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| Big Sandy at the Bordello in Los Angeles |
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| One of the best and clearest singers live, that I have ever heard! |
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| Levi Dexter at the Cochran Club |
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| Little Mo! |
Just Like Eddie was also the title of a 1963 song by
Heinz Burt, former member of the UK rock instrumental act
The Tornadoes masterminded by
Joe Meek. Eddie Cochran was, in some ways, a visionary musician. When asked about rock and roll in February of 1959, just after the death of good friend
Buddy Holly http://www.buddyhollyandthecrickets.com/, his comments were in affect, "I think it's going to be around for a long time, just not in the form we have it today. I've been hearing that it's gonna go for the last five years or so, and it's still here..."
He came into the studio ready. Well versed in the current technology of the times as well and was a guitarist of extraordinary skill and talent: he could play anything. After maybe three listenings any style he heard, he could play. He was poised to be the first guitar hero and even
Jimi Hendrix requested that his music be played at his funeral; request granted.
Regarding his terrible death he was one of the last real rockers standing during the teen-idol era who refused to do that. He had the looks. He had it all but the orientation to do that and even ducked out on Ed Sullivan to preserve his rocker image! Hollywood might have used him more and being at the epicenter of the rock instrumental culture coming, no doubt he would have flourished even more. In fact a number of the surf bands were very influenced by Eddie Cochran in at least two ways 1. his sense of humor, and 2. Ray Charles music. And he could play! Very affable chap.
A committed Gretch player, his friend and fellow guitarist
Dick Dale, would discuss where they believed guitar was going. Dick was a solid body player and reasoned that speed, playing technique, and the studio were going to be instrumental; and he was correct. Remember Dick Dale has country and western roots as well.
Recently in Bell Gardens, the Cochran Club was opened. I was there for the christening and took the following pictures.
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| Raphael the artist |
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| Blue Denim |
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| Bobby Cochran |
Some of the entertainers included Blue Denim, Levi Dexter
http://www.punkglobe.com/levidexterinterview0610.html, Little Mo...
Rock-a-billy music
http://www.mp3rockabilly.com/, orignally just called rock and roll even in the south, his a strong hear in the Los Angeles area. Ask
John Fogerty. Overseas and up in Canada, when the American in American music was finally strangled within the corporate-intelligence culture comprising Top 40 and so on and
Alex Constantine's book:
The Covert War Against Rock and
Rebels of the Air by
Jessie Walker http://reason.com/people/jesse-walker/articles and Fighting for Air by:
Eric Klinenberg https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/72/Fighting_For_Air_An_interview_with_Eric_Klinenberg.html are indispensable to an understanding of this.
American music flourished! What was the end stateside, were the beginnings elsewhere.
Cliff Richard and The Shadows ruled in England
http://www.cliffrichard.org/,
Johnny Halliday in France where he is still much beloved today and has had the great talents of
Brian Setzer http://www.briansetzer.com/ playing with him recently as well
https://www.facebook.com/Fan.Club.Johnny.Hallyday. These and a number of others remain not well known in the USA but should be! I find European rock-a-billy, not the chart music ones hears on some Top 40 Oldies station, much more interesting. I call it solid-state rock and roll because it sound as though no tube speakers were used, or seldom use. They are hard on themselves! Very critical at times with the music because it is not exactly like Buddy Holly or
Chuck Berry http://chuckberry.com/, tell me who is?
In Canada rock-a-billy continued well into the 1960s. There is an annoying pattern. It is when elements within America starves its people at home but enriches what often turns out to be competitors or future enemies abroad.
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