Link Wray died this past week

[swag]

http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/46837

Pioneering instrumental-rock guitarist Link Wray - one of the original rockabilly artists, credited with having invented the "power chord", which has become the basis for modern rock and alternative music - died this week at the age of 76. You'd probably know him from his song 'Rumble', used on the 'Pulp Fiction' soundtrack.

Link Wray also wrote my theme song:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=3928086

[eyepaddle]

1. Kickin' for Link

:cry:

I loved Rumble for years before I knew the tune's name.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

2. What is the "power chord"? I can't seem to remember it.

[eyepaddle]

3. There ar e a few variations but basically

it's a Barre chord where you delete everything but the root and 5th (two finger kind; index and ring finger) or root, 5th and octave (using index, ring and pinky fingers).

As a fellow who started playing guitar by learning heavy metal tunes from British bands in the 80s (Priest and Maiden) I personally owe Mr Wray a very large debt.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

4. Thanks.

[swag]

5. The "official" site

http://www.linkwraylegend.com/

[Fenris]

6. FUCK!

:(

[Zomby Woof]

7. He was a monster

Just a monster of a guitar player. He invented heavy metal, as far as I am concerned.

A true loss of one of rock's hidden pioneers.

[tuvor]

8. Damn.

Was just listening to Ace of Spades in the car today. He never got his due in his lifetime. Pete Townshend said there'd be no Who without Link Wray.

He was kicking ass in his 70s at the Starfish Room in Vancouver a few years ago. I was lucky to have seen it.

RIP, Link.

[NashVegas]

9. Oh Man.

Bummer. Major major bummer.

[flamingyouth]

10. That sucks.

It also sucks that this hasn't even been in the news, as far as I can tell.

RIP, Link.

He is a legend. I saw him a few years ago and was totally blown away.

[swag]

13. English language media finally catching up

http://news.google.com/news?q=%22link+wray%22&scoring=d

[gmoney]

11. Wow... I just saw him a few months ago...

It was a wild show, a bit weird, too. But a real presence to be sure.

His son was there documenting the tour on video, so my guess it something will come of that. Wonder if old Link knew something and decided to do one last tour for a last hurrah?

Sorry to see you go, Link. One of so many who never got their due...

[madrchsod]

12. dam fine guitarist

go`n to join the big jam session in the sky....

[Rob H.]

14. I have a couple of his CDs; I hadn't heard that he'd died

:(

[swag]

15. "Rumble" was indeed on the soundtrack for "Pulp Fiction,"

though it wasn't included on the soundtrack album:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/soundtrack

[Rob H.]

16. You're right

:blush:

It was on the Collector's Edition soundtrack--I have the original soundtrack, which doesn't include it, and that's what I was going by. I haven't seen the movie in years and didn't remember it being in there. (I changed my post above to delete the mini-rant.)

[swag]

18. You wouldn't happen to be Rob Halford of Judas Priest, would you?

[Rob H.]

19. Damn! Busted!

Just kidding. :P I'm just a regular, non-famous guy who happens to share the same last initial.

I first heard about Link Wray when I got into collecting surf music. A lot of surf bands have covered "Rumble" and "Jack the Ripper," so his music is out there but unfortunately a lot of people listening to the cover versions don't know they're covers.

[patcox2]

17. Seasons in the sun!

Those first four chords are Link Wray.

My favorite Jaques Brel song.