Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

"Don't worry, it's not loaded"

These were the last words of my first favorite rock guitarist when I was a kid (and I still love his sound today). I just came across him on YouTube. I'll post some great links later.

Can anybody name him, and what did you think of his playing?

OH, never mind, you said guitarist....I thought you said....nevermind.

I'm sorry Greg, I couldn't resist!

MY BAD.....

Terry Kath?

Was he the guy who played on "25 or 6 to 4"?

I believe Jared has it.

Yup, you got it Jared. Nice job!

That guy had some serious chops, with Chicago from their start (Chicago Transit Authority) until he died in '78.

Here's a few links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-dkaGAhAhw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Kath

I was just a kid then and not a guitar player, but I just loved his sound and was crushed when he died. I am interested to hear from folks that were musicians back in those days, if they looked at his talent the same way I did.

BTW Tony, good Cobain reference there. Nice try

As a side note, Chicago was my first rock concert, at the Met Center in Minnesota (where the hockey North Stars used to play). That was in '78, after Kath had died in January. They replaced him with Donnie Dacus, who later was a star of the screen version of "Hair".

BTW John, he was the guy on "25 or 6 to 4". I highly suggest that first Chicago Transit Authority album, which has that tune and many other greats. Classic stuff.

The first Chicago album that I got (any album actually) was Chicago VI, mostly for the song "Feelin' Stronger Every Day", which got alot of radio play. Then I quickly went back to the CTA album and Chicago II, and the "Live at Carnegie Hall" 3-record set. They were a tight live band.

Anybody see them in the early 70's?

Oh great, a bunch of prog rock fans ready to pounce on poor Kurt.

Not me. After the dismal musical 80's, I'll never forget seeing Nirvana on SNL, starting of a long standing relationship with Seattle rock (still a huge Pearl Jam fan)!

I've never heard anyone accuse Chicago of being a prog rock band. They came out of the so called Jazz rock scene, very different than prog rock. Best of the bunch to me were Blood Sweat and Tears and especially Jethro Tull with their first few albums.
Chicago Transit Authority was their name until the real CTA made them change it. Great album, many great songs on that album. Much less poppy than their later stuff which I also liked.
I was just the opposite with Nirvana, hated them then and still do. I thought they completely ruined the music scene back then, sorry just my opinion. I liked the real punk stuff way back though, still like The Ramones, never took themselves too seriously like a lot of other post punk bands did, such as ummm... Nirvana.

Never said Chicago was a prog rock band. Just expected the typical responses from the prog rock crowd.

I liked early Chicago. A friend of mine who works in radio said something that cracks me up to this day (as long as I don't take offense):

"Chicago, now there was a band with one good album in them."

My sister had the early Chicago albums, I liked them. But they turned themselves into an embarrassment (just IMO) with their "reinvention" adult contemporary stuff. Shame, because it so overshadows their early, more experimental stuff.

I was working one day, and the idiot kid I supervised had this horrible radio station on, KNAC. All this generic hair metal band stuff was blaring, then suddenly, Nirvana, the first time I heard them. I literally thanked God right there on the spot. Rock was back, briefly. Nirvana was the last band I truly got excited about.

Still waiting for something new!

Nirvana were a great rock and roll band, whatever label one wishes to apply to them. They fused punk, Beatles and rock together. A nice touch.

And no real need to type IMHO...I assume that with every posting.

IMHO.