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Architect of one of the most important records in the evolution of rock guitar
The godfather of garage rock, Frederick Lincoln ‘Link’ Wray Jr created a savage guitar sound in the late '50s when he poked holes in his amplifier’s speakers with a pencil. This wanton vandalism produced an early version of fuzz-tone, and in 1964 Dave Davies of The Kinks would use a razor blade to achieve a similar effect on You Really Got Me.
Wray's 1958 instrumental hit Rumble sounded so genuinely menacing that many US radio stations refused to playlist it. The record was a huge influence on guitarists like Jimmy Page and Pete Townshend of The Who. Jimi Hendrix and Marc Bolan of T Rex were big Wray fans too. Sadly the man himself passed on in 2005. Find out more about the legend perpetually wrapped in leather and dark shades here.
It’s rock ‘n’ roll. You have to look good. While many garage bands wore striped pants and Beatle mop top haircuts, the Count Five lads took their name literally and sported Dracula-style capes. Even that was tame compared to The Monks, who wore robes and short hairstyles with tonsures (the bald bit monk’s have on the top of their heads, natch). Amen to that.
