It's time for some black cauldron guitar magic, courtesy of John McLaughlin and his circle of electric Hendrixian wizards: Buddy Miles on drums, Billy Rich on bass, and Larry Young on organ. Make sure your seat belts are fastened. Dragon Song, from Devotion.
It opens with spooky haunted Scooby Doo amusement park music, shadows and dark corners. A funnel cloud forms around our heads at 0:30, and we feel the violent flapping of large wings sweeping us up into the air. We rise higher with the guitar as it pulls us along. By 0:54 we are on a magnificent dragon. It blows out a few bursts of fire and smoke, preparing us for a jump to light speed.
At 1:04, McLaughlin lays his wicked wah wah fingers on the dragon's fretboard neck and we take off. I remember I had this book called the Encyclopedia of Rock (uh, don't look for it, it's not there anymore), and there was a photo of John McLaughlin playing guitar. If I recall correctly, he was wearing a regular long sleeve button shirt with a backstage pass sticker on it.. The caption said he was one of the fastest most accurate guitar players alive or something. Yeah, just listen. Whoa...
He goes on like this until around 2:15, when he starts stabbing out little chords and the rest of the band gathers itself in around him. At 2:35 it's time for a break at some Jetson-like star diner. Need some refueling. The dragon need food! Buddy says he's good.
At 3:00 we suddenly find ourselves being dropped off back at the amusement park. We say our goodbyes, had a great time, thanks. Then the space wizards hop back on their dragon and bid us farewell.
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