Richard Thompson Band - Hard On Me

Recorded at Fairport's Cropredy Festival, 2007.

Band : Michael Jerome, Danny Thompson, Richard Thompson, Pete Zorn

Good sound and video. Incredible guitar solo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• cropredy
• 2007
• richard
• thompson
• hard
• on
• me
• michael
• jerome
• guitar
• solo

[PaulJayReynolds]

My God! - The Richard Thompson Army is after me again! I bet you all wear the same hats. It was a bloody joke - how many years ago? We sent messages out to a few different artists to see who would react the most. You did. He's brilliant - really wonderful! Is that okay!

[farnishk]

@PaulJayReynolds Which is why you are now blocked. That's called trolling.

[PaulJayReynolds]

I'm tired of getting nasty comments from the Richard Thompson mafia. It was my son who posted the stupid comment! He should have qualified the comment - so I will. Richard has done some really good things, but this solo is awful! There's no context. The phrases don't relate. It's a bit like hearing a student playing 10 or 12 new licks. This is the only posting I will ever do! You all scare the shit out of me. Do you all dress like pretend revolutionaries too ?- just a joke! Great musician-solo x

[farnishk]

I've removed the personal comments - opinion is fine, but commenters should stick to commenting rather than having a pop at each other.

[PaulJayReynolds]

This has got to be the stupeidest solo I have ever heard! Well done. What a legend! I think?

[farnishk]

In what way?

[threemilechild]

When I saw him live, someone had asked him, "How did you get so good?" and he said, "If I told you, you'd all be doing it!"

[fluxedo1]

Really, this solo is great in the same way that Jon Coltrane's solos are great. Teetering on the edge of dissonance but always resolving in the end.

[MsBleuOrchid]

RT is so freaky awesome! He could serenade me 24/7/365!!!! Merry Christmas!!! Sending in millions of kissesssss..... <33333....

[armel551]

RT's playing is wonderful but this solo is not one of my favorites. What I really like about the song though are the lyrics and his interpretation of them.

[mink61]

@PaulJayReynolds I really think people should be allowed to say whatever they like within reason, they should also expect to be disagreed with once they have done so, like this....you are obviously familiar with Thompson’s music, and so the fact that you find his approach to ‘the solo’ not as you feel they should be played, seems to me a little odd. Maybe the way you see guitar playing is a little conservative?

[mink61]

@PaulJayReynolds Thompson is not necessarily about logical melodic progressions....it seems to me that visceral expression is just as valid as anything else, and sometimes it is more so; without it you eliminate the Stooges, the Velvet Underground, MC5, Hendrix and so on, from rock’s illustrious and varied past. Finally, I am intrigued to know when you last heard the average student composing a song such ‘Withered and Died?’

[blsorenson]

I first hear this tune on NPR Chatt., TN (WUTC) They have consistently amazed me with their programming choices. I have to admit that i was deep in the throes of withdrawals when first i heard "Hard on Me". It gave me a sort of psychotic hope, and something to wrap my mind around. Richards long,perfect.dissonant lead was Exactly what I was feeling in that moment. He may well have saved my questionably worthwhile life. Bless us all... stratoblu

[blsorenson]

I first hear this tune on NPR Chatt., TN (WUTC) They have consistently amazed me with their programming choices. I have to admit that i was deep in the throes of withdrawals when first i heard "Hard on Me". It gave me a sort of psychotic hope, and something to wrap my mind around. Richards long,perfect.dissonant lead was Exactly what I was feeling in that moment. He may well have saved my questionably worthwhile life. Bless us all...

[powellallan]

There's a good explanation by RT on his site about guitar solos, he can and does play out of key but seems to resolve the phrasing into a harmonic balance with the song (if that doesn't sound too pratty). He explains it better I of course, read the site it's very enlightening cheers to all allan