SRV/Setzer

We all know Brian Setzer once jumped on stage at a SRV gig.
He did play a tune or 2 didn't he?
Are there any recordings of that show?
I'v only seen one pic of them onstage.
When was that show anyway?

I can't recall the date any longer, but it was during a tour where Stray Cats opened for Stevie Ray Vaughan from 25 July to 13 August 1989. Here's what Brian had to say about this when this was posted on briansetzer.com some time ago:



That photo was taken on a night when we (Stray Cats) were opening for Stevie Ray on a summer tour. I was watching the show from the side of the stage...he was brilliant as usual!

I was standing there, when he suddenly called me up to play. Funny thing was that I didn’t have my glasses or contact lenses in so, I really couldn’t see that well. (laughing) He actually had to grab my hand and pull me up on stage with him. I remember thinking, this is great, I’m finally going to be able to hear what this amazing guitar sounds like!
He had amps all over the place! He hands me his Strat and just kind of stood there watching me. I think we did “The House Is Rockin”. The weirdest thing was that it sounded just like my guitar! It was so strange. When I played his Strat through all those amps, it sounded just like me, playing my Gretsch through a Fender Bassman, same volume, everything. So it just kind of proved a point to me, if I play Stevie Ray's Strat through his wall of amps and he makes it sound so different....it’s in your hands, the sound comes from you! That’s what really got me, it was his gear and it sounded nothing like him.

Stevie Ray was a great guy. He would get barbecue or his favourite foods flown if and he’d invite me back to have a meal with him. He was battling some demons at the time, like we all do, but he was a brilliant guitar player and I love listening to him.

So there you have it. I have never heard of any recordings from this night ever surfacing.

Scuttle Buttin'-billy

That looks like a Sun Records cap Brian's sporting, so I think that photo and one-time performance was from the tour opener in Memphis Tennessee, 25th of July 1989.


Fool the Guesser-billy

rickabilly wrote:

I think we did “The House Is Rockin”. The weirdest thing was that it sounded just like my guitar! It was so strange. When I played his Strat through all those amps, it sounded just like me, playing my Gretsch through a Fender Bassman, same volume, everything. So it just kind of proved a point to me, if I play Stevie Ray's Strat through his wall of amps and he makes it sound so different....it’s in your hands, the sound comes from you! That’s what really got me, it was his gear and it sounded nothing like him.
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I don't disagree with Brian, I think for the most part he won't sound like SRV unless he tried.

But, I question it somewhat because the song they played, "The House Is Rockin" would sound like a Setzer song no matter what.

I wonder is Brian played Lenny, would it have sounded like SRV?

Actually, that was Deer Creek Amphitheater in Indianapolis IN. I was there. It was 25 bux a carload to get in! me and some army buddies all went. it was awesome. (I also got very drunk)

-g

You are correct on the date, Rick.

And no, a recording of that show has yet to surface.

Still lookin,
Scatman Wilbury

Here's another account of Brian's recollections of that night:

Q: I read that one time in Memphis, you played with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Is that true and what did you think about him?

A: Yes, that's true, I did play with him. First of all, Stevie Ray was magic. It's funny because people always want to know about his guitars and his amps but what I want to tell you is that it was in his fingers. It had nothing to do with his guitar and amp. I think he could have been playing a Silvertone guitar through a transistor radio. That night at "Mud Island" in Memphis I was watching him from the side and he called me up on stage and he handed me his guitar and he said, "Play!". I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would be really loud and just, you know, all over the stage. It wasn't though, it was about as loud as I set my guitars. It even kind of sounded like mine. I was so surprised. He stood there in front of the pedal board with his arms crossed just hitting different pedals. At that moment I realized...jeez, it's all about what's in this guy's fingers. What can I say? He was one of the truly great guitar players. We never played together, at the same time but I'll never forget that night.

Rockin' In Memphis-billy

rickabilly wrote:

I can't recall the date any longer, but it was during a tour where Stray Cats opened for Stevie Ray Vaughan from 25 July to 13 August 1989. Here's what Brian had to say about this when this was posted on briansetzer.com some time ago:



That photo was taken on a night when we (Stray Cats) were opening for Stevie Ray on a summer tour. I was watching the show from the side of the stage...he was brilliant as usual!

I was standing there, when he suddenly called me up to play. Funny thing was that I didn’t have my glasses or contact lenses in so, I really couldn’t see that well. (laughing) He actually had to grab my hand and pull me up on stage with him. I remember thinking, this is great, I’m finally going to be able to hear what this amazing guitar sounds like!
He had amps all over the place! He hands me his Strat and just kind of stood there watching me. I think we did “The House Is Rockin”. The weirdest thing was that it sounded just like my guitar! It was so strange. When I played his Strat through all those amps, it sounded just like me, playing my Gretsch through a Fender Bassman, same volume, everything. So it just kind of proved a point to me, if I play Stevie Ray's Strat through his wall of amps and he makes it sound so different....it’s in your hands, the sound comes from you! That’s what really got me, it was his gear and it sounded nothing like him.

Stevie Ray was a great guy. He would get barbecue or his favourite foods flown if and he’d invite me back to have a meal with him. He was battling some demons at the time, like we all do, but he was a brilliant guitar player and I love listening to him.

So there you have it. I have never heard of any recordings from this night ever surfacing.

Scuttle Buttin'-billy

wow man, how do you know all those facts and got these stories?
I liked SRV very much (saw him in 1986 in Berlin-West), but i never knew anything about this tour of Brian and Stevie before i joined this forum. And the pic is great.
Imho Brian is so right, it depends of your fingers and your own talent and not only the gear makes the sound.

So, happy eastern to all (do you celebrate it in the US?)

Brett

Those stories and facts all come to you courtesy of the tireless efforts of Tommy, and my innate ability to shamelessly cut and paste! If it weren't for his efforts to share these gems with us, we would all be much less connected to our favorite Guitar Slinger!

Knowledge is Power-billy

ok, in this case thanks to you both...