20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Roy Buchanan

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This album compiles highlights from unjustly obscure guitarist Roy Buchanan's first solo albums for Polydor (1972-75), efforts that defined his country-blues-gospel roots and showcased the fiery, emotionally charged technique that awed even fellow guitar gods like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. In a 1971 interview, Buchanan confided, "This star business scares the hell out of me." That remark says much about both the guitar phenom's humble mindset and promising yet oft-troubled career. Buchanan apprenticed with '50s rockabilly star Dale Hawkins (and later, Hawkins's cousin Ronnie in the Hawks, soon to become the Band), but was in his 30s before he got the attention he so richly deserved. Buchanan's solos here often seem to bypass his conscious mind and connect directly with his complex, conflicted soul (he committed suicide in 1988). Contrasted with his plaintive, near-spoken vocals on spiritually disparate tracks like "The Messiah Will Come Again," "Hey Joe," and a live take on "I'm Evil," the solos can be gut-wrenchingly powerful. Buchanan's public acceptance was limited, but his playing continues to influence new generations; here are a dozen good reasons why. --Jerry McCulley

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Roy Buchanan,Roy Buchanan,Polydor / Pgd,Blues-Rock,Modern Electric Blues,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Roy Buchanan

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Good section
Roy Buchanan/ worlds best guitarist
20th Century Masters-The Best of Roy Buchanan
1 million stars best guitar solos ever
The blues (and theology) of Roy Buchanan

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan
Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000639AM
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

Sweet Dreams
Pete's Blue
The Messiah Will Come Again
Filthy Teddy
After Hours
Five String Blues
Hey Joe
Roy's Bluz
CC Ryder
Country Preacher
Wayfaring Pilgrim
I'm Evil (live)

Amazon.com

This album compiles highlights from unjustly obscure guitarist Roy Buchanan's first solo albums for Polydor (1972-75), efforts that defined his country-blues-gospel roots and showcased the fiery, emotionally charged technique that awed even fellow guitar gods like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. In a 1971 interview, Buchanan confided, "This star business scares the hell out of me." That remark says much about both the guitar phenom's humble mindset and promising yet oft-troubled career. Buchanan apprenticed with '50s rockabilly star Dale Hawkins (and later, Hawkins's cousin Ronnie in the Hawks, soon to become the Band), but was in his 30s before he got the attention he so richly deserved. Buchanan's solos here often seem to bypass his conscious mind and connect directly with his complex, conflicted soul (he committed suicide in 1988). Contrasted with his plaintive, near-spoken vocals on spiritually disparate tracks like "The Messiah Will Come Again," "Hey Joe," and a live take on "I'm Evil," the solos can be gut-wrenchingly powerful. Buchanan's public acceptance was limited, but his playing continues to influence new generations; here are a dozen good reasons why. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Good section.......2007-05-12

Nice cross section of this outstanding telecaster master. Great renditions of 'sweet dreams' and 'the messiah will come again' and a nice edgy version of 'hey joe'. All in all a good listen.

Roy Buchanan/ worlds best guitarist.......2006-11-10

I love to listen to Roy Buchanan. I like all the cd's I've purchased online from amazon. I wouldn't have purchased them if I didn't trust the source.

20th Century Masters-The Best of Roy Buchanan.......2006-09-18

Roy brings out the spiritual in his blues. It was and is gospel. His guitar is guided by his soulful heart. Songs like the "messiah will come again" let's the listener be witnessed to jesus's glory through blues because as Roy puts it, he went away. Also Roy can raise hell with his "I'm evil" and spit fire when his guitar stirs up the fever with "hey joe". One fine jam. The album has much to write about and more to listen to from a temporary lost soul. The saddest song to listen to but beautiful just the same is "five string blues". His few short lines are "Jesus this is my final plea,i'm still beg-gin you, don't let the devil get the best of me". sad words when we know Roy Buchanan is no more. i believe Jesus sheltered him from the storm... play on dear brother.......

1 million stars best guitar solos ever.......2006-05-31

hey joe will blow your mind playing the vocal harmonies on guitar all through the song during his solo is faster then any hardcore death metal guitar player ever. #1 on the list of best guitar players with zappa hendrix srv dwayne allman. Afraid of stardom. arrested for a dwi he hung himself in jail. What a shame r.i.p. with the rest of the rock gods "I dreamed of heaven i saw my baby."

The blues (and theology) of Roy Buchanan.......2003-05-21

I recently rediscoved Roy Buchanan at the advice of a friend. I owned one of his albums back in the mid seventies, but didn't follow up on him since. Then it happened. I was mesmerized by this collection, which is excellent except for one loser--"C.C. Rider." Besides this plodding, stupid song--in which Roy lacks the freedom to ascend into the telesphere--all the cuts are good and some are superb.

Roy's tone, given his long-time fried, the telecaster (most bluespeople use a stratocaster or a Gibson), has a bit of a country edge, but the playing is more blues than anything. I used to think that Stevie Ray Vaughn was the best ever, but now I'm not sure. Roy had chops Stevie lacked, especially the "chicken pickin" (I think that's the term for it) technique of choking off a note then hitting one fully. He uses this masterfully.

If you are a blues fan and a Christian, try listening to "The Messiah Will Come Again" without getting a bit choaked up. It is a simple plainspoken (not sung) take on the gospel. The "lonely, lonely, little town called the world" rejoiced at he coming of "a Stranger," but some mocked, and he went away. But "I've walked a lot of places that I never should have been, but I know that the Messiah, he will come again." Confession and hope of final redemption come through, even if the Cross is not explicitly mentioned. And what painfully beautiful playing!

No, Roy couldn't really sing--and he shouldn't have been made to try. The singing on "I'm evil" is barely audible and quite a juxtaposition to the powerful, searing playing. Nevertheless, the lyrics (by Roy) are rather amusing, and, in a strange way, telling. The song is in the Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker tradition of "Watch out for me, I'm bad." Roy sings, "I was born standin' up and talkin' back." Weren't we all? That's the problem, isn't it?

Roy's gone. He died mysteriously in a jail cell in 1988 in this "lonely, lonely little town called the world."

But the Messiah will come again.

Doug Groothuis

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