The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death by John Fahey

Week 27 gives us “The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death” by John Fahey, released sometime in 1965. John Fahey is an interesting character. He was a fingerstyle guitarist responsible for a style labelled “American Primitivism”. He played folk and blues but mixed in aspects of classical, Brazilian and Indian music. He was a prolific writer, releasing many albums and “The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death” was just his fourth release. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #35 in their “Greatest 100 Guitarists of All Time” list. There isn’t a whole lot information out there about John Fahey. He’s somewhat of an enigma, which is how I think he’d like to be remembered.

What John Fahey did that set him apart from his contemporaries was his playing style where he used lots of alternate tunings and a ‘backwards picking style’. Effectively it was a rapid roll where the thumb plays the sixth string, the index finger plays the third string, the middle finger plays the second string, and the thumb plays the fourth string. In layman’s terms, it sounded really nice and he could do it really fast.

“The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death” is a real pretty album. I think because of the intimacy of it predominately just being Fahey and a guitar makes it hit you harder on a whole other level. This album feels sacred to me. I don’t want to share it with anyone and can’t imagine playing it in the presence of someone else. It’s feels like this album was written just for me to sit and listen to and feel every note. And to know that this is how so many other people must feel this way also about this album is such an awesome feeling. To know that we are all out there listening to the same music in our solidarity and loving every note just as much as each other is something else. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the hippie in me coming out, but this album is the album I’ve connected to on a soul level the most in this project so far. This is the kind of music that I get. It is so sparse and simple and yet so complex at the same time. It’s easy to tune out and have it as background noise or you can sit and intently listen to every single part. It is at times hauntingly beautiful and at others beautifully melancholic. There is something about the acoustic guitar that works on such a soul level. It never ceases to amaze me how a few pieces of wood and wire can say so much.

John Fahey, there is no way I can pick this album apart (pardon the pun). I love all of the imperfections just as much as I love the moments of brilliance. What I love most about this album is its innate honesty. This album speaks truth to me and for that I am a better person. Thank you Mr Fahey.

you pluck at the strings
and with them you tell stories
oh how we listen