It's been said that Link invented the power chord but this righteous accolade doesn't convey the distorted, stripped down excitement of his craft.

The flash point was "rumble', released in 1958. Link was never better than when he tapped into delinquent themes.

It doesn't matter whether this was innate or via creative osmosis, the result was the same; the stark distillation of rebellion.

It got you in the hips and the soul. Despite being banned on several US radio stations for fear of stirring up youthful unrest and boosting gang membership, Rumble' went on to be a million seller.

However, Cadence Records, who had signed Link and his brothers, Vernon and Doug, a.k.a 'The W/Ray Men', chickened out of releasing any further rabble rousing tracks.

When the label suggested that Link tone it down, The Wray's took a stroll to Epic and continued a run of exhilarating instrumentals including "Rawhide", "Comanche" and "Slinky".

Whilst having contracted tuberculosis when serving in the Korean war affected Wray's vocals, his guitar playing mostly did the singing for him but he wasn't always volatile, "Lillian" and "Alone" revealing the heart beneath the tough exterior.

Nothing owned Link Wray but he owned rock n roll.