Source of book: Borrowed from the library
Ever since I saw this book in a bookstore in Sebastopol, I have been wanting to read it. I decided not
to buy it, as I have limited remaining room in my library, and thus have tried
to limit myself to stuff our local library doesn’t have - or books I anticipate
being read by more than one member of my household.
It was definitely worth the read. But for the same reasons I
enjoyed it, I doubt anyone else in my family would care.
I started playing guitar in my teens for the same reason I
learned drums my freshman year of high school: because it was needed. Violin is
and will always be my first and greatest love. I had a passion for it as soon
as I realized it was possible for me to learn to play it, and still love to
feel the strings beneath my fingers.
But I also enjoy playing other instruments. Because the
small church we were attending at the time didn’t have a guitarist, I bought
myself a little red electric, a tiny amp, and a chorus pedal, and learned a few chords. I
eventually got an acoustic, and some far better instruments and amps, but that
was after I had more disposable income. So I care a bit about guitars in
general, and electric guitars in particular. I’m no lead player, but I’m decent
as a rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist. Plus, I can make that fiddle sing…
(For those who care, current rig: Ovation Standard Balladeer
12 String Acoustic, Yamaha Pacifica Tele style, Epiphone ES-335 Dot. Peavey
Prowler tube amp, mostly just guitar-cable-amp. Yeah, I'm a bit of a non-conformist.)
The authors of this book trace the development of the
electric guitar from George Beauchamp’s invention of the first functional
guitar pickup - and the “frying pan” electric guitar, through the great names
everyone knows, to the present-day garage revivalists playing cheap plastic
crap from the 1960s. Along the way, the book discusses revolutionary players
such as Charlie Christian, Les Paul, Muddy Waters, Clapton, Hendrix, Pete
Townshend, Freddie King, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Chuck Berry - and so many
other greats of jazz and rock.
But the real focus is on the instruments themselves. Any
guitarist can immediately conjure up the iconic images. The Fender Stratocaster
and Telecaster, the Gibson Les Paul and SC and Flying V, the Gretsch 6120, the
ES-335, the Casino, the Rickenbacker 360, the GEM, the PRS. True devotees will
know many more of the historical and modern day axes in this book. In general,
guitars get the spotlight, not amplifiers, although these too are crucial to
the sound. The authors choose to mention the two that they felt made the most
revolutionary changes to guitar performance: the VOX AC15/AC30, and the Marshall stack. It is
hard to disagree with this, although I am partial to the old Fenders myself.
The book is also fairly heavy on the biographical details of
the men who designed the most innovative and influential instruments. This
makes sense in light of the specific focus of the books. Certain musicians -
usually the ones whose biographies are less well known despite their importance
to the development of guitar technique - also get longer treatments. I mean,
everyone knows the Beatles and Eric Clapton - but despite Charlie Christian
essentially kickstarting the use of the electric guitar in jazz and blues,
fewer people know his name. In this, the authors help highlight the lives of
those who suffer from undeserved obscurity.
Another decision that the authors made was to give equal
importance to the African American greats who drove the development of the
electric guitar and its crucial role in rock, blues, jazz, and pop. From the
beginning, white America
has had an uneasy relationship to the most truly American forms of music. As
early as the 1890s, Czech composer Antonin Dvorak predicted that America would
not find its true musical voice until it embraced the sounds of Negro
spirituals and Native American music. He would prove to be correct, as Ragtime,
Jazz, Blues, Rock and Roll, and Hip Hop would become the American sounds that
have swept the globe.
In the very opening of the book, the authors describe Benny
Goodman’s decision to incorporate works by African American composers into his
sets, essentially mainstreaming Jazz. But also, a crucial role was played by
John Hammond, a talent scout for Goodman and others, who “discovered” Count
Basie and Billie Holiday. It was Hammond who found Charlie Christian and
convinced Goodman to incorporate the electric sound into his band.
Hammond
was a true champion for racial equality during a time when the 2nd KKK was
resurgent, and did much to break down color lines. While he obviously couldn’t
fix Jim Crow singlehandedly, he did manage to place black musicians in front of
white audiences - truly the first crack to show in the wall of segregation. As Hammond put it, “To bring
recognition to the Negro’s supremacy in jazz was the most effective and
constructive form of social protest I could think of.”
One of the tragedies of the history of American music is
that white musicians would profit far more from African American music than its
inventors would. But the silver lining is that music was an important bridge
across the gap. For us musicians, music is a universal language, a language
that shatters the walls our culture builds, and makes connections that push
back against prejudice.
To some degree, this is the story of this book. The electric
guitar has always been an expression of rebellion against the old rules,
against the old ways of thinking, against arbitrary boxes.
If you are interested in guitars, this book will be
fascinating. If you care about the history of music, it will be a pleasant
read. Even if you don’t play, you might find something new and interesting in
this book.
I’ll end with a quote from Keith Richards:
“Guitar is easy. All it takes is five fingers, six strings,
and one asshole.”
***
One of the hardest parts about breaking up with
Evangelicalism has been losing the opportunity to play my guitars regularly.
Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that this part of my life will come back. I
cannot see ever attending an Evangelical church again - it’s a bridge too far
morally and theologically these days. While mainline denominations aren’t all
organs and hymns anymore, they still tend to skew old and traditional. Nothing
wrong with that. Worship matters, not the form. But more than that, after the
way I was thrown under the bus on the way out, I am going to have a really hard
time trusting enough to put myself in a ministry position again. So,
realistically, perhaps once the kids are grown, I may have to find some other
old farts to jam with for fun.
***
Sorry, that’s kind of heavy. Let’s end with some Ray
Stevens:
No comments:
Post a Comment