Making Some Noise

Sometimes its just fun to make a little noise.

Recently I've been looking for something to play that would really bring out some of the attributes that Stratocasters are known for. I found it in the blues. I stumbled on to some of B.B. King's concert videos from the 90s and most especially Live From Memphis. It's a very moody, expressive form of music that will really put a guitar through its paces. King plays what looks like a Gibson Les Paul famously named Lucille, but I've seen him play with Eric Clapton and other greats who play a Fender pretty similar in build to mine.

So today I learned my first blues lick. It's a pretty simple lick in E, but boy is it a lot of fun to play. I sat down this afternoon beside my little amp, cranked the volume and turned on the distortion for a fatter sound. I learned this lick on frets 2 through 4, though I think it can be slid up to start on the 12th fret. I haven't quite worked that out.

I did find some classic rock and roll riffs, Crazy Train, Back in Black and a few others. They actually looked pretty simple and fun to play, but the blues spoke to me over the rock this time. I had so much fun that I came in and looked up B.B. King and found Riding With The King used on Amazon for $1. It's a collaborative album that Clapton and King put out back in 2000. It just sounds like it would have to be amazing.

It makes me wonder how it feels for those two legends to actually collaborate on an album like that. Do they consider themselves legends? Do they realize they're making music history with the kind of landmark album that will be talked about for years? Or are they just two guys who love to play guitar and are fortunate enough to do it for a living?

No matter how they feel about it, I'm excited to give it a listen.