Robert Johnson

[Bro]

Well since i know a lot of guys are into acoustic blues in here i thought i would share this whit you!

 A 25 minute long movie about robert johnson

Not a documentary though
http://blip.tv/file/1727423

[Kody]

Cool, I'll check this out later.........

[Davo]

Cool.  There is a 70's movie about him also.  There are clips on youtube-it even recounts his first meeting with blind lemon jefferson.

[jkevinwolfe]

The coolest thing about Johnson is that there is so little verifiable history about him and so many unbelievable legends. THAT'S a real bluesman. He only recorded two sessions and there appear to be only two photos of him. Two true stories:

• Ernie Ortle, who recorded the first session said he had set Johnson up in a hotel room and got a phone call from Johnson about 2 hours after he arrived in town. He noted to Ernie that he was lonely and asked if he could have some money because he had found a woman willing to cure his loneliness for 50 cents.
• Johnson recorded at the first session facing a corner. One take is that he was shy, but this seems unlikely since he performed regularly. The other take is that he didn't want anyone to be able to copy his style. (Eddie Van Halen later copied this on stage in the beginning of his career by playing with his back to the audience to keep his innovative style a secret.)

[The Reverend 48]

• Johnson recorded at the first session facing a corner. One take is that he was shy, but this seems unlikely since he performed regularly. The other take is that he didn't want anyone to be able to copy his style. (Eddie Van Halen later copied this on stage in the beginning of his career by playing with his back to the audience to keep his innovative style a secret.)

I heard that he faced the wall to improve the acoustics for recording..what ever reason it all adds to the Legend....[/list]

[Tony]

I've always liked Robert Johnson since I first heard the old LPs.  I was over the moon when they put out the CBS double set with the liner notes and stuff and snapped them up straight away.  But I was in a record store recently and I couldn't believe the number of versions of Robert Johnson CDs that companies have managed to put out.  There are only 41 tracks after all.  I suppose there's a market for it but really, 41 tracks.  There must have been eight different collections. Maybe I'm just seeing quadruple in my old age, and I do like to drink in the afternoon.

[Greeny]

I've always liked Robert Johnson since I first heard the old LPs.  I was over the moon when they put out the CBS double set with the liner notes and stuff and snapped them up straight away.  But I was in a record store recently and I couldn't believe the number of versions of Robert Johnson CDs that companies have managed to put out.  There are only 41 tracks after all.  I suppose there's a market for it but really, 41 tracks.  There must have been eight different collections. Maybe I'm just seeing quadruple in my old age, and I do like to drink in the afternoon.

I noticed that too... a ridiculous range of different packaging and compilations to milk the legend for all it's worth. Like you, I just went for all 41 songs - because that's all there is!

[Tony]

Not a documentary though
http://blip.tv/file/1727423

That is most definitely true.

[Glenn Mitchell]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here
Can someone tell me more precisely what it is people like about RJ's stuff? I have listened to covers and they are nice songs but what was it about the original music that everyone raves about?
For example in the movie there was no amazing guitar work and none of the originals I have heard makes me want to listen all the way thru. Maybe it's a slide guitar lovers thing?
I realize the old recordings would not have the quality, but I can hear past that. It just sounds like any other slider to me but I'm open to learning.

[Greeny]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here
Can someone tell me more precisely what it is people like about RJ's stuff? I have listened to covers and they are nice songs but what was it about the original music that everyone raves about?
For example in the movie there was no amazing guitar work and none of the originals I have heard makes me want to listen all the way thru. Maybe it's a slide guitar lovers thing?
I realize the old recordings would not have the quality, but I can hear past that. It just sounds like any other slider to me but I'm open to learning.

For me, RJ can be summed up in two words:

Raw Power

Yes, there are far better guitarists, and the 'mythology' of it all does annoy me slightly, but in terms of being an inspiration to others, there's hardly anyone to equal to his legacy.