The Banned Instrumental
C told me this story on Tuesday.
Link Wray, in 1958, released the instrumental "Rumble."
It doesn't sound forward-thinking today, but in 1958, the pounding of the drums and raggedness of the guitar was revolutionary. It's been cited by many (including Jimmy Page and Iggy Pop) as a seminal influence.
Because of the sound, and also the title "Rumble," which is slang for a gang fight, some radio markets refused to play the song. It climbed to #16, anyway.
Let that sink in, though: radio stations refused to play an instrumental. Including stations in NYC and Boston.
A nice read here: ‘Rumble’ Aims to Upset the Rock ‘n’ Roll Canon: A documentary based on a Smithsonian exhibition is wowing festival audiences.
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