Vale: Johnny Winter.

I was a teenager when Paul introduced me to the music of Johnny Winter. My friends were listening to the more popular music to be found on 3XY while Paul was playing Mountain, Ten Years After, Iggy Pop and Johnny Winter for me.

I remember that raw voice, the 'I feel rock'n'roll' scream at the beginning of Johnny B. Goode, the guitar picking. I remember wondering why the band was called 'Johnny Winter And.' I wondered why the album cover showed only his back, and how this scrawny, weird looking, long haired white guy could play the blues so well.

One of the first bootlegs I ever bought was a Johnny Winter live double album. It had a great sound, a tight band and a fantastic setlist. I played those discs so often I could recall every guitar lick in their grooves.

I finally got to see Johnny live in 1986. I will never forget the moment he walked on stage. He asked how we were doin', played a few runs, then tore into Hideaway, and the band were off and running. Playing the licks so effortlessly, reaching for his Firebird when he played slide, that cool Texas drawl when he spoke to us.

Johnny was on tour in Europe when he passed away. He has a new album due for release in the next few months.

He was 70.

Watch What You're Doing.

Tonight I'll be at Festival Hall in Melbourne to see The Pixies. For those that don't know this venue, it's a huge barn with less than ideal acoustics.

It has, however, come a long way. At least these days you can hear the music.

Back in the day, as my students like to call any period of time I refer to prior to their being born, it was a shocker - with a wall of sound hitting you from every direction as it bounced and reverberated around the boxing arena.

Over the years I've seen some great music there.  Johnny Winter, Dio, Stryper, Randy Stonehill, Joe Satriani to name only a few.  My last visit there was about 5 years ago to see Oasis. At least the Brothers Gallagher were still only barely talking to each other then.

But tonight it's The Pixies - not the best venue for them and I'm surprised by the choice of venue. But there is a sense of circle there for me. The first concert I can recall seeing at Festival Hall was Larry Norman, 'back in the day' - and as any Pixies fan will tell you, Come On Pilgrim, the band's first EP, was named after a Larry Norman line. In fact Frank Black turned up and jammed with Larry on that very song for one of his final shows before he passed.

I don't expect Frank to play Larry tonight - but I do anticipate a great show.