Rock music has gone through many evolutions. The ’60s, especially, saw many artists shake up the conventions of the genre. The rules of rock were thrown out the window, opening up space for sub-genres and cross-over appeal. Although a folk icon, Neil Young has played a role in the evolution of rock. Young once spoke about his harder-edged inspirations, crediting one artist with altogether redefining his genre. Find out which artist that is below.
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The Artist Neil Young Thought Completely Changed Rock
A rock group needs many things, but a stellar guitar player might be paramount among them. The guitar is more or less the instrument of the genre. Because of this, whoever a band chooses for guitar duties has a mammoth task ahead of them.
There are many exceptional guitar players out there. Moreover, there is a genealogy of them. We can trace one player’s influences, so on and so forth. Though Young isn’t known for his searing solos, he did take inspiration from a guitarist who was.
Neil Young on Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was a singular guitar player. Even those who wouldn’t claim to be rock aficionados know Hendrix and his legacy. Few rockers have been as adept at their instrument as Hendrix was.
Although Young is conventionally known as a folkie, there are corners of his discography that are more electrified. For these corners, Young tried to follow Hendrix’s lead.
“Guitar, you can play it or transcend it,” Young once said. “Jimi showed me that. He was at one with his instrument. I just looked at it, heard it, and felt it, and wanted to do it. Hendrix threw a Molotov cocktail onto rock & roll.”
That quote is one of the surest fire ways to round up a rocker’s influence—and Hendrix certainly deserves those praises. Despite his brief career, Hendrix had a massive impact on rock. Guitar playing was never the same after Hendrix redefined the instrument.
On top of dishing out compliments, Young has also paid homage to Hendrix on stage. Joined by Keith Richards, Young performed “Purple Haze” at Hendrix’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. If getting two legendary artists from opposite corners of the world to cover his song doesn’t speak to the lengths of Hendrix’s influence, I don’t know what does.
(Photo By Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
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