Enlarging Our Image
We scarcely thought it possible that we could love The Roots any more than we already do -- they're the unchallenged champs of live hip-hop, they've got arguably the funkiest rhythm section on the scene right now, and always seem to be stretching into new musical territory.
Then we saw this epic snapshot.
That's the band's guitarist, Captain Kirk Douglas, on the Lollapalooza jumbotron. He's proudly displaying his Frank Zappa Radio Clyde tee.
The band's Lollapalooza set definitely won over more than a few fans from outside the hip-hop fold, including MTV blogger Chris Evans, who wrote this about the good Captain's fretwork:
This dude can play, my friends. For nearly 10 minutes, the Captain just lost himself in the sounds emanating from his guitar — it was one of the most amazing solos I’ve seen, and I’ve seen some good ones. At one point, the man made his guitar weep — no lie.
The rest of the band was equally as impressive, but Douglas’ performance was a clinic in impromptu wailing. The next time a “who’s the best guitarist alive” discussion pops up, I think I’m going to have to consider making a strong argument for Kirk, even if no one else agrees with me. I’ll sum it up like this: Next time in a record store, I’m heading to the rap section first.
High praise indeed -- but all in a day's work for The Roots. Here's a little taste of Kirk's performance, complete with astonished screams from the crowd:
