Oops... impulse purchase... silly price...

[slinkp]

That's a cool demonstration. I confess I hadn't known of Mr. Johnson before. This approach reminds me of years ago reading some interview with John Frusciante where he said that at some point during his time with the Red Hot Chili Peppers he developed hitting all 6 strings most of the time and control things entirely with careful left-hand muting. Probably the funk players he was emulating did similar things.

[slinkp]

For example... Nile Rodgers breaks his approach down pretty well in this. I wish I could play guitar like this!

[Dave W]

That's a cool demonstration. I confess I hadn't known of Mr. Johnson before. This approach reminds me of years ago reading some interview with John Frusciante where he said that at some point during his time with the Red Hot Chili Peppers he developed hitting all 6 strings most of the time and control things entirely with careful left-hand muting. Probably the funk players he was emulating did similar things.

A little background: Wilko Johnson: ‘I can’t get my head around the idea that I’ve got a future’

Wilko in the 70s

[slinkp]

I like it!  I don't understand how the hell he does that without a pick.
His feel is somehow rocking, funky, and stiff all at once. An aesthetic slightly ahead of its time perhaps; Gang of Four would be one band among many that tried a similar combination a few years later:

[Highlander]

Wilko dead-pans sublimely... nice posts all round...

Lee Brileaux... died far too young... They were a powerful live act...

[Granny Gremlin]

Gang of Four

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassss 

[Alanko]

I don't see a connection to Chet. IMHO Wilko's road leads back to James Burton, and James calls Scotty Moore his main influence.

I've only seen Wilko refer to Mick Green. I've never seen him talk about Chet directly, which is not to say it never happened. Without instructional videos Wilko would only get a rough idea of what Mick Green was doing. Likewise Green probably only had a vague inclination of how Chet was playing, and was using it for more aggressive means with the Pirates anyway.

To go 'up the chain', Daniel Ash's guitar approach is different again, be it the occasional nod to dub reggae with tape echo stuff or unleashing blasts of sheer noise. Not really like Wilko at all, but Daniel Ash still cites him as an influence. Gary Arce of the desert rock band Yawning Man cites Ash as an influence, but he has this really open, spacious tone reliant on reverb and sustained notes. He doesn't sound like Ash, but somehow got his lead from him.

I suppose it would be like questioning how John Entwistle was any sort of influence on Chris Squire.

[Dave W]

I suppose so. Keep in mind that the head of the chain leads to Merle Travis. He influenced Chet, not the other way around. He also influenced Scotty Moore and James Burton, but that's a different chain from Chet.

Merle Travis developed the modern style -- that's why it's usually called Travis picking -- although he didn't invent it. It comes from Appalachian folk style picking practiced by white and black musicians before him.

[ilan]

Bought my wonderful Tele ('83 SQ-series 70's reissue) as an impulse buy. Teles are great impulse buys ;-)

[Dave W]

Bought my wonderful Tele ('83 SQ-series 70's reissue) as an impulse buy. Teles are great impulse buys ;-)

Is that a Japanese Squier Bullet, or something different?

[ilan]

Not a Bullet! Mine is an SQ Tele.

The first MIJ Squiers ('82 JV xxxx serial) were 57/62 reissues, very well made and very collectible today. They are comparable to any MIA vintage reissue (if not better). Jimmy Vaughan and Jeff Healey both liked and used JV Squiers.

The late-'83-84 Squiers (SQ xxxx serial) were 70's reissues, also excellent, but SQ's had Japanese-made pickups. Less expensive than JV's but still sought-after and collectible today. And definitely better than real 70's Fenders that they copy... The headstock decal resembled the TV logo and is the best thing about them, because it says Squier, so you can still buy them for a reasonable price and get a killer Fender.

Here she is with my '75/77 J:



This one is not mine but it's identical and the picture is better:

[Highlander]

Nice...

[Dave W]

Thanks for the education.