Wednesday, 14 Jan 2009
There are two things I must do on my next trip to Cleveland. I’ll talk about one of them today. The first order of business is a Thursday night stop at Major Hooples for a free performance by Glenn Schwartz. I first learned of Glenn via David Byrne’s blog and, in particular, this Byrne shot video of Glenn tearing it up and preaching the Christian fire.
That’s worth a blog post alone if it wasn’t for Glenn Schwartz’s notable history. He was the original guitarist for The James Gang until he ultimately left to join the “Los Angeles based Blues band Pacific Gas & Electric, and in 1970, scored a national top 20 hit with the song “Are You Ready?”
From Wikipedia: While in Los Angeles on tour with the James Gang in 1968, Schwartz strolled onto the infamous Sunset Strip and stopped next to a small group of people listening to street preacher Arthur Blessitt. Some time later he professed conversion to Christianity, saying “I was finally blessed by mercy for I heard the Gospel of Christ.”
Today, Glenn Schwartz’s live shows consist of blistering guitar riffs mixed with a street preacher’s lambasting of anyone in ear shot. So, Thursday night’s in Cleveland, you get a blistering set by a guitar legend that can turn on a dime. I’m hoping some readers out there have witnessed Glenn Schwartz in person and can testify of their experiences in the comments. Until then, these fine folks offer numerous show reviews, and provided the photo above and MP3 below.
Buy: Pacific Gas & Electric
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MP3: Glenn Schwartz – Blues Jam from April 24, 2008
January 14th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
GS puts on a pretty decent show. When he first made his ‘comeback,’ I saw him at the Beachland Tavern and his playing was at best wondering. But he’s gotten a lot more focused – even though he’s easily distracted by scantily clad women. He damns them and quotes bible verses.
His bro – the basser – likes look a giant lawn gnome. The whole affair is pretty crazy.
The crowd at Hooples, though, is sometimes half drunk business men and the decor consists heavily of Chief Wahoo and Browns stuff. But I think that only adds to the insanity of watching GS play. And if nothing else, if you head up the hill, you can hit up some really fine, fine projects.
January 16th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Arthur Blessitt is the same preacher who brought George W. Bush to Jesus: http://bit.ly/grSZ
January 17th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Great article. Thie great article is provide useful and relevant information. I like these information.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Glenns brother Gene who plays bass was for years before he died Robert Lockwood’s bassist and before that in the late sixties a fairly successful dragracer in the old a/gas class running a 52 chevy back when they were jacked up to the sky
June 28th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Saw him play as much as I could in the 80-90s. One of the best rock/modern guitar players of the 20th C. Woefully under-appreciated and a favorite target of small minded yahoos, this “Byrne shot video” really captures a lot of his Intense Passion which, thankfully for us, is manifested in beautiful guitar music. Guitarist’s guitarist if there ever was one, a pure spirit and inspiration to anyone and everyone who values music.