Link Wray explored uncharted territory and pushed the then-limited boundaries of the electric guitar in the early 1960s, opening the door for many players to come. With simple chord progressions over sublimely muted bass and drums, the guitar is clearly the focal point of his tunes. The menacing sound he makes blares from an overdriven amplifier with holes in the cone and sounds so mean and heavy that you can’t help but feel cool, and a little uneasy, moving to it. Most of his songs sound pretty much the same: he lets the instrument rumble in a sinister fashion while picking out high notes to lay over the top in basic phrases. It sounds kind of like surf music but it seems more like driving music to me, perfect for cruising with the wind in your face on the way to a remote saloon for a chain fight. It’s supremely effective as soundtrack music too, conjuring images of sneering dudes with greasy pompadours in dusty leather jackets and well-worn boots. I can see it creating a certain mood in a showdown scene or being associated with a character who's got that effortlessly cool personality. I guess it’s just tough-guy music.
LISTEN TO ACE OF SPADES OR FAT BACK OR BLACK WIDOW
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