i think in my book of the most underrated rock & roll bands of all time, foghat has got to be my number one. i mean, they were the epitome of a great balls out bluesy rock band. great tunes, powerful soulful vocals courtesy of the late lonesome dave peverett, a tight driving rythm section, and masterful bluesy lead & slide guitar by the late rod price.
rod passed away yesterday (march 23, 2005) at his home in wilton, new hampshire after sustaining head trauma in an accidental stairway fall. in the 70's foghat rose to international fame out of london ,england with their no holds barred live shows and superb musicianship. one of the key elements was rods bluesy slide guitar, which as a slide player myself was an enormous influence on me. he was really agressive yet was also subtle at times which is the mark of a truly great player...knowing when to hold back.....believe me, i'm still learning about that. definitely the one recording that captures rod at his most ferocious has got to be "foghat live". i think over the years i've worn out at least a couple copies of this.one time many years ago after rod had left foghat..i ran into an old soundman friend of mine who was then working for foghat and told me they were lookin to replace their current lead guitar guy. of course i told him i wanted the gig and asked him what i should do. he told me "learn the live album" so i spent the next month or so holed up in my room
picking apart ever litttle guitar lick on that record..i wound up meeting the guys in the band and they told me they were looking forward to me coming on board....needless to say, what really happened was that that incarnation of the band split and the original four members, including rod reunited.......oh well..thats my "i almost joined a famous band story" but what i did get from that experience was that slide blues guitar can only be played if you play with feeling to begin with..its gotta be in you..it cant be learned...and rod price had it in him in spades......rest in peace rod.....
