Nine of us sat in my cold basement, sitting on amplifiers arranged in a circle and armed with guitars of all shapes and calibers. We had just recorded a level-check for the all guitar episode, and Charlie was uncomfortable. I shared his worry that the episode may degenerate into a cacophonous kludge of competing frequencies, each guitarist in his own little world. We solved the problem by dividing the show into mini-concepts lasting between 5 and 15 minutes each. It wasn’t long before the tape rolled and JJ sprang into action as one concept’s conductor; waving, pointing, raising and lowering his appendages, signaling players when to play and with what intensity. After an inspired smoke break, Will Floyd orchestrated the theme of a bank heist as told through guitar. Charlie played the carefree bank customer whose happy notes took a turn for the sour when the bank robbers shot up the place with distorted axes. Charlie’s departed ghost rose from the grave and played a sweet coda as the bank concept ended.
All in all we recorded an hour and seventeen minutes worth of material — some good, some bad, some golden. When I edited the show a month later, I had forgotten most of the themes, which was probably for the best. Free of our intentions, I was able to edit simply on what sounded good. The parts that didn’t work or felt too much like a jam band got thrown to the side, leaving a brisk thirty seven minutes. All Guitars stars Anthony William Herndon, Brey McCoy, Charlie Rauh, and first-time participants Ben Lowry, Brady Sharp, and Adam Louis. Each brought something unique to the table, and I look forward to having them on again. Will Floyd and JJ Jones each directed a segment. We recorded live to my Tascam 80-8 reel to reel tape recorder. I did the live mixing and editing.
We had a great time making this one, and I hope you get the same pleasure out of hearing it. All Guitars. Enjoy.
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