Without You

This month, we lost one of the greats of British blues music. Peter Green was such a special player, who, like the American bluesmen he admired, had a voice as expressive as his wonderful playing. He might not have acquired quite the household-name status of some of his peers, such as Eric Clapton, but none will surpass his magical touch on a Les Paul, nor the troubled beauty of his musical world. That’s why, although we paid tribute to Peter’s huge influence on guitar just a couple of issues ago, we decided to publish this issue of Guitarist with a commemorative double cover – one bidding farewell to Green, the other bearing the feature that we originally intended to grace the cover, on the late, great Paul Kossoff, marking the 50th anniversary of Free’s breakthrough album Fire And Water. Both players remain models of tasteful, make-every-note-count playing and it was gratifying – if tantalising – to learn that they nearly began a joint project together before Kossoff’s untimely death in 1976 (see feature, page 60).

As with Peter Green, people love Kossoff’s playing to this day for the expressiveness and freight of feeling that it carried. To put it simply, it’s music, not empty display. Listening, feeling, creating something from the heart, completely in the moment. That’s what real music is and players like Green and Kossoff have always instinctively understood that. When guitar playing comes from that sincere place, simplicity isn’t something to be fled from – but something memorable and true that stays with listeners down the years. Enjoy the issue and see you next time.