Gnarly Guitarists: Joe Moretti

Here's a guitar player you've likely heard but may not know by name. Johnny Kidd and the Pirates are inextricably associated with guitarist Mick Green, but many don't know that Mick joined after the first big Pirates hits ("Please Don't Touch" and "Shakin' All Over"). That distinctive guitar line on "Shakin' All Over" was played by Joe Moretti, who has been called The Greatest British Guitarist You've Heard But Never Heard Of.

Moretti's recollection of how "Shakin' All Over" was written (and how little he was paid) is wickedly funny.  In 1959, (a year before "Shakin' All Over") Moretti played on another of the greatest early British rock singles, "Brand New Cadillac" by Vince Taylor And His Playboys. British radio wouldn't give Vince Taylor a chance, and Moretti turned to session work to pay the bills. Among his colleagues in the studio were Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John McLaughlin. 

Moretti played on Tom Jones' first hit, "It's Not Unusual", Petula Clark's "Don't Sleep In The Subway", and Donovan's "Mellow Yellow". He played on the Bay City Rollers' smash hit "Saturday Night" and the cast recording of Evita.

Moretti left London in 1981. He and his wife relocated to South Africa to avoid the Inland Revenue. He died in Johannesburg in 2012. He left a legacy of incredible guitar work, and Stinky has done the honors of compiling two dozen songs that represent Moretti's musical artistry.

Here's a video of Gene Vincent performing "Bluejean Bop" and "Sexy Ways" on Italian TV in 1960 with Moretti on lead guitar: