playing a guitar solo behind your head ala Hendrix/SRV/T-Bone Walker

I think its incredibly corny, and also incredibly easy to do. You don't always have to go all the way behind your head. Just putting it up on your shoulder and leaning a bit usually gets a crowd reaction. Now if you could that and do a split at the time while playing a burning solo like T-Bone, then you'd have the crowd up in arms. But I look at it this way: if I gig out, I'm there to put on a show. I'm not there to loaf around onstage and stare at my shoes the whole time. Eric Clapton can get away with just making funny faces. Why? He's Eric fucking Clapton, that's why. Me? I'm a no-name cat who occasionally gets to go onstage, and I'm there to have a good time and entertain people. Besides, I like corn. I remember seeing some poster that used to post a pic of him playing behind his back. He was wearing camoflage pants and Buddy Holly style/Drew Carey style glasses, and a shirt that said "security" on it. Oh, and one more thing, don't try it under a ceiling fan.

What's your opinion on this controversial issue in need of adressing?

~ George

 

Hell, I'd do it.

I've always wanted to do the Albert Collins trick of going out into the crowd during a solo, too...I'd probably have to use one of those radio transmitter things to keep from getting tangled, though.

Reminds me of something I heard about on a Fender guitar forum once. Two bands were playing gigs in pubs that were opposite each other, and both guitarists used radio transmitters rather than cables. They timed their playing of one particular song, and when the solo came, both guitarists walked out onto the street, crossed the road (nodding to each other as they passed). The transmitters (they must have been using the same type and frequency or something) switched over to each other's amps, and thery began playing with each other's band.

Not sure if it's true, but you started talking about cheesy stage moves . I can think up a couple more, if you're interested

 

^^Thats cool. Whenever I'm trying stuff out at george's, I'll listen to someone else trying out a guitar and lay down a bassline behind it. It's funny, they always give me the weirdest look, like I've invaded their personal space or something. Anyways, yeah, don't try it by fans and always have strap locks! I saw this asshole once try to spin a jbass and the strap fell off the button and the headstock busted him right in the face, lol. Man, it was funny.

 

lmfao.... I've seen that.

 

Well if you can back it up,do it!But if your lame,don't cause you'll look like an ass,and noone will dig it.


LOL,my friend does it sometimes,when we play Voodoo Child

 

I went through a phase of doing that too much. I stopped when I tried it without looking first, and my Squier Telecaster hit a huge PA speaker.

Amazingly, a bent tuner is all the damage that it took from that. And when I converted the guitar to a five string open G, I just swapped tuners round so the broken one wasn't used

 

the only song that's impressive behind the head has to be the sweet child of mine solo, just coz there's so much arm wrenching movement. a better show off trick is to play behind your back. meaning everything's back to front and if you're right handed you have to play left handed, great for showing off in front of fellow guitarists who know how hard it is, but do i ever get praise from non guitarists? NO! they're like "we don't care". playing with teeth, voodoo chile, or even just mouth whammy bar. they're both good.

 

I can play that wah solo with Carry On by CSN behind my back... rockin' in the free world is a pain in the ass to play on your shoulder with a les paul. Doesn't sound the same on a strat... Never tried sweet child o' mine behind my back. I did play that song twice today though.