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Blues guitar virtuoso Mike Bloomfield's 1969 album 'It's Not Killing Me.'
Michael Bloomfield grew up in relatively wealthy, suburban
Chicago in the 1950's, but he was always drawn more to the gritty clubs
on the city's South Side than to the trappings of a middle-class
lifestyle. Those clubs were home to blues greats like Muddy Waters and
Sleepy John Estes.
Bloomfield apprenticed himself to these bluesmen, and soon, this young, Jewish, white kid was one of the finest guitarists of his generation.
Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke calls him "rock's greatest forgotten guitar hero" -- a hero even to greats like Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana.
While most people are familiar with Bob Dylan's iconoclastic "Dylan goes electric" performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, fewer know that that's Bloomfield making all that glorious noise. He was Dylan's man on rock milestones "Like A Rolling Stone" and a blazing "Maggie's Farm."
Bloomfield went on to pioneer some of the most far-out and daring electric guitar work of the 1960's, but his star faded in the '70s, due in equal parts to changing trends and his own self-sabotaging tendencies. He was dead by 1981, at just 36.
In a conversation with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, Fricke reflects on the lasting legacy of Mike Bloomfield, as documented in a new box set From His Head To His Heart To His Hands.
Click here to listen to David Fricke's personal playlist of Mike Bloomfield gems.
Bloomfield apprenticed himself to these bluesmen, and soon, this young, Jewish, white kid was one of the finest guitarists of his generation.
Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke calls him "rock's greatest forgotten guitar hero" -- a hero even to greats like Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana.
While most people are familiar with Bob Dylan's iconoclastic "Dylan goes electric" performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, fewer know that that's Bloomfield making all that glorious noise. He was Dylan's man on rock milestones "Like A Rolling Stone" and a blazing "Maggie's Farm."
Bloomfield went on to pioneer some of the most far-out and daring electric guitar work of the 1960's, but his star faded in the '70s, due in equal parts to changing trends and his own self-sabotaging tendencies. He was dead by 1981, at just 36.
In a conversation with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, Fricke reflects on the lasting legacy of Mike Bloomfield, as documented in a new box set From His Head To His Heart To His Hands.
Click here to listen to David Fricke's personal playlist of Mike Bloomfield gems.
View the trailer for the new documentary about Mike Bloomfield, Sweet Blues:
Guests:
David FrickeRelated
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Comments [2]
Wonderful interview that
perfectly summarized why Bloomfield was so important. I first heard
East-West on Murray the K's show on WOR-FM in ' 67 and couldn't believe
what I was hearing. I bought the LP the next day and discovered by
looking at the sleeve that there was an earlier LP and I bought that the
very next day.
A few years later, I saw the Electric Flag at the Bottom Line and they were the tightest band I've ever heard. I wore Supersession out several times.
Glad to hear Jimmy Vivino mentioned as more than anyone, he has inherited Michael's mantle. And Jimmy (along with Al Kooper) does a killer version of "Albert's Shuffle".
A few years later, I saw the Electric Flag at the Bottom Line and they were the tightest band I've ever heard. I wore Supersession out several times.
Glad to hear Jimmy Vivino mentioned as more than anyone, he has inherited Michael's mantle. And Jimmy (along with Al Kooper) does a killer version of "Albert's Shuffle".
Feb. 07 2014 12:01 AM
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Score: 0/0
Nice job talking about my
favorite guitarist of all time. I agree with David's musical picks from
Michael but would also very strongly recommend the acoustic guitar album
he did with Woody Harris. I would have also added his piano playing
riff from Michael Bloomfield: A Retrospective - a dynamite album. Hope
I'm around to see him voted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame - I
don't comprehend that one either.
Feb. 06 2014 10:14 PM
Score: 0/0
