Joe Bonamassa - Ballad of John Henry (Spike Driver Blues)

[jkeg39]

gotta love that baritone baby, oh so smooth.

[TheHamishbatten1995]

@jkeg39 It suits the song so well.

[sergiobetico95]

lo vi en directo en el fesrival de la guitarra de cordoba y es sencillamente genial

[StarBlues101]

A Boss Sound only Joe knows how to do! Love it

[epeemstr]

i dont like his voice that much. he's on key some of the time but his guitar playing is fucking awesome!

[MrAlex0262]

Btw, what kind of Guitar is he playing here ? 

[KemLukather]

@MrAlex0262 Alex, is a Joe Bonamassa signature telecaster ''Gigliotti GT''

[00roastedlampost00]

@MrAlex0262 Baritone Gigilotti. Looks like a lil toy guitar on Joe, though ;)

[SparkyGi]

@MrAlex0262 its a custom made tele style.....

[MrAlex0262]

Gimme that Marshall Amp in the back there :) Please :)

[KemLukather]

@MrAlex0262 I think that you say the amp up on the marshall, is a Amplifier named ''Category 5'' MODEL ''Emily''

[cyberwolfruns]

i wanna make many many babies to this one...per someone else on another song...this is so damn smooth...oh lord hep me i'm gonna unda!!! corey dennison does this better. check out the 'mojo daddy' version. fuller sound.

[cyberwolfruns]

i wanna make many many babies to this one...per someone else on another song...this is so damn smooth...oh lord hep me i'm gonna unda!!!

[bob10lamia]

GIGLIOTTI GT......FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

[wrczagar]

@bob10lamia I'll buy you one for rally Acropolis 2011 palioknav

[lartermd72]

awsome!!!

[GibsonTick]

Wow, that is quite possibly the prettiest Tele I've ever seen!

[Uz2Brockstar]

His voice IS killer......But, I saw Joes show a few nights ago and it seems his voice has changed somewhat. I t seems a little cleaner and not as gritty as the old days. Maybe an effort to save his voice a bit? He sings every song balls to the wall, I cant imagine singing every song for the duration of a tour and not getting ragged. He doesnt even get a breather for 1 song .

[mistersnaredrum]

@Uz2Brockstar yeah, it pays to back off a bit i guess. guy's got a killer voice though. I'm a recent convert and am constantly impressed going through his live catalogue on here...

[JamesTiberiusKirk]

@Uz2Brockstar Well, if you sing almost every day, your voice will defenitely change. in his age it will mostly get better over time.

[stephenhayesuk]

Exciting and committed playing, but this is hardly 'The Ballad of John Henry'. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using a song as a starting point and going off at a tangent, but this owes more to Hendrix's 'Machine Gun' (very similar bass line) than the eponymous ballad.

I wish some rock musician (other that Bruce Springsteen, who did a pretty OK version on the Seeger Sessions ) would actually record a version of John Henry. Its a great song.

[GuitarSlinger2112]

@stephenhayesuk

John Henry started with a myth not with a song which means anyone can make their own ballad of his story. And this one is more about saying you are willing to accept any challenge. "give me the hammer that killed John Henry, cuz it won't kill me" One of my favorite lines of all time.

[yoshmon]

Two Rock amp! haha yes!

[lacerta5]

Sounds metal, I like it :D

[TheWhiteSaviour]

boring performance

[martin290193]

i hate 7.06!

[donottawaguitar]

ill see ya in ottawa.. cant wait

[Guitarbque]

Joe is the shit !!! Such a talent!

[soccerunc238]

Okay I'm obsessed with this song

[joebfan1]

geile mucke vom joe

[AHMADF93]

what guitar is that?

[zoso4221]

all i can say is, class

[harryno100]

Immer wieder der Hammer!!!

[jharri1]

That IS a beautiful guitar!

[artswebshow]

Truly awesome.

Go joey

[EpictheEpicest]

hmm iron guitar :) wow that's a pretty sexy sound. A lot of nice lows, highs seem a bit weaker, but overall a great guitar for this song, and a great sounding guitar in general.

[harryno100]

Mal nicht sone 08/15 Scheisse!!!Geil

[MrIbanez111]

I love when he start to sing

[s1914]

People go on about his guitar playing all the time - and it is awesome - but his voice is just killer !

[MrSkeff]

Joe you are just too cool... fair play honest too god, long live the blues

[ghk58]

that guitar is beautiful i want one lol

[186kms]

The guitar is a Gigliotti Custom Guitar, Joe Bonamassa Signature Custom GT.

[jshfigleys]

Love this song!!!

[BKellyS]

One of my favorite (fellow) guitarists, also I think his vocals are fantastic too, he's got a great voice and range.

[pokeyboy13]

b a d a s s

[theelviscerator]

Um that description applies to another song of his, but not this one..

[186kms]

This song has a Jimmy Page, Zeppelin essence. Even the screaming feedback apparatus he uses was used by Zeppelin’s in their song “Whole lot of Love”….

[branch1234]

@186kms its called a theramin..idk if ive spelled that correctly though

[RO80T]

MY DREAM GUITAR

[dobbylikesmusic]

Im not gonna say he is the best guitar player ever, as it is an insult to the fine musicians out there,

What i will say is this guy can certainly put a smile on my face whenever i hear him play, as can others, and as long as i get feeling, and love from music,and they are all doing what they enjoy, then there is hope for the music industry yet :)

[TheRobenpien]

pure klasse

[agricamppicobello]

@TheRobenpien

absloluut helemaal klasse, en wat vind je van "So many Roads"?

[TheRobenpien]

@agricamppicobello

Ook dat nummer is heel erg goed, en luister ook eens naar The River.

Eigenlijk heeft hij alleen maar goeie nummers.

Ik ben in ieder geval helemaal maf van zijn muziek(echt klasse dus).

[mrtim2081]

You Rock!! your amazing! The best I have heard in years. I'm hooked. and a fan for life!!

[verminfire]

yeah he's got chops always loved his blues

[irena7777777]

Peter Green and Gary Moore, enough said

[remoods]

Wow !!! It sounds so great !!!

Greetings from Germany

Keep on rocking

REMOODS

[HookerWithAPenis92]

anyone know what fiddle he's playin?

[omarfusion]

love that tele

[tastebud75]

Half of those lyrics are from "Spike Driver's Moan" by Mississippi John Hurt.

[petrapanagi]

thank god (or whom ever...) that he is today existing!!!!!!!!

[supercrazyblondeguy]

I would never have found this guy if it weren't for an issue of Guitar World. I'd heard the name tossed around, but after reading the interview, I had to look him up lol. I have a new hero.

[chuckmehh]

his singing gave me chills...damn Joe is good

[jrmcdown]

Pretty sure it's a Gigliotti guitar. Check em out. They're pretty sweet machines. But it's all about the player in the end!

[cjoey39]

By the time the last word comes through Joe Bonamassa will be put in the same category as all the great ones! He certainly belongs there! Joey Vaughan "World Blues Attack"

[motorob94]

Great song, Great guitar playing

[thevuduchild]

what a beutiful custom tele with headstock matching the body's paint and no pick guard...love it

[Fbouger]

c bien faux juste pas être pressé de voir la vidéo avec c coupure toute les 3 seconde

[stufcrze]

I love the use of the theremin.....cool instrument!!

[guitargodsam]

hahah i was in the front row for that gig

[hammondplayer91]

Just great. Saw him live.

He didn't invent it, but he took it to another level in my opinion.

[Foodie88]

This sounds a bit Rage Against The Machine ish to me. Nice tune

[dickkwikkwek]

Are you fucking kidding me? Rage Against the Machine fucking sucks compared to Joe Bonamassa.

[HardROHG]

@dickkwikkwek

Two very different things ( but I must agree I also perfer Joe B)

But it's true that his tone and riffs reminds a lot of something RATM would do every now and then in this song

[Guitarchordhelper]

@HardROHG It sounds a tiny bit like Rage's cover of Ghost of Tom Joad

[beastlycat]

Gigliotti guitars are unbelievable playing and sounding instruments.

[dickkwikkwek]

Joe is a great player. He'd sound great on a $100 guitar also. It's all in the fingers.

[beastlycat]

Yes, that's true, for sure. But the Gigliotti has have very unique tone. Almost a growl when he revs it up.

[OriGorilla]

@bluesclaudio056 C5

[TKDGSA]

I saw him play this in Southampton recently, absolutely fantastic concert, he was really on form, going to see him again next year, can't wait

[DaveRingle]

When i saw him in the cork opera house he used a red music man for this and it sounded epic! :P

[ibanezbloke]

Its sounded a bit too bassy, too boomy when he was in Dublin a few weeks ago

[DaveRingle]

strange, he never usualy has imperfections with his guitars or voice, he allways sems to have it down to the last :L

[JonasBrosMustDie]

That guitar is sick. Looks like the guitar that guy from Blue Oyster Cult used

[weirdotis]

That Gigliotti has a wicked sound.

[MikeyZozo]

I saw him in Cork, Ireland on Wednesday, he was fantastic! He did a cover of Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin!!

[gpfitz11]

he came to cork?! damn, i only heard his material a few days ago. never heard of him before, but damn i would would have liked to have gone! does he come every year?

[Mariu1519]

Does anyone know what the name of that screaming stick thing is? He uses it at 3:50. I know Bill Bailey use one as well, but I can't figure out who has made this funny thing.

[hanserikb]

Theremin

[Mariu1519]

Thanks.

[jdedwardson80]

It's called a theremin.

[dickkwikkwek]

The Beach Boys also used it in "Good Vibrations". Awesome old-school forgotten instrument.

[huw67]

Was at llandudno too, right by the amps, still have to have the TV on full volume!

[llandudnoboy]

Saw him last night in my home town of Llandudno North Wales Uk and this was the first song he played.

A superb concert.

He played more guitars during that concert than Rick Parfitt of status Quo gets through and Parfitt is renouned for his collection of guitars.

This will definately be a concert i will remember as he was a stunning performer.

[007samd]

Was there too....great gig. The finale (Just got paid) was mind blowing

[llandudnoboy]

Were your legs as tired as mine as standing on a concrete floor was not my idea of fun.

Im a steward at the theatre and it was a shame he didnot play nextdoor in the main theatre.

It holds 1500 seats which i suppose is less revenue than the auditorium nextdoor but a far better stage and lighting system

Actually Llandudno's main theatre stage is the third largest in the Uk next to Manchester and Brighton.

[Groundbase]

getting some serious zeppelin vibes from this

[nameofthepen]

Wow...who IS this guy? He's really got it going on! 0_0

[leonardokg]

Delirante...

[mikeallenpugh]

A fantastic guitarist, great sound and a real nice guy. I wish I had his amps!!! :)

[leifdeleeuw]

ME2! LOL

[dickkwikkwek]

That's a Marshall Silver Jubilee he uses. Slash also used that amplifier while he was in Guns 'n Roses. Many consider it Marshall's best rock amplifier. It's a brother of the legendary JCM800. It sounds a little rawer and meaner than that one.

If there is one tube amp I'll ever buy, it'll be that one, or a re-issue of it.

[jdgirl2]

Saw him twice in a week...the guy is truly amazing! Do yourself a favor....if you haven't already....buy the "Live at Royal Albert Hall" DVD. It is unbelievable and worth every cent!

[Blondee0329]

i just saw him friday.. and HE IS AMAZING!!

[lennymo1676]

What brand guitar is that, It's beautiful.

[Adamyoung101]

"lennymo1676"

The brand are Gigliotti, there extremely expensive and some are really ugly; That's the nicest one i've seen them make.

[aec0691]

its something wierd like a gigliotti? i think its got a strange name , its a JB custom though

[muddywood]

Its a metal guitar.

I think its a James Trussart guitar.

[colossusX1]

@lennymo1676 My guess is that it's probably a custom made guitar to his specifications. Joe has such a unique sound that any guitar off the shelf just doesn't cut it for him.

[bluesclaudio056]

@lennymo1676 gigliotti custom guitars you can find them on internet but they are really expensive

[GibsonSGlenn]

i have seen him on blues peer festival in belguim

so fuckin awsome

[Blondee0329]

i'll be seein you Joe bonnawesome in 7 days in Atlanta, CANT WAIT

[tomshea69]

Joe Bonamawesome!!!!!!!!!!!

[theboywhocantollie]

@tomshea69 looks like suhr or vigier

[omegapointil]

...overrated, boring. why only guitarists know who he is.

[Bluessontlavie]

this comes from a 27 year old pussy who likes jethro tull! go play with your little chicken dick

[donottawaguitar]

THE BEST

[edenator]

i was there god damit. Bristol NEC :)

[guitargodsam]

i was there aswell but funnily enough i was in birmingham nec at music live???

[GoodGawd]

I wonder what that nice guitar costs.

[KansasSRVFan]

Man I love Joe's music! Looking forward to seeing him live tomorrow night in Wichita!

[mike1jimmypage]

was it good

[0pentatonic0]

mayer is a badass guitar ist but nothing like joe!

[aniagniech]

cudo................

[schissgring]

It's a Telecaster from Gigliotti Guitars

The make very beautiful guitars but i dont now if they are good to play

[arji5139]

What kind of finish is on that Tele? It looks like irridecent gold or something. What a beauty!!!

[jsapers15]

I dont think its a tele man it just has the body of one but the headstock is all wrong but eitherway its sounds good and that finish is awsome

[arji5139]

Yeah the headstock is weird but it sure looks like the classic "F" of the Fender logo but I can't see the full thing.

[guitarsimon1]

its got a brass top

[FlyinfrigginD]

@arji5139 its a GIgliotti (sp?), not a tele, I too thought it was a tele until I researched it.

[crobins333]

@arji5139 gigglilotti guitars fella! look them up i think ive spelt it wrong. they are dam cool for sure

[chubbymosher700]

@arji5139 its just a regular sunburst, but the guitar has a metal top.

[OriGorilla]

@arji5139 Its a giglioty guitar not a fender, made of iron

[thangfish]

true mayer doesn't suck he's just not a guitar God. guitar gods write music that features the guitar. mayer writes music for 40 year old soccer moms and then says at his concerts "oh by the way I happen to also play guitar".

[thangfish]

Now explain to me how John Mayer made Rolling Stones "new Guitar Gods" list and not Joe. cuz nothing rocks like Body is a Wonderland and Daughters.  Joe rocks

[samurainite]

im a fan of john mayer, and just started to listen to joe, but thats FREAKING FUNNY.

But john does have talent, and i think that article called him the new slowhand?

both are excellent guitarists.

[X3E]

Blues-Metal.. hum, yeah i guess Joe did invent it. Cheers

[dickkwikkwek]

This is blues-rock, and Joe didn't invent it. He's really good at it though. You know Jeff Healey? He sort of has the same style. The way he plays is amazing. He was blind, and he taught himself how to play. He never had any one to tell him how to do it it and he plays with the guitar on his lap, using his thumb to fret the strings. Look up his cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". "See the light" is an excellent album. I'm sure you'll like it too if you're into Joe.

[thecosmicstring]

I have and he's AWESOME!! Have you heard his album "Feel this"?? Its got some really cool bluesy stuff. So does Hell to Pay

[dickkwikkwek]

Yea, I like those albums. He also has a mall role in that B-movie "Roadhouse", starring Patrick Swayze. That movie is great, lots of fighting and senseless violence.

[mancshawn]

this song can only be described as a meat... beefy!!!

[weedlife13]

hahaha. yes.

[guyfromhell888]

who can say what live is this?

[Trickychazzer]

Its live at the NEC Music Live exhibition in Birmingham 2008. Probably the best music exhibition ever held. Its held on the 6th November if anyones interested, i got my ticket!!!!

[n0tyham]

Wait a minute... I've got it! It's like Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold"... Look it up.

[n0tyham]

I love it. It's a 60's/70's retro sound. Linux, I think you're right... Deep Purple is close... Maybe a little Johnny Winter. And that's a guitar string slide, not a Theremin.

[Sploikerstriker]

It's a theremin followed by a slide. It's pretty clear to see.

[runhometoyou]

what is that a thereman at 3:40?! bad ass! I think the vocals sound fine.

[Presentboy]

is that a tele or a James Trussart Steelcaster?

[rockingroove112]

i think someone said it was a gigliotti but im not sure

[Ragman72]

Its a Gigliotti GT with Joe Barden humbuckers

[Ruotsa]

I think Joe just invented Blues-metal! :D one of the meanest songs I've heard in a long time!

[jeroenjonge]

@Ruotsa You are absolute right! greetings from holland

[karaokeguy88]

@Ruotsa metal does have it's roots in the blues so i wouldn't doubt that.

[jmfalcon1]

Honestly, I find his albums to be much better than he is live. I can't imagine how many trax he puts down, but his voice is a real let down live. No punch. His guitar tone is always way off and too loud too. He's a blue diva.

[tremold2043]

kinda sounds like billy squier in the beginning.

[linux666apocalypse]

3:02 Deep Purple Influence

[BIBBBO]

john henry is better than a machine

[Tylerbag]

What a riff ! saw JB a the Royal Albert Hall an this was the first song, Amazing gig

[revoloser65]

best of blues!

[Eremitae]

Going to see him tonight - cant wait!

[revoloser65]

:o)))

[jb1563700]

doom metal mixed with blues. GOD DAMN this is heavy

[BigDDe]

You should see it in person. I about fell out of my seat. I was shocked!

[Guitarguykiddude]

i LIKE STUDIO VERSION VERSION BETTER

[lelin70]

so what! no song should sound like the album unelss u listen to Toto, def leppard or what ive heard of the progressive bands like Dream teather.... unless most bands/players they are unaware of the LIVE feeling that can be achived if you try to make something new of a song/solo or whatever

[Guitarguykiddude]

I guess ur right

[Adji87]

great song, cool idea with the theremin!

Tbh, not one of his best performances imo, i cant wait to go see him in december!

[rltouchette]

he does use a baritone

[JuniorNasty]

This song is VERY Grady like. If you like this song check out Grady!

[FandersFanclub]

Greatest song ever! Joe Bonamassa forever!

[66vapor66]

that solo is awesome!!

this is just amazing

[sheddweller]

saw him a few weeks ago at the sage in gateshead and i have to admit was dissapointed. think he had an off night (he even had a go at the crowd)

[SixShortBursts]

mate you're lucky I didn't thumbs down you-I saw him in Bristol in November last year and he was phenomenal, seeing him again next week. I admit you are definitely right, but there's no point in putting that on a Bonamassa video.

[BenAlexanderHowes]

yeah mate you should be shitting yourself he ALMOST gave you a thumbs down! hahaha :D

[TGF87]

Details please.