Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 09:24 AM

I'm another play in a day survivor. I have a pal who swears that Hank Marvin was the most influential guitarist but I go along with it being Bert Weedon. When I started my parents disapproved. They were convinced that my schoolwork would suffer and I was convinced that music was more important. As it turns out we were both right.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 08:45 AM

Bought "Play in a Day" when I was 12. Saw the great man in caberet at a Miner's Welfare Club [remember them ?] in the early 70's. Great player and a great showman. He had a glamourous girl half his age on his arm when he wasn't playing and my did every kid there want to be him !

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: GUEST,Ian Mather sans cookie
Date: 22 Apr 12 - 12:52 PM

Aye, I too was a Play in a Day pupil.

Looks like I was in good company...

Now there's a thing. Bobby Shaftoe, When the Saints and Guitar Boogie Shuffle should by logic be the most played tunes in any folk club?

Or if your fiddle playing started with the Eta Cohen method.......

Nice one Bert. your contribution to music is almost incalculable.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 12 - 11:58 PM

As I remeber the blue one had a picture of Bert with his showbiz buddies - Alma Cogan was one of them.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 12 - 11:56 PM

I had one and used it so much that it fell to bits. I bought the second book - a blue one - but I couldn't understand that one.

That first red one though - it was like my catechism. I read it every night before going to sleep - dreaming that one day I would play the loud and crisp srokes near the bridge that we were told to associate with rock and roll.

Probably the nearest I ever got to idealism.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: alex s
Date: 21 Apr 12 - 12:28 PM

C, G7 and D minor - Bobby Shafto
What a way to start!

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 21 Apr 12 - 09:57 AM

I started off with a Play in a Day as well. Took me a bit lomger than a day, mind you.

RTP Bert.

Pete

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: melodeonboy
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:12 PM

We are normal and we want our freedom
We are normal and we dig Bert Weedon

(Bonzo Dog Band)

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: MikeL2
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 02:21 PM

hi

I lost my Play in a Day book centuries ago.

Since then senility has started to make inroads...lol

Am I correct in thinking that the first lesson was the song Bobby Shafto???? And did anybody here actually learn it??

By learn it what I mean is to play it ( and sing ??) it properly??

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 02:05 PM

"Play In A Day" - bought it in 1964 - still got it! Great man. RIP.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: G-Force
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 01:06 PM

I never had Play in a Day either. But my first ever plectrum, 50 years ago ths year, was a Bert Weedon plectrum.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: BanjoRay
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 12:31 PM

I never got round to getting Play In A Day till I found it in an antique stall in Sidmouth for a quid last summer. I was very impressed with the content, and it still had stuff to teach me - though my guitar playing was never too good. I think we're all grateful he was around though....

Ray

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies 20 April 2012
From: Bernard
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 12:18 PM

The secret of good teaching is to instill enthusiasm (motivation) via success. Bert understood that!

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: banjoman
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 10:08 AM

Sad news- I remenber him giving lessons on Magpie (Childrens TV years ago) & writing down the chords as he explained them.
Bought Play in a Day and actually played my first tune on an open string the day I first opened it So -it did what it said on the cover.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 09:47 AM

Some of us didn't have either that tutor, or Hold Down a Chord. Must account for my poor guitar skills.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: IanC
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 09:42 AM

Bernard, you're right. The Beathes certainly learned guitar from "Play In A Day". Probably the Stones and the Shadows too.

:-)

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 09:30 AM

RIP indeed.

I think the Play in a Day was meant to mean that you could play something in a day!

I saw him perform at The Radio Show at Earls Court in the early 1960s. I remember that he played very fast and what seemed to me, to be very loud! For me, when he was playing as a backing guitarist for rock and pop, his guitar solos although fast, sounded awful to me because I found them too jazzy.

I'm sure his legacy will live on, as most guitarists from that era declare a major influence from Bert.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 09:25 AM

Bert and Hank Marvin are why I play the guitar - they fired a 14-year-old's enthusiasm in a way that no other guitarist ever has.
Very sad to hear that Bert's gone to The Big Gig In The Sky - maybe we'll all get to play in his band some day. Hope so (but not too soon!)
RIP Bert, you were great.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 09:14 AM

when you think of the world it opened up to us - it was a good five bob's worth.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Bernard
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 08:49 AM

"Is there a guitarist in the UK who didn't have 'Play in a Day'?"

Sorry to say, but I'm one of the very few, it seems, who has never read (or even seen) the book, and learned to play guitar without its help.

Rather than use a tutor book, I taught myself to play in the early 1960s by playing along to all the latest releases (at the time!) from the Shadows, Beatles and Rolling Stones, so Bert's influence was obviously in there somewhere.

Yes, the world owes him a great debt of gratitude.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 08:08 AM

Part of my growing up. RIP Bert.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 08:02 AM

Is there a guitarist in the UK who didn't have 'Play in a Day'? We all owe him a huge debt. RIP

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 06:38 AM

I think that a certain Mr William Connolly renamed the book as, Play With Yourself in a Day.
Then he would say that wouldn't he?

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 06:25 AM

Just to make UK members of 'a certain age' feel older;I believe Mr. Weedon was in the house (canteen?) band on Worker's Playtime!

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: MikeL2
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 06:08 AM

hi

I too had a Play in a Day book of Bert's.

Sore fingers and wrath of parents followed !!!

I played a version of Guitar Boogie Shuffle ( "borrowed" from an old shellac record I bought). Crepe soled shoes...the lot !!!!

Never came out quite like Bert's version.......but there you go !!

RIP Bert you've earned it.

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: cooperman
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 06:02 AM

Play in a Day title was a little optimistic I felt!! But I started out with it, thanks Bert RIP

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:58 AM

I used to listen to a radio programme...almost certain it was called: 'Easy Beat'. Bert Weedon had his own featured solo each week, to which I listened intently, trying to conjure up images of what his left hand was doing to produce those wonderfully 'clean' melodic lines.
            A sad day for Music & guitarists in particular.
            My sincere condolences to his Family & Friends,
                                                                                     Nigel Paterson.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:47 AM

Yes, I had Play In A Day. Not his fault that I didn't take much notice.
RIP Mr. Weedon.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: bradfordian
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:37 AM

Bert Weedon - BBC report
"Thank you for the music"
RIP Bert

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: IanC
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:14 AM

Perhaps it was both of them?

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: IanC
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:12 AM

Oops ... Pussy Cat Willum was Wally Whyton. Strange how your memory plays tricks.

:-(

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 05:05 AM

now there WAS a standard bearer for folk music. Other kinds of music as well I suppose - but I bet he was a part of the story for many of us.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: alanabit
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:44 AM

I read he was very active in charity work for children. I had one of those "Play in a Day" books. Here is a clip of him making it all look easy - and there is plenty of jazz chording in among those simple r&r riffs:
Guitar Shuffle Boogie.

RIP Bert Weedon.

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: Mr Happy
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:24 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Weedon

The time lag's not caught up with Wicky yet!

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: IanC
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:17 AM

Well, he was 91. Still probably the most influential British guitarist though.

Time for Willum's tea!
:-)

Subject: RE: Bert Weedon dies
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:02 AM

I'm amazed he was still alive.

Subject: Bert Weedon dies
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 04:01 AM

*I hear that the author of 'Play in a Day' the great Bert Weedon has passed away today.
Keep on picking Bert.