Stevie Ray Vaughan Wakes Up and Warms Up: Incredible 1986 Soundcheck

(Image credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

Even though this video has been viewed almost 18 million times—it still strikes me as something of a rare bird (probably because I've—somehow—never seen it before!).

Assuming this is true, it's annoyingly insane how incredible SRV could be at the drop of a hat—or at the ring of a bedside alarm clock. It's particularly impressive how he digs into "Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up On Love," meaning he was truly "feeling it" that day. It's also sort of priceless to see Vaughan, Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton and Reese Wynans just sort of milling about before and after takes.

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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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