Tony Iommi's fret fingers bared

[msteeln]

In the current issue of Guitar Player, the 10 Things You Need To Know To Play Like... section, there's a full page photo of Tony playing without the caps on his fingertips, and they are at the forefront of the shot so you get a clear pic of the trauma he suffered. Not as bad as I've always thot, but still...

Maybe somebody has a copy and can scan it for the forum...?

40+ years later and still the Riff King! :beavisnbutthead:

 

[sumitomo]

Yea,I was checking that out and it reminded me of a guy I ran into one time when I was buying Magnatone Amps,this guy got his index finger and middle finger caught in a motorcycle sprocket and chain and they got cut off at about the first joint,he had nice big flat caluse on both fingers and it actually seemed to help him.Sumi

 

[marnold]

Does it look like this?

 

[sumitomo]

It was about the same as your index,but the middle was longer and the ring and the pinky were normal(on his fret hand)Your's got caught in a snow blower I think.Sumi

 

[marnold]

Your's got caught in a snow blower I think.Sumi

You are correct, Sir.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Rev Rawk, not to dwell on it, but when I see your injury, I cringe and remember the times I used to snowblow our long driveway with an old Ariens garden tractor with a 42 inch blower attachment on the front. Usually quite effective, but it would get jammed up once in a while, or break a sheer pin. I did not always turn the whole machine off when I went out to clear it, (stoopid) and was fortunate not to receive injury. Sorry about yours.

 

[marnold]

Sorry about yours.

Not a problem. It was my own carelessness that caused it. Mercifully, my hand works just fine. No fingerstyle for me, but that's not my speed anyway. It also cured 30% of my nail-biting problem *rimshot*. I cut the new tip of my index finger somewhat easily. There's not much sensation there, so I don't notice right away. Happened yesterday when I was taking out the garbage and didn't notice until I saw blood smeared all over the garbage bag. Looked like I was trying to dispose of a drifter.

 

[Tig]

I meant to do this yesterday, but a thunder storm was overhead so I shut my PC down.
Here's a so-so scan, since the magazine print quality isn't much to work with.

 

[msteeln]

I meant to do this yesterday, but...

Thanx!
The way Tony lost his flesh probably left nothing to work with, whereas when I cut off the 1/4" tip of my right index it was still hanging by the last layer of fingerprint and the surgeon reattached the end, no problems. The shortlived pain and way worse, the sense of loss was a mind ****, but nothing compared to his.

 

[marnold]

The way Tony lost his flesh probably left nothing to work with, whereas when I cut off the 1/4" tip of my right index it was still hanging by the last layer of fingerprint and the surgeon reattached the end, no problems. The shortlived pain and way worse, the sense of loss was a mind ****, but nothing compared to his.

Not to be too graphic, but since mine were "smashed" off, no reattachment was possible. As a matter of fact, some minor amputation (more like "cleaning up") was necessary. The shots in my hand for the surgery were far more painful than the actual injury (and the removal of the stitches was several orders of magnitude more painful than that). I hear you about the sense of loss. I'll never forget how I felt when I finally took off all the layers of dressing and saw my fingers as they would forever remain. Mentally I knew what it would look like, but it was like an uppercut to the jaw when I actually saw them.

 

[sumitomo]

I have been shoveling snow here at my shop for 10 yrs. and a couple yrs ago was thinking I'm getting old now the shoveling gets me tired,then I heard Marnold's adventure and thought well maybe not and for sure not now,shoveling is good exercise anyway,keeps ya in shape.Sumi

 

[Zip]

There's a lot you can do without full use of your fingers. Remember this guy?

 

[FrankenFretter]

There's a lot you can do without full use of your fingers. Remember this guy?

Yeah, he did it all with only two fingers. Amazing.

And for those who have lost digits, or partial digits, and still play: I find that inspiring, and I admire your fortitude. There are probably many who would just give up. Good on ya for forging onward!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Django is awesome.

Holy cow Rev. that is YOUR hand??!

I just love Tony's SG.

 

[marnold]

Holy cow Rev. that is YOUR hand??!.

Yep. That picture was taken within a few months after the fact. We didn't have a digital camera at the time, so I just stuck my hand in my scanner

 

[sumitomo]

Yep. That picture was taken within a few months after the fact. We didn't have a digital camera at the time, so I just stuck my hand in my scanner

Rev you gotta stop sticking your hands in stuff,even if it's only a scanner!LOL Sumi

 

[Slowhand]

Try this to get an insight of how Django managed note the use of his thumb.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iJ7bs4mTUY&feature=related

 

[windycityblues]

Coulda been worse. He could have been like Django Reinhardt and had 2 fingers permanently crippled, and only be able to use the index and middle fingers for soloing, and have to figure out alternate fingerings for many of the chords. Didn't stop Django of course

 

[redgibson]

It is odd that i stumbled on this thread today, my left hand is useless today after a long gig on a sore carpel tunnel / rsi ordeal. Having not physically lost anything certainly puts it in a different perspective! Has anyone else had RSI from guitar? I work as a programmer too so that adds to it. I really don't want surgery and I'd prefer some alternate method of correction/ releif. typing with one hand :-/ Again, a strange day to hit this thread. Radical mindshift...:help

 

[Tig]

It is odd that i stumbled on this thread today, my left hand is useless today after a long gig on a sore carpel tunnel / rsi ordeal. Having not physically lost anything certainly puts it in a different perspective! Has anyone else had RSI from guitar? I work as a programmer too so that adds to it. I really don't want surgery and I'd prefer some alternate method of correction/ releif. typing with one hand :-/ Again, a strange day to hit this thread. Radical mindshift...:help

If you do have to have surgery, look up the "Brown CTS procedure".

 

[Rotor]

Having had Carpal Tunnel relief surgery on both hands I can relate Red Gibson.
I was to the point I could not lift a cup of coffee up. After surgery I had about 75-80% relief. One day I was at my Chiropractor, and mentioned it to him.
He "adjusted" my wrists several times by pressing on the side and moving the two forearm and wrist bones. That, in effect, changed the eye shaped opening that the nerve bundle and tendons move through to a more rounded shape. WA-LA! All better ever since. So that is my advice, get thee to a bone cruncher.
Edit: Also, give it some time for the inflamation to calm down too.