Stairway to Heaven

The song is 40 years old today, by its original album release.

Some of the longer-haired guys circa my grade 8 class were SO into this song. It was already more than 20 years old.

[video=youtube;rkKScW1Rx0s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkKScW1Rx0s[/video]
London Symphony Orchestra performance, via YouTube.

 

A classic.

 

Wow, do I feel old.

One of the local FM stations in Boston (WAAF 107.3) used to play that song every night at midnight, and I would be so excited to be able to stay awake (without my parent's knowledge) on Friday & Saturday nights to be able to listen to it on my crappy little transistor radio under the covers.

 

From the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors.

[video=youtube;JK_DOJa99oo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK_DOJa99oo[/video]

 

Few songs have equaled this classic. Page's skill on the guitar is profound.

Jimmy Page (LZ) and David Gilmour (PF) are the greatest guitarists in classical rock history.

 

And PF is whom?

 

Let me rephrase my comment, Steve. Page and Gilmour are the greatest rock guitarists of all time. There's no need for debate, I'm unanimous in this statement. :smile:

 

Most people rate Clapton and Allman ahead of Gilmour. Page is up there. But the funniest thing I hear is that Hendrix is number one? Did he not have a contemporary? Hendrix skills atrophied when his body did, while others from that generation have continued to play and evolve. There's nobody who got better at guitar after 1970? Not one guitarist has improved on what Jimi was doing in the last 40 years?

 

John McGlaughlin of the Mahavishnu Orchestra was/is one of the top rock guitarists of all time. Of musicians that you've heard of in rock I admire Clapton's style the most of the 60's and 70's. Contemporary rock guitarists would be Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani.

 

And Steve Vai -- yeah, don't forget Steve Vai. :smile:

Johann

 

--and don't forget the late Jerry Garcia, principally known for his 30 years with the Grateful Dead. Not only spirited, but a very versatile player - projects in folk rock, bluegrass, country rock, jazz, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues rock... He was also an accomplished artist. I have a very enjoyable book of his paintings.

--and Carlos Santana - another wide-ranging talent, fortunately still with us. Accomplished in the fields of Latin rock, chicano rock, rock, blues rock, jazz rock, tejano music, free jazz...

Johann

 

I'm 70 -- and doing that still excites me. :jester:

Johann

 

Mayor of Toranto

Sorry, Johann, but I HAVE to ask...what about it?

 

The best lead guitarist of all time IMO is JAMES BURTON.


[video=youtube;la2H9OCOlrQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la2H9OCOlrQ[/video]

 

You mean TORONTO, I think, Nosborne - and what does it have to do with rock guitar greats? Hmmm - drugs, I suppose. Rob Ford might do well as the "mayor" of a lower-end trailer park, not Canada's largest city. I wrote him off long ago. I live 50 miles away, so he's not my mayor. I don't like my guy much either, but as far as I know he (Bob Bratina) has never smoked crack - or been arrested for anything - or been reported to indulge in racial slurs.

For those who haven't been following Ford -- you're wise. Here's a bio of Ford. You'll note the "substance abuse" heading has a lot of stuff under it: Rob Ford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Johann

 

Yeah, a living legend - amazing country and rock picker. 74 and really strong. A partial list of people he's played with:

Bob Luman, Dale Hawkins, Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Judy Collins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Claude King, Elvis Costello, Joe Osborn, Roy Orbison, Joni Mitchell, Vince Gill, Suzi Quatro

Indeed a worthy addition to our "Shrine." :smile:

Johann

 

Why, Ted! I'm surprised you ask! PF, of course, refers to the world-famous band, Penn Foster. :smile:

Rockin' since 1891! Every note DETC-approved.

Johann