25-february-1965 Buddy Guy
DATE: Thursday, 25th, February, 1965
LOCATION: 90 Wardour Street
MAIN ACT: Buddy Guy
SUPPORTING BAND: Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men
The legendary bluesmen Buddy Guy played his first British appareance at the Marquee on the 25th of February, 1965.
Memories on this night"I first heard Buddy Guy, I think on one of these, It could have been on this international. No I tell you what it was. I know it was a international record. It was called folk festival of the blues. It was like recorded somehow in a nightclub gathering of Sonny Boy Williams, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon as well and Otis Span. And the first song on side one was called 'Wee wee baby'. And all of them singing it. They just give this guitar solo to someone and it's Buddy Guy just blazes and it's still to this day one of the most monumental guitar solos ever recorded. I mean, he takes off. And from that point of hearing that record, years ago, he was my hero. I mean, this guy could do no wrong. And then I heard he was coming to London. And they had him play in the Marquee one night with a pickup band. And he did, this is long before Jimi Hendrix ever came to England, he played it behind his head, he threw it on the floor, he played it with his feet. I mean, he did everything. He did everything that Jimi later did. Except that Buddy was dressed in this like sharkskin suit, you know like a Rock and roll suit. He was immaculate. So he not only played it, but he was the embodiment of what it was all about. You know, and he was a beautiful man too. He just had this gentlemanly manner. The whole thing was right you know. A quiet soft spoken guy who just was a maniac on stage. I mean that was it, it was love at first sight."
Eric Clapton, BBC 1, 3rd February 1990.
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