Subject: Danny Gatton

You know, BC, one of the best things about you is that I can openly disagree with you.

Now I’m not about to disagree here, but rather, let you in on a BIG secret: Danny Gatton was the best PERIOD!
He could out ‘Les Paul’ Les Paul, he could out ‘Scotty Moore’ Scotty Moore, he could out ‘Jimmy Page’ Jimmy Page!
He was better than any other guitarist but his downfall was that he was easily bored and wouldn’t play one style to death.
So no one ever knew how to categorize his music. So he never got any airplay. His sales amounted to word-of-mouth true believers – a real cult hero! Unfortunately, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
 
The Hellecasters held up the release of their second CD, in order properly dedicate it to Danny. You’ve probably never
heard of them either… that’s ok, because they’re not doing commercial consumption stuff: there was a time when you
couldn’t open an issue of Guitar Player magazine without seeing them on every other page. They were playing for us guitar players! This was a band with three over-the-top guitar slingers: and Danny was better than all three of them COMBINED!

After his death, there were a series of tribute shows all over the country: major players turned out and played to help out
the Gatton’s. Unfortunately, you would probably not recognize their names either. I will supply you with a list, if you want.
I can also give you a link to a Gatton mp3 file, but I don’t want people grabbing it: this guy still deserves to have his stuff
bought over the counter. I heartily recommend “Unfinished Business” which was not released posthumously, but rather
was somewhat of a comeback release several albums before he decided to end it all.

regards,

N--
 
 

Norm,

Let's not get carried away, now.  Everyone is saying he was the best,
but you can't out-Picasso Picasso AND out-Van Gogh Van Gogh.

You might do one, but you can't do both.

To me, Page's appeal is that he's crazy and sloppy and emotional and "speaks" in repetitive
riffs that he couldn't duplicate if you paid him extra, whereas a guy like Eddie Van Halen has
that lightning precision and computer-like accuracy that, I think, robs him of any passion.

Your boy can't be all things to all people.
My guy, Scott, can out-Eddie Eddie Van Halen, but he can't play the passion stuff.

Sure would like to hear this Gatton guy, tho.

Napster is working again.
Maybe I can join for $5 and get some Danny Gatton?

If they're charging by the song, what song(s) should I get?

And don't say "everything" cause I don't want to pay for some semi-good stuff,
be semi-impressed and then everyone say, "You should've heard this song."

And no matter what psychologically disturbed Rich says, I didn't diss the guy.
I've never heard him play, so how could I diss him?
 

...and yes, it's nice to be able to disagree politely,

bc