Search - Link Wray :: The Original Rumble Plus 22 Other Storming Guitar Instrumentals

Link Wray influenced Pete Townshend & Many More!

Michael Louis | Brooklyn, NY | 08/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I strongly disagree with George O'Leary (in the first review)

that Link was mediocre at best. He is the inventor of

the power chord that influenced a whole generation

of British & American guitarists. The Who, The Kinks

and many more took the power chord to another level

because of hearing Link DO IT FIRST! What about

Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and of course, The Beatles?

You don't think all these British bands played Rumble

(and possibly other) Link Wray song's in their set

at one point? You bet they did. They dug his sound

& his style. He may not have been as technical as

Lonnie Mack (another huge favorite of mine), but he

has his own style and sound. Nobody sounds like LINK.

The first reviewer makes it sound like Link passed away,

but i am hear to tell you that he is ALIVE & WELL.

He still rocks the house at 74 years old.

Link is also a pioneer of "distortion" on guitar.

It is commonplace today, but imagine hearing

"Rumble" coming out of a jukebox for the first time

in the 50's? It scared alot of people. Any rock guitar player

worth his salt has at least dug on a little Link Wray.

Oh Yeah...American guitarist's influenced by Link?

Listen to Link and then listen to Hendrix

and you can hear the passing of the torch.

This is a great CD to start on your Link Wray Way!

Cheers,

Michael Louis Brooklyn, NY"

Guitar Never Sounded So Cool

Davia Sakanari | Sacramento, Ca USA | 10/04/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I didn't realize I knew Link Wray's music until I saw the movie "Blow" (it's played in the scene where George and Tuna go to the beach). I couldn't get the song out of my head! I guess maybe that is the best indicator of good music: you can't stop thinking about it. This is probably the best album to buy because it has "Ace of Spades" and "Jack the Ripper"; two of his best songs. But if there is any reason to buy this album it's the first track: "Rumble". If you like the sound a guitar makes (blues, metal, pop, rock,etc.) then you must listen to this song on repeat because I've never heard a guitar played so expressively. It's the kind of song that makes you want to smoke a cigarette and go cruising in an old Chevy."