Cuttin heads?
 

Is it still done on the blues scene?

Todd

What do you mean by "Cuttin heads?" Can you elaborate?

Basically two bands or two players getting on stage for a bet and trying to outperform each other.

Todd

Yes, there are still people who fail to check their egos at the door.

Is that a desirable trait? Your call.

FWIW, it used to be popular among some in the jazz scene but, more often that not, can lead to people getting loud and "technical" and losing any musicality they might otherwise possess.

The only time I've heard of this practice was in the movie "Crossroads" w/ Ralph Machio having to beat Steve Vie, ( the Devil's guitarist), in a duel for his soul. It was the best scene in the movie because Steve Vie was actually playing his parts. Of course Machio wins by tripping Vie up w/ a complicated classical piece.
I don't know if this scene is based on an actual practice among Blues guitarist or not, but it made for good cinema.

Here is a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djIXHfh5GcE

I've never heard of this being done in real life. Perhaps at Guitar Center between to post-pubes but then again....

The story is that Clapton got his butt handed to him by Hendrix once in this way. But, I hear this was really popular in Chicago blues for a time and Muddy Waters was the king of it. Anyway, just wondering if it still happens? Seems like it might make for an interesting show!

Todd

I'm so glad I wasn't drinking anything when I saw this...

The term and practice goes back to the early 1920s-1930s walking bluesmen who might stand at opposite street corners vying for an audience and the coins they throw down...

I've never been able to wrap my head around the whole "musician as gunslinger" ethos... maybe that's why I never made it BIG?!!!

Music, and art in general, aren't a competition... at least not in my book, they aren't. Sure, I want people to like what I play and what I write and to want to hire me for great gigs... but I don't feel excluded or "cut out" if another player gets the gigs they want. The more folks who are getting hired to play live music, the better, in my opinion...

As far as "cutting heads"? Sure, it still happens with jazz and blues - personally, I wouldn't willingly choose to play in that environment...

And, as far as the Jimi Hendrix/Eric Clapton reference? I don't believe that was "cutting heads" so much as Eric not really knowing who Jimi was and how he played... a phenomenon that caught more than a few guitarists of the day "out of their comfort zone"!!!

The Search for Robert Johnson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiHjyWhZzmk shows a simulated "head cuttin'" competition between John Hammond Jr. and sometime playing/traveling companion of Robert Johnson, Johnny Shines @4:45-5:50 and 6:35-7:35...

In the early 70's my Jersey band was touring the South. The ladies were very friendly, the local boys "not so much", there were a few fights (luckily our drummer was 6'5" and happy to oblige).

A few times there were guys in the building, these were mostly very large bar gigs, pushing their buddy who plays to jump on stage and show us how to "play right", basically cutting heads. Our sound tech was a former biker and he was pretty good at talking folks out of jumping on stage.

A few did sit in with us when it was better than a riot starting, they were sometimes better, sometimes not, but always better than beer bottles flying at the stage full of "Yankee boys".

The 70's were something..................;)

Played for laughs as a staged, sorta-rehearsed bit, it could be a blast.

I'll take Eddie Van Halen against Ralph Machio any day anywhere!:mad: ;)

I saw it with banjos -- Bela Fleck and Tony Trischka -- but that wasn't really the same and it was more a challenge than a smackdown.

And there's that whole banjo thing.

Most definitely, but I'd prefer to see Ralph pretending to play hot guitar licks as opposed to pretending that he can beat someone in a karate competition...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPB2qbxuiLM

It may have ended when Don Felder left the Eagles...

But seriously, I've been in enough head-cutting situations. I think the definition as stated above is a little extreme in its scope and finality. Back in the '70s everyone seemed to play guitar, many were trying to be lead guitarists, and most of those were trying to be the best lead guitarist. Consequently, everyone both tried very hard both to develop his chops and to find a venue to show them off in. There were lot's of those situations back then, from guest appearances to high school and college jams to band auditions to every day with two-lead-guitar bands. You never really knew what to expect of the spirit of these little competitions until you were in the middle of one. They could range from gentlemanly, friendly little duals where you pushed each other to each others' best and the stakes were no more than a friendly raised eyebrow when you pulled out something cool to some pretty cut-throat attempts to embarrass. I've enjoyed the former and survived the latter in various conditions. Basically, it came down to the character of the participants - nice people encouraged and enjoyed, nasty, sneaky people tried to beat and humiliate, very much like marksmanship competitions. Talk about a vehicle to sharpen you skills! I, for one, enjoyed and participated in friendly, respectful head-cutting as a social and learning experience first and foremost. I can honestly admit that I both wanted to be the best and didn't always get my wish. ;)

But let me show you an even better way from an old post of mine, HERE.

Bob

I guess the rules were as follows.they each play passages until one of the participants could not play what the other guitarist played.Excuses and alibis were not tolerated and the loser could be in for some serious ego damage!

I know someone who made a living playing bass in Nashville years ago and allegedly Jimmy Bryant came to town and stopped in at Roberts Western wear to jam with them. Jimmy had a Cadillac and on the side of it, I think it said, " The fastest Telecaster in the west or something like that.

Anyway he was very good and fast but he picked a night when Hank Garland was there. Hank was known for great country licks but was also a great Jazz player and according to my friend, Hank gave Jimmy a guitar lesson that night.

People stopped inviting me to these sessions after I got really solid on "Stairway to Heaven"

Cuttin' Heads is a great and wonderful tradition. It's not the same as the guy at the jam who thinks he's hot stuff. It was about BANDS in the greatest blues traditions. Where you had the best players going and a frontman/MC. On the order of Muddy. Earl. Guys like that. The audience understood the rules and were into it! They would boo you off the stage if you didn't belong. Think apollo theatre. Not coffee house.

Two guys having way too much fun taking turns.

I always grin when Chet quips "Don't make me look bad now! Don't make me look bad!" :D

This!

It's a jazz tradition too, and it could get heated...but it was always about pushing onesself further than before...and if somebody showed you up, you got in the shed and waited for next time.

Good players push each other to be better.

You wanna see Chet having fun with a buddy? In his prime? The best moment is at about 1:12 when Chet does some wicked sweep picking, and you can hear Jerry, barely off mic, loose his mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni8KBhnebwE