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It does a good job of focusing on his early life into his quick rise to fame in the 1960s folk then jazz/world music/psychedelic/pop music. But his autobiography is missing the kind of self-deprecating humor that carried, say, Rod Stewart’s memoir. He does come off a bit self-aggrandizing at times--only slightly and I believe that part of that is due to being treated as a piece of fluff by many in the musical community and of course among the vultures of the journalism business.

Hurdy Gurdy: Books - AbeBooks Hurdy Gurdy: Books - AbeBooks

Yes, at times he comes off as an arrogant little sod (his words, not mine) and he makes some outrageous claims (he created psychedelic rock, Celtic rock, flower power, the guitar finger picking style) but still a mostly enjoyable read through the sixties, man. He casually takes full credit for any number of innovations and developments, from Celtic rock to elaborate stage shows, in which he played a minor role at best. i never knew much about his early career or all the things that he accomplished at such a young age. Another 10th-century treatise thought to have mentioned an instrument like a hurdy-gurdy is an Arabic musical compendium written by Al Zirikli.The entire book reads as a study in how underrated he was, and yet he manages to effortlessly rank himself among The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones in terms of influence. More accomplished players are able to achieve six, eight, or even twelve buzzes within one turn of the wheel.

Hurdy Gurdy, Used: Books - AbeBooks Hurdy Gurdy, Used: Books - AbeBooks

Immediately you could tell that the Scottish folksinger has a high opinion of himself – quoting his songs and his “poetry,” telling you about the early days of his life as if he were the most important person in the world. A clever, playful book with a likeable narrator, great turn of phrase and lots of gruesome historical detail. The melody string(s) (French chanterelle(s), Hungarian dallamhúr(ok)) are stopped with tangents attached to keys that change the vibration length of the string, much as a guitarist uses his or her fingers on the fretboard of a guitar.Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. The drone strings are tuned so that by turning them on or off, the instrument can be played in multiple keys (e. I found that he loves many things that I also love--Pre-Raphaelite painting and style, antiques, nature, and Indian mysticism. I had the feeling that someone was talking about a party with the admonition 'you had to be there to understand.

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Another possible derivation is from the Hungarian hegedűs (Slovenian variant hrgadus) meaning a fiddle.In fact, I've hung out around musicians most of my adult life and have never heard such self-aggrandizing rubbish. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the mid 18th century origin of the term hurdy-gurdy is onomatopoeic in origin, after the repetitive warble in pitch that characterizes instruments with solid wooden wheels that have warped due to changes in humidity or after the sound of the buzzing-bridge. Instead too many of the stories involve his pursuit of his true love, Brian Jones’ former girlfriend Linda Lawrence (credit where it’s due: they’re still married after almost 50 years), and how often he partook of the herb.

Hurdy Gurdy by Christopher Wilson | Goodreads

As a part of my preparation for visiting Scotland, reading Donovan's autobiography is a pleasurable stroll through the folk, rock, jazz and new age music of the 1960s. It is a finely sketched story where the characters you meet are believable, but it always feels like the outline for a book, rather than anything weighty. He is rather naïve, especially when it comes to dealing with others -- in contrast to, for example, a Simon Mostly, whose path he'll repeatedly cross -- but he catches on, at least in some regards, quickly, and makes his way. At the heart of the book is a love story, the tale of how he met and eventually married his wife, Linda.

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