Santana - Thirty Years On...

Poverty and sloth have prevented me from investing in the technology that might have enabled me to relive earlier one of my formative musical experiences; Santana on Sight and Sound in Concert (BBC) from 1977. I was 11; I wanted to be a drummer until that night, when I realised, with precocious perspicacity, that I'd never make it. There are no credits, but as far as I know the guy behind the drums was Graham Lear, about whom we know little. I've heard many better since but then it was like something from another universe. The music, I remember, was deafeningly loud and astoundingly clever. Actually, it isn't; it's cheesy Latin-blues fusion at its mid-70s worst, everyone trying to out-noodle everyone else; David Sancious on steroids. Carlos's talent is undeniable, and his famous purity of tone and sustain is here in abundance, but many of his tricks were old hat even then. But hell, it was good to hear it again. Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va and Soul Sacrifice. Great guilty pleasure, and I only had to wait 29 and a half years to see it again. Like, heavy, man.