George Harrison, a musical icon in his own right, wasn't a fan of the direction electric guitar music took after the late 1960s. He famously declared, "I never liked all those Les Paul guitars screaming and distorting." But why? Let's dive into the sonic evolution that shaped Harrison's preferences and the landscape of rock music.
In the mid-to-late 1960s, the electric guitar underwent a seismic shift, transforming from a supporting instrument to a powerful voice in rock. This transformation was fueled by advancements in amplification and effects, as well as the emergence of guitar legends like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix.
Before this era of sonic exploration, guitarists like Keith Richards and George Harrison were at the forefront. They blended the styles of the pre-British rock boom with a blues-inspired approach. Harrison, in particular, was drawn to the slower, single-note style of lead guitar, as exemplified by Robbie Robertson of The Band and his friend Eric Clapton.
But here's where it gets controversial... Harrison's preference didn't extend to the heavier rock that followed. He felt that Clapton, with his band Cream, had taken the electric guitar to a new and more forceful place. However, Harrison found the subsequent developments to be excessive. He preferred the raw energy of artists like Little Richard and Larry Williams. He wasn't a fan of the screaming distortion that came to dominate the sound.
Clapton, after leaving The Yardbirds in 1965, played a pivotal role in the British blues explosion, first with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. When he formed Cream, inspired by Buddy Guy's performances in London, he pushed the blues into more aggressive territory.
Although Cream was a blues-rock band with jazz influences, they paved the way for hard rock and heavy metal. Clapton himself acknowledged this later in his career, stating, "I think we were one of the early heavy metal bands without knowing it." He added that Led Zeppelin filled the void after Cream disbanded.
While the hard rock era produced many talented guitarists, Harrison preferred the more expressive side of guitar work that preceded them. He valued subtlety, citing Ry Cooder and Eric Clapton as examples. Harrison appreciated Clapton's ability to be both technically brilliant and emotionally nuanced. He once said that he'd rather hear "three notes hit really sweet" than a flurry of notes from a guitarist who couldn't hear the difference between a flat and a sharp.
And this is the part most people miss... Harrison's admiration for Clapton came just a few years after they reportedly engaged in a guitar duel over their mutual affection for Pattie Boyd, Harrison's wife at the time. Clapton's infatuation with Boyd led to the creation of the song "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos.
What do you think? Did Harrison have a point? Do you prefer the subtlety he championed, or do you appreciate the evolution of the electric guitar into the heavier sounds of hard rock and metal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
