a day with roy buchanan - digitalnc

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November 8, 1974 The Guilfordian : ."- r -"r y. r -. '"? ???? : Sr ;v|^^Pi^ft-^ ; v^ fc . Sf% ._~ W).j .. I v Hffl^' Kflfe Roy Relaxes during interview photo by Causey A DAY WITH ROY BUCHANAN What she needs, money carit buy. £]MRU There are old people who need someone to talk to. Boys who need fathers. Guys in veterans' hospitals who need someone to visit them. Kids who need tutors. We know lots of people and groups who need your help. Write "Volunteer," Washington, D.C. 2001 Wfe needyour The National Center for Voluntary Action. by David F. Dickinson On Saturday, November 2, Roy Buchanan came to Guilford College. None of the one thousand-plus people who saw him in Dana Auditorium could have possibly felt that they were presented with anything less than one of the most memorable concerts of their lives. In the past three years, Roy has risen from total obscurity to legendary status and after witnessing last Saturday's performance, I now realize that all of the accolades that have been directed toward him still fall short in describing the man's talent as a guitarist. Eric Clapton is credited with describing Roy as the "best guitarist in the world", a description with which 1 heartily concur. Never have 1 seen a guitarist who could do the things with a guitar that Roy does so nonchalantly. Using only his ancient Fender Telecaster and a very small Fender amp, Roy produces sounds that are often reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, who, as we all know, was never seen without a mountain of amplifiers and assorted electronic "gimmicks" such as wah-wah pedals, fuzz boxes, etc... Behind the identity that is Roy Buchanan, "world's greatest guitarist", lies ano- ther identity that is as fascinating as the man's superb guitar work. As a member of the Guilford Union Dance and Pop Artists Committee, 1 was one of three persons given the task of acting as a "star liason unit" for Saturday's concert. This duty gave me the opportunity to rap with Roy and his band in a somewhat intimate fashion, both before and after the concert. The experience was fascinating. At eight o'clock, Saturday night, Rob Newman and 1 found ourselves in the star's dressing room in Dana. Our assignment, whether we chose to accept it or not, was to wait there for Roy and his band and to guard a case of Coke on ice and several sandwiches which more than casually resembled the bill of fare at our friendly neighborhood mess hall. Around what I remember vaguely as eight-fifteen, there was a flurry of activity at the rear door and suddenly the band and Roy had arrived. They milled around and I approached the one that 1 recognized as Roy and introduced myself. After some more milling around and questions concerning time, Roy sat down opposite me and opened a Schlitz from the two cases that had been brought in by the band. As Steve Causey snapped photos of Roy and vice versa, some of the brew was passed around and in that mellow atmosphere, Roy laid out some of his philosophy on life as well as answering questions thrown at him by the half dozen people there. I found myself engaged in a discussion ofreligion. Roy was running down his particular interpretation of God, saying that he knows God's name and that the name is Jehovah. 1 found myself being drawn to this man even though I did not particularly agree with every- thing he was saying. I discovered immediately that Roy has a peculiar habit of looking you straight in the eye when he is rapping to you, thus capturing your total attention. Roy revealed that his father was a Jehovah's Witness minister and we subsequently discussed the effect that such a strict religious upbringing can have on a person's life. Roy went on to explain what he feels is fundamentally wrong with the kind of "religion" that "charlatan" Billy Graham, puts out for the people to feed upon. Then Roy mentioned that he had recently read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mainte- nance and that he felt that the book had been a religious experience for him. At that point, I recommended that he pick up a copy of Baba Ram Dass' Be Here Now. He said that he had never heard of the book but I somehow had the feeling that he would love it if he ever got into it. Someone in the dressing room mentioned Jimi Hendrix and that set Roy off on a long discussion of his admiration for Jimi. He said, "I loved Jimi, the same way 1 loved Jimmy Dean". He went on to talk about how he had known Hendrix way back when and how Jimi was such a beautiful person who could reach out and touch the depths of your soul from the coldness of a vinyl disc. Roy talked about how the two of them had played guitar together before either was well known. By this time I felt that I had known Roy Buchanan for a period of time considerably longer than thirty minutes. It is very rare to meet an individual capable of reaching across that vast separateness that is created and sustained Airport 1975 is currently showing at the Golden Gate theatre, in the Golden Gate Shopping Center. It was inspired by the novel Airport, by Arthur Hailey, and could be considered a sequel to the movie Airport, although the two movies are unrelated in plot. Airport 1975 is about a crisis which hits a 747 as it is nearing its place of descent. The movie is centered around the emotion generated by the crisis. The plot is very simple, but it is also very absorbing because of the excellent way Are you interested in mountain climbing or rapell- ing? Would you like to learn? Come to the Cliff-Hangers meeting Sunday, November 10, at 7:00 P.M. in King 103. Movie Review by ego but Roy is such an individual. He cuts straight through the superficialities, tells you where he lives, asks you where you live and then relates to you accordingly. It is impossible to relate here the various other things that were discussed on this night as anyone who was not there would never understand exactly how it was. Let is suffice to say that meeting Roy Buchanan and rapping with him was a real enlightenment. in which the interest of the viewer is held. After the movie was over, I realized that I had been excited very much by it, and I also realized that the excitement was generated mostly through emotions, and very little through violence or other actions. It does not pretend to be a complex movie with numerous connecting concepts, but it does as good a job of gripping the interest of the viewer as one more complicated. The all-star cast includes such famous personalities as Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, Helen Reddy, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Sid Caesar, Dana Andrews, and Linda Blair. Shows are presently at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 pm, at a cost of $2.50 for adults and SI.OO for children. by Bob Johnston Page 3

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Page 1: A DAY WITH ROY BUCHANAN - DigitalNC

November 8, 1974 The Guilfordian

: ."-r -"ry. r -. '"?

???? :Sr;v|^^Pi^ft-^ ; v f̂c.Sf% ._~ W).j .. IvHffl^'

Kflfe

Roy Relaxes during interviewphoto by Causey

A DAY WITH ROY BUCHANAN

What she needs,money carit buy.

£]MRU

There are old people whoneed someone to talk to. Boyswho need fathers. Guys inveterans' hospitals who needsomeone to visit them. Kids whoneed tutors.

We know lots of people andgroups who need your help.

Write "Volunteer,"Washington, D.C. 2001

Wfe needyourThe National Center for

Voluntary Action.

by David F. Dickinson

On Saturday, November 2,Roy Buchanan came to

Guilford College. None of theone thousand-plus people whosaw him in Dana Auditoriumcould have possibly felt thatthey were presented withanything less than one of themost memorable concerts oftheir lives. In the past threeyears, Roy has risen from totalobscurity to legendary status

and after witnessing lastSaturday's performance, Inow realize that all of theaccolades that have beendirected toward him still fallshort in describing the man'stalent as a guitarist. EricClapton is credited withdescribing Roy as the "bestguitarist in the world", adescription with which 1heartily concur. Never have 1seen a guitarist who could dothe things with a guitar thatRoy does so nonchalantly.Using only his ancient FenderTelecaster and a very smallFender amp, Roy producessounds that are oftenreminiscent of Jimi Hendrix,who, as we all know, wasnever seen without a mountainof amplifiers and assortedelectronic "gimmicks" suchas wah-wah pedals, fuzzboxes, etc...

Behind the identity that isRoy Buchanan, "world'sgreatest guitarist", lies ano-ther identity that is asfascinating as the man'ssuperb guitar work. As amember of the Guilford UnionDance and Pop Artists

Committee, 1 was one of threepersons given the task ofacting as a "star liason unit"for Saturday's concert. Thisduty gave me the opportunityto rap with Roy and his bandin a somewhat intimatefashion, both before and afterthe concert. The experiencewas fascinating.

At eight o'clock, Saturday

night, Rob Newman and 1found ourselves in the star'sdressing room in Dana. Ourassignment, whether we choseto accept it or not, was to waitthere for Roy and his band andto guard a case of Coke on iceand several sandwiches whichmore than casually resembledthe bill of fare at our friendly

neighborhood mess hall.Around what I remember

vaguely as eight-fifteen, therewas a flurry of activity at therear door and suddenly theband and Roy had arrived.They milled around and I

approached the one that 1recognized as Roy andintroduced myself. After some

more milling around and

questions concerning time,

Roy sat down opposite me andopened a Schlitz from the two

cases that had been brought inby the band. As Steve Causey

snapped photos of Roy and

vice versa, some of the brewwas passed around and in thatmellow atmosphere, Roy laidout some of his philosophy on

life as well as answering

questions thrown at him by

the half dozen people there.I found myself engaged in a

discussion ofreligion. Roy was

running down his particular

interpretation of God, sayingthat he knows God's name andthat the name is Jehovah. 1found myself being drawn tothis man even though I did notparticularly agree with every-thing he was saying. Idiscovered immediately thatRoy has a peculiar habit oflooking you straight in the eyewhen he is rapping to you,thus capturing your totalattention. Roy revealed thathis father was a Jehovah'sWitness minister and we

subsequently discussed theeffect that such a strictreligious upbringing can haveon a person's life. Roy went onto explain what he feels isfundamentally wrong with thekind of "religion" that"charlatan" Billy Graham,puts out for the people to feedupon.

Then Roy mentioned that hehad recently read Zen and theArt of Motorcycle Mainte-nance and that he felt that thebook had been a religiousexperience for him. At thatpoint, I recommended that hepick up a copy of Baba RamDass' Be Here Now. He saidthat he had never heard of thebook but I somehow had thefeeling that he would love it ifhe ever got into it.

Someone in the dressingroom mentioned Jimi Hendrixand that set Roy off on a longdiscussion of his admirationfor Jimi. He said, "I lovedJimi, the same way 1 lovedJimmy Dean". He went on to

talk about how he had knownHendrix way back when andhow Jimi was such a beautiful

person who could reach out

and touch the depths of yoursoul from the coldness of a

vinyl disc. Roy talked abouthow the two of them hadplayed guitar together beforeeither was well known.

By this time I felt that I hadknown Roy Buchanan for a

period of time considerablylonger than thirty minutes. Itis very rare to meet anindividual capable of reachingacross that vast separatenessthat is created and sustained

Airport 1975 is currentlyshowing at the Golden Gatetheatre, in the Golden GateShopping Center. It wasinspired by the novel Airport,by Arthur Hailey, and couldbe considered a sequel to themovie Airport, although thetwo movies are unrelated inplot.

Airport 1975 is about a crisiswhich hits a 747 as it isnearing its place of descent.The movie is centered aroundthe emotion generated by thecrisis. The plot is very simple,but it is also very absorbingbecause of the excellent way

Are you interested inmountain climbing or rapell-ing? Would you like to learn?Come to the Cliff-Hangersmeeting Sunday, November10, at 7:00 P.M. in King 103.

Movie Review

by ego but Roy is such anindividual. He cuts straightthrough the superficialities,tells you where he lives, asksyou where you live and thenrelates to you accordingly.

It is impossible to relatehere the various other thingsthat were discussed on thisnight as anyone who was not

there would never understandexactly how it was. Let issuffice to say that meeting RoyBuchanan and rapping withhim was a real enlightenment.

in which the interest of theviewer is held. After the movie

was over, I realized that I hadbeen excited very much by it,and I also realized that theexcitement was generatedmostly through emotions, andvery little through violence orother actions. It does not

pretend to be a complex moviewith numerous connectingconcepts, but it does as good ajob of gripping the interest ofthe viewer as one more

complicated.The all-star cast includes

such famous personalities asCharlton Heston, GeorgeKennedy, Helen Reddy,Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., SidCaesar, Dana Andrews, andLinda Blair. Shows are

presently at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10pm, at a cost of $2.50 foradults and SI.OO for children.

by Bob Johnston

Page 3