Dave Edmunds Plays "Sabre Dance" in 1991
Today is the 72nd birthday of Welsh guitarist Dave Edmunds—he of Rockpile and Love Sculpture fame, he who scored a Number 1 U.K. hit with "I Hear You Knocking" in 1970.
Edmunds forged a successful solo career with a string of middle-weight hits, including "Queen of Hearts," "Girls Talk" and "Slipping Away."
But what a lot of people don't know is that Edmunds is an incredible guitarist, initially making his six-string mark with Love Sculpture's blistering version of "Sabre Dance" in 1968.
Edmunds still performs "Sabre Dance," and we figured we'd share a late-1991 live version of the tune below. The song has gone on to be his official guitar showcase piece, and it's easy to see why.
As everyone knows, "Sabre Dance" is from the final act of Aram Khachaturian's ballet Gayane. It is Khachaturian's best known and most recognizable work.
For more about Edmunds, follow him on Facebook.
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
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