Have you ever played air guitar?
By Carl Halling
@CarlHalling (3617)
United Kingdom
February 9, 2007 8:51pm CST
When I was a kid growing up in the 1960s, I can remember miming to my favourite songs in front of the mirror, either as singer, or guitarist, with a handy racket; I may be wrong, but I have a distinct memory of that. Now, even though I can actually play guitar, I still find myself miming guitar...do you? Do you like to play air guitar?
Is this a thing most men do? Do women do it sometimes too? What is the truth about the infamous air guitar?
2 people like this
3 responses
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
25 Feb 07
I was a huge Eric Clapton fan growing up (still am) and used to play air guitar to music from throughout his career. Also probably some Jimmy Page (Led Zep and Yardbirds).
Did you know there's an annual air guitar festival and competition? I saw a movie last year called Air Guitar Nation that documented the competition one year, it was a lot of fun.
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
25 Feb 07
I grew up listening to Cream and played their stuff over and over, as well as Derek & the Dominoes and Clapton's solo work.
Was too young to see Cream the first time around, but finally got to see them live in NYC a year or so back, and they sounded great. So much solid sound for just three guys! No backup singers, no extra musicians, just Clapton, Bruce, and Baker, just like in the old days. They can still do it.
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
25 Feb 07
I saw a comeback concert of Cream on television a year and a half or so ago, and was just amazed at how tight and together they were; it was as if they had been transported back to the late '60s, only with their mid '00s appearances still intact. Quite amazing how the decades flew away; they were so fluid, so empathetic as musicians; of course that was what made them the cream in the first place I guess...:o)
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
25 Feb 07
I'd love to see that movie! I have a memory of myself playing tennis guitar as a boy. I think I may have been miming to the Spencer Davis Group with Stevie Winwood, although I can't be certain. In the '60s, a record that made a big impression on me was "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" by the Yardbirds. Later a big favourite of mine was "Badge" by the Cream. It's one of those records that instantly takes me back to the late '60s/early '70s period. Another one being "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac. Mac, Ten Years After, the Cream, all made a massive imprint on my mind back then, for better or worse. Popular music was changing at the rate of knots. It was a strange time indeed; but as a boy I just lapped it all up.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
24 Feb 07
I have actually never played the air guitar. My hubby has and fancies himself to be quite good at it. LOL.
When I was a teen and at a party, many of my friends would sport an air guitar and make like they were Peter Frampton.
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
25 Feb 07
Way back in '68, long before "Frampton comes Alive" PF was declared the "face of '68" (while he was lead singer/guitarist with the Herd). Once in class, having done a succesful impression of Robin Gibb's "Massachusetts" by the Bee Gees, I was asked to "do" Peter Frampton, but I had no idea how, even when it was explained to me how he used to act onstage. I had to admit defeat...
1 person likes this
@mrsjumppuppy03 (3301)
• United States
10 Feb 07
Oh, the air guitar makes all of us feel like we could be rockers. I still play air guitar to Van Halen tunes, its hard not to. Playing air guitar gives us all that little glimmer of our inner child that hasn't fully grown up. It gives us hope that we are the cool parents.
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 07
Yes; it could be said that the music we grew up with has kept many of us youthful?
1 person likes this
