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The guitarist Neil Young said was the Jimi Hendrix of acoustic guitar
Neil Young is one of the most prolific and influential Folk Rock musicians of all time and was deeply inspired by many different artists in the beginning of his career. One of them was the late guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who he had the chance decades later to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Over the decades he talked about many other artists who inspired him, including one that he considers to have been the Jimi Hendrix of acoustic guitar.
The guitarist Neil Young said was the Jimi Hendrix of acoustic guitar
That guitarist was the Scottish Folk legend Bert Jansch, who was known as a member of the band Pentangle and also as a solo act. He was a huge influence on Neil Young and during one of his concerts a few years ago, the musician recalled how he discovered Jansch’s music and even said he was the Jimi Hendrix of acoustic guitar.
(Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) “When I was tripping around and sleeping on people’s floors this girl that I knew, her name was Vicky Taylor, she was a folk singer, she lived on Avenue Road in one of those victorian (places). I was sleeping on the floor in front of the fireplace. Then I was sleeping there one night and put on this LP by Bert Jansch.”
“He was like one of the greatest acoustic guitar players that ever lived, probably like Jimi Hendrix on electric guitar. Everything that he played was perfect, notes were going here and there, everything just seamlessly easy, beautiful like you could just drift away listening to it. But his words were in another world, he opened up doors for everybody to sing about things,” Neil Young said.
Besides him, also lived in that house with about three other friends, one of them being John Kay, Steppenwolf’s vocalist. In 2010, the Canadian musician took Jansch on the road as his opening act. Before some shows he used to say “I hope that you appreciate and realize how lucky you are to hear Bert Jansch. (…) It’s a real pleasure to play on the same stage as him.”
The Neil Young song inspired by Jansch
A few years before, in 2006 the two musicians had already played together at the Bridge School benefit in 2006. Young’s song “Ambulance Blues” was part of his 1974 album “On The Beach” which had parts inspired by Jansch’s 1965 track “Needle of Death”.
Talking to Guitar Player in 1991, Neil recalled that he wrote the song years after being influenced by Jansch’s track. He didn’t realize he played almost the same guitar parts.
(Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) “For acoustic guitar Bert Jansch is the best acoustic guitar player. He is my favorite. I like his first ones (records), that very first record that he made. Then he remade that record, different versions of the same songs with someone else. I don’t know, this record came from England and I heard it. I was particularly inspired by a song called ‘The Needle of Death’, a really outrageous song, beautiful.”
“This guy was just so good. I don’t know what he is doing now but then years later I wrote ‘Ambulance Blues’ for the ‘On The Beach’ album. I picked up the melody from his record, the guitar part exactly, without realizing I had completely copied the whole thing. Then years later, someone mentioned it me and I went back and heard him playing. Sure enough, it’s almost like a note for note copy of this thing. I mean, I wrote a whole new lyrics on top but it’s his thing. I mean, he was great,” Neil Young said.
Young said that Bert Jansch was one of his heroes
Bert’s career sadly came to an end in 2011, one year after touring with Neil. The musician died on October 5, 2011 at the age of 67, a victim of lung cancer. At the time the Canadian musician, who was still married to Pegi Young released a statement. He said that the late artist was one of his heroes.
“With deep regret, Pegi and I acknowledge the passing of Bert Jansch. Pegi and I were lucky to play with him on all of our shows for the last couple of years. He is a hero of mine, and one of my greatest influences. Bert was one of the all time great acoustic guitarists and singer-songwriters. Our sincerest sympathies to his soulmate, Loren. We love you, Bert.”
On his 35th studio album, released in 2014, Neil Young covered Bert’s song “Needle of Death”.
During his prolific career, Bert released 28 studio albums and toured from the 60s until the year of his death. He was also a big influence for other artists like Paul Simon, Donovan, Mike Oldfield and Johnny Marr.
