Why is John Fahey So Boring?

John Fahey, the best and the worst.

https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Joe-Deaths-America-Discontent-ebook/dp/B08HH1FCN4/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=blind+joe+death%27s+america&qid=1607183411&sr=8-2

absolutely stoked to read this. tempted to say it was specifically written for me

For over sixty years, American guitarist John Fahey (1939–2001) has been a storied figure, first within the folk and blues revival of the long 1960s, later for fans of alternative music. Mythologizing himself as Blind Joe Death, Fahey crudely parodied white middle-class fascination with African American blues, including his own. In this book, George Henderson mines Fahey's parallel careers as essayist, notorious liner note stylist, musicologist, and fabulist for the first time. These vocations, inspired originally by Cold War educators' injunction to creatively express rather than suppress feelings, took utterly idiosyncratic and prescient turns.

Fahey voraciously consumed ideas: in the classroom, the counterculture, the civil rights struggle, the new left; through his study of philosophy, folklore, African American blues; and through his experience with psychoanalysis and southern paternalism. From these, he produced a profoundly and unexpectedly refracted vision of America. To read Fahey is to vicariously experience devastating critical energies and self-soothing uncertainty, passions emerging from a singular location—the place where lone, white rebel sentiment must regard the rebellion of others. Henderson shows the nuance, contradictions, and sometimes brilliance of Fahey's words that, though they were never sung to a tune, accompanied his music.

Ooh. Look forward to This!

I always LOL at the claim in the opening post of this thread, that Fahey is a cl9ne of Elizabeth Cotten.

*clone

the lowenthal book was a passable bio but this is the kind of writing about fahey i wanna see

Will get the book, thanks for news! As for reading about him in his den (the world etc), incl. personal recollections, I think I got enough from Glenn Jones's comments,especially those incl. w Red Cross, and especially especially from ilx alum Andy Beta---I know I've linked this on at least one Fahey thread, but just in case yall haven't seen it and even so: https://www.villagevoice.com/2006/01/24/looking-for-blind-joe-death/ Fahey's own mix tapes, mentioned in here, have since surfaced, I think.

book sounds great

Lowenthal's book was a valuable service, he got the basics of his life down and recorded, did the work and research. but he didn't have a lot of insight.

i just looked him up and yes he is boring but does not look bad in 1969 but let himself go after and since but he plays good!

hot take

new-to-me show, from the sterling FFV era. great setlist and performance

Thus Krishna on the Battlefield / When the Fire and the Rose Are One / Dance of the Inhabitants of the Palace of King Philip XIV of Spain / On the Sunny Side of the Ocean / Spanish Two-Step

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KntfF4uBeE

nice!

thanks, probably my favorite era

new to me, never heard of this lady before and wasn't aware he was doing collaborations like this into the 70s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjNchlnxOOI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruc99Z8Vy8I

Complete broadcast

nice

a number of comments are like 'why is this the fahey thread that keeps getting bumped' and tbf i think it's perfect

this actually sounds pretty sweet: https://josemedeles.bandcamp.com/album/railroad-cadences-melancholic-anthems-a-drummers-tribute-to-john-fahey

Hadn't seen this book by Fahey before:
he Father of the Delta Blues, Charley Patton (1891–1934) was born and raised around Mississippi's cotton plantations. During the 1920s, he was the first of the region's great stars, performing for packed houses throughout the South and making popular recordings in New York City. His music — ranging from blues and ballads to ragtime and gospel — is distinctive for his gravelly, high-energy singing and the propulsive beat of his guitar. Patton had a lively stage presence, originating many of the guitar-playing antics now associated with Jimi Hendrix and other latter-day musicians. His influence, among both his contemporaries and subsequent blues artists, is incalculable.
Noted guitarist John Fahey presents a textual and musicological examination of Patton's music. This new edition of the original 1970 publication is enhanced by Fahey's notes from the Grammy-winning, out-of-print box set Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton. Available for the first time outside the set, Fahey's reconsideration of Patton's music offers fresh perspectives and key corrections of the historical record.
https://smile.amazon.com/Charley-Patton-Expanded-John-Fahey-ebook/dp/B08FMBCXKH/ref=pd_sim_2/133-9215491-0402603?pd_rd_w=iBdPp&pf_rd_p=6caf1c3a-a843-4189-8efc-81b67e85dc96&pf_rd_r=D44BVE6CT3E08Y8GWEFW&pd_rd_r=beb58f08-f249-45cc-af8d-8c0f03f5e676&pd_rd_wg=hkdhQ&pd_rd_i=B08FMBCXKH&psc=1

Also on Amazon:
American Primitive Guitar Paperback – March 22, 2002
In this series for the intermediate guitarist, John Fahey teaches a wide variety of instrumental solos. Critics have called John's style American Primitive Guitar. The book includes tablature and notation with three compact discs featuring note-by-note, phrase-by-phrase instruction. LESSON ONE: A general discussion of pattern picking and the use of the alternate bass. In Christ There Is No East Or West, Take A Look At That Baby and Some Summer Day. LESSON TWO: One of John's most requested multi-sectioned composition is Indian Pacific Railroad Blues, also known as Beverley. This tune demonstrates how John composes in the fingerpicking idiom. Also taught is another very requested and imitated instrumental, John's The Last Steam Engine Train. LESSON THREE: When The Springtime Comes Again and The Approaching Of The Disco Void. A discussion of improvisational ideas in relationship to fingerstyle compositions concludes this lesson.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0786662085/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

Fingerstyle & Slide Guitar in Open Tunings Paperback – March 2, 2018
by John Fahey (Author)
John Fahey was a pioneer in composing and arranging guitar solos in open tunings. In this lesson series for the intermediate guitarist, John teaches a wide variety of techniques, musical textures and styles. The book includes the notation and tablature for the lessons and access to online audio featuring phrase-by-phrase instruction. LESSON ONE: Open G tuning: On the Sunny Side of the Ocean, Spanish Two Step and It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. St.Louis Blues played in a dropped D tuning. LESSON TWO: In this lesson John explores the possibilities of playing in an open C tuning. The Union Pacific has a distinct blues quality, Requiem For John Hurt has an "Eastern" feel. Simplicity often creates beauty and John does this with his version of Auld Lang Syne. LESSON THREE: This lesson concentrates on John's slide guitar playing. Steamboat Gwine Round the Bend played in open G demonstrating many of John's unique technical ideas. The Christmas carol Silent Night is presented in the slide style. John's popular arrangement of Poor Boy A Long Way From Home played in open D tuning finishes the series. Includes access to online audio.
https://smile.amazon.com/Fingerstyle-Slide-Guitar-Open-Tunings/dp/1513460943/ref=pd_bxgy_1/133-9215491-0402603?pd_rd_w=VxczB&pf_rd_p=fd3ebcd0-c1a2-44cf-aba2-bbf4810b3732&pf_rd_r=524D6RHWX9JQ770XQ4GQ&pd_rd_r=eefcf001-05fe-44e9-8226-cf8bbc0b33e8&pd_rd_wg=QcL9F&pd_rd_i=1513460943&psc=1

John Fahey - Guitar Anthology (Guitar Recorded Versions) Paperback – April 1, 2016
by John Fahey (Artist)
(Guitar Recorded Versions). 18 songs in note-for-note transcriptions with tab from the man who was considered the grandfather of instrumental acoustic fingerstyle guitar. Includes: America * Brenda's Blues * Desperate Man Blues * In Christ There Is No East or West * John Henry * Poor Boy, Long Ways from Home * Some Summer Day * Steamboat Gwine 'Round De Bend * Tell Her to Come Back Home * When the Springtime Comes Again * and more. Includes a biography and discography.

There may be at least one more John Fahey on Amazon, who writes about Indians and Australian outlaws---but could be our guy, who had a lot of interests, especially ornery ones.

He didn't "write" that guitar anthology per se, the transcriptions are by someone else (but very accurate as far as I could determine).

Well, it does say (Artist) here, (Author) on previous. Glad to know they're accurate, esp. in case I ever venture into such gtr. pursuits (yeah, right, but still)

gene rosenthal of adelphi records in a fahey FB group sez he licensed only some footage from that mississippi blues fest to fat possum and there is much more to come. at least that's what i think he's saying, he's a v weird dude

The ONLY film footage that we/I (Adelphi) transferred to Fat Possum for production/release was STRICTLY and ONLY a "one time deal" for the Memphis Country Blues Festival Film Footage period. Still wholly owned in the Adelphi Film Vaults is over 60,000 feet (roughly 40 hours) of 16mm color/sound sync Blues Footage of everyone from and including Big Joe Wms, Johnny Shines, Honeyboy Edwards, Henry Townsend, BukkaWhite, Furry Lewis, RL Burnside, Hacksaw Harney, Henry Brown, George& Ethyl McCoy, Blind Arvella Grey, and dozens of others too numerous to mention here. Our (on-going, almost completed) John Fahey Adelphi project is (Still) comprised of and scheduled for release as a 1 DVD plus 4 CD Box set package w/a simultaneous release package of 1 DVD plus 8 Vinyl LPs package Both with fully illustrated Book/Booklets. That's as far as I'm allowing you to draw me out at this time old friend. In exchange for this scoop won't you please lean on Lulu or advise me of a definite alternative source? What say? -- GR

People you didn’t know were still alive.

Rerelease your jazz records Gene!!

Speaking of books:
How Bluegrass Destroyed My Life also available in print editions here:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Bluegrass-Music-Destroyed-Life-ebook/dp/B07H5L4GXR/ref=pd_sbs_sccl_1/134-5000920-6048904?pd_rd_w=ITBWO&pf_rd_p=dfec2022-428d-4b18-a6d4-8f791333a139&pf_rd_r=1BQN6WYZ0A9JEX2RRTND&pd_rd_r=8a7efa42-e1ca-468b-98e4-73e022107e74&pd_rd_wg=rxHBT&pd_rd_i=B07H5L4GXR&psc=1

People you didn’t know were still alive.
Rerelease your jazz records Gene!!
― Otto Insurance (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, April 7, 2022 10:31 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

always worth recounting the incredible display this guy unleashed at the fahey fest that UMS and i got to witness in 2018

Gene Rosenthal of Adelphi Records got kicked out of the panel discussion, Glenn Jones told him to shut the fuck up

― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, April 14, 2018 12:27 PM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

So Rosenthal had placards written that said "Contemporary Guitar" which he held up when any one said American Primitive, then "Bullshit" and "Opinion" when ppl said something he didn't agree with

Was warned several times from stage, Glenn said Gene you're a pain in the ass and I wish you weren't here. Peter Lang stepped in to explain that Gene was a friend but was asking him to stop, then he wouldn't and got escorted out and held up a sign that said MORONIC on his way out

― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, April 14, 2018 1:18 PM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

I think the dude was mad he wasn't in the panel. It was pretty clear Glenn and the other organizers were expecting it

― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, April 14, 2018 2:08 PM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

To be fair the term “American Primitive“ sucks so bad. It’s a total 00s the Wire thing like ”Fire Music” and “New Weird America”.

Joe Bussard and Gene Rosenthal should do a double act.

Maryland weirdos are the only true weirdos.

With Glenn now!

"Acid Folk" still sounds right, no lie---in that I can still see thee guy with curtains of hair being closed by beard---because even fewer teeth now---hunched over his guitar and looking at me---he's---still---fingerpicking

You know?

really digging Hitomi right now, the way he uses delay and echo

Hitomi & Red Cross are the best of the later material IMO. Hitomi might have a slight edge but I love both a lot.

is Fahey even playing on that noisy side 4 track, the first one?

"A History Of Tokyo Rail Traction
Featuring – Rob Scrivener*, Tim Knight"

I don't remember where I read it, but I remember an anecdote that John was very enthusiastic about his 1997 collaboration with Jim O'Rourke ("Womblife") until John heard "Bad Timing", released the same month, and John called Jim up, upset, saying it was unfair that Jim would make and release a "better record" than the one they'd just made together. I don't remember where I read that! I think it must've been in that very-long MOJO obit article about John's final tour

Oh wow, that is an interesting tidbit. I mean, so many people could lob that at O'Rourke hah hah. "Why is the record you helped me with not as good as the one under your own name?" A fairly long list there.

haha, i imagine that if O'Rourke had presented Fahey with the concept for Bad Timing, John would've been like "ehhh that sucks."

I'm pretty sure it was the MOJO article, I think the verb used was "John whined". That article was working to portray Fahey's final years/months as rather pathetic, I remember crying in the CD store as I read the article from the issue off the shelf. I wish the article was online. As I recall, a Texas lawyer-slash-fingerpicker decided to set up a tour for himself and John Fahey, tracked John down, John was living in his car, there were half-eaten rotten hamburgers in the back seat, the tour was booked, the lawyer was not-a-great-guitarist but Fahey was worse at that time. I read it not knowing that Fahey had died and so the information that he had done so came as a twist and I started crying at age 21 in the store. I'd been learning guitar for three years at that point and everything I'd taught myself was either John Fahey or Nick Drake. I'd had tickets to see him in Toronto but the gig was cancelled and I didn't know why.

I always wondered how much of his late period experimentalism was masking an inability to play like he used to

I always heard it as him using his obvious limitations as a springboard for new ideas, which sounds prettier than "his skill had declined considerably so this was the best he could do," but yeah. I really love Red Cross. There's no other record that sounds anything remotely like it.

using his obvious limitations as a springboard for new ideas

100% agree w/this

in 1998, Fahey opened for John Hammond at tramps in Chelsea, my only time seeing him. Fahey's indie cred as you guys all know was then and has been since off the charts, whereas Hammond's was then and is now nil. And yet there were not that many guys like me there…thurston was there, unsurprisingly, but overwhelmingly it was blues bores who went to tramps for Walter Wolfman Washington and otherwise were more likely to go to the Bottom line to see Hammond on a double bill with Kenny Rankin or some shit…

Fahey shambled onstage with a Strat, sat down next to an amp, plugged in, and thenceforth seemed to be completely unfamiliar with not only how to play an electric guitar but, more importantly, the basics of how you manage playing an electric guitar through an amplifier. He plinked away feebly, while the amp fed back, and not in any way that you would say "that's such a fucking great noise, goddamn!" It was pitiful. He kemp complaining that it was the soundman's fault, "doesn't anybody know what they're doing here," and a tech came onstage to help him, but there was no question exactly who in that room didn't know what they were doing.

Has anybody ever encountered steve Weitzman, the guy who booked and ran Tramps and later the Village Underground? A true new york character…

Fahey shambled onstage with a Strat, sat down next to an amp, plugged in, and thenceforth seemed to be completely unfamiliar with not only how to play an electric guitar but, more importantly, the basics of how you manage playing an electric guitar through an amplifier. He plinked away feebly, while the amp fed back, and not in any way that you would say "that's such a fucking great noise, goddamn!" It was pitiful. He kemp complaining that it was the soundman's fault, "doesn't anybody know what they're doing here," and a tech came onstage to help him, but there was no question exactly who in that room didn't know what they were doing.

― veronica moser, Friday, April 21, 2023 10:55 AM (sixteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I must say that very late period Fahey always had me wondering whether it was the perfect example of someone whose brand is so strong in the experimental scene that they can get away with almost anything. "Has he totally lost it or is he exploring a new approach" can be applied to almost all avant-garde art out of context. An artist's credentials both support and contradict either side of the debate so there's never an easy answer.

what are the chances this will be good?

https://www.strandedrecords.com/collections/drag-city/products/john-fahey-proofs-refutations-lp

maybe like 83%, more if you like his late work?

I like the album with Cul de Sac from 1997, but suspect this could be rather dire.

Fahey shambled onstage with a Strat, sat down next to an amp, plugged in, and thenceforth seemed to be completely unfamiliar with not only how to play an electric guitar but, more importantly, the basics of how you manage playing an electric guitar through an amplifier. He plinked away feebly, while the amp fed back, and not in any way that you would say "that's such a fucking great noise, goddamn!" It was pitiful. He kemp complaining that it was the soundman's fault, "doesn't anybody know what they're doing here," and a tech came onstage to help him, but there was no question exactly who in that room didn't know what they were doing.

― veronica moser, Friday, April 21, 2023 10:55 AM (sixteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I must say that very late period Fahey always had me wondering whether it was the perfect example of someone whose brand is so strong in the experimental scene that they can get away with almost anything. "Has he totally lost it or is he exploring a new approach" can be applied to almost all avant-garde art out of context. An artist's credentials both support and contradict either side of the debate so there's never an easy answer.