Search - Roy Buchanan :: American Axe: Live in 1974

Jaw Dropping Live Blues!

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 09/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most fans consider Roy Buchanan's "Live Stock" as the essential purchase because it showacases Buchanan's playing in a live setting. This new cd "American Axe-Live In 1974" was recorded around the same time period as the "Live Stock" album and I like it even better! The disk is approximately a hour long and contains many of Roy Buchanan's essential tunes heard live. Only two songs "Roy's Bluz" and "Further On Up The Road" also made the set list for the "Live Stock" album. This new disk contains a number of tracks not previously heard on Buchanan's albums. These cuts include "Too Many Drivers", the funky "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", "I Hear You Knockin'" and the great instrumental "Done Your Daddy Dirty" which later appeared in studio form during his Atlantic period. Highlights include impressive versions of the slow blues tunes "Roy's Bluz" and "C.C. Rider" during which Roy pulls out all the stops. Also included is an excellent cover of "Hey Joe" with "Foxy Lady" added as a coda. Two of Roy's signature tunes "The Messiah Will Come Again" and an encore instrumental cover of "Sweet Dreams" are also present. I was really glad I picked this up. I think it is the best representation of Buchanan's live playing yet released. Roy's fans and blues fans in general will be overjoyed with this release!"

As long as it includes Roy...

M. Bernocchi | Old Windsor, Berkshire United Kingdom | 09/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I was young I dreamed to be, one day, a musicians. To be exact a blues/rock guitar player. I have been studying my instrument for years and I was quite happy about my progresses. Unfortunately one day a friend of mine lent me a Roy Buchanan's LP. That was the end of it, that was the end of my dream. I immediately realised that I wouldn't never ever have a chance on a billion to sound even close to the way he did no matter how long or hard I would have been studying for.
Now that I am old I think I did a stupid thing. I believe that if everyone else on this planet would have though and done the same thing today we wouldn't have any guitar players at all! No one can play or sound like him simply because he has been one of the best of all time, period. Phil Carson writes in the CD's notes "nearly every guitar style you hear today derives from a relatively small cast of originals who made their mark in the 1940s and '50s. You can argue who belongs on the short list, as long as it includes Roy", and this is deeply true. This recording in particular is an absolute gem, so if you are already familiar with Roy's music it will be a very nice addition to your collection, if you never heard of him this CD could be a very good one to start with. Very highly recommended not only for blues lovers but also to everyone who loves good music in general. I would like to mention in particular the stunning versions of the self penned Roy's Bluz, the traditional C.C. Rider and Hey Joe that by themselves worth the price of admission. This is not only just a great blues album, it is mainly a peace of history of contemporary extraordinary guitar music."

Mott's American Axe

Kim Fletcher | Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand | 08/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you had to make up a list of the top 5 most technically brilliant and influential guitarist in the world of rock music, it would be a very hard job and one that would be open to a mountain of debate . But if pushed in no particular order I would come up with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy, and Roy Buchanan. If you were just going for influence then a few more names would have to come into the frame ,Robert Johnson,Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page,even the likes of Toni Iommi and all would come in. For just plain technique some of the new guys would have a say Satriani, Vai or Stevie Ray Vaughn would have a shout, and more than a handful of votes. But to combine the two I would have to stick to my original five. Now three of those might be up to negotiation,but not Jimi or Roy.

We all know Jimi Hendrix , the man was a genius, no question there,changed the way people played the six string, what a showman too, setting fire to his guitar, playing with his teeth etc.He wrote songs that will remain classics until we blow up this little planet of ours. Jimi Hendrix was the male sex symbol of his time to boot, liked by all who met him. The man had everything except for enough real friends to keep him alive. If a star ever burnt brighter as it raced across the sky before crashing to earth ,the earth would not have stood it.

If Roy Buchanan stood at those crossroads with the devil to make a deal , he did not make as good a deal as Jimi did. Oh sure he could play guitar ,by the time he was twelve there was nobody that could touch him. But he certainly never got the looks, stage charisma, writing ability, or the ability to get along with people. If you were a friend of Roy Buchanan you had a loyal friend but if you crossed the man, real or imagined you were written out of the book. Throughout his career he had a reputation as being difficult to get along with ,how much of this was deserved is up to conjecture, but certainly his relationship with Jack Daniels ,does not seemed to have helped matters.Roy Buchanan was found dead in a police cell in his hometown of Reston Virginia, he had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly,and later found dead, the circumstances were considered very suspicious, but like a lot of things will remain a mystery.

But at the end of the day it is the music that counts ,and when Roy Buchanan picked up a guitar he could make it dance ,sing, or anything.'American Axe' is a fine example of Roy Buchanan live on stage . Backed by friends who were also all superb musicians ( He could not have been all bad) .These recordings are all gems and give you a fair idea of what the man must of been like in concert. The show opens up with the MC introducing Roy Buchanan as the best guitarist to have stepped the boards, and Roy gets up there to prove the guy right.

The band stretch out on opening song 'Too Many Drivers' in similar style to the way the Rolling Stones would open with ' Jumpin' Jack Flash' just loosening up the band , the rhythm section slips into its groove , and Malcolm Lukens even gets to put in a short solo just to get his fingers going ,before the governor comes in with the first of many guitar breaks that lift the roof off the place. A good place to start , preparing you for what is to come .

Next up is Roy Buchanan's own 'Roy's Bluz' a walkin',talkin' blues , allowing Roy to rap about how he feels , before hitting out at the audience with some sparkling stun guitar .At nearly nine minutes long Roy Buchanan has plenty of time to tell you what he thinks , and to stun the audience with his guitar, and when he calls out " When I get to hell" with such certainty, the guitar licks that follow it send shivers up and down your arms.' Get Out Of My Life, Woman' is the band giving the blues groove a seventies feel, the only song on the album that is to be more dominated by the keyboards than the guitar, the problem with this band was that they did not have a really talented vocalist amongst them all. As well as the keyboards Malcolm Lukens gets his turn to sing on this number , and while it is not a bad job, you really paid your money to hear Roy Buchanan play guitar.

'C.C. Rider' is then trundled out for a ten minute workout , where we the paying audience start to get what we paid for Roy Buchanan playing guitar, and although the inclusion of so many covers does show up the weakness in Roy Buchanan's song writing abilities , the old chestnut is turned on its head and the guitarist devours it , taking it from a slow blues to a rip roarin' climax.To bring the emotion level down , but the tempo up we are then treated to quick romp through Dave Bartholomew's 'I Hear You Knockin' . Then it is back to the serious business with ' The Messiah Will Come Again' which is begun by a sombre Roy Buchanan with a spoken introduction,before playing some of the most dramatic guitar on the album, making every note count showing it is not what you play but ,how you play it, a fine centrepiece to the album. On 'Done Your Daddy Dirty' Roy Buchanan turns the tables by reverting to the old adage if you have got it flaunt it , just ripping up the rule book, and shredding his guitar strings for seven solid minutes, by which time the band have given up any hope of keeping up with him, and you feel they would rather just sit back and applaud. This is what Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin wanted to sound like.

How could Roy Buchanan possibly mess this up by next playing 'Hey Joe'? Well he does , the guitar playing as you would expect is straight out of the top drawer and a fine example to any budding young guitarist. But the vocals are appalling, weak at best, with Roy Buchanan sounding as if he was standing six feet from the microphone. When Jimi Hendrix did Billy Roberts song he sounds as though he means every word of the lyrics, you knew that Jimi was going to shoot his old lady down, here it sounds if the lyrics are being read from a book . The guitar playing is outstanding though, with a nice touch at the end when the band break into a refrain of 'Foxy Lady' to bring the song to a rockin' end with a nice nod to his fallen comrade.

Perhaps wisely bass player John Harrison then gets his turn at the vocals , as the band thunder through 'Johnny B. Goode' . No complaints here for this , and it is interesting to notice the different way that Buchanan and Hendrix, handled covering these two songs , both differently, but also brilliantly,hard to say who comes out on top in the guitar playing stakes. By now the band are really enjoying themselves and have a party playing ' Further On Up The Road' with Byrd Foster huffing and puffing behind his drum kit as he handles the vocal duties.

To close the show Roy Buchanan dismantles and then puts back together Don Gibson's 'Sweet Dreams', when people say they heard a guitar sing this is the sort of thing they were talking about.A stunning way to bring the show to it's conclusion.Later Mick Ronson would play his own version of this as the centrepiece to his solo spot whilst touring with Ian Hunter.

If anyone disagrees with my assessment of the worlds most influential and technical top 5 guitarists have a listen to 'American Axe ' and it may well change your mind.

Mott the Dog.

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