Post
by yngwie308 » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:19 pm
Roy always kinda did that jaw thing through the years. He was an addict as are many of us, it's just coming to deal with all these forces.
I lived in Fairfax and Vienna, Virginia and actualy spent the night in a drunk tank, in the same jail Roy died in, albiet in 1983 or so. I was looking for a job, had borrowed my dad's car, met him and some of his work connections, had a few drinks, wanted to leave, tried to give my dad the keys, he said go home, got lost, stopped by cops, DUI.
Roy, brilliant as he was, is painful to watch, as he is always on the edge,it is coming directly from him, what he plays, so what you get, good or bad, is raw Roy.
I read the book about him and closely identified with a lot of his experiences, I have never been diagnosed with depression, my self medicating was not of a dual-diagnosis basis, thank God I was spared all that, although the pain of hell on earth, I have experienced all too familiarly. Such a brilliant player as Roy, it seemed he would never be fulfilled in the music business. Guys like Jeff Beck were lucky to have a hobby, like hot rods, to keep them sane. Jeff said he had to leave the hotel rooms on tours as he was sick of watching people trying to kill themselves for recreation.
I strongly do not believe all the 'facts' in Roys alleged suicide and after reading that book, I even have greater doubt.
A lot of SRV fans won't admit it, but they like his drugged up performances better than his clean playing, sorry to say, I may be in that category. There is no doubt that SRV was in a better place, I know and am sure he would have gone on to many more brilliant things.
I don't really watch Hendrix live and think all the time how wasted he is, the music is too powerful, he may be the exception as no one else was playing anywhere near what Jimi did.
Not really being a professional musician myself, I found that under the influence of cocaine, without alcohol I might add, and that's why I'm still alive today, I found my playing to be in 3rd person, I would just mechanically play licks, without feeling what I was playing. I was afraid of the power of the notes. The part of my brain that felt emotions for real was polluted, so for me, drugs and playing did not mix.
I know this is about Roy, not me, and I know we all have had our experiences, I just wanted to share my experiences, as it shapes my interpretation of listening to troubled players.
Look at Danny Gatton, no real outward signs, seems happy when he played and then, bang, it's all over.
The late great Tommy Bolin, he had such a great career and the drugs majorly F$%$#d up his life ultimately, it is very easy being creative, to just get beyond wasted all the time, as you try and cover up the dissapointment and frustration, the downside of creativity, with drugs and alcohol, never enough either.
So wearing his heart on his sleeve was part of Roy's style, what made him so real, I think in his case, his playing was impaired, as he was such a great player and am sorry he didn't make it through.
yngwie308