Feb 052010
If I heard right, while listening to Black Flag‘s “Slip It In” on the drive into work, Henry Rollins introduces Greg Ginn‘s freakout solo and generally orgasmic fade out with the command to “Mount up!” You can hear it for yourself at the 5:15 mark of this video.
If there is a better vocal intro to a guitar solo than Henry Rollins’ command to “Mount up!” then this is the place to prove it!
Which vocal intro to an instrumental solo dares step inside the squared circle?
Fire: Move over Rover, and let Jimi take over!
I Heard Her Call My Name: And then my mind split open…
“Re-make/Re-model” – “Ooh, show me!”
Iggy Pop, I’m Bored – All right doll face, come on and bore me
Tough to beat Jimi, but:
“Come on Wilson, pick it.” by Neil Young on, I think, The Losing End.
So good that it was copped by Steve Earle for “Hometown Blues”
I just listened to that song, and aside from the admittedly cool “Mount Up” guitar solo intro, and their DYI ethic, there is not one redeeming thing about Black Flag. That band blows big time.
Personally I like the “turn me loose” intro to Stone Free the best by Hendrix.
Rollins: Never got into Henry prior to The End of Silence. That is one excellent record.
I will add that that is the most consistent video I have ever seen! It blows from every angle – video quality, continuity, hell, even the white balance changes from shot to shot – the “acting” the synching, the playing, the recording, the writing. Yow. It is awful.
It’s taken a while to dredge this one up from the memory banks. I kept hearing “Go, Robbie, go,” but the music didn’t sound like The Band. Isn’t it that first track on Morrison Hotel?
I don’t think this beats some of the ones mentioned so far, but it’s just another one to throw into the mix.
But speaking of The Band, how about the four-part scream that Ronnie Hawkins does (twice) in the Last Waltz to lead into Robbie’s guitar solo in Who Do You Love? That totally rocks.
‘C.C!’ — Brett Michaels before the solo in any Poison song
I’ve always thought the Hendrix lead-ins were strange, just because he was both singer and soloist.
Good point, bostonhistorian, about Jimi introducing himself!
The Ronnie Hawkins scream is a good one, BigSteve. And yes, that is a Doors song you had in mind, “Roadhouse Blues,” which does kick off Morrison Hotel.
I’ll second “Stone Free”. His talking in songs is much more enjoyable than his singing.
I can’t remember if “Take it to the bridge!” is immediately followed by a solo, but that’s an in-song exhortation that has entered the popular vernacular and wins hands down in my book.
Maybe it’s not the best but certainly the most polite intro also belongs to Jimi for “Excuse me a minute, just let me play my guitar.” during Like A Rolling Stone from the Monterrey Pop Festival.
A couple more favorites.
Rick Derringer – Yeah, did somebody say keep on rockin’?
Sammy Hagar, Take your best shot (spoken to Gary Phil in their infamous live guitar battles)
Maceo! Blow your horn!
Bass! Bass! Tim, help me out, Tim. Let me hear you walk a little bit, Tim. Good God! Unh!
(from James Brown’s Can’t Stand Myself)
“Ah, rock on, George, one time for me!” (Honey Don’t)
Project of Love From the Fans of Henry Rollins
Thanks to Hank
WANTED: Personal stories from the fans, a.k.a, ‘fanatics’, of Henry Rollins. If Henry Rollins has moved you, inspired you to reach higher, helped you in some way, or just makes your life better by way of knowing he is out there, living art and inspiration, and you are willing to share your story in a future publication of Fanatic Stories of Thanks to Hank, please send your story!
The target goal is to complete the project by February of 2011, Henry’s 50th birthday. All potential proceeds will go to the charity of Henry’s choice.
Fanatic and novice writer, Angela Bennett, commented on the project, “Henry has made such a profound contribution to the lives of many thousands, perhaps even millions of people around the world. He is an inspiration to so many people regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic class. This is an opportunity for fanatics to share their stories with, and thank Henry.”
During the first month of this project, fans and media are responding from across the world; from 15 year olds to 50 year olds, from the U.S. to Australia. It’s one thing to be a fan of a band, or an actor, but often it’s about more than that when it comes to Henry. Henry moves people, he is a catalyst in people’s lives. There’s a quote from The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property, by Lewis Hyde, that captures Henry well, “…the gift we long for, the gift that, when it comes, speaks commandingly to the soul and irresistibly moves us.”
People can contact Angela Bennett with stories, or artwork, at bennettangela@rogers.com, through the Facebook Group, Henry Rollins – Thanks to Hank Project, or http://open.salon.com/blog/angelalala. Angela does not work for, or represent Henry Rollins, other than being one of many grateful fanatics in the global neighbourhood.
Not a belt contender and muttered more among the solo than at the beginning but my personal favorite is Curt Kirkwood’s “Alright boys let’s get way out there now” in Oh, Me.
However for the belt I can’t think of anything better than Dr. John’s call “I Heard Her Call My Name: And then my mind split open…”
Ringo: Aww, rock on, *anybody*…
(“If You’ve Got Troubles”)
I’ll have to post it one of these days, but I love this version of Bitch The Stones do from Leeds University in 1971. The song is plugging away and then kind of starts getting weird, and Mick J. says, “Keep on time, Keith!” and Keith goes into a solo. It’s like he’s slapped awake.
Mick yelling “My Turn!” before he goes into his harp solo on Little By Little.
“…whammer jammer let me hear ya…”
Peter Wolf to Magic Dick on the harmonica classic Whammer Jammer-J. Geils Band
I’ll second Oats’ suggestions of the “Show me!” from “ReMake/Remodel”.
Bowie’s “Ronno!” right before Ronson’s break on their cover of “White Light/White Heat” on Bowie’s BBC collection is great.
But the winner is Nesmith’s “Play, magic fingers!” to James Burton on the Monkees’ “Papa Gene’s Blues”.
“Show us your love” by Don Fleming in the Velvet Monkeys’ “Rock Party.” After which guitarist Malcolm Riviera would usually play the harmonics intro to “Roundabout”.
Somewhere in the version of this song on the Rake CD, Fleming also says “Play, magic fingers!”
Probably doesn’t count, but I like the vocal lead in to the Pretender’s “Middle of the Road” harmonica solo, only for the way they overlap, doubling a few notes to make a cool transition.
Slim Harpo’s nasal “Sting it, then!” from “I’m a King Bee”
And let’s not forget Sly and the Familiy Stone’s “Dance to the Music” which consists almost solely of vocal introductions to short solos.
Correction: Don Fleming and the Velvet Monkeys said “Give us your Love”, not “Show us your love.”. Subtle but important distinction.
“Don Fleming and the Velvet Monkeys said “Give us your Love”, not “Show us your love.”. Subtle but important distinction.”
Jim Morrison learned this lesson.
Always a great choice. I think I’ve referred to this here as the Home Run Derby of band introductions. I guess the question is, of all the introductions made in the song, which is the best?
Another contender, possibly, though I may be misremembering where it comes in the song: Lennon’s throat-tearing yell before the instrumental break in the fast “Revolution”.
The nonstop intros in “Dance to the Music” remind me of a Stax song, I think it’s called “Memphis Soul Stew,” in which the singer calls out his musical recipe. I’m blanking on the artist as well as, possibly, the song’s title.
Mr. Mod, you got the title of “Memphis Soul Stew” right. It was by the late great King Curtis & it was on the red ‘n black Atlantic label.
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned “Play It Steve” from Sam et Dave’s* Soul Man
Here’s another one: Ringo’s “Rock on anyone” from the Beatles’ If You Got Troubles
*That’s how they say it in French
“Anyway, I ain’t got nowhere else to go”–The Replacements “Hangin’ Downtown”