Best Use of Mandolin in Rock

[Rodney Riley]

Had radio on the 50's channel. Great tremolo on a Paul Anka tune, "Dance On Little Girl".

[journeybear]

Paul Anka did a slam-bang big-band version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" a couple of years ago. No MC, though ... sorry ...

[Elliot Luber]

If I recall there was some legal action a while back and now nobody will talk about it, not even Ray. That might indicate Ray got something for that.

Yes. Sounds like Mr. Cash has indeed arrived. That's good to hear or at least surmise.

[Prince of Darkness]

With respect to Rod Stewart not properly crediting Ray Jackson's playing on "Maggie May", to add insult to injury, most people in Britain believe the mandolin was played by the late DJ John Peel; due to his miming the part on the popular TV show Top Of The Pops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwHB4hfg0wY

Ray Jackson also played some fine mandolin with his folk / rock band Lindisfarne.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIMRaNujLA

[journeybear]

Yeah, I've seen that. That's really pretty sad if that's widely believed. I mean, that whole appearance was lip-synched, or not even - The Faces made a point of mocking the whole silly goings-on. Well, actually, Rod was miked - you can tell because the vocal is different from the recording, and in typical fashion, he messed up some of the words - but the instruments aren't even plugged in!

Not to further flog a long-dead horse, but I think Rod knew darn well who played the mandolin, and was having a bit of fun at his expense, which backfired - but Ray has got more attention as a result. Rod kind of made a point of saying, "the mandolin player from Lindisfarne," so at least he got the name of the band right.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here's a rockin' Jimmy Ryan live set from 2009 at The Lizard Lounge in Cambridge Mass. (If you like this, use the search function while there for three more different sets from him.)

And in the "mandolin covers of classic rock songs" category, check out Jimmy Ryan's unaccompanied version of the Stones Sympathy for the Devil, and John Kruth's really cool take on the Yardbird's Over Under Sideways Down.

[macantsaoir]

Hi Folks.
Great thread. I'm a new member, but I had to sign up just to plug Rory Gallagher.
Probably better known for his blues guitar, Rory had a couple of cracking tunes on the mandolin, most notably 'Goin to my hometown'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRSNYX95ZNY

[Ed Goist]

Macantsaoir: Welcome to the Cafe, and thanks for the link.

Rory is one of my all-time music heroes. That guy put it all out there when he played, and NOBODY can touch his powerful combination of skills, grit and charisma while on stage. I still listen to his stuff regularly, and often think with great fondness of the several Rory concerts I was fortunate enough to see in the late 70s & early 80s.

I used to get very worked-up and angry by how underrated and neglected Rory was/is in the discussion of great guitarists, but I now realize that he played for the music and for the fans, not for the notoriety or fame. He would not have cared about the recognition. He was about the music. He was the consummate professional musician.

[Mike Herlihy]

Macantsaoir: Welcome to the Cafe, and thanks for the link.

Rory is one of my all-time music heroes. That guy put it all out there when he played, and NOBODY can touch his powerful combination of skills, grit and charisma while on stage. I still listen to his stuff regularly, and often think with great fondness of the several Rory concerts I was fortunate enough to see in the late 70s & early 80s.

I used to get very worked-up and angry by how underrated and neglected Rory was/is in the discussion of great guitarists, but I now realize that he played for the music and for the fans, not for the notoriety or fame. He would not have cared about the recognition. He was about the music. He was the consummate professional musician.

I agree Ed, but if you check out Youtube, there are lots of folks that still keep his music alive. I've uploaded up a tutorial for "Going To My Hometown" and an adaptation of "Police Dog Blues" to mandolin.

[Ed Goist]

I agree Ed, but if you check out Youtube, there are lots of folks that still keep his music alive. I've uploaded up a tutorial for "Going To My Hometown" and an adaptation of "Police Dog Blues" to mandolin.

Thanks Mike! Can you please provide links? I could not find either the tutorial, or the mando adaption of PDB?

I did find a mandolin arrangement of Going to My Hometown by 'NCOpagn'? Is that you? If so, Great playing!

[Mike Herlihy]

Thanks Mike! Can you please provide links? I could not find either the tutorial, or the mando adaption of PDB?

I did find a mandolin arrangement of Going to My Hometown by 'NCOpagn'? Is that you? If so, Great playing!

Nope, not me. Here is my channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/mherlihy0816

Just scroll thru the videos, I uploaded three videos of tutorials of GTM and two for PDB

[Ed Goist]

Thanks Mike. I very much look forward to checking-out your YT channel.

[Perry Babasin]

Love John Hiatt... Have a listen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWeWgDAuxKY

[Perry Babasin]

... BTW one could argue that much of Nickel Creek, and other modern "Bluegrass" string ensembles play Rock & Roll.

i.e. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCQxD4zBICg

[journeybear]

Yikes! One could argue that, but I think most people think of rock as featuring electric or electrified instruments, and most of the time drums. Which is not to say that this song doesn't sound rock-influenced, but I wouldn't call it rock, per se.

I appreciate your thinking outside of the box, though. Imagination, innovation - that's how we progress. And progress is what it's all about. Well, that and good taste, whatever that is.

Here's that John Hiatt song. Reminds me - wonder if Little Village included mandolin? Can't remember ...

[Vonski]

ChiefXX!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSz3t...d:mandosmiley:

[Crabgrass]

Hi Folks.
Great thread. I'm a new member, but I had to sign up just to plug Rory Gallagher.
Probably better known for his blues guitar, Rory had a couple of cracking tunes on the mandolin, most notably 'Goin to my hometown'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRSNYX95ZNY

I can't believe I'm such a neanderthal that I'd never heard of Rory Gallagher. That performance of "Going to My Hometown" not only blew my mind, it started some musical hares that are gonna run for a while.... I immediately looked up his bio and was sorry to see he died in 1995. Also learned that a reporter once asked Jimi Hendrix "So, what does it feel like to be the best guitar player in the world?" The great Jimi replied: "I dunno. Ask Rory Gallagher."

All I can say is "Thank you" for posting that link.

[mandolino maximus]

That Rory Gallagher vid and his story are fascinating. Great mando content.

Quite a few electric bluesmen from that period on that side of the pond -all interested in original US bluesmen when the US wasn't. No mando, but I very much enjoy seeing another one of those guys, Kim Simmonds / Savoy Brown, when he still comes round. He mentions those days standing around with Beck and Page listening to Hendrix. And Hendrix listened to Gallagher. A lot of the first generation of guitar heroes and they all seem to have taken inspiration from Muddy Waters. Interesting.

[Larry R]

Gallows Pole by Led Zeppelin

[Zytog]

I would say Jimmy Page in the " battle of evermore" , or John Paul jones in "going to California"

[Rick Nelson]

Didn't see "Holiday Inn" an early Elton John song with a nice mandolin solo. Also, Dash Crofts of Seals and Crofts did a LOT of mandolin work in the 70's, The first 4 albums especially were very acoustically oriented with great mandolin solos.

[Raglan]

Just to chime on ( with my first post /wave. I am a huge Rory fan and got to see him live many times in my hometown of Bristol (England) when he played with Taste and did the clubs back in late 60's . I actually bumped into him after the concert in a local pub .. he was somewhat out of it ..but thanks for posting that macantsaoir and welcome also.

I think my personal favorite is the riff in REM's Losing My Religion but lots of others mentioned I also rate highly.


I just bought a mandolin last week, and feel dna linked to the thing after 30 years of plonking around on guitars.. Anyway glad to have found the 'cafe'.

[Barry Wilson]

Going to California, JPJ does wonders on this song. My fav mando song is still Boat on a river by Styx

[Lou Giordano]

My favorite.

[custer]

I'm going to go with " Losing My Religion ". It was the first rock song I learned on the mandolin and its one of my favorites.