Roy Buchanan

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I saw a copy of "Buch and the Snakestretchers" on a CD with the burlap bag and all at The House of Musical Traditions in Tacoma Park Md about a year ago.

Pat Burns · From: Branchville, N.J. USA

...Chuck, that Fillmore show would have been in 1971, shortly before the Fillmore closed for good..I was there with my friend ever since 1st grade, Buffalo Joe (they didn't call him Buffalo in 1st grade, of course)...we're still good friends to this day..

John Rickard · From: Phoenix (It's A Dry Heave) AZ

Roy was and is an old Guitar Hero of mine. He has alot of ties to the Pittsburgh area (my old stompin' grounds). Some of the players on his albums and live band are still playing around the "Burgh" Bird Foster-Drums, Billy Price-Vocals (Billy Price & The Keystone Rhythm Band). When I was still in high school some friends and myself rode the bus all the way into town to see Roy (many miles from the country). We were at the "Stanley Theater" (now a parking lot) and Roy was halfway through the set makin' the Tele scream when all of a sudden one of the seats a few rows in front of us started to billow clouds of white smoke. It turns out that someone in the audience spilled their smuggled in pure grain alcohol and it ignited (probably on a joint) and started the place on fire. Mayhem broke out and people were panicking and scrambling for the doors except for me and my buds (we continued to watch Roy through the smoke). The funniest thing about the whole deal was that the four of us were watching Roy in a burning theater until the firemen threw us out, and even as we were on our way out of the smoke filled theater, Roy was still playing!!!!!! He was "Bad A$$"!!
JR

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Slide It On Over

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Roy was definitely a huge influence on me. It's been a long time since I did any serious listening to his playing, but to this day I get musicians asking me 'so how much Roy Buchannan did you listen to'. That's an honor.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Rich Paton · From: Santa Maria, CA.,

At one point (when Mick Taylor left, I think), Roy was asked to become a member of the Rolling Stones. He declined the offer, stating it would be a pain in the butt to learn all those songs. Along the road not taken, would he still be alive had he gone with that route?
I'm not very convinced that his death was a suicide. Remember the demise of Sam Cook? Was that a case of JHS (jealous husband syndrome)? That's the feeling I got about the reason for Roy's death. Or did he p*ss off someone in the hoosegow?
Realistically, probably only he and God can say for sure...and so far, nobody's talking!
And... what really happened to Danny Gatton, anyway? There's yet another weird, unexplained tragedy, IMHO.
BTW, I'd say (from what I've heard, anyhow), Roy's effective use of the guitar volume knob for musical expression is probably without peer.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

The way I heard it was Roy was out of control on booze and dope,the cops were called,Roy resisted arrest,choke holds were applied in his front yard and again later at the police station-at which time Roy stopped breathing and his suicide was conveniently "arranged" but he did NOT hang himself.
In Danny's case,the story goes that he had been promised front money for a small label record deal(20 grand was what I heard) Simultaneus to that,his wife got a bonus at her job of approximately the same amount.Now Danny had a weakness for collecting and restoring old cars and it seems he jumped the gun and basically spent his wife's bonus on either an old car or parts for an old car,and then his anticipated record deal/advance fell through.Well-his wife,like many musicians' wives,was the long suffering breadwinner-the one with the steady job-and she was no doubt greatly perturbed by Danny's impulsive and irresponsible behavior.The ensuing marital discord as well as depression over his failed record deal and lackluster career in general combined with his bi-polar disorder and drinking problem apparently drove him to suicide.An inventer to the end,word is that Danny went down into his garage,mounted a .22 rifle in a bench vise and fashioned a rube goldberg contraption replete with strings and pullys rigged to pull the trigger from in front of the rifle-then did so.Both these stories come from close friends of Roy and Danny who I've known for over 30 years and I've heard basically the same stories from other sources as well. Sad tales...both. -MJ-

Rich Paton · From: Santa Maria, CA.,

Michael, thanks for the explanation. Just to imagine that such a talented, true musician like Danny was jerked around in a record deal is profoundly sad in itself. The sadness in the end result there is beyond words.
Your take on the Buchanan tragedy sounds right on, now I dimly recall reading pretty much the same details when it happened.
I was just going through a Western Swing fiddle book, looking for some tunes to play at an upcoming festival...and wound up reading a chapter about Spade Cooley, another sad tale.
The beat goes on and on...
I'm at a loss for cheerful words now. Take care, friends.
>
OK, I shook off some of the gloom, and now I've got to throw another great Roy Buchanan song into the fray here.
On the Alligator records (a good blues label, whose first recorded artist was Hound Dog Taylor) 20th anniversary, two-CD compilation set, released about ten years ago, is another spooky minor blues tour-de-force of a blues tune, on which Roy sang and played otherwordly lead on, which of course was raw, gut-wrenching & way over-the-top. I don't recall the title, and have lost the CD's, but you should check it out for inclusion in your collection of great spooky, raw, gut-wrenching otherwordly over-the-top Buchanan performances that are captured live on a record.
The theme of the tune deals with a dog killed by a train, while he was bird-dogging a foxy she-dog near the tracks and therefore was oblivious to the freight bearing down on him.
Anyone here know the title? I want to hear it again!

[This message was edited by Rich Paton on 02 March 2001 at 10:55 PM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Ugh, didn't know the story on Danny, very sad.
With Roy B... well I'm actually of the opinion that it was a set-up hanging, after all, isn't a holding cell rule that anyone showing any sort of stress, aggrevation or violence should be stripped of things to hang themselves with?
Suspicous.

Pat Burns · From: Branchville, N.J. USA

...that's the rule, Jason...

quote:
After the ordeal, we went back to the jail. Obie said he was gonna put us in a cell.

He said: "Kid, I'm gonna put you in a cell. I want your wallet and your belt."
I said, "Obie, I can understand your wantin' my wallet, so I don't have any money to spend in the cell, but what do you want my belt for?" and he said, "Kid, we don't want any hangin's." I said, "Obie, did you think I was gonna hang myself for litterin'?"

Obie said he was makin' sure, and, friends, Obie was, 'cause he took out the toilet seat so I couldn't hit myself over the head and drown, and he took out the toilet paper so I couldn't bend the bars, roll the toilet paper out the window, slide down the roll and have an escape. Obie was makin' sure.

Bob Hayes · From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA

I was just browsing this part of the forum and seen some of the post from Mike and Jack about Roy B and Dannt Gatton..Seems like old home week..The '70 in the DC area.I've got a couple of memories of Roy. Played a gig with him and Danny Denver (writer of "The Mountain of Love") at the a club in Laurel,Md (I think the California Club)
that was BFCH(before Carnegie Hall) HOW DID ROY Buchanan get to Carnegie Hall?. He was great...He never took care of that tele! sometimes didn't have a case,or couldn't find it, or broke it, or lost it. The guy could pick..drunk or sober. He told me that he got a better sound with the amp backwards. I think I was playing bass then. I had to pick Danny Denver and him up to get to the gig. I forgot Who was playing drums..but he was good. Danny always had good musicians..But all had attitudes. (what musucians don't) I remember one night (I was with another band) we stopped at a restaruant in Waldorf,Md.Every body stopped there after gigs. Roy and Danny were there.Roy had broken his wrist or arm..He had a cast on.Had his Tele, all scratched up. didn't have a case..He was drinking coffee and just fooling around playing chords and singing songs with Danny..just messing around. Roy realy Needed coffee that night..I guess every night..But what an incredible talent. I met Danny Gaton at the Crossroads (or somewhere in that area) too. I think I might had played with him one time or another. Clyde Bloodsworth did the album with Emmy Lou (her first) in Silver Springs.Md. Clyde was great..a nice guy..but never never helped carry band equipment in or out of a gig. Only his own stuff. He tolerated my "Lead Guitar playing". I was mediocre..but got the job done..(and got a lot of dates).
Smiley..talkin of old places...just got back from Sringfield...the whole North End has changed..couldn't find any of the old bars that we played!

Bob Hayes · From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA

This is to Bill Sharp. Bill I played at the Barn to but later..when I went back to DC area in 8o's. But I used to go listen to Pancake Norris there and at the Senate INN. I played at the Dipper in Beltville (as well as other places) in the early '70's. Contact me @ Grouchyvet@gateway.net need to talk to you
Bob Hayes

Bob Hayes · From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA

Bill Ramsey
Contact me "per Danny Denver and Roy Buchanan"
Grouchyvet@gateway.net
Bob Hayes part of the old DC gang

Geoff Brown · From: Nashvegas

Rich, I think the tune you're refering to is "Drowning on Dry Land". "...don't you know
that dog..he lost his poor head...tryin to find a little piece of tail..."
It's on "Dancing on the Edge" released on Alligator in '86. Roy's done so many incredible solos. Without showing a bias towards his earlier music (which, overall may be his best to some), this particular solo is as good as anything I have ever heard him play on record. It's absolutely gut-wrenching. I remember pulling the car over the first time I heard it and rewinding the tape about a hundred times. I was almost in tears listening to him on this cut. His guitar just pulled me in so far that I could hardly stand it. I guess ya had to be there

Best version of that tune I've ever heard. Anyway, Roy had some good moments on those Alligator recordings. I love that first album with the Snakestretchers too. I miss him. This is a great thread. Thanks to those of you who shared your stories. Pretty interesting stuff.

Jeff A. Smith · From: Angola,Ind. U.S.A.

Maybe to most this is obvious, but since the older tube amps (like a Vibrolux)didn't have master volume controls that allow distortion to be had at low volume, the amp had to be turned up a ways to get the proper sustain and grit. Then a guy might want to turn it around, or put a blanket over it to take the edge off. Putting a power attenuator between the amp and speaker allows the amp to distort at low volume also, but word is that this may shorten the lifespan of the output transformer.

Ditto to the above sentiments on Buchanan and Gatton. Miss them both.

James Bissaillon · From: Omaha, NE, USA

Interesting thread, thanks for the info Michael Johnstone and all. I've not checked out Danny or Roy. Don't know why, especially as much as my father, Buzz, speaks of Roy. I guess it's time!

James

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