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For whatever reason a few years ago, I wanted to hear the Edgar Winter Group’s “Free Ride.” Naturally, the first place I checked was YouTube. Yep, lots of videos for “Free Ride.” But wouldn’t you know it, on the first video I pick, there’s a link to Edgar’s brother, Johnny, performing “Mean Town Blues” at Woodstock.
My knowledge of Johnny Winter, up until that point, consisted of strange memories. The first goes back to about 1970 when I saw an advertisement for Johnny Winter wall posters in a comic book. I was six at the time and Johnny Winter was really scary looking. This gaunt, long-haired guy with a scary grin… What was that all about? Then maybe three years later or so I remember seeing an album cover of his and it brought back the old terror: this was the album where Johnny Winter’s wearing mirror glasses and holding a steel guitar that’s just as bright as his glasses. And it didn’t help that Stacy Keach’s “Bad Bob” character in “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” was a look-alike who ate raw onions and drank burning hot coffee right off the fire! Man, I though the dude was a crazy freak who ate children! Then in college, I remember some guitarist showcase on MTV featuring Link Wray, Brian Setzer, some other dudes… And Johnny Winter. Now up until then, I’d only seen Johnny Winter as I just mentioned. Well, as a 21-year old, I shouldn’t be scared of some albino guitar player who’s brother is an albino too… Wait, maybe I still was afraid, irrational as it may have been…
OK, so Johnny Winter is up and he covers Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Good.” and there is is, in all his freakish albino, tattoo-covered glory. Mirror Sunglasses and all, playing one of them “headless” guitars. I didn’t get it then, but I was going through a phase…
Then let’s flash up to 2006 when by chance I came across the video in question. Well, look, I am a convert. Man, my life would’ve been totally different had I been turned-on to Johnny Winter by this performance – even as a six-year-old, rather than in some horror comic. His performance is supernatural, like he dropped in from a different plane of reality, just to play Woodstock. Man, I got to see him play in New York City last January and while he could barely more around at his advanced age and condition… Once he sat down to play, the magic was all there and I am so grateful to have shared the same time and place on earth with this extraordinary genius who really deserves the word “awesome” in the description of this performance.
– David Lee Beowulf wrote and edited for Ink Nineteen magazine for a solid ten plus years. http://columns.ink19.com/angryink/
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