Link Wray’s 50s instrumental Rumble practically invented the power chord, became the centre of a moral panic and inspired a whole generation to pick up the electric guitar – and it all happened spontaneously… Words by Jon O’Brien

Link Wray’s Rumble was deemed such a risk to the public by Middle America that it received a nationwide radio ban on its 1958 release. An impressive feat considering it contained not a single lyric. Indeed, still the only instrumental ever subjected to such censorship, the rock’n’roll classic managed to get everyone in a tizz with nothing more than an incendiary title and three distorted power chords.

Surprisingly, clean-cut harmoniser Phil Everly was partly responsible for the outrage. On hearing its game-changing two minutes and 25 seconds, he suggested altering original moniker Oddball to something that reflected its street fight vibes. The sound of Rumble, however, was all Wray’s. And like so many moments of musical genius, itcame about entirely by accident.

The guitarist and His Ray Men were warming up a Fredericksburg sock hop when host Milt Grant asked them to play The Stroll, a recent hit by Canadian doo-wop outfit The Diamonds. Oblivious to its success, Wray and co. instead improvised a song which, it’s fair to say, didn’t exactly resemble what was requested.