In the late 1960s, a strange and brilliant musical experiment took place.
A little-known guitarist named Johnny Watson recorded something so wildly original and mind-bending that it inspired Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and countless others.
The song was called “Space Guitar” – and Billboard had no idea what to do with it.
Johnny Watson? Who Was This Guitar Wizard?
Johnny Watson was a session guitarist who had backed up Ray Charles, George Duke, and other giants.
But in 1967, he decided to create an album of solo guitar explorations that pushed boundaries.
Using a bigbody guitar, fuzzboxes, and other effects practically unheard of at the time, Watson crafted something sonically shocking.
Encountering the Musical MotherShip
Legend has it that Jimi Hendrix first heard “Space Guitar” at a party in 1969.
As the cosmic, phasing waves of Watson’s guitar washed over him, Hendrix’s eyes reportedly went wide.
“Whoa, what is this? Who is this cat?” he asked urgently.
Hendrix wasn’t alone in his amazement at Watson’s brave new tones.
Frank Zappa’s Jaw Drops
The iconoclastic Frank Zappa also encountered “Space Guitar” around the same time.
Zappa was stunned, calling it, “The most amazingly bizarre and progressive piece of guitar music…ever!”
Watson’s kaleidoscopic passages and unearthly sounds blew Zappa’s mind.
The two even collaborated for a bit, hoping to further expand the space guitar explorations.
An Album Despised, Then Celebrated
Unfortunately, the album “Space Guitar” was released to bafflement and mostly awful reviews.
The LA Times called it “self-indulgent noise” that “only a mother could love.”
Others just didn’t know what to make of its audio odyssey into the unknown.
But decades later, “Space Guitar” gained cult status as a hugely influential work of visionary brilliance.
Inspiring Others to Reach for the Cosmos
Beyond Hendrix and Zappa, Watson’s weird wonder inspired bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead.
Elements of “Space Guitar’s” sonic experimentalism can be heard across everything from prog rock to EDM.
Like so many ahead-of-their-time artists, Johnny Watson was a prophet without honor in his own land.
Until, that is, the world finally caught up to his space guitar mastery.
Conclusion – The Legacy Echoes On
So while it baffled the mainstream in its time, “Space Guitar” opened minds and doors.
It showed there were new universes yet to explore on an electric guitar.
Johnny Watson’s masterpiece has taken on a life of its own – continuing to bend minds and inspire creative insurrection.
Do yourself a favor and take an illicit space journey into Watson’s weird world of guitar wizardry.
Then share this wildly cool cult story with all your friends!
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