Crusty Clip of the Week: Blue Cheer - "Summertime Blues"

Every Wednesday, your hosts each post a suitably stale video clip that we think needs to be revisited. Click here for more Crusty Clips.

by crustcake gerf (NYC)

It's obviously impossible to pinpoint the exact moment when that mighty beast known as 'heavy metal' was spawned, but Blue Cheer's 1968 cover of Eddie Cochran's blues standard "Summertime Blues" is as good a place as any to start.

Guess what Black Sabbath were doing in 1968? They called themselves 'Earth' and they were covering songs by Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and a little band called... Blue Cheer.

Blue Cheer - "Summertime Blues" (1968):



That vibrato is like a laser beam, boring a giant fucking hole right through your skull. Nobody plays guitar like that anymore... Well, nobody but Blue Cheer, that is. Two thirds of the original lineup is currently on tour. They'll be stopping in Houston tonight before a couple shows during SXSW later this week and then a stint in Europe. Check their MySpace for all the details.

Download: Blue Cheer - "Summertime Blues" [MP3]
Buy: Vincebus Eruptum [Amazon]