March 7, 2012 (Wayne Kramer)

"When I played music in prison, I wasn't in prison anymore,"...

..."And that's what we're trying to accomplish with the instrument donations,"...

..."That this is a way that you can get through this time, that you can go someplace else, you can get involved in your guitar."...

..."I figure if maybe I can get a guitar in a kid's hand he can start to see himself as more than just a kid from the `hood in trouble,"

Source:.

The words are from guitarist Wayne Kramer who is best known for his work with the ground breaking MC5. These days, Kramer works out of L.A. and his resume includes a bunch of major film work.

He's also involved in a project  that supplies prisons with guitars, Jail Guitar Doors U.S.A.

The name actually comes from the title of a Clash song that mentions Wayne and his time spent in jail.

It's an interesting story. While Kramer was in the joint, he took music theory classes from fellow inmate and legendary jazz trumpeter Red Rodney.

Sometimes good can come from a bad situation.

March 6, 2012 (the riff that lasts)

"I don't want you to play me a riff that's going to impress Joe Satriani; give me a riff that makes a kid want to go out and buy a guitar and learn to play." - Ozzy Osbourne

I spent an entire day at a music store last week. I heard this riff quite a lot; from novice players to cats who obviously had some seasoning.

I guess the point is that after 40+ years the riff still resonates. Something powerful there.

March 5, 2012 (practicing in the mind)

Well, I don’t read, and I don’t listen to the radio. If I decide I want a new lick, I just lay in bed and think of it. Don’t even need an instrument. Some of my best licks I can just think. Some of them aren’t good, though, but when I try them out on the guitar, I know whether to keep them or not.-Roy Buchanan

From Guitar Player.

Roy brings up a point that a lot of musicians abide by; practicing in the mind. I think it makes sense. Practice routines often revolve around scale, chord patterns; a lot of geometry. Another component is usually some type of way to increase dexterity. And, that's all good an fine but, when you work something out in your mind before picking up thee guitar maybe, you are bypassing those technical issues and getting more of a pure musical essence.

March 4. 2012 (Tom and Jerry)

The hardest music to play is Tom & Jerry -- cartoons. The music makes absolutely no sense, as music. You can't get into hearing it. There's nothing to hear--'bleep!, blop! scratch!' and it comes fast; everything's first take. That'll change the way you look at life.-Howard Roberts

Howard Roberts was a true visionary. A great player, teacher, philosopher, thinker and tinkerer. Here's a wonderful site where you can start to get some of the picture.

March 3, 2012 (a different way of living)

"I'm primarily a Gibson Les Paul player. A Strat is an entirely different instrument. It requires a different vocabulary, a different approach...a different way of living actually"-Robert Fripp

I've never heard it put quite that way but, I think Robert has a point. 

To me, more that the pickups, it come down to the fretboard radius and string tension but, that's me. What say you?

This clip has Fripp playing something other than a Les Paul but, certainly in that vein and Adrian Belew who, surely embodies what is "Fender guy".

March 2, 2012 (living room guitar)

“I often discover that what sounds great at home sounds hideous in public.” – Tuck Andress

It's an interesting quote coming from Andress because, most players are able to do far more intricate and subtle things in the living room than what works on stage.

Makes you wonder what Tuck sounds like in his living room.

March 1, 2012 (lead and rhythm break the barriers)

Take it away Keef...

See, this lead and rhythm thing – there’s no such thing. You play guitar. In a good band, it should swap and shift. You know, licks will come from there [waves right arm] and that one [waves left arm] will pick up the rhythm. And then you swirl it around, and you don’t have to think lead and rhythm. What we are looking for is to break the barriers down. And that’s why I love playing with Woody.

Source: Jas Obrecht Archive.