Neal Schon's Santana Audition pt.1

[69MC97gc]

Thank you Neal -how was Sweden Rock?If you ever read this of course.

[666yellowdog]

hello senor carlos .que pasa ; i groove with faith and inspiration to your music;so many trails of dispair and so many paths to follow. but the music of santana leads oneness of the heart with faith interlude . a caravanserai imminent and life is aparade.senor santana castillo de san marcos viva st , augustine,fla, ma the heart feel the pulse of saulsilito. groove with allegiance and peace my brother.richard/viva atlanta.

[M28443]

DIdn't know that Neal played SLIDE until I heard this. He's a very melodic player. COOL!

[lookingatcrap]

the sad thing is on the reissues his name was left off the santana records 

[77USMCvet]

I SAW JOURNEY IN SAN FRAN BACK IN '73 WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED! BEST "GUITAR FACE" I EVER SAW , WITH THAT FRO AND STACHE, HE LOOKED THE EPITOME OF A ROCK STAR!

[OrisLover]

@77USMCvet That's awesome bro...that's when music was music....

[spicecrop]

That's the biggest fro I have ever seen on a white dude.

[IBJAMZ]

@spicecrop noel redding of the jimi hendrix experience

[spicecrop]

@IBJAMZ thanks, I know who it is, just commenting on the huge fro bro

[lancetop]

Neal Schon was such a young guy! to be so talented!

[O0Salmon0O]

Neal Schon branched out and borrowed heavily from Santana's melodic phrasing for early Journey. Once Steve Perry joined the team he left all of that behind.

[mrkah50]

Dumb!

[BAREFEETLOVER]

FAR out all i got to say is that neal shohn gregg rolie and carlos put good entertainment in my life thanks

[csny19691]

the most important thing is Neal's contribution to Santana. He is without a doubt a truly amazing guitar player. I still enjoy the music by the choice he made of joining Santana.

[TheAAMJR]

Neal Schon is the only member of the band to play on all of their albums.

[spankiek]

The interaction of Neal's and Carlos' guitars had a lot to do with the sound of Caravanserai - for my money the most atmoshperic and hypnotic Santana album. And yes, at the age of 15 Neal did turn down Clapton!

[jamesmichaeljoseph1]

he was only 14 or 15 years old when this happened. He was considered one of the best guitarist in the bay area at the time. He could have played with BB king when he was eleven, could have played with Clapton but his parents said no so he chose Santana. He is amazing

[ramses1401]

I LIKE THAT INSTRUMENTAL VERSION OF "EVEREYTHING'S COMMING OUR WAY"..FROM SANTANA III

[zenradio]

The first few seconds sound like Zappa playing

[racers7]

Neal Schon was an undercover hottie in Journey. I just love that band. He looked good in early Journey and later into the 80s and I thought he also played just as great in the earlier bands too. You go Neal, with your porno stache! Yummy.

[justmeandnate]

All guitar players have their own style, I prefer Neal's. Not that I dont like others. As a matter of fact I love Mark Knopfler as well.

[ls1959]

For those not familiar with Schon's work right after he left Santana, you need to hear Journey's first three albums before Steve Perry joined the band. Schon played just insane guitar on these three albums. My favorites are Of a Lifetime, Look into the Future and Next.

[daven58100]

@ls1959 Of course you're referring to the REAL Journey.

[EclecticDiscus]

@ls1959

Right on dude, That was the real jouney. That crap after that was just that, sellout crap.

[rjchili151157]

@ls1959

Finally, someone else who knows Neal prior to Steve Perry! That was some of the best guitar work ever! Maybe it was the acid too!

[VercettiVice]

I would've also joined Santana.

[amtrisa]

Donde has conseguido esto

[k9iamnot]

Love that hair

[Tsugaheterophylla]

I guess this must be a medley. What is the song that's playing around 2:30? It seems like a familiar theme but I can't place it. If someone can name the different songs that would be great. I have to say this is really beautiful guitar playing. I mostly know about Schon from Journey which sadly was kind of waste of his talent.

[UncleJeffreySpuds]

I can understand how you can feel Neal was somewhat "subdued" in Journey. But there truly are many magical moments of his guitar playing on the Journey albums such as "Lights", "Winds of March", "Can Do", "Sweet and Simple", "Lady Luck", "Stone in Love", "Still they Ride", and on and on. I haven't even scratched the surface yet. His melodic sense of guitar playing is what grabbed me from day one.

[Quadrider50]

@UncleJeffreySpuds

Well known fact. Steve hated guitar solos. He once made a comment about,picture the song, if we traded places. Took attention away from Him. Same crap from david lee roth. In Rock,, its not always about the Singer...Insecure? Learn to play an instrument.

[mauler5693]

@Tsugaheterophylla this song is called Everythings Coming Our Way from the Santana album with the Lion head made of several images

[habitatsk8tergm]

Neal Schon was on santana for years as guitarist and then santana basicly told him "dude you have talent, your creating all new styles of guitar, go make you own band" but he said it in a nice way in compliment so he did creating Journey! but when he left santana he took the pianoist/keyboard player with him, and santana you would know was so not happy about that

[cavemanfarts]

@habitatsk8tergm I read that Gregg Rollie left on his own terms because he wanted to get more into "Rock n Roll" rather than what he was doing in Santana.

[MOSKII58]

@habitatsk8tergm you are referring to Gregg Rolle yes Gregg sang lead vocals "Black magic Woman " & others that left a hole for Santana to fill..

Ironically Gregg made it big w/ Neal & Journey after finding Steve Perry, so what does he do next? he leaves & ends up back w/ Santana.. Jonathan Cain replaced Gregg in Journey and you all know the rest...

[habitatsk8tergm]

is that seriously his old hairstyle??

[omegapointil]

Saw Journey a few times. that picture above was when he was a madman.

I mention that double stop in Tousaint Le Overture, he uses the same riff in a tune off Late Night, forgot the name of it, something about rain. Always thought he deserved the noteriety that Santana enjoys since he blows Santana away, if you know anything about guitar. Instrumentalistism taking a back seat to singers these days is such a shame.

[omegapointil]

I first discovered, for myself, Schon's playing from a tune called Tousaint Le Overture (sp?) theres a double stop w/wah wah in the solo that just kills. It was beyond anything intensity wise for the time. Schon and Leslie West are the best at finding melody, check out the solo in Theme From an Imaginary Western off Climbing. My pick for best ever solo. Schon's Journey stuff might be considered fluff but he tears up melodies and extends them somewhere else. Janes Addiction claims influence.

[69MC97gc]

Everythings came his way...He had to choose between Carlos and Eric,since  Eric Clapton wanted Neal to join...Neal chose SANTANA.

[elzizzo]

Please Note* that Neal was fifteen (15) when he was auditioning for Santana and Clapton!

even at that age was was bad ass!

[Xelanderthomas]

Wow, 15. I remember when that 3rd album came out with him on. He was 17, that's all we talked about. It stood out to me because are exactly the same age. I think a shortly after that I stopped trying to play the guitar LOL

[Gonzoidz]

yeah, he was a natural. No Berklee or GIT required.

[hendrixkixas]

Beautiful.

[garbeaj]

Where the hell did this come from?!

[forfaka]

It was better that Neal chose Santana over Eric because Eric's band broke up shortly after Neal's Audition with Santana.

[1danrobbins]

@forfaka Yeah, it seems like Eric never seemed to stay with one band a whole long time.(the exception might be Derik and the Dominos) I have to admit as great as Clapton is, Schon can bust it as well or better at times. Neals's guitar playing has a certain feel to it which I really seemed to get into. Just don't take this wrong though. Clapton is great, I just like Neal alot.

[dantean]

It's amazing that this has been released. Thanks!

[panefuldeath]

He was fucking 14 when he did this?1?!

[mediblue9]

How does that happen??

[rsl84416]

now I feel like a first class failure...

[ceviche666]

He didn't join Derek and the Dominos because Santana asked him first. Regardless, the guys a legend in my opinion.

[cinema33]

Neal chose joining Santana over Clapton.

[Brilliantbeing]

Good choice.

[pswallace]

Either choice... win/win.

[dantean]

We all should have such choices in life, huh?

[pswallace]

I'm thinking, Neal would have fit seamlessly into either Clapton or Santana. I think the guitar is an extension of his personality and talent. I can't imagine what the world would be like without Neal playing guitar.

[sreynoldsbros2]

@pswallace neal schon was offered to choose between clapton or santana when he was 15 i think

[lazloleaf]

Neal originally wanted Clapton but Claptons band broke up because of Claptons drug problem, thats when he went to rehab

[metamorphosis67]

@cinema33 Only because Clapton was based in London & he didn't want to move to London at 15 years of age. They were both equaly great bands at the time & both bands are considered classic 70s bands now but Clapton at the time had a little bit more of a rep than Carlos Santana just because he'd been recording longer.

[codehendrix]

@cinema33 of course.... clapton.... was generic by that point..... which is sad..

[norfolkyngvie]

Everything Is Coming Our Way, Santana III

[heyjudy1]

Toussaint L'Overture Santana III

[UnknownHazard95]

Can someone tell me what the name of the song is at 0:10?

[oa]

He kinda' has a Hawaiian thing going on there, eh?

And these don't sound like "audition" tracks, but rather rehearsal out-takes from the 3rd album.

[Coyote919]

1:45 sounds like the music for everythings going our way by santana

[69MC97gc]

it is,and Carlos sings on the final recorded track.....een the high notes

[NastyNole1]

Unfuckingbelievable. This is classic audio of a prodigious 15 year old gutiarist in heat.....

Wow...after all these years, it took You Tube to expose me to this stuff.

[mloaks]

santana III, and Caravanserai. also, Santana with Buddy Miles Live! Filemore West tribute LP has some...

[TheTeenGodfather]

Why is it Santana audition? Was he trying to get into the band?

[laddieola101]

Yes He made it into Santana, and played on a few albums, including Santana III, But was only in for about two years

[hermione066]

Then after 2 years he Joined Journey right?

just guessing.

[cheeseball247]

he started journey...he was the founder.

[sreynoldsbros2]

@laddieola101 but managed to make it in the rock and roll hall of fame with santana and not journey odd isn't it

[APACHESKULL]

Neal got his start with Santana,..he joined them when he was 14-15 yrs old. He played on the Abraxas album/tour. I never liked Journey,..I've always preferred his work with Azteca and Gregg Rollie latin albums.

[jesusdetoledo]

Azteca is/was awesome. "whatcha gonna do?" ...one of the top solos on LP.

[Penz0r]

In case you haven't I REALLY suggest you listen to Journey's first 3 albums,.Pre-Perry, and with Gregg Rolie on the organ / lead vocals. Epic albums.

[blackguitar86]

@TheTeenGodfather To add to laddieolaetc.... He was probably the only 15 year old to play Woodstock. (in Santana's band of coarse)

[guitar138]

@blackguitar86 so he played at woodstock?? Thats nuts

[blackguitar86]

@guitar138 Yes!! He did play Woodstock at the tender age of 15. It was hard for me to grasp that also.

[Carthsgtr]

@blackguitar86

He joined Santana months after Woodstock. The youngest performer was Santana's drummer Michael Shrieve who was eighteen I think. Although it is true than Schon joined at 15.

[blackguitar86]

@Carthsgtr We may have to check that. I read more than once that he played Woodstock!

[Carthsgtr]

@blackguitar86

If he was at Woodstock (which I am 100 percent on that he wasn't) he would have been 14.

[blackguitar86]

@Carthsgtr Neal Joseph Schon was born February 27, 1954. Woodstock was from Aug. 15-18 1969. He would have been 15. He joined Santana at 15.

[Carthsgtr]

@blackguitar86

Well he most certainly wasn't at Woodstock. Watch a fucking video. They aren't hard to find either.

[hjpeaceful]

@TheTeenGodfather he got into Santana when he was fifteen, and I think around the same time Clapton asked him to be in the Derek and he Dominoes band but Santan had asked him first to be in the band so he went that way. I have no idea if this really is an audition.

[A7DENJS11VA]

Are there any album versions of any of these songs? I've never heard them before but I think they're awesome!Thank you laddieola

[anaeortiz]

There both on Santana's greatist hits. in case no one ever responded to you.

[jazzermonk]

cool

[GoodMorninGirl]

Whoa!!!

[UntoldPassion007]

the holy grail!