Pirate Radio 13

12/24/2025

Remembering Motörhead legend Lemmy, born 80 years ago today.

📸 Dirk Goetz

12/24/2025

12/23/2025

BB King on bass with Johnny Winter in the most amazing hairstyle imaginable.
Backstage at a club in upstate New York (Photo by Steve Schapiro/Corbis via Getty Images)

12/22/2025

Remembering Frank Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993)
He’s holding a modified Jimi Hendrix Strat, which Jimi set on fire presumably at the Atlanta Pop Festival.
It's understandable to assume that the Fender Strats that Jimi Hendrix set on fire and smashed early in the career of the Jimi Hendrix Experience were promptly tossed in the dumpster post-performance. However, it turned out that at least one wise gentleman opted to hold on to one such poorly-treated instrument, Hendrix roadie Howard Parker.

At some point post-guitar sacrifice, Parker gifted the Strat to none other than Frank Zappa, who posed with it in the January 1977 issue of Guitar Player Magazine. And in the 2022 book, "Iconic Guitar Gear," former Zappa Band guitarist Steve Vai discussed the instrument at length.

"Frank was pretty irreverent with his gear. And from what I understand, he received that guitar after Jimi Hendrix had burned it, I think, in Florida at a gig [the Miami Pop Festival, in 1968]. And it came from a tech that went to Frank. And Frank took it apart and put it back together with all sorts of different electronics and everything. And I actually used it as a third spare on tour with Frank."

One would also assume that knowing that they were playing a guitar that was once played by Jimi Hendrix may be a bit intimidating, especially for such a self-proclaimed Hendrix fan as Vai. But surprisingly, he explained this was not the case.

"As much as that could intimidate me, it didn't come close to the music that I had to play on it — when it comes to being intimidated. [Laughs] I thought it was cool — it's pretty cool that I'm playing a guitar that Jimi Hendrix owned or played, and Frank Zappa owned it."

According to Vai however, Zappa made all kind of modifications to the instrument. And was not concerned in the slightest about doing so.

Source: Ultimate Guitar
Photograph by Guido Harari

12/22/2025

12/22/2025

Remembering Joe Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014)
Can you sing the blues without having suffered?

Joe Cocker: It's an emotion – a way of carrying an emotion. It's a very simple format but I find myself leaning that way as I get older. It's a very nice way to sing.

Where did your unique dancing style come from?

You mean my arm movements? I actually saw myself with Eric Clapton – you know you see all your old stuff on YouTube now – and I was horrified at myself, with my arms just flailing around. I guess that came with my frustration at never having played piano or guitar. If you see me nowadays I'm not quite so animated, but it's just a way of trying to get feeling out – I get excited and it all comes through my body.

You played at Woodstock, which looks like the worst experience on Earth from the movie. How was it for you?

We were kind of lucky because we got on stage real early. It took about half the set just to get through to everybody, to that kind of consciousness. You're in a sea of humanity and people aren't necessarily looking to entertain you. We did Let's Go Get Stoned by Ray Charles, which kind of turned everybody around a bit, and we came off looking pretty good that day. A lot of other artists didn't enjoy themselves at all.

The Guardian Interview

In this June 1970 photo released by Linda Wolf, Joe Cocker appears in Los Angeles after the Joe Cocker — Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour and traveling party.

12/21/2025

Keith Richards says Merry Christmas…..

12/20/2025

I bought a Regal squareneck resonator on Facebook marketplace last week.... I thought I was in remission, turns out the guitar addiction syndrome continues.
Whats your most recent purchase, and how did you justify it to yourself :)

for me, I got a great deal - under $300, with hard case - with an aftermarket pickup system.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.