years ago
Olive deserved a good ass beating, what a psychotic bitch she was.
999Atwood 1 year ago
Most definitely a grandfather of rock & roll for sure. Ike Turner invented rock & roll in the original format of drums+piano+saxophone but Link Wray probably made it drums+bass+guitar. . . or at least made everybody want to play guitar.
zapwatt 2 years ago
ike turner invented nothing you boner!
kgrease101 2 years ago
Kgrease101, "Rocket 88" recorded by Ike Turner 1951 at Sam Phillips, the first rock & roll record. Ike Turner basically invented rock & roll. Do your homework before you speak so rudely.
zapwatt 2 years ago
who was the "interviewer"?
CatorsCinema 2 years ago
Fantastic interview! Only saw Link the once, at The Brook, Southampton, UK,1996. Awsome gig!
bangtwister 2 years ago
A true legend and THE master of the slow power chord!
bostonbabyboomer 2 years ago
Real fantastic !
The story of rock'n roll by the way !
He's was so true..
R.I.P.
bassfeile 2 years ago
nrobnas43 i was thinking the exact same thing, that crazy energy that comes out of him is amazing, he's non stop but he doesn't talk nonsense, he's quick.
grrlfaerie 2 years ago
This is Faaaaaantastic. A complete history lesson on R N' R in 10 minutes and one of the best you'll EVER hear !!!!
UncleMike43 2 years ago 2
Kick A**. Rock on Big Daddy!
judgekongo187 2 years ago
FUCK that was awesome! It's so cool when someone like him just lays shit out, "This happened and then this and then this," just plain Jane, no bs....it's like a history lesson. But it's from someone who saw it and wasn't making anything out of it that it wasn't.
It's a trip how someone who talks and thinks so fast made "Rumble"...THE lesson in Cool Patience....
Thanks for posting!
mcul2112 2 years ago
Link reminds me of Dean Moriarty from On the Road. Just the hyped up crazy expressive quality which is really cool and sincere. I wonder if Kerouac listened to Link Wray.
nrobnas43 2 years ago 3
@nrobnas43
good call. He does seem to have deans crazy essence but its not as insane as Dean. Just my humble opinion.
Long Live ON THE ROAD
GOODBYE1209 2 years ago 2
@nrobnas43 Interesting comparison. I doubt Kerouac listened to Link Wray. Probably heard him, but I don't think he would've bought any of his records. I think he was more into stuff from Bach to Charlie Parker. Still, great stuff.
MrBuk86 7 months ago
Legend!
frediablo 2 years ago
Great, thanks. - Erkele
Erkele 2 years ago
I got to interview Link about the same time. He was about the nicest most gracious person I have ever met. He sat and played guitar and told stories for about an hour, let me see if I can find the master and I'll post it.
allstonma 2 years ago 15
That would be absolutely spectacular man!
I'm looking forward to hearing it!
Keep us in the know, share the wealth ;)
Peace, and Do rock on!
historicalrecall 2 years ago
@allstonma Now THAT would be a treat. I have been catching up with all the Frank Zappa interviews I can find lately. Another remarkable "original"
JCfromDC2 1 year ago
@allstonma dude, if you ever found that master, post it as a video response. it'd be awesome...
mcul2112 7 months ago
que genio de la guitarra el verdadero guitar hero lastima que el ingles que lo entrevista esta mas duro que wray y no para de decir giladas
Stronfo 2 years ago
This guy provides an interview and you want to complain about his style. Just be thankful for this small slice of Link.
kidvolt 2 years ago 3
hey the man is first nations that means NATIVE THE DADDY OF rock......LOOK IT UP ..THEN HEAR DEREK MILLER ...BABY
steamersgirl 2 years ago
check-out Link's "Blooper" !!! ... "when Buddy Holly and All-Them got-shot"
thePharoah90086 2 years ago
haha yeah well it's been a long time since.. the mind mixes events up..
SURFSTYLEY3 2 years ago
...and that woman "killed" Link... You know.
RIP Link
8baller 2 years ago
how did Link Wray die ???
thePharoah90086 2 years ago
Link died of old age, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Be happy and grateful ; )
historicalrecall 2 years ago
thank-You for clarifying-That !!! ... I didn't know whether-or-not to take That Earlier Post ("killed" Link) seriously.
thePharoah90086 2 years ago
the king speaks! legend!
BrotherPaul57 2 years ago
Was Link living in Britain for a while? He seems to have picked up a British accent somewhere.
moominpic 2 years ago
legend!!!
pedalla 2 years ago
Me and my mom were watching The Incredibles, and right when a fighting seen started my dad started playing "Rumble" on his guitar out in the garage. He ended at the same time too and me and my mom thought it was just part of the movie.
:D
HorrorPunkGirl 2 years ago 2
"If ya got the spirit in ya, rock and roll has no age"
XuliusCaesar 2 years ago
what kind of sunglasses are those?
SelfishRiot1 3 years ago
Comment removed
8baller 2 years ago
DRAND PA LIKE IT LOUD!!!!! YEEAH!!!!
jazzlefty 3 years ago
Lets take it back to the IRON SOCIETY .a motor cycle gang without motorcycles from the LIVERPOOL,N.SYRACUSE.MATTYDALE NY area they had colors just like the Hells Angels have and they had a clubhouse in an abandoned house in Liverpool and me and my envious friends would sneak up and peek in the widows and watch them party... and they had an old reel to reel tape player,must have been battery operated and they must have had Link Rays greatest hits cause they were blasting ace of spades,rumble,jac
labella8x 3 years ago
Link is an interviewer's dream,and this idiot did the best he could to ruin it,but Link gives a great interview in spite of it.
kissed61 3 years ago 5
I don't think that the "Host" tried to "ruin" the Interview ... I think that He was a Bit "Excitied" + got "carried-away" at-Times ... be-thankful that It was at-least conducted by Someone who seem genuinely interested in (Rock+Roll / Rockabilly / Instrumental) Music , and NOT Someone from a More "Corporate"-Type Organization (Dick Clark or Casey Kasem , for-Example ... Two People who lived thru the Era , but seem to remember NOTHING about Actual Events)
thePharoah90086 2 years ago 10
@thePharoah90086 Good call although I feel like he wanted Link to discuss Rumble and obviously Link has talked about that track since1958 and has other tracks he would rather talk about.
bradgotch 1 year ago
@thePharoah90086 stop capitalizing Every Fucking Word
Defenseman619 1 year ago
@thePharoah90086 I love you.
SeamusMochi 6 months ago
guys link wray is missing a lung no joke
blazerrips91 3 years ago 3
The interviewer needs to learn some listening skills!
ninyae 3 years ago
great
hollandziek 3 years ago
he actually sings too. he was a singer originally but got sick in Korean War.
lemonite1 3 years ago
yeah i am married to his youngest daughter.....he lost half of his lung at a early age but kept playing even though the dr told him not to
donaldglass 3 years ago 2
Really?! to both your statements!
Caligula138 3 years ago
Great song.
rickmoraniswastaken 3 years ago
good god. i can't stand british rockabilly peole. it doesn't work. -_-
Elesaar27 3 years ago 2
Word. The English young guy looks ridiculous, whereas Link - over 70 years old here - still looks cool as a motherfucker, but gracious and affable. A true legend of 20th Century culture!
GordonMorrice 3 years ago 4
Dude this is a great vid. I can't believe he actually TALKS!
tallent003 3 years ago
omg that host needs to stfu.
Great to hear the man interviewed, though.
MenkeriosAndemicael 3 years ago 2