Link Wray - Rumble - 11/19/1974

[@markgreene6349]

The only instrumental song banned from the radio... that alone should get you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

[@devtank]

I just heard this in context having heard it a million times never knowing ..and also found out that it was banned for being to Lewd -hilarious!

[@vincentgibson3049]

@@devtank it was probably banned because he was Native!!

[@vincentgibson3049]

This song right here was the birth of heavy metal!!! 😈

[@jonathanhains814]

Well, ehh. It came out in 1958.

[@TheWolfsnack]

@@devtank .....banned for contributing to "juvenile delinquency".... :)

[@FilkMarionson]

This is, without a doubt, the most rock and roll thing that has ever happened.

[@emilyoshiro]

It’s all been downhill, ever since

[@jameseaton5980]

This the tune that must have given Jimmy Page his major league inspiration; it sure put a major league smile on his face.

[@sexobscura]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@anthonykartsev854]

Yes

[@jamesdye4603]

Honestly, this is the first time I've seen Link Wray on stage and his attitude of "I'm great, deal with it" is so cool.

[@dennisfox8673]

When you’ve been the coolest guy in the room for so long you just come to peace with it.

[@gunsandpoker7432]

Just now inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. 1/1/24

[@markr8755]

More proof the RRHF is a joke. One of the most important riffs ever and they waited this long to induct him...

[@andrewwabik5125]

@@markr8755 yeah, fuck em! At least we know. 😊

[@nandorocker]

Like, how is it humanly possible that it took this long.

[@KittyGrizGriz]

Glad Link W. is still alive to witness this, wayyy too long imho

[@andrewwabik5125]

@@KittyGrizGriz uhm, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Link Wray has been dead for over 20 years :(

[@charlottewray9328]

I love this! Thank you for posting ~ I want to tell you Dad would sit up all night just playing his guitar. He truly loved music. He was good friends with Elvis ,whom he loves so much and a Big Star Trek fan lol I have been reading through all of your comments and it just blesses me to hear your thoughts and stories. Thank you so much! You guys are the reason his legacy continues 😊

[@jbharrell7598]

Your dad oozes rock and roll. To have the rappers that are in the hall of Fame and he isn't is insane. When he swaggers out of the shadows to the front of the stage that's what you should see when you look up the definition of rock and roll.

[@GTX1123]

It's an honor to tell these stories about your Dad. I really do think there should be a movie about his life because he had a HUGE influence on great guitar legends like Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend etc. For those of us who are DC area musicians your Dad WAS ONE OF US. This was his home throughout most of his career. My Dad was around 14 when his family moved to Alexandria in 1949. FOUR of his brothers were musicians and all started out in the DC area music scene. One of them was in a band for a brief time with Mama Cass Elliott right before she left for NY and formed the "Mama's and the Papa's", another uncle took Danny Gatton on the road with him in 1967 for one year and recorded a live album with him and the youngest of the four uncles played in bands that opened for legendary bands like the Yardbirds and the Vanilla Fudge at the Ambassador. Me and my younger brother are both musicians and have sought to carry on that legacy.

[@kiranrambocus87]

I Heard Fire and brimstone on the netflix docu, just wow, that song has so much soul. Love from the Netherlands

[@charlottewray9328]

@Dennis Granahan he was an amazing person, he has such a love for people and music! Wow that is so awesome that you got to see him as a teenager

[@thejamnasium6447]

your father might have been the coolest man in history. as his daughter you probably didn't think that haha, but my goodness it's true. God bless his precious memory.

[@jerry-st7rc]

Link Wray is a TOTAL STUD.

[@sjdinergrrl]

Jesus Mary & Joseph, the swagger! No wonder it was banned on the radio.

[@seanmiland]

Evil Glen Campbell

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

It was banned in one city but the story flew round the world

[@marconi451]

"I don't know if I was ahead of my time, but I knew I couldn’t be Elvis or Jerry Lee because I couldn't sing. So I devoted all of my time and my energy and my soul into my guitar and sound, like punching holes in my speaker." - Link Wray, 1998

[@broadcasttttable]

Great quote!

[@KittyGrizGriz]

Thank you for this, didn’t know

[@damienwarrigul6922]

But he could sing. His vocal stuff is so good.

[@thepsychicalliance]

​@@damienwarrigul6922was just gonna say this. I love the vocals and songwriting on his record.

[@jimz68]

I was at this show. The two main things I remember, his guitar was bright red , and this was LOUD !!

[@warriorwoman34]

You are now my spirit animal

[@ltc8227]

Wow I was to young lol love his music 🎶 🎸 🇨🇦

[@vernjames6511]

I too was there, grew up in the city, spent my weekends at the Fillmore West, and Winterland, it was a great show

[@deloreswilson1798]

John Kay aka Steppin Wolf copied his swagger.Link is someone to imitate.Won't be another original.He is still in the warpath.That's some great dope.🤔

[@NDN_FTR]

You must have seen some great shows back then; what a great time and place.

[@whakatu4life285]

This 3 piece make it what it is... the drummer, bass and Mr Wray... though his attitude and swagger makes the Fonz look like Potsie and caps it all off perfectly.

[@SteveOuimette]

This is a classic example of not needing any more than 3 chords and a truckload of swagger. For an instrumental to be banned from the radio for being "lewd" that doesn't even have any vocals is a testament to how badass the vibe is. Link...genius in simplicity.

[@arandomsupra]

Imagine banning this song from the radio for "encouraging juvenile delinquincy" then 42 years later discovering gorenoise

[@HungL0W]

I'm no expert in writing. But get this man a Pulitzer

[@PortCharmers]

Four chords (of the first six you usually learn)! Plus running down the E-minor pentatonic in triplets. Anyway it's too late to encourage any juvenile delinquency here. Senile maybe.

[@SteveOuimette]

@@PortCharmers 4, you are correct. But that Em pentatonic is a classic every time.

[@HM-2011]

You also need a neat funky drummer

[@Blend_No.47]

Nothing can or ever will be any cooler than this.

[@ronaldmulukom7477]

My little daughter, played this one’s 😂

[@kevinwilliams1421]

What a birder

[@GTX1123]

Link Wray's life story in music is a blockbuster movie going somewhere to happen. The story behind "The Rumble" is eerily similar to the "Johnny B Good" sock hop scene in "Back to the Future" and is THE SONG that influenced Page, Townsend, Clapton, Beck to blend power chording cranked up amps w American Blues. Link's bad boy persona wasn't a fake image either - he really lived it. The TRUE stories from when Link and his Wraymen were the house band at an outlaw biker bar in southeast DC back in the mid 60's are a perfect Hollywood script. At one point, the bikers vowed they were going to "take care of business" with the Wraymen because one of the band members began dating an ex girlfriend of one of the bikers. The Wraymen were scared to death of the bikers. And Link?! He told the Wraymen to bring their "hardware" (hand guns) to the next gig at the bar and set them on top of their amplifiers. They begged Link not to antagonize the bikers so what did Link do? Made sure he used a longer guitar cable so he could walk out into the crowd and antagonize the bikers LOL. Well, the bikers LOVED IT and Link became their folk hero after that night. True story.

[@Breaker197]

That's awesome. Where did you get this info?

[@GTX1123]

@@Breaker197 Mostly from the book "Capitol Rock" written by Mark Opsasnick who lives here locally in the Washington DC area (it's a documentary on Rock music in the DC area going back to the 1950's). Here's the story behind "The Rumble". Link and his Wraymen were playing a huge soc hop in Fredericksburg Virginia around 1957 with around 5,000 kids. Link said they were playing all the stuff kids wanted to hear but no one was really paying all that much attention to them. They were finishing up the night when local TV DJ Milt Grant who was MC'ing the event, was supposed to bring "The Diamonds" on stage to sing their #1 hit "The Stroll". Rather than put on the 45 record and have the Diamonds lip sync it which was common in those days, Grant assumed Link and the Wraymen knew it so he said "hey Link, play 'The Stroll' and we'll have the "The Diamonds" come up on stage and sing it". While Link was trying to tell Grant he didn't know it, Link's brother Doug started playing the drums to "The Stroll" so Link dimed up his Imperial amplifier, spun up the vibrato control and started power chording what became known as the "The Rumble". Link's brother Ray grabbed the mic and put it up to Link's pulsating Imperial amp, so now it was incredibly loud, pulsating through the PA speakers in sync with the shuffle beat Doug was plying. Link said the kids at the soc hop, who hadn't payed any attention to them the entire night, suddenly rushed up to the stage and started pounding on it in sync to the beat as the guitar was blasting through the PA speakers. Every time they tried to stop playing it the kids screamed for them to play it again so they played it four times. Link also said from a taped 1984 interview that there was a fight that broke out in the crowd that night so that influenced how he was playing it (power chording and riffs) as well as what it was named. Milt Grant smelled money so he got Ray into the studio to record it. Ray said when they recorded it, he had to poke holes in the tweaters on his Imperial amplifier because he couldn't emulate the same distorted sound he got that night with the amp through the PA speakers. Great story...

[@mikefannon6994]

Great stories! I was a kid in the 50s, but remember "greasers" and that whole vibe they brought to Rock-n-Roll.

[@LePuntano22]

Wow a real old school thug life

[@roadrunnergtx68]

@@Breaker197 This is one of Jimmy's favorite tunes. Saw him placing the vinyl on a phonograph and playing air guitar smiling and laughing like a little kid.

[@RossTrittipo]

You will never see swagger like Link Wray strolling onto a dark stage with sunglasses and a mouthful of chewing gum

[@marknewton6984]

Swag!!!

[@cholodesanfe87]

He was doing a Native American dance step

[@livewire2759]

The way he looks at the camera, chewing his gum with that grin as if to say, "Yeah, I know exactly how f-ing cool I am."

[@theautisticpage]

Never seen swagger like that ever.

[@davemanone3661]

Yeah, uh huh, that's right, i am all that. Never saw anyone strut around like that and look so real!

[@dutch1999]

Link Wray came here to chew bubble gum and kick ass at the same time.

[@DrChaos-dj8lw]

Indeed he was 🤣

[@lisatrosclair7824]

❤❤❤

[@pipebombmailer22]

its time to kick gum and chew ass

[@chriscosby2459]

Keeping time with the bubble gum.

[@michaelschaefer7962]

Quite possibly the coolest man ever to stalk a rock-n-roll stage.

[@lindamalone9174]

Said the same thing, but you said it better. Damn he was cool.

[@michaelschaefer7962]

@@lindamalone9174 😎❤

[@TheWolfsnack]

...plus Dual Cool with Robert Gordon....

[@michaelschaefer7962]

@@TheWolfsnack Amen to that!

[@marknewton6984]

The Coolest Cat!!

[@JJarkitekt]

This performance was absolutely ripping in 1974 and the song was already 16 years old! It came out in the spring of 1958, at a time when things like "The Purple People Eater" and "Yakety Yak" topped the charts. It's no joke when people say this man set a new course for the future of rock music.

[@WuLi4B]

I guess a lot of people are going to freak when they finally realize that this is a 1974 performance of Rumble which he wrote in 1958. Kickin ass and takin scalps. Coolest guitar guy I ever saw. He's even chewing gum.

[@TubeMistake]

Inspired by Jimi

[@thejamnasium6447]

@@TubeMistake and Elvis

[@56cadd]

Link was born 1928, he was playing before jimi and Elvis.

[@thejamnasium6447]

@@56cadd if you can look at this dude's hair, his style, listen to his voice, listen to him cover Blue Suede Shoes, and tell me he wasn't a total and complete Elvis freak, then I just dunno. granted he was older than Elvis but EVERYBODY took something from The King.

[@thejamnasium6447]

jesus christ dude

[@stratolestele7611]

I just can't, just CAN NOT believe that at around 60,and been playing guitar for 45+ years, that I just heard this exceedingly, totally, badass slowed-down version of this. He's as cool as they get. Like an Elvis and Lou Reed combo. Fantastic new addition to my playlist.

[@arteestish]

I'm 72, and this is a first! F'n EXCELLENT!!!

[@iejcwejheiowcnlwekn]

He found distortion and feedback for the rest of us

[@MisfitsFiendClub138]

Definitely influenced Black Sabbath

[@alandalaku719]

Achieved by simply playing through and amp that had a hole in the speaker cone. Even Pete Townshend said, "If it wasn't for Link Wray and "Rumble," I wouldn't have picked up a guitar."

[@wesleycook7687]

The Kinks and Rolling Stones we're inspired by him. You Really Got Me, Satisfaction and It's All Over Now for example.

[@lilmike2710]

@@MisfitsFiendClub138 Not trying to be an a-hole but... Thats the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard anyone say. All the members of sabbath have named their influences and NONE of them were distorted or even hard rock. Mostly delta blues and the Beatles.. Actually, the main reason they sounded/sound like they do is due to Toni Iommi losing his fingertips in a work accident. Just sayin, check first whenever you get the urge to just blurt out the first thing that pops into your head... Besides, this song "Rumble" was recorded on a clean channel with a tremolo added. He played this live recording here drunk as Davies Sow.

[@joelgalvan8358]

Link paved the road for many that, followed.

[@71three5ohscrambler8]

Credit to the bass player. He's hurting those strings. Coolest distortion show ever. Hey...Jimmy Page cant be wrong.

[@briandarby5558]

His amp goes to 11

[@cassette_ed]

Nice reference there

[@BiggerThanBlackAndWhite202]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@josephrogers886]

Maybe 12?

[@codypursifullmusic7765]

That’s not amp, that’s a Fuzz Box for sure

[@starflightthenightwing6182]

@@codypursifullmusic7765 hopefully u got that reference

[@marions.120]

I’m so glad Page mentioned him and Rumble during It Might Get Loud, opened the eyes and ears of a lot of people that wouldn’t have known your Dad!

[@KittyGrizGriz]

Yes, that’s when I 1st heard of Link also, when Jimmy was sharing his vast record collection. So Cool. 😅

[@2113rush]

I’ve heard that riff many times. Never knew what it was called. And how the hell have I never seen or heard of Link Wray? And I live 20 minutes from where he was born. That was fantastic!

[@pjj9491]

Surely youve watched some Tarantino movies...

[@andrewrothwell6417]

first nation American. odds stacked against him

[@lameenmcbryde3992]

You got to be from Dunn NC to understand Link Wray

[@josephfalco3141]

@@andrewrothwell6417 have you seen the the documentary?

[@georgecoley9514]

I just found out he was born in NC today

[@impalaman9707]

Look up the word "Rock Star" in the dictionary, you'll see a caption of Link Wray right beside the dictionary definition. He IS Rock and Roll!

[@themiraclebusinessmethodch5039]

I was there about five feet from the stage with my buddy Jeff, I practically lived at Winterland in 1974, those were the days!

[@ahvavee]

“And you knew who you were then...”

[@gme5400]

You lucky dog!

[@photopicker]

I knew it had to be Winterland and that was Bill Graham. So many shows, totally poor kids. I saw lots of shows at Winterland but I certainly didn't see them all.

[@OtherMike5000]

Did you ever see KISS?

[@mrabrasive51]

Saw lots of shows there from 73-76..probably the best show was J.Geils..they started out full blast and never let up!

[@SpeedyCanuck]

The man is the epitome of rock n roll swagger

[@thomasprislacjr.4063]

"Menacingly sexy," I think the ladies call it.

[@coreywiley3981]

That bass player is pretty awesome too.

[@gusparra4037]

Hell yea

[@spookerz35]

Les Lizama is his name. Not much about him on the web. He's really raping that old P-Bass.

[@FreeIndeed72]

Who's the bass player in this video?

[@erichardman9637]

total commitment, an inspiration

[@MrDMF567]

His tone is pure, unbridled rock & roll. Absolutely hypnotic

[@glenchapman3899]

Any song that makes you feel like you need a shower afterwards is truly rock and roll at it purest

[@Don-ur6el]

He considered the first heavy metal!

[@jknuttel]

Question: How many of you good people know that Link Wray was a Native American (Shawnee)?

[@rubymn7184]

Thanks to PBS Independent Lens!

[@alfazedz1791]

@@rubymn7184 Exactly. Independent Lens can be hit or miss, but that episode was definitely a hit. I am here because of it -- and can't stop returning -- even though I have never felt less cool than when I'm watching this video. Here's a Eulali video that I found after watching IL: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIDRZal_rsd3i5o

[@johnvenville5409]

I did ! Love him !

[@jamesbarker4054]

Yeah! And?

[@chrisperrien7055]

Gotta say he probably deserves the title King of Rock and Roll more than Elvis or Chuck Berry. It is nice, the unforced diversity of those three kings -White, Black, American indian

[@Bongsnake69420]

Yeahhhh this is as badass as you can ever be playing live music.

[@frogworth1622]

When Link comes out on stage Chuck Norris cowers in fear.

[@thomasprislacjr.4063]

Literally his single weakness.

[@dudee5123]

Link Ray's guitar pick is Chuck Norris's front tooth.

[@cholodesanfe87]

@@dudee5123lol 😂

[@cholodesanfe87]

@@dudee5123chuck Norris pubic hairs are the strings

[@Treasureson78RPM]

Iggy Pop once said, the moment that he heard "Rumble" by Link Wray, right there he knew what he wanted to do

[@bonafidehomicide5742]

Start a gang war? (I'm kidding, folks. It's a JOKE)

[@jeffwarr-p9r]

This is just SO fucking cool!

[@richardtaylor8595]

One of the best unsung guitarist ever, The man kicked ass and took names.

[@messiahles]

That's a pretty heavy sound for nineteen seventy four. 46 years and one week ago today...freaking love it.

[@gonegonegone-q9k]

it's actually from 1954!

[@messiahles]

@@gonegonegone-q9k Yes, the original was from that year and he used different amps back then but this 1974 version was extra crunchy.

[@gonegonegone-q9k]

my dad did this-

[@messiahles]

What are you saying Izzy ? Your dad was once in some band and that band played this song??? Or are you saying that Link Wray is your dad?

[@bradmitchell7539]

@@gonegonegone-q9k 1958 actually but yeah Waayyy ahead of his time. and he is NOT in the R&R HOF...criminal

[@BillDominiack]

that is the definition BAD ASS !!!

[@JohnSmith-oj6ir]

Link Wray. Four chords and attitude.

[@knows-about]

Sounds like Grim Reaper waking up after a 7 day whiskey binge Played this full blast, peeled the paint in the living room and my kids are speaking Shawnee

[@dexterricketts8313]

Sounds like Black Sabbath during their earliest days. In fact if I or anyone else had never heard of Link Wray and then heard this track it would have been to me or anyone else a dead-wringer for Ozzy & Co.

[@SOpunkSOwhat]

Link Wray is clearly beyond talented and the coolest person I've ever laid eyes on.

[@MrAllanWGray]

I am a 67 yr old Aussie bloke and this bloke, to me, was a brilliant legend and I love this instrumental and when I listen to it on KZbin I usually repeat it several times and with my hearing aids in and on it's even better!!!! Thank You KZbin and to Link Wray.

[@istvanfoy-roberts868]

Possibly the most perfect rock song ever...

[@tomgrueskin]

Musical Influence Award at the R&R Hall of Fame, so deserved and earned. This video, though just captures the swagger and the confidence and comfort in his own skin, and comfort with his band. Can watch it over and over.

[@chuckpotockimusic2288]

Link Wray came to Winterland to chew gum and blast people's ears...the essence of cool! R.I.P. LW!

[@DJGG8205]

I'm 52 years old. My late Dad loved rock n roll and surf instrumentals. We never got along too good a lot of the time but I'm glad we were cool the day he passed and I will always be in debt to him for introducing me to great music like this.

[@muhammadsteinberg]

D, E, A, B7 chords with a pentatonic scale thrown in. Tricky part is getting the tremolo part. Hendrix copied it in his electrified version of Hear my train a coming. Excellent stuff...all of it. Just goes to show you don't have to play a zillion friggin notes to sound DAMN good.

[@lairbear6992]

Its Dsus2, E, A, and B7, and then that pentatonic bit, according to songster, sounds pretty close anyway

[@garywray2503]

So did Pete Townsend of the who.

[@Thoracius]

@@lairbear6992 I'm not hearing a sus2 or a major 3 on the D. I just hear a D power chord x0023x

[@the-jr-joker6161]

Thanks for the chords :)

[@broadcasttttable]

Wray influenced a lot of the BigDic axe killers: Page, Beck, Clapton, to name a few. Hear some of his tone in Savoy Brown, Robin Trower, and even John Fogerty in "Born On the Bayou."

[@GordiansKnotHere]

This is where ALL the coolness on YT went... Greatest performance of all time right here.

[@arfboucher3855]

With swagger and crushing fuzz . Killer

[@johnarchluleta]

This version is nasty. Hell yeah

[@KittyGrizGriz]

FILTHY!! 🎉

[@markbell8820]

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. This tune is fur lined.

[@tj3859]

Just watched Rumble on Netflix it’s a documentary all about Native Americans in Rock n Roll. Link Wray is in it. He set the Standard for Rock n Roll guitar playing. Dude was amazing.

[@JoanneCollins-elegantlywasted]

So so happy he is now in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.About time..and great to see Jimmy Page playing his music xx from Australia

[@tomtest891]

I could not possibly love this harder than I do right now. So glad the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will give him the adulation he deserves.

[@bobm3957]

He played the part but absolutely NO DRUGS ! Him or or his band. Son of a preacher he lived with his fathers values to the end and he played Rumble just weeks before passing at age 76 in 2005 The grandfather of distortion RIP !

[@captainfanta8641]

He was a Indian. Many people don't know that.

[@johnvicaireiii5537]

Me too. Well, sort of. 3/16ths micmac native American so I'm told.

[@CG-xx2er]

@@johnvicaireiii5537wasn’t his mother Native American?

[@CG-xx2er]

@@johnvicaireiii55373-16? Im Latino we don’t go by that bs 😂

[@cosmicpeace001]

Instagram brought me here. I am glad it did ,to discover and see such amazing talent. Wow I am blown away by this.

[@sandrapowell4072]

He walks out there with so much confidence and charisma! Love 💕 it!

[@KittyGrizGriz]

Who’s the drummer? No one talks about how kick ass good he is here, a fantastic back beat rhythm!!

[@skrimpshidy]

Such a light in this world. I'm glad you were born. I'm sorry you're gone. But you changed the whole world! Hell yeah!

[@maureent6800]

SUCH A BAD ASS @!! CHEWING GUM N JAMMIN !!!!!!! YES !!!!! CLASSIC!! THANK YOU FLINT MI

[@KASUN_M]

Sorry kids you'll never be this cool

[@MrCretemaniam]

I'm kind of ashamed to say I never heard of Link Wray until today. I was looking at guitars online and saw the Danoelectric Longhorn which he played I went WOW !!!!!! ... Then I found out that was one of his favorite guitars. And I considered myself knowledgeable about rock and roll ! This guy kills it and I love this song ! Very reminiscent to me of Neil Young's electric sound ! I'm going to check out more of Link's music ! Thank you Uploader !!!!

[@antoniog.7069]

Better now than never!

[@brucecollis8609]

How could I,such a fan of the heavy power chord and distortion lover go this long without hearing of this? Love it!!!!!!

[@markmmv]

listen to the original 1958 version

[@brucecollis8609]

@@markmmv Thanks! will do! :)

[@steveocollin3864]

@@markmmv Could you POST THE LINK TO THE 1958 VERSION ? SOOOO COOL

[@joejones9520]

there are no power chords in this song, good grief.

[@lindamalone9174]

He was every inch cool. Just watching him cross the stage...no one can fake that.

[@MathewFrawley]

This beast of a song is 50 years old this week.

[@sammyb1001]

Needs to be Nominated already for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, long overdue!

[@johnnyhulgan3891]

How can he not already be there?

[@chevyblue10]

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a bad joke. So many that should be there already but ain't. So many in there because of their race only. And I ain't talking white.

[@canadianroot]

WGAF? He doesn’t need their elitist stamp of approval. He’d probably thumb his nose at it, which any true rocker should.

[@beyondvger3682]

Struttin' on stage like the guy who owns it. He influenced many of the great rock musicians. Hall of Fame or forever be shamed.

[@MorningView4]

Who cares about the HOF. Awards are fucking stupid.

[@vinceleone3952]

Fantastic.what sound! I was very fortunate to see him at the Mohawk Place in Buffalo years ago.Why is he not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? A Legend.

[@simonkormendy849]

The reason why he's not in the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame is probably most likely cause the current committee members don't really understand what the genre, known as Rock n Roll, really is, much less the concept of it.

[@glenchapman3899]

@@simonkormendy849 yes and the lack of hip hop/ techno/country writing credits does not help either unfortunately.

[@paulkeahtigh2]

Probably because he's Native American,🏹

[@caroldavis6928]

He was so cooool!

[@scottmoehlis5706]

After the 1st lead when Link hits the A chord and smiles, rock and roll at its finest.

[@realRichHunting]

Out of all of the versions I have heard, this is the best! At least, to me it is.

[@omegaweapon116]

Definitely. Maybe it's because this performance took place in the 70s and the original was made in the 50s. This version sounds like a heavy metal version of the original.

[@rodneybaker2643]

I heard Beans n Fatback album when I was about 18 ; im 70 now and still listen to it! Still think it perhaps the best swampy rock blues I’ve ever heard! Thankyou Link Wray ; from way down Tasmania!

[@MrEdwardmarlowe]

Amuses me that they introduce Link Wray... then the camera is solely on his bass player for the first few phrases. heh. Lovely to see this footage - wish I'd gotten to see Link live.

[@strokerace4765]

Who is here after seeing Jimmy Paige play this on air guitar?

[@ryanfulldark2775]

🙋🏼‍♂️

[@freddiemercurious]

In the famous words of Jeff Spicoli, "Right here, dude!"

[@randypantz9019]

Thank heavens for Jimmy Page's record collection that transformed him into the sound machine he is today.

[@glennsmith7702]

I came right here after watching page play the air guitar with this playing on the record player.

[@strokerace4765]

Glenn I never heard of this song before I heard Jimmy talking about it.

[@plrndl]

This should be the first tune that every wannabe guitarist learns. So simple, and so powerfull.

[@goojedooje660]

Got to the feel and timeing

[@sandrapowell4072]

He struts away but leaves something magical

[@BSIII]

That riff with that thick fuzz tone can literally knock the top of a fking mountain clean off.

[@sunnyday751]

figuratively speaking

[@dingusfuzzklonnkt2755]

That fuzz is beautiful

[@deloreswilson1798]

I had a crush on him in utero.That's how young I was.😆😍

[@stringlocker]

Looking cool is 99% of the battle.

[@BSIII]

​@@sunnyday751yeah it took me this many years to see I completely misused 'literally' lol, which I try not to do now. Embarrassed

[@mariogarcia1519]

Absolutely, hands down, one of the realest, rawest rock jams ever recorded in history…. I’ve loved it for a long time. Question tho: How dafuk I just find out in 2022 that this genus is a NATIVE AMERICAN??!!

[@almapendergrass7810]

Neil brought me here. Whoa.. Your dad was so cool. I watched it several times and he got cooler and cooler by 5x each time!!!

[@josphgrld]

This man deserves more credit. How cool is he? Wow.

[@foylebutler8952]

This is the first song I learned to play on guitar . It was 1968 . I was 8 years old . Ive been playing ever sence.

[@DanaLorton]

This man. This song. Rock and roll personified. 🎸

[@jimano2018]

Link Wray simply rocks! One of my all time fave.

[@RajivChopra]

Damn. This is brilliant. Never heard this before

[@Andrew-oj2yo]

He was light years ahead of his time. Crazy to think how many genres and bands just this riff helped create.

[@WeirdofMouth]

That couple seconds where you could hear the bassline super clear was nearly star-shattering.

[@laggybum3218]

This song was before its time!! You normally don't hear anything this hard until the 70's and this was released in 1958!

[@ah-hl6fr]

Its a vibe you either get it or you dont

[@nedzadbadnjevic6885]

The"MAN"that invited distorted guitar sound.Legend.

[@Jambandit15]

Bad ass seeing a live version of this jam!!! One of the songs that stood out to me as a child from one of my favorite movies! Surf medley was another jam from that movie.

[@josephrogers886]

He signed my son's guitar. Epic coolness!

[@kensoesbe7155]

I was probably at this show first time I saw him was at Winterland Arena,I was stationed at the Port Chicago naval base in the 70s.So many concerts to see at this venue and he was exellent.

[@DavidLeBlanc]

The guy invented power chords before anyone know such a thing existed.

[@JohnnySeven]

To quote Dave Davies of The Kinks "I invented heavy rock because I never even heard of Link Wray til the 80s - his records weren’t hard rock - the Ventures were heavier than Link Wray - No Trespassing by the Ventures is a heavy record - he wasn’t an influence on me."

[@Draefend]

lmao nobody invented power chords. They're called "5" chords and Chuck Berry used them all the time in his rhythm playing

[@are_birds_real]

well duh

[@therespectedlex9794]

@@JohnnySeven you really got me there all day and all the night

[@joejones9520]

except this song uses no power chords.

[@Vinny-t6u]

This pops up on u tube every night and I can’t resist watching it.

[@heidedutcher6167]

Wow..& now he's inducted! Just watched Jimmy Page do this tune in his honor..had to hear Link.

[@jjiacobucci]

A Perfect Blend of Lou Reed and Elvis. The Strut of Link Wray is just on another level of chill bad ass.

[@therealDac10012]

Link so effin COOL

[@jaykay6387]

Holy Cow. Thanks for posting this, friggin' amazing. First time I ever heard of this song was in the "It might get loud" doc that had Jimmy Page "demonstrate" the riff while listening to the vinyl. After hearing it live here, even his genius didn't do it justice, but it was obvious why he revered it. Incredible. How this guy doesn't have a biopic yet is totally mystifying.

[@illukka]

You can be cool, but yer never gonna be Link Wray playing "Rumble" on a stage wearing sunglasses-cool

[@Sungazerglass]

Coolest rock track ever!! When I hear the soundtrack of my existence, this is what I hear!! I walk at this pace, I smoke and drink at this pace. I walk down the hill with this in my head. The power, confidence and sheer badassery is brave and dynamic. Crank it up!! It’s okay to lose a little of your ability to hear for this!!