John Lennon is many things to many people. Suffice it to say that he is a musical and cultural icon. What many people overlook is the fact that he was one hell of a guitarist. John was, prior to his fame, a working musician just like the rest of us.
Paul McCartney is often viewed as the most musically talented and John the more gifted writer. My view is that they were all excellent musicians with different skill sets. John's guitar playing is often overlooked because he was a great singer and composer who happened also to be the Beatles rhythm guitar player.
Everybody knows "Free As A Bird", where the other three Beatles played along with a prerecorded track of John"s after his death. The recording is only interesting historically or what could have been. The problem was the group was playing to him and not with him. What the track did prove was how necessary his musical and physical presence was.
My awareness of his guitar skill came years after I first heard the Beatles. "All My Loving" was on the radio when it hit me. The recording has an irresistible groove thanks to John's hair-raising guitar part. He plays strummed triplets throughout the songs verses with his only relief coming in the bridge and during George's solo.
Paul McCartney is often viewed as the most musically talented and John the more gifted writer. My view is that they were all excellent musicians with different skill sets. John's guitar playing is often overlooked because he was a great singer and composer who happened also to be the Beatles rhythm guitar player.
Everybody knows "Free As A Bird", where the other three Beatles played along with a prerecorded track of John"s after his death. The recording is only interesting historically or what could have been. The problem was the group was playing to him and not with him. What the track did prove was how necessary his musical and physical presence was.
My awareness of his guitar skill came years after I first heard the Beatles. "All My Loving" was on the radio when it hit me. The recording has an irresistible groove thanks to John's hair-raising guitar part. He plays strummed triplets throughout the songs verses with his only relief coming in the bridge and during George's solo.
Gary Van Scyoc (2nd from left) performing with Lennon on Dick Cavett Show, 1972. Bassist Gary Van Scyoc was a member of Elephant's Memory, which became John's band in the 1970s. He describes their first time playing together." What struck me about an hour into the night was the fact that John was such a presence rhythmically. He added so much to the groove especially when our lead guitarist Tex Gabriel was soloing".
His guitar abilities shine on two of his best songs. "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and Norwegian Wood share a 6/8 meter, which is not easy to play. The songs are performed with minimal or no accompaniment, yet the groove is unmistakable.
His guitar abilities shine on two of his best songs. "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and Norwegian Wood share a 6/8 meter, which is not easy to play. The songs are performed with minimal or no accompaniment, yet the groove is unmistakable.
What made him so good was that he never tried to do too much. He did what was necessary to make the song work. This was a musician who understood and mastered his role in the band. Gary Van Scyoc remembers John as "having it all together and was relentless in his approach". John Lennon will always be remembered by many for his remarkable life and sadly the manner of his death.
I choose to remember the smiling, energetic guitarist with the Rickenbacker 325 who inspired us denizens of the rhythm section to always play for the band.
I choose to remember the smiling, energetic guitarist with the Rickenbacker 325 who inspired us denizens of the rhythm section to always play for the band.
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