Bill Kirchen - Bulls Head, London.

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ian

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Well, on another thread here I was just talking to Gainster about Teles, so thought I?d say ? I just got back from seeing/hearing Bill Kirchen at the Bulls Head in Barnes (tiny English ?pub? in smart London suburb), and frankly he was bloody fantastic ? best $12 I ever spent 8) .

Don?t know if this was ?country-style rock?, because I?m a UK Blues guy & I know zilch about US Country/Rockabilly music, but this was live-wire virtuoso Tele playing at it?s very best ? simply wonderful.

Really nice modest guy too, & great stage presence ? before the set he sat for an hour in the bar talking to everyone & anyone, no big ego here ? just great playing. Thanks so much Bill, good grief you must have practiced long hard decades to get that good ? a real privilege too see you (& even better to hear you) :-? .

Ian.
 
Hey Ian,

From what I've heard of his recordings, he's awesome. I also read somewhere that he takes his vintage Tele along in his suitcase (unscrews the neck bolts - the body has bolts fittings to snug it up with)

it's cool to see someone of his calibre use vintage gear instead of squirreling it away for an investment :)

If you like the occasional Tele-strangling player, you might check out Will Ray of the Hellecasters. His "Mojo Blues" solo album is phenomenal. I try to play along with it and it's always a great lesson in humility (ie., getting my butt stomped flat) :D

Steve
 
Hey Ian,

From what I've heard of his recordings, he's awesome. I also read somewhere that he takes his vintage Tele along in his suitcase (unscrews the neck bolts - the body has bolts fittings to snug it up with)

it's cool to see someone of his calibre use vintage gear instead of squirreling it away for an investment :)

If you like the occasional Tele-strangling player, you might check out Will Ray of the Hellecasters. His "Mojo Blues" solo album is phenomenal. I try to play along with it and it's always a great lesson in humility (ie., getting my butt stomped flat) :D

Steve
 
In the past I think Bill Kirchen was well known for playing a very beat-up old Tele ? last night it was a newer one ? unusual natural curly maple top, ie two piece cap or veneer ? pups looked like Bardens (ie with rails) ? B-bender ... Amp was an old Fender Silverface combo (Twin Reverb?).

Before last night I really knew nothing about Bill Kirchen ? a few days ago I listened to a couple of sound clips from his website ? didn?t really like it, not my cup of tea ? but live performance was totally different ? different material & very flashy live-wire playing from all over the neck (& everywhere of it). Scintillating stuff 8) .

Ian.
 

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