Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

After months of trying and trying and trying, I am finally able to play Bo Diddley's "(I'm a) Road Runner" on guitar. The first time I heard The Who's version, and saw Townshend get into that heavy riff, I was fascinated, and tried to do it myself. I tried by ear, and watched the video clip, but I couldn't do it right. Then, I checked WhoTabs, and read the tab, printed it out, and tried it. First, slowly with no distortion, just to get a feel. A few moments later, a pick was screeching down the string of my '62 RI Strat, with distortion on, and I was playing the song I've been striving to play!

Now to play along with the record, and to find out that solo! (the Young Vic version from "Who's Next" deluxe edition)

Just for the record, I'm not going to be posting EVERY song I learn how to play, but I'm feeling so good knowing how to play it, I just HAD to tell someone. Who better than a bunch of musicians? (Especially those Who and Diddley fans!)

Good for you, man! Feels good, doesn't it?

JimK

Jake, that's great! I apologize for not seeing this thread before. Please don't be shy about posting stuff, it's all more than welcome, and very encouraging for others to hear about. Please keep us posted on your progress. Have you been playing RR at gigs???? Cheers JD

nice one jake!

Thanks, guys. The more I play it, the easier it gets. But when I go into playing the licks of "Day Tripper" and Tom Petty's "You Don't Know How It Feels", I accidently play this riff by mistake! I've also been learning how to play some Kinks stuff, now that I'm getting into them. "You Really Got Me" and "Till the End of the Day" are two songs I'm trying to master.

Jdog -- Don't have a band at the moment, but when I want to jam with some musician friends, you better believe I'll wanna play this song!

We may need a bass player. Just move down here.

Jake: Very cool. I've just lately wanted to learn 'Road Runner', so I'll need to checkout WhoTabs. Although I've always loved the version recorded by The Pretty Things, I recently heard a super sloppy version by an all-girl band called The Headcoatees. They thrash through several old Bo Diddley tunes. I've decided that I'd like to learn several old R&B classics like 'Road Runner' and 'Smokestack Lightning'. The Kinks, The Who, Yardbirds and countless sixties beat groups used to jam on these songs for as long as 30 minutes to stretch their sets for pilled-up mods.