Was messing on youtube last night searching for psychedelia and found Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man". The fuzz guitar blast at 00:40 still blisters my ears after 56 years.

Then the youtube found me this. I was totally blown away.

There's always been argument over whether it was Jimmy Page or Alan Parker playing guitar on HGM. After hearing the young Frenchman shredding metal on a real (electrified) hurdy-gurdy I started wondering what Page or Parker could have done with one for Donovan. Page bought a hurdy-gurdy after those sessions and is seen playing it in The Song Remains the Same.

I couldn't begin to explain how a hurdy-gurdy works or how to play it, but the things have been around nearly 1000 years.

 

Oh My! Oh My! That was awsome! I had always heard the hurdy gurdy playing period music from the 1500's etc, you know peasant music with a flute et al. I like it!

 

check out Blues Theme by Davie Allan and the Arrows.

 

hurdy-gurdy similar to a stringed instrument with a rosined bow...think Jimmy in Dazed n Confused....or dig little Gretchen Menn shredding the **** out of that custom guitar of hers. Goose bumps!

You Tube

 

There were bound to have been musicians in medieval times who had this music in them. Trouble was had they played it, they would probably have been burned at the stake.

 

No doubt, no doubt. Loved the rendition of "Dazed and Confused" they did it very well. The vocals were a little weak but who could compare to Robert Plant?