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“Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay
You've chosen negative words "over produced" and "sanitised" but I'd say better sound quality because better technology is available and played in time, for example, because that's what most people like to hear.
I don't think anyone in this thread is commenting on Johnson's skill or thinks he was trying to play metronomically but lacked the ability - just that because it isn't, it's less enjoyable to listen to since a lot of people (I think it's safe to say most) prefer things to be in time.
Without going off on too much of a tangent, there's always been the idea that being slightly out of time is better and that's why human drummers sound better than perfectly quantised drum machines. But I read about a study that was conducted where a significant number of people had to compare and rate various different drum beats and the results of the study found that basically the closer to metronomic the timing was, the higher the beat was rated including the highest ratings going to the perfectly quantised beats.
IMHO
I listen to a lot of 20s and 30s and 40s music and one of the main hurdles I had to get over was the audio quality. Of course, it doesn’t belittle the songs or musicianship, but it is jarring at first. I’m a film-maker primarily and have seen (was forced to, haha) watch a lot of silent cinema which is now a hundred years old. Technically it’s incomparable to modern film-making - but it’s the roots and film language then is essentially the same as it is now. Same with music.
I mean, there’s probably people out there who prefer Van Halen’s You Really Got Me to The Kinks’ original. Which is clearly misguided and insane, but their own personal choice.
RJ influenced and informed the influencers and it’s been passed down and passed down. No-one can deny that.
I've always found him hard to listen to and I've tried a few times. Last night though I watched a documentary, Cant You Hear The Wind Howl , on youtube from 1992 about him. It's great as it has interviews with several people who knew him, other blues players friends, a girlfriend and step son. And best of all, Johnny Shines, another bluesman who toured around with him. These interviews really bring the man to life and got me listening to his music in a new light and give it a context. The film also has Keb Mo covering some songs. Well, the documentary certainly worked for me, I've been listening to RJ with a new found appreciation. I mean for instance, the part in Come on in My Kitchen where he whispers 'Oh, can't you hear that wind howl?' - spine tingling. I'll watch the Netflix film soon.
One time I was recording a vocal and couldn't quite hit the high powerful bit. So I slowed the whole thing down a touch, recorded the vocal, then put it all back to the original speed. I thought it was pretty nifty solution but people probably do stuff like that all the time.
More about lowering the tone than changing the speed in my case. I have tried speeding things up but you can only do it a bit before it sounds like the chipmunks.
The Netflix documentary is also good, is almost a continuation or update of the 92 film, this time with interviews with his grandsons, John Hammond is still around looking much older. Some interesting insights into the meaning of the songs. Being taught guitar in the cemetery, a tale almost as good as the crossroads one!
I totally get him now, finally. I've learnt to 'play' a couple of songs and understand the basic behind it. Preachin Blues is incredible. I can image Clapton, Page and co hearing this and being blown away by it, at a time when the music around them was pretty tame and sanitised. It's so raw, driving, groovy and funky, all made in one take by one man! I love that you can hear a few bangs and knocks in the background.