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Mar 142010
 

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.