Search - Link Wray :: Rumble: Best of Link Wray

Get ready to rumble!

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 06/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In January 1959, radio stations nationwide banned a certain instrumental song due to fears (unjustified, of course) that it would incite teen violence due to the title, which was slang for fighting. That song was "Rumble" by guitar instrumentalist Link Wray. The song, highlighted by Wray's snarling surfer fuzztone guitar licks, set to a menacingly slow bluesy tempo, kind of like a leisurely swagger. It had enough of an impact that when Wray and his band appeared on American Bandstand, Dick Clark introduced the band without mentioning the song title. "Rumble" ended up being Wray's highest charting hit, reaching #16.



The flipside was the bluesy/rockabilly "Swagger" which is a reminder that like Bill Haley, Wray started out in country/western before his rock career, as there are undertones to that style. As for the A-side, Wray followed up "Rumble" with the near equally-sounding "Ramble" (note the vowel change).



Inspired by the TV series of the same name, the upbeat "Raw-Hide" sports a cool surfer type guitar set to a blues beat, proof enough that Wray was the forerunner of hard blues which led to George Thorogood and "Bad To The Bone." This was their second and last Top 40 hit, peaking at #23, though I would've easily put it in the Top Ten. Speaking of blues, Wray actually sings on his cover of Jimmy Reed's "Ain't That Lovin' You Babe," and the distinctive raspy voice and occasional wheezes is due to the loss of a lung to TB during the Korean War. "Big City After Dark" is electrified surf blues at Wray's best.



The live medley "Dixie Doodle" is one part "Dixie," another part "Yankee Doodle Dandy." The first part of the song is definitely not PC today, but at least he gives both songs equal time verse-wise. If "Jack the Ripper," with its insistent and uptempo drum backbeat and occasional guitar riffs that suspiciously like the Surfaris' "Wipe Out" makes you go twenty over the speed limit, I won't blame you. This reached #64 in 1963, and the live version that closes the record has some screeching feedback and all sorts of buzzing noise that's crazier than the studio version. And the opening guitar melody would later be echoed in the opening riffs of Led Zep's "Moby Dick," another famous instrumental.



Wray does some high pitched theatrics with his guitar to imitate a chicken cackle in "Run Chicken Run" before going into his usual style. One of my favourites due to that creative chicken sound, which I can't get enough of.



Wray did two other songs inspired by TV series. One was the lazy drawling stomp of "The Shadow Knows," where Wray does the intro dialogue from The Shadow in a creepy voice complete with twisted laugh and backing organ. In the other, "Look Bruce, it's the Bat signal," and then that familiar riff sounding like when Bruce Wayne's mom calls him for supper, "dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner Batman!" Yes, you guessed it!



Part surf, part blues, this is a guy Pete Townshend credited as one of his influences in first picking up the guitar. So, to make long overdue amends, "Ladies and gentlemen... Link Wray & his Ray Men with `Rumble!'""

My favorite "Best of" album

TimothyFarrell22 | Massachusetts | 11/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Link pounds out raw and crude rockabilly rock 'n' roll tunes like none other. I'm surprised he isn't considered one of rock 'n' roll's greatest guitarists. He is certainly one of the most influential, and is the father of the power chord. The songs are perfect for a gang stroll, and remind me of the countless AIP juvenile delinquency schlockers that were so popular in the late 50's and early 60's. Better than the Stones when it comes to primal rock 'n' roll."

You'll feel like your car broke down in the Ozarks

Violet Porter | Mechanicsburg, PA United States | 03/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A few years back, a friend made me a mix tape that opened with Dick Dale's "Nitro" & went on to include Link Wray's "Rumble" along with some Satan's Pilgrims and other surf. Recently, I was looking up some Dick Dale and came upon Link Wray again. I remembered being spellbound listening to "Rumble" open the Blow soundtrack. It was one of the great jazz musicians who once said that anyone can make things complicated- that's easy- but to make things elegantly simple... now that takes true talent. The whole record is filled with progressions that sound so simple you're thinking how can it sound that incredible? How did he think of that? The music's raw and driving. It reminds me of the Makers on their earlier records like Howl & Hunger. Sometimes when I buy records from decades past, I find that some of the songs meander beyond the realms of my taste. Like on the Ventures in Space album where "War of the Satellites" & "Out of Limits" shine brightly but the rest is less stunning. Not so on the Link Wray record. Every song makes sure you're insulated from disappointment. You'll feel like your car broke down in the Ozarks and you walked into this trashy dive where a shadowy band is playing this distorted, raspy, exhalting music with everything they've got. You'll feel like the luckiest person alive.This record's also got comprehensive liner notes."