Link Wray |
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Thu. July 17.1997 2:15 AM EDT |
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Punk Granddaddy Link Wray Tears Up U.S. Stagesby Addicted To Noise Staff Writer Chris Nelson |
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New album continues tradition of power-chord pioneer whose fiery guitar style influenced Cobain, Townshend and others. |
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Punk pioneer Link Wray may have four decades of rock 'n' roll under his guitar strap and cult status overseas, but it seems he's only now getting his just desserts in the U.S. Nearly 40 years after Wray established himself as the original
Last week, he wrapped up his first American tour in 30 years to resounding success with sold out crowds crying for more of his power-chord rock and getting Link excited to the point where he is forgetting his age even. "Every show has been a sell out," said a sincerely grateful Wray. "The American kids have really accepted this guy called Link Wray, this wild guitar player." In recent years Wray's music has been in part responsible for the revived popularity of rock instrumentals. His songs have been featured on such prominent soundtracks as Pulp Fiction and Independence Day. But back in 1958, Wray, a North Carolina native, was regarded by many as something of a scary figure. "Rumble" was banned in many markets, including New York City. Nonetheless, the alternately sinister and sultry instrumental -- credited with inventing the guitar technique known as the power chord -- rose to #16 on national musical charts. The Who's Pete Townshend cites "Rumble"'s slow "na, na, na" progression as the reason he picked up the guitar in the first place. Shadowman on the British Ace label, continues the tradition of Link's fiery, teeth-baring originals ("Moped Baby," "Night Prowler," "Rumble on the Docks"), as well as a few well-chosen covers. "Heartbreak Hotel" in particular receives a nasty carving up. (The album will be released in the United States this fall on the Hip-O imprint.) As fresh and spirited as an album such as Shadowman is, it's Wray's live performances that have developed a reputation for setting audiences alight. A recent stop at San Francisco's Bimbo's 365 club offered one such explosive show. In fact, Wray was so full of energy that night that the near-septuagenarian took a tumble off the stage and sprained his left leg. "The house was packed," the guitarist said. "When I walked on stage, the kids were screaming wild. It was like it was when I had 'Rumble' out in the Elvis days. The kids were really wild. I told my wife, 'I'm not gonna let these kids down tonight!' So I was jumping around on stage, really, really going wild on stage. And I poked my guitar out to the kids, and they jerked the strings off my guitar!" Wray said that fans destroyed the strings on one more guitar before he decided to fully rip it up. "There was the audience to the left and to the side of me, where the monitor guy was. So I started running over there, and all of a sudden I ran out of stage!" Wray laughed loudly as he recounted the fall. "So I just ran right into the monitor pit, and the monitor guy, I fell on him. I guess that's what caught me. It was a real high stage." Because of the fall, Wray was forced to play the final batch of American shows sitting down, but the rock 'n' roll veteran took the injury in stride. "The doctor gave me a splint, so I'm just hopping around. It was just like a football player or a basketball player. But it was nothing bad, thank my Jesus God." Although "Rumble" was Wray's biggest hit, with a string of singles, including "Rawhide," "Jack the Ripper" and "Big City After Dark," he created a tradition of grungy instrumentals as important as Dick Dale's slick surf sound and Duane Eddy's reverb heavy twang. Wray's influence is even evident in the playing of the late Nirvana leader and grunge guru Kurt Cobain, who either consciously or unconsciously copped the guitarist's "Run Chicken Run" for the intro to Nevermind's "Breed." Wray has long maintained a successful career in Europe, but he said his association with independent foreign record labels has kept American concert promoters from setting up tours in the United States. Before the recent outing, the ever-humble guitarist wondered if his new-found stateside popularity would translate into sympathetic live audiences. "In Europe, I'm an authentic, half Shawnee Indian. They're figuring, this is an American playing authentic American music. But when I reached Houston, I said, 'OK, I'm just another American playing to Americans. I don't guess the Americans are gonna treat me the same way.' And when I hit that stage, man, and they were hollering 'We love Link Wray,' and it's been that way every night... It was fantastic!" Wray recounted a similar overwhelming reception nearly 20 years ago, at a London performance where he was greeted backstage by the Sex Pistols' late bassist Sid Vicious. "Sid Vicious came backstage saying, 'I love your music Link. I love "Rumble," man,'" Wray said, adopting a drunken tone. "He had Nancy (Spungen) with him, and all she had was a net on -- the punk days, you know? He said, 'Please play "Rumble" for me Link, before I leave. I'm going to America.' "The spirit of Sid Vicious there with Link Wray that night in 1978 -- I'll cherish it in my heart forever." These days when he's not touring, Wray lives with his wife of 18 years, Olive, on the same Danish island that Hans Christian Anderson once called home. He said he hopes to stage another successful concert tour in the U.S. in the not too distant future. "I'm so thrilled about [the reception]," Wray said. "Until I ran into the monitor pit and sprained my leg. But I'm not gonna let that stop me, man!" |
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