Philos
Veteran Member
Folks,
We were having this discussion in the pub the other night. Was Robert Johnson as good as George Formby?
Both men were top musicians and groundbreaking talents, but which tops the other? Looking at documentary material on both, it is easy to see the differences in their genres, but also similarities in their command of a stringed instrument. Robert Johnson has a rythmic picking, reminiscent of the piano; Formby has ukelele chops which are seminal to rock guitar breaks in later times. Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin covered Johnson’s numbers and John Lennon referred to Formby as influencing the Beatles use of complex chording.
Is it even possible to compare such great musicians, given their differing backgrounds? I think it is, and after careful thought I have to give Formby the head. What do you think?
A.
We were having this discussion in the pub the other night. Was Robert Johnson as good as George Formby?
Both men were top musicians and groundbreaking talents, but which tops the other? Looking at documentary material on both, it is easy to see the differences in their genres, but also similarities in their command of a stringed instrument. Robert Johnson has a rythmic picking, reminiscent of the piano; Formby has ukelele chops which are seminal to rock guitar breaks in later times. Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin covered Johnson’s numbers and John Lennon referred to Formby as influencing the Beatles use of complex chording.
Is it even possible to compare such great musicians, given their differing backgrounds? I think it is, and after careful thought I have to give Formby the head. What do you think?
A.