The Saga of John Fahey

[Adam Blake]

Fascinating character, truly seminal American musician, collector, troublemaker - a thoroughly obnoxious person in many ways, like most genuine artists.

Up on the iPlayer until Friday night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... ohn_Fahey/

[NormanD]

Am really looking forward to seeing this one, along with ep. 2 of the blues documentary.

I think I know "The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death" inside out, and I still listen to it. The album came with a booklet of a loooong rambling hand-written story about who-knows-what, that made little sense whether read with or without intoxication.

[Rob Hall]

It's very good Norman. He was clearly a difficult person to be around but his music was a wonder. I may even watch it a second time.

[Adam Blake]

On reflection, I think I was a bit crass to describe most genuine artists as obnoxious. I've met quite a few who are absolutely lovely people.

Fahey was fiddled with by his father which fucked him up, as it would do most people. He channeled his hurt and rage and confusion into his music. A touch of the old Julie Burchill "without slavery there would have been no Tamla Motown" argument coming on. If Fahey hadn't been such a damaged obsessive, Skip James and Bukka White for starters would almost certainly have languished in forgotten obscurity until their deaths. Tangled web and all that. And some remarkable music. I wonder if he ever met Davy Graham. Would they have exchanged more than a cursory nod?

[Graham G]

I enjoyed it but wanted more of and about the music and fewer talking heads referencing the man's personality rather than his work. I don't think we got an explanation of where it fits in the tradition of American guitar music.

[Adam Blake]

Interesting point, Graham, I am not sure Fahey does fit into that tradition. I think he may have had more in common with John Cage than with Blind Willie Johnson (except that Cage was a cheerful soul).