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Link Wray pioneered the power chord at a Fredericksburg dance. |
By MICHAEL ZITZ
It may come as a shock to teens bored by the local music scene, but punk rock and heavy metal have their roots in Fredericksburg.
Few remember that guitar legend Link Wray, who died Nov. 5 at 76, was inspired to record his seminal instrumental 1958 song "Rumble" by a request during a dance in Fredericksburg.
The primal sound called the power chord was introduced by "Rumble," and it has echoed for 47 years, influencing generations of rock guitarists.
The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles probably would never have been heard from if it were not for that night in Fredericksburg, said Dan Del Fiorentino, historian for the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, Calif.
"Without the power chord, punk rock and heavy metal would not exist," he told The Free Lance-Star.
Wray lived in Accokeek, Md., at the time, and the Fredericksburg "record hop" was a paying gig for his band.
"And I don't think there's any doubt that night in Fredericksburg has an awful lot to do with the popularity of what later became the power chord," Del Fiorentino said. "Many historians who follow Wray's career believe the song was the direct result of that night. And that record became an influential part of American music."
Del Fiorentino said there's no doubt the power chord launched a different sort of style within rock 'n' roll.
"Punk music, and certainly heavy metal, has been tied directly to that power chord," he said.
In 1958, Wray wrote and recorded the instrumental "Rumble," which became a rock classic, even though in the beginning the song was banned by many American radio stations because of fears it might lead to gang violence.
But when the song took off, it spawned the playing style embraced by virtually all guitarists who play heavy rock.
In an interview with Guitar Player magazine in June, Wray described a scene reminiscent of the one in the film "Back to the Future" in which a time-traveling Michael J. Fox played guitar at a 1950s high school dance.
"It was definitely different," Fiorentino said. "It was sort of the rebellious side of rock 'n' roll. It was the perfect time for that to come up."
Before that, white rock 'n' roll was personified by Pat Boone.
"Even Elvis' image was tame in comparison to what would become heavy metal," Fiorentino said. "That night an attitude was born," he said.
"You could have a little angst in music. You could have your own voice. You didn't have to wear polished shoes. You could wear sunglasses at night."
"That's what happened in your town," Fiorentino said of Fredericksburg. "It was an event that led to social change--a very important night."
John Lightner, a 64-year-old retired Fredericksburg policeman who works at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, was at the 1958 event, "Milt Grant's House Party," a version of American Bandstand hosted by Grant, a Washington disc jockey.
This "House Party" took place at the old National Guard armory, which was located at the corner of U.S. 1 and Fall Hill Avenue on a spot now occupied by Virginia Barbeque.
The performance stuck in then-17-year-old Lightner's mind because "everybody was having such a good time," he said this week.
Wray told Guitar World that when the kids at the Fredericksburg hop asked him to play a "stroll," a popular, slow line dance of the time, "I just made up something on the spot, because I didn't know any stroll tune."
Since there were no vocals for the improvised song, Wray's brother Vernon thought they should crank up the guitar.
"So he took the vocal [microphone] and put it in front of my amp, which just distorted the heck out of the small P.A. speakers," Wray told Guitar Player.
The young crowd went crazy, demanding that Wray replay "Rumble," initially called "Oddball," four times that night.
But Wray had problems re-creating the rough sound in the recording studio, using the power chord and "fuzz-tone," which involves feedback, distortion and noise.
"When I tried to remember the sound that made those kids scream, I missed the distortion right away," Wray said. "The sound was too clean--at the gig the amps were jumping up and down, burning up with sound."
To re-create that, Wray eventually used a pencil to punch holes in his little Premier amp's two 10-inch speakers.
Wray said the initial radio ban "just made it sell more"--eventually a million copies.
Pete Townshend of The Who has been quoted as saying of Wray: "He is the king. If it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would never have picked up a guitar."
And Neil Young has said, "If I could go back in time and see just one band, it would be Link Wray and His Ray Men."
Others influenced by "Rumble" include Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Jeff Beck.
Johnny Cash emulated the tough-guy image of Wray--who was half Shawnee--by dressing in black, as he did.
To this day, Wray fans insist he was "The Real Man In Black," not Cash. During a clean-cut, squeaky-clean era, he dressed in black leather jackets, wore sunglasses at night and smoked cigarettes onstage.
"He was very influential because he did something different and he did it with a bit of an attitude," Del Fiorentino said. "Most people could relate to that, I think."
Wray became a session guitarist for performers including Rick Nelson, Fats Domino and Buddy Holly.
Wray followed up "Rumble" with "Rawhide" (1959) and "Jack the Ripper" (1963).
His music has been featured in the films "Pulp Fiction," "Independence Day" and "Pink Flamingos."
Wray, who was born in Dunn, N.C., lived in Norfolk for a time when his father was working as a shipbuilder. The family later moved to D.C. and then to Maryland.
He died at his home in Copenhagen, Denmark.
To reach MICHAEL ZITZ:
Email: mikez@freelancestar.com
