Song of the Day 5/4: Rock Hall of Fame 2004 induction concert feat. Prince, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Did anyone in rock history rise to the big occasion better than Prince? His Super Bowl halftime show in the Miami rain stands as the best has come close to matching his concert in the Miami rain, and his blistering guitar solo at his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame left a stage full of icons in awe. The original video has been viewed over 100 million times on YouTube, but now Joel Gallen, who produced the original broadcast of the concert, has re-edited the footage to focus more on Prince.
The 2004 HoF class also included George Harrison, selected posthumously as a solo performer, which is why fellow Wilburys Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne were there. Petty sang “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” while Marc Mann, Jeff Lynne’s lead guitarist, providing the Claptonesque fills for the first three minutes of the song. At about the 2-minute mark you can see Dhani Harrison smiling toward the wings as Prince gets ready to emerge.
Mann stuck closely to Eric Clapton’s understated, tasteful licks, but Prince obliterated that approach. His guitar doesn’t just weep — it wails, it moans, it gnashes its teeth. He even works in a Nigel Tufnel moment at about the 4:30 mark, when he leans back so far a roadie has to hold him up and put him back on his feet.
Gallen said, “Seventeen years after this stunning performance by Prince, I finally had the chance to go in and re-edit it slightly – since there were several shots that were bothering me. I got rid of all the dissolves and made them all cuts, and added lots more close ups of Prince during his solo.” A side-by-side comparison shows there isn’t much difference, but it’s a fine excuse for hearing this again.
The guitar toss was planned — he often ended concerts that way. It was caught by Takumi Suetsugu, Prince’s guitar tech, who followed Prince’s pre-show instruction to hand it to Oprah Winfrey.
It was all for show; she gave it back and it now resides at Paisley Park.
Truly, this performance demands a new Voyager mission so it can belong to the universe.
I love the mystery, but I wish there was a long shot of the guitar toss.
Did the guitar ever come down?
I know, right? When I first saw this video I was already amazed, then that.
Stage hand probably caught the guitar, and assuredly knew it was coming. Good shtick none the less.
So I read a write-up in (nytimes I think, but I could be wrong and the article was an older oral history of the event) yesterday and the gist of the oral history is that although Prince did rehearse this with some of the group, he didn’t really play the solo until the live stage performance.
On a related note: I taught a web design class about 15 or 20 years ago and one of my students did their assignment on the best 5 axe players in history. Prince was on his list and I concur
The guitar toss was a practiced concert-ending move — Prince would toss it and it was supposed to be caught by his guitar tech, Takumi Suetsugu. It didn’t always work, and damaged guitars were routine, but he caught it that night and, per Prince’s instructions, handed it to Oprah Winfrey.
She gave it back and it now resides at Paisley Park.
I assumed that there was someone on a catwalk waiting. And knowing it was all planned out doesn’t diminish the magic one iota.
I think he was down in front of the stage. On the live broadcast they supposedly showed him handing it to Oprah, but I’ve never seen it.
“one of the best five axe players in history” – who else would be on that list?
If we limit ourselves to rock and related music, you would have to put Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton on the list. One could make a great case for Carlos Santana, too.
Eddie Van Halen, right? “Eruption” for the win.
I think Clapton’s always been overrated. Anyone agree?
My thought would be Eddie Van Halen, Prince, John McLaughlin, Carlos Santana and John Waters (Pink Floyd)
I’d put Mark Knopfler on that list.
Then I’d remove either Santana and/or John Waters….Or just have 6 on my list 🙂 But I’m not really an axe person, I just have my preferences 🙂 and memories of too many concerts under the influence of way too many substances 🙂
Other names that crop up a lot are Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. I see Slash on several top guitarist lists. If you ask the guitar players themselves, they voted Queen’s Brian May No. 1.
BTW, Dave Gilmour is Pink Floyd’s guitarist, Roger Waters is their dyspeptic bass player.
Something told me to look it up before I posted. But did I listen? NO 🙂
I think Mike Bloomfield, Duane Allman, Peter Green and Les Paul should be in the conversation. I don’t think Clapton is overrated. He could play hard and he could play soft. The guitar sound of the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos. That would be enough. Dark horse: Johnny Marr.
Les Paul would be mainly for the technical stuff, but he could really play. I like to watch him on the Youtube.