Dave Soldier Remembers Bo Diddley

Forwarded from composer/Kropotkins/Soldier String Quartet/Thai Elephant Orchestra ringmaster Dave Soldier:
Hey Brian, here's my message for NY Times obituary, but it may be more appropriate for a Bo site in FMU:                                              
Bo was perhaps the most naturally talented musician I ever heard. He could improvise a solo for as long as he would like with no one getting bored,something nearly impossible to find in any style of music. He could speak with his guitar - I played backup guitar for him in Gainesville and interrupted him in a solo on purpose, he stopped the band and lectured me by playing microtones on the guitar that sounded like a schoolmarm lecturing. He and the late Leroy Jenkins grew up in Chicago together and played violin duos to earn money on the street. Years after I played with Bo and Leroy (separately), I got the two of them and Maureen Tucker to agree to play a trio (Maureen fell in love with music from listening to Bo, and you can hear that too) , and now really regret I couldn't figure out how to arrange it - the kings and queen of a certain kind of an apparently simple but most subtle art. Whatever his complaints against the business, he was true and kind man, full of advice for others, and developed a new language that affected musicians from Africa to Europe and Asia, and he will always one of the greatest in many styles of our country's music.      your pal, Dave Soldier, New York City 

While we now reel at the implications of a Bo Diddley/Leroy Jenkins/Mo Tucker trio, let's remember the greatest primitive axeman in history. 

Comments

does not having any interest in any musicians of my own age or era actually make my own life shorter? it seems like im losing idols every day.

[Keith Spring]

Few people have created a style of music, but Bo Diddley was one of them. We won't see (or hear) anyone like him again.

[Marcus]

George Thorogood's appraisal:

“[Chuck Berry’s] ‘Maybellene’ is a country song sped up,” Thorogood told Rolling Stone in 2005. “‘Johnny B. Goode’ is blues sped up. But you listen to ‘Bo Diddley,’ and you say, ‘What in the Jesus is that?’”

[dan y]

A friend of mine was in the checkout line at the store here in gainesville and bo was one person ahead of him in line. When he finished checking out the cashier and the girl in front of him realized he was famous and were trying to figure out who was. Walking away bo turned around and quipped "psssh, they don't know diddley!"

[Fatherflot]

There's a much better version of this clip with more songs on it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBAJXyF1HVc

[ted]

Wait. . . Bo grew up with LEEEEEROYYYY JENKINS!?

[Phill]

Two observations:

One, It's kinda awesome that one of the cute backup singers in tight dresses is also playing rhythm guitar.

Two, The audience in the cutaway shot in the middle of the clip moves just like the "audience" in Devo's "Jocko Homo" video.

Bo Diddley was a crazy genius who made his own crazy music on his own crazy guitars. He will be (crazily) missed.

[Krys O.]

Phil, that's the DUCHESS that you're pointing out on guitar. The Duchess was Norma-Jean Wofford. Bow your head when you say her name!

[onyxia]

rock and roll?