Derek Bailey

[@brianmiles7329]

It was such a privilege to have Derek as my guitar teacher in the seventies, he taught me a hell of lot in one year of half hour lessons, may not sound much but he gave me so much to do I had to practice 3 or 4 hours per night in order to prepare for my next lesson! I had no idea what his playing was like until he invited me to see him perform at Ronnie Scot's club in Soho, he and Barry Guy (bass) and Howard Riley (piano) formed The Musicians Co-op around that time, They were amazing musicians, a great period in my life I shall always remember!

[@failinginamerica]

how did you come to be his pupil?

[@jeremybartlett1706]

​@@failinginamericaI guess he died...

[@failinginamerica]

@@jeremybartlett1706 I need to know

[@jeremybartlett1706]

@@failinginamerica I know... we are all feeling the loss. Emptiness hurts, as sorrow mourns in void.

[@PeasGraveny]

So he knew his harmonic theory and chose to ignore all of that when he played. Interesting...

[@nonplussed7181]

This is one of my all time favorite videos. I have to come back every once in a while to watch again, and it's always so inspiring. Just when you think you've heard it all, you find something crazy like this, oozing ingenuity in the deep caves of the internet. Thank God I found it. Keeps my passion for guitar alive. Thank you for uploading this.

[@Urdatorn]

Amen!

[@asmusubermensch5889]

Seeing people appreciate this gives me faith for the future of music

[@Poochpatrol]

Art - but not music.

[@manuelpedrosd]

It gives me faith in comedy and in idiots that listen to comedy and confusi to music

[@tomaszkaminski6495]

@@manuelpedrosd Funny because I know very competent musicians who really DO appreciate Bailey's work. But keep feelin' good ;)

[@PeasGraveny]

Come on This is an emperor's new clothes deal. Like the banana taped to the wall. You could put the guitar in the hands if a three year old child and it would sound like this. I'd rather listen to Henry Kaiser FFS!

[@upahill23]

Why can I not stop watching this?

[@jeremybartlett1706]

Because umm... you're eyes are glued open and you've been trapped in a room with a psycho, who's making you watch this constantly?

[@johnmc3862]

You have it on loop.

[@danum442]

Perhaps, like Mr Bailey, you do not know how to play a musical instrument and accept that any silly c*nt can bang on an instrument and fool you into thinking it's art?

[@letmegoletmego]

I'm so happy I found this. he's the things I ever wanted from sound but were missing.

[@danum442]

Like a hand grenade expolding nearby right?

[@jeremybartlett1706]

​@@danum442 ooh, yes please, if you still have any left...

[@stargatewv]

He's out there. It helps me understand the statement more clearly: "there are no rules!" Therefore, f*** whatever is holding you back, just play because your soul says do so. Play because you want to make sound and get enjoyment and happiness from it. Do it your way.❤

[@jsunproter1940]

Love the way he mixes in those harmonics. Interesting progressions

[@tomaszkaminski6495]

He's the jazzy school in general, but getting more and more jazzy where's basically no "wrong" sound ;)

[@gregarnold1696]

Pat Metheny said once he learned more about music in one afternoon with Derrick Bailey than any time in his life 👍🏾

[@dannyhood7433]

Thank you!

[@moletrane277]

very different players but you can for sure hear the influence in pat's more "out" moments

[@pedrosousa5311]

That was a great lesson:, I guess he went the other way

[@kingdozerr]

Derek

[@moletrane277]

@@pedrosousa5311listen to zero tolerance for silence

[@thedragonzord]

wow this is some of the most beautiful Bailey I've heard. thank u.

[@written12]

Well, I've just listened to this for about the fifth time(in the past 5 weeks). Its definitely a performance worth recommending a Derek Bailey neophyte to check out, The gamut of Bailey's techniques and moods are beautifully on display. His genius, that is, as pipityri pointed out.

[@downhomedonny]

ya dis nigga crazy

[@danum442]

I like the way he slams his fist into the fretboard to create a simmering sound of bovine sodomy

[@timmungenast]

Thanks for posting this! It helps me see what Derek Bailey was all about, and why he was so loved.

[@jeffreycollins7297]

SO glad I got the Henry Kaiser guitar video where he discussed at length the playing style of DB. I usually like my guitar with delay and chorus though.

[@nonplussed7181]

Same

[@keithphillips1687]

Absolute genius the phrasing the contrasts the freedom the anarchy

[@johnmarvinscott]

Such an unbelievable artist. One of my biggest inspirations right now for sure.

[@elragman]

Agreed - he changed my music sensibilities.

[@Wayland444]

This IS Derek. I saw him many times in Leeds pubs in the 70s

[@Streamlinela]

Wow !

[@sgbsammy]

he has no box no borders..amazing

[@jeremybartlett1706]

No box, no borders... that is such a great sentiment. it does remind me of a transgender... but it has a nice ring to it (we all have our rings, we are all alike in that respect... everybody poops)

[@jayumble4667]

Absolutely incredible! Thank you Mr. Bailey.

[@loungejay8555]

Derek Bailey must have sat at home pissing himself at people like you who actually think what he was doing had any sort of artistic or musical merit. He's taking the piss out of you, do you realize that?

[@geecen]

Great to see what he's doing in close up.

[@Xbangsplot]

Genius at work. I hope some of his detractors who call him a hack and worse will see this. Would change their mind set about him in a hurry.

[@iamdamosuzuki_]

It's funny too because he was perfectly capable of playing more conventional music too. He got his start playing classical and bebop, both of which he's incredibly adept in. It's just that he preferred playing textured free improvisation.

[@mdgraller]

Dead wrong lol. This just makes me more sure

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

still love this music!!

[@nfbnn]

Insane sweep at 3:10

[@pizzaface4079]

Lazer sweep

[@GianpaoloPapa73]

horrible sweep and also with wrong technique. I can't believe there are people liking this.

[@Josh_728]

@@GianpaoloPapa73 You're not in on the joke I guess. Nobody likes this, we're all here laughing and playing along.

[@VinnyCarwash-js8op]

@@Josh_728 I like this.

[@Josh_728]

@@VinnyCarwash-js8op Put 100 kids in a room and there's always one eating crayons in the corner.

[@thepixelrantsshow662]

Maybe the greatest guitarist to ever grace the earth. Truly singular and beautiful.

[@Russilly]

Wow! Just plain wow!

[@StephenDorocke]

The Master🙏

[@bendameron9922]

Oh Derek Bailey.

[@influxcourrier3916]

Fantastique et tellement ouvert…

[@dazpatreg]

I remember hearing this years ago and going "wtf is this crap"? I started listening to Bailey again recently and it actually all makes sense now

[@jaronrd]

The bass line he plays along with the harmonics towards the end is nice.

[@dharmabam]

beautiful. DB always had a lyric side to him too.

[@vcslvmkv3263]

Вот настоящая свободная импровизация!!!

[@ФетрПластиков]

"Derek wonderful guitarist" © Cecil Taylor

[@mwdrum]

Very nice, having known and recorded with Derek, those post about not him, are total rubbish......his hands, his guitar, his handmade picks from dental material......

[@keithphillips1687]

Genius

[@astahlemusic]

This guy is old as hell and is playing some of the most cutting edge shit

[@danum442]

Cutting edge like the edge of a razor blade runnivng across my glans?

[@tomaszkaminski6495]

@@danum442 Whatever you want ;)

[@danum442]

@@tomaszkaminski6495 👍

[@nickfanzo]

@@danum442 yoU seem to love following Bailey, since you comment on multiple videos . Stalker

[@danum442]

@@nickfanzo Maybe you* are stalking me? But, yes. I am stalking a long dead poor guitarist. Much love brother :)

[@sonx22]

Wonderful statements!

[@claymationwaves]

Yes that L-5 sounds amazing and so does the man aying it and so does the weed I like w33d

[@edwardgibbs3773]

Yes, but it's and ES-175

[@music6577]

Bro w33d

[@aboriginesdream]

Jazz…. Niiiiiiice

[@lkpc6623]

amazing

[@pipityri]

Those 5 minutes are most likely the clearest evidence of his genius I've ever heard.

[@written12]

pipityri Yes. I couldn't agree more. Those harmonics are gorgeous - moody and so well placed among the chords and little single note runs.

[@stealthyBLK]

absolutely . you took the words right out of me

[@Fu91111]

That sucked

[@TheSecondNature]

i see he has a 70's gibson pickup in the neck (you can tell from the writing carved in it) but it's wired a la Peter Green. Maybe that was done to capture the harmonics better, as they are picked up stronger towards the bridge

[@andrea4809]

that pickup is in the neck position.

[@innocentoctave]

@@andrea4809 He means that the pickup has been reversed in its slot - normally the pole pieces would be on the side facing the fretboard. I doubt whether it was 'wired a la Peter Green', which wouldn't be visible from the outside. Turning the pickup would slightly increase the treble response.

[@ypolchenko-freejazz-guitar]

Incredible impro.

[@argentinianguy]

It alternates between contemplation and eerieness. Who the hell does that? And who has the domain of harmonics like this guy had?

[@kingdozerr]

The master

[@czgibson3086]

I want to hear Robert Fripp and Derek Bailey improvising together. I don't think it ever happened.

[@neckercube1257]

Interesting proposition! My tuppence worth: Fripp would have known about Bailey, at least through Jamie Muir who made an album with DB called Dart Drug (I think someone put it up here on YT). The nearest Fripp comes to playing like Bailey is on Groom, the B-Side of Catfood (Poseidon extra CD track). Also found on the brilliant Earthbound album, even though it has a very un-Crimson-like sound!

[@innocentoctave]

I respect Robert Fripp as a guitarist, but Bailey was the superior musician. I think direct comparison with Bailey would have made Fripp sound rather limited.

[@iamdamosuzuki_]

You'll love Fred Frith then. He's almost like a combination of the two, especially his stuff with Henry Cow.

[@alexanderpederson7791]

They're both English gentlemen of the highest order

[@danum442]

Just grab a cheese grater, a garden rake and rub polysterene on your ears. Same result.

[@jimmyhackles9502]

Fantastic

[@camusandinternet]

About fifteen years ago, I couldn't get into Bailey's music at all... Aged thirty, I can appreciate it a lot more now... It's really clear to me that he's not just running his hand across the fretboard and that there's technique to it... Gotta be in the right mood for it, though.

[@L5man]

What key is that?

[@rossmitchell7125]

H

[@PeasGraveny]

Exactly!! I checked him out cos of Stewart Lee and I've yet to see him do anything other than clumsy, random handed dischords and those f-ing harmonics all the time. He managed to make a living playing like that,? It's not music at all. He doesn't even tune his guitar (unless he intentionally tuned to open F#11 diminished 5 #9) I love Beefheart and I get Trout Mask so I'm not a stranger to 'avant garde' art but this is just shit, isn't it,?

[@tysonevarard968]

0:57 Could someone tell the notes of that chord?

[@franciscusrebro1416]

I'm hearing a minor 11 chord. The root note seems to be in between E and F (unless it's my piano that's not quite in tune). Say root E, then up a ninth to F#, down a major third to D, up a fourth to G, up a ninth to A, up a fifth to E. E-11(9) E - F# - D - G - A - E Or with root F: F - G - Eb - Ab - Bb - F Some of those notes are harmonics, too.

[@jeffreycollins7297]

They are more like Clusters ala Bartok. But even clusters can still be named.

[@raulperez2308]

bit late to the party, but my ears tell me Eb13, maybe with a sus4 or something because there's no tritone. don't have my piano on me tho, so not completely sure

[@jackwaughmusic]

I gotchu. on guitar you can voice this with a capo on the first fret or (just tune your strings up a half step) : High E: 13 B string 11 G string : open (capo) D string: open (capo 1st fret) A string : 10th fret Low E: Open F (capo on 1st fret) In order of the notes played: Low F (go an octave up) G Eb Ab (go another octave up) Bb F So from bottom to top thats: F Eb G Ab Bb F chord is Fm11 with the 9th and the 7th

[@tysonevarard968]

Gonna be honest, I legit forgot about this comment section, but I am so glad you guys responded, thank you!

[@farfadetdu91]

il faut un feat avec pidi par pitié

[@written12]

Is this performance available on CD? Thanks so much for posting this.

[@thomaschapman9093]

I was born on the day he died. And I had no clue he existed until today.

[@afterceasetoexist]

Pretty brilliant shit

[@michaelgraham9774]

You're clearly a reincarnation of him. Now you gotta carry the torch

[@slickgamesinc.9002]

most punk thing i've ever heard

[@jazzlefty]

You think bill frisell was influenced by DB?

[@andrewking563]

I think so but have no historical evidence to back it up - the cluster chords and harmonics on this really remind me of the guitar on some Paul Motian Trio stuff

[@samamidon3221]

@@andrewking563 yes he was ! I have heard him say so and you definitely hear it in his playing

[@davidgrahambrown3793]

If there is no melody in what he plays, is it just noise?

[@Urdatorn]

Inspiring as fuck

[@ergjazz]

awesome

[@Claybraham91]

This guys’ like the Steven Wright or Mitch Hedberg of the guitar. A “one-liner” guitarist.

[@darzil007]

18 dislike? how one could dislike this , unless they don,t the idea , or in the wrong page

[@gringopig]

Yes well make that 19.

[@bbis001]

20

[@Kohntarkosz]

Some people have this preconceived idea of what musi cis supposed to sound like, and this ain't it. I heard one guy suggest that his 6 year old son could play like this, and I told him, "I can promise, your six your old will NOT be able to play like Derek Bailey!"

[@iawnlad]

cool

[@isolateddemon9438]

This is unique.

[@pandalilpig]

Great. My channel and music series is inspired by the likes of Derek

[@yeoldefreakshow]

Is there any more of this?

[@patriciodecar3938]

Experiencia sonica

[@manricofiorentini4957]

genius

[@patrickselden5747]

☝️😎

[@yp77738yp77739]

I feel I should, but, don’t get it. I’m convinced as a non musician I could achieve an equivalent discordant output. Emperors new clothes to me.

[@moletrane277]

Please play guitar then

[@yp77738yp77739]

@ The facility of humans to lose all independence of rational thought never ceases to amaze me. To think how many diseased or hungry children could be cured or fed for the same value as a banana duck taped to a white board. These matters will not compute for me.

[@moletrane277]

@@yp77738yp77739 thats capitalism and consumerism not the fault of art

[@大深堀]

デレクベイリーイズオンリーワンな人だと思いました。🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂

[@alexycox1347]

This is the funniest comedy sketch I have ever listened to 😂

[@elioheber]

Kjjj

[@TheNeodog]

Brain food ❤

[@musutang666]

最高。

[@ericskinner7355]

Dissonance is important. in life everything is not pretty or perfect.

[@NatahPollin]

Sugoku iine

[@slickgamesinc.9002]

The song that plays when the character is slowly losing their sanity

[@jland12]

OK so I sat through the tuning up, when do I get to hear him play?

[@JScottPeregrine]

Wow! After all these years as a struggling, crappy novice guitar player, I finally found a song I can play.

[@henseleric]

Dream on...

[@iamdamosuzuki_]

Ok. Upload a video playing exactly this.

[@michaelgraham9774]

You could never play or make this. Go listen to Steve Vai or something bro

[@adamtick]

The jokes on us

[@bbis001]

This track is called The Emporer's New Clothes

[@shmuliknemanov4009]

that is funny but i disagree

[@bbis001]

I just can't stop whistling this!

[@shmuliknemanov4009]

@@bbis001 turns out this is somebody knocking off baily so the title is apt

[@maettsook]

you're never to old to start learning an instrument

[@dasmowilkins]

he literally had formal training, n he was playing like this since the late 60s, way up until he died.

[@maettsook]

@@dasmowilkins Wow then it's tragic that he missed the lesson that taught how to tune the thing.

[@dasmowilkins]

@@maettsook son, what the fuck is wrong with you? obviously he can tune the shit, he was a session musician. you just don't like experimental music

[@matttaylor4618]

As a guitarist I have tried to see what all the fuss is about with this guy. The first minute was mildly compelling, felt like it was going somewhere. It's not the free tempo, or the dissonance that turns me off. Its the lack of framework, his playing is entirely context free which you'd think would be a good thing. But how can you push boundaries when there are none? There's real genius in a musician that pushes against convention, the tension creates excitement. Thats the dfference between DB and someone like Holdsworth or Coltrane, they created a world within a world. It provides a reference point by which to gather perspective. There is no tension here, no juxtaposition, therefore little perspective to be had you just sort of have to accept it for what it is. Interestingly most of his fans seem to be non-musicians.

[@renekita]

The challenge in Bailey's playing is to avoid repetition and all musical cliches. It's a constant boundary. Free improvisation is music that lives in the now, without past nor future. You are expected to make each moment interesting and new. Non-musicians? You haven't followed the experimental music world. Bailey played with hundreds of musicians. Afterward their CV would include "played with Derek Bailey" in prominent position. It was a mark of quality.

[@matttaylor4618]

@@renekita You can avoid musical cliches in a composition or thru improvisation it’s a matter of creating something unexpected within the context. Without any context whatsoever the listener has no expectations therefore the element of surprise/ tension and resolve is completely ignored. If you really want to ignore convention why even play the guitar on a lap right handed? Could scratch your chin down the strings a bit make exactly the same noises and be a bit more original about it. Sorry not for me!

[@renekita]

@@matttaylor4618 You need to listen to more of his music to get it. By 'musical cliches' I meant anything that sounds like 'proper' music. Bailey doesn't need tricks. He's deeper than that. There is harmonic complexity there that you don't hear.

[@matttaylor4618]

@@renekita you’re right I don’t hear it. It’s just random noise

[@hazelschannel162]

@@matttaylor4618 What is your usual musical diet? You obviously don't have to like Derek Bailey, but I do think this is far from random noise (other then the part starting at around 4:00 haha). there is a lot of tension and release in this recording, I hear a lot of very interesting chords, and quite a few get resolved even if not in the standard way. When he goes heavy with harmonics its all very consonant to me, and I do like when he goes from a long string of those into a more cluster type passage or even sometimes a noise passage when the strings are fully muted.The recording it self is probably my favorite part, very quiet, and Derek plays a lot with dynamics, if you listen close he gets near instant jumps that are really pleasing to my ear. It gives you a lot of space to sit in and examine all the sounds he makes. I will say however I have listened to stuff quite more out there then this, and I don't say that as a brag, just means I'm more acclimated to this kinda stuff. I think regardless Derek has pushed against some sort of boundary here considering your response to this piece. I think that if nothing else the fact that this got a reaction means its good art, and I'm glad to see discussion like this in the comments.

[@lefarfadetfarfelu]

je préfère pidi je dislike

[@NitrousMcBread]

Play 'You Are My Sunshine', Derek, go on.

[@nasaofficial4951]

Yav adam çalmayı bilmiyor

[@PeterCaudwell]

Senin bildiğin gibi çalmıyor, kariyerine jazz standartlarıyla başladı, İngilterede en meşhur müzisyenlerle çalıştı. Adam aslında bir usta 🙂

[@nasaofficial4951]

@@PeterCaudwell ne kızıyon tm

[@MirkoFustinoni]

Oh wow, this sounds like that Malmsteen dubbed video

[@earinsound]

larry coryell take your shrooms

[@asharmstrong6730]

Pants.

[@nicolashunter4131]

this is art for sure,but i doubt about the real musical sense behind this

[@nickfanzo]

Music is art, ya dope

[@gringopig]

LOL the old fraud. Funny stuff.

[@daveyellis8157]

Absolutely a complete fraud.... My Dad knew him when he was young and was the least talented musician of his peer group.... And this is the proof.... Can not play at all.... Dog shite

[@thepixelrantsshow662]

Davey Ellis Interesting..... tell me more

[@Aduder999]

Is this like an emperors new clothes type thing. People act like they're hearing something others aren't and are privvy to some genius musicianship while really it sounds like a kid fucking about with dads guitar.

[@Aduder999]

@King Chromosome with my nose

[@trevorbarre5616]

WTF is this? Someone who thinks he is a generic Bailey impersonator? By the way, this is not Derek Bailey playing, as I'm sure you all have realised. Certain stylistic features do not a coherent representation make. Why doesn't the 'author' of this guff make himself transparent. You're not Bailey, mate, so get real. Why have you done this, Mr. Faith-in-Fakes?

[@martinbeer8309]

What makes you say that? There isn't a clear shot of the face, hands and guitar together, but in the shots of the hands and guitar, the audio matches what the hands are doing. The guitar looks like Bailey's too; it has a couple of distinctive features.

[@Toughguysdontdance12]

I'll give you 3/10. Try harder.

[@davelanciani-dimaensionx]

This doesn't sound like Bailey at all ... and they DO show pictures of his face. Not him. It's far too melodic and well timed in the early parts to be him. He almost never played anything even resembling actual music.

[@dharmabam]

just one of the many fake Derek Bailey videos currently in circulation. I think this is the work of Fred Frith's disgraced brother Chad

[@schneider1896]

Of course it's him. Have you heard Arcana ? Same way to put Pinch harmonics. By the way, it's his style to do something like that, when you improvise sometimes you don't do things because you don't feel them in the moment. that one "fit" with the landscape.

[@trevorbarre5616]

Sorry, I don't want to be too trainspotty, but why no shots of Bailey's face? Having seen Bailey on numerous occasions, I don't think these are his hands. Fingers aren't long enough for a start. More to the point, whoever this is has some of Bailey's more obvious techniques down pat, but he doesn't have the master's grits and gravy. It meanders and has no dynamic. Clever pastiche, however.

[@mr.beaverchair3622]

Trevor Barre There are multiple shots of his face in the video. This is Derek.

[@syaoranoni54326]

congrats on making it through the first 30 seconds of the video

[@dharmabam]

also I think the left and right hands belong to different guitar players because you never see them in the same shot

[@thepixelrantsshow662]

jack o'nada Or I don’t know they could’ve just done 2 different shots for a stylistic effect

[@YouTubeCensor]

I don't doubt that every shot is Bailey, but I do think that the camera operator was some kind of sadist for these annoying close-ups. Who wouldn't want to see both hands simultaneously?

[@jackielegs8010]

Mostly terrible

[@tonyharris6931]

Come on chaps! It's free, it's improvised, but it's unpleasant to listen to, and utter nonsense!

[@loungejay8555]

Is this some sort of joke? this is fucking terrible. I'm from Sheffield so I suppose I'm supposed to like this...well I don't!

[@londontennistube7625]

Blimmy Jimmy page has let himself go