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Six Pack Interview with James Hogan of National Guitar Workshop

 

Thanks to the good folks over at National Guitar Workshop, I was able to score a second interview with one of their instructors, this time James Hogan who will be teaching at the main campus in Purchase, New York July 26 - August 14.  James guitar style fuses elements of rock, blues, jazz and even country.  His CD "True Diversity" is available on Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

Q. How did you get started with guitar?

James: When I was 11 yrs old I asked my parents for an electric guitar. They obliged me with a Palmer "Strat" copy, and a Gorilla G-10 amp. I had no idea what to do with them, so I asked some guitar player friends to show me some things. After about 6 months of hacking my way through "Ironman", my parents decided to hook me up with classical guitar lessons from a local teacher named Bob Mizelle in Daytona Beach, Florida. He helped me with fundamental chords/scales, and taught me how to read music. After a year or so of classical lessons, I took up with an amazing rock teacher named Jerry Hemby who is one of my biggest musical influences. Jerry taught me how to develop my chops, my feel, and vibrato, and how to combine modes with pentatonics to spice up my playing. After a year or so with Jerry, I decided tomove on from lessons, and I started playing in bands at age 15, and taught myself until I went back to college at age 24. In college I studied with Lawrence App, and with jazz guitar virtuoso Barry Greene at The University Of North Florida.

My inspiration to play guitar came from hearing my dad's collection of albums when I was a kid. My ear always seemed to gravitate towards the guitar parts in all of the songs. My biggest inspirations to play were Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Freddy King, and all of the great players of the 1960's-80's. Listening to those players piqued my interest, but my biggest inspiration came when I heard Van Halen's 1984 album. After hearing Eddie, I HAD to learn to play. It seems that almost everyone I've heard since then has influenced me in one way or another.

Q. How long have you been working with National Guitar Workshop and how did you first get involved with them?

James: I have been teaching for NGW since 1998. I was referred to the Workshop by my great friend, and former teacher Barry Greene.

Q. What courses are you teaching this summer?

James: I will be teaching two seminars this summer. One is entitled "Rock Fusion", and the other is a co-taught class with Terry Syrek entitled "Rock Star".

The Fusion class will focus on many different facets of music. Ear training, theory, technique, improvisation, time development, repertoire, performance, etc.   The students will learn to "fuse" elements of jazz, rock, funk, pop, latin, and country music into their playing. There will be lectures, and lots of "hands on" learning in the class. Of course, there is always a ton of playing in class, and the students will go home with lots of new tricks up their sleeves. My class always has a laid back atmosphere too, so we have a good time while learning a lot of great stuff.

The Rockstar class, will feature some of the same elements of the fusion class; ear training, theory, technique, and lots of in class playing. In addition, the students will learn how to form a band, record their music on a budget, promote their music, perform their music, hire a manager, avoid common mistakes, and make the most out of their career. Since this is a co-taught class, the students will gain first hand experience from two successful professionals with over two decades of valuable experience in the music business. Terry and I also have a great teaching rapport, and the students always have a blast in our classes.

The seminars are typically geared towards intermediate to advanced players, while core classes are typically geared toward beginning to intermediate players. There are common music elements that are covered in each class at NGW, though the seminars are usually more intensive.

Q. Given the broad range of musical interests out there (Rock, Metal, Blues, Punk etc.) what are some of the comment elements that you try to teach in the core curriculum?

James: Everyone gets an overview of basic music theory: How major scales, key signatures, triads, and 7th chords are formed.  Also, the students will learn Major, and minor pentatonic scales along with various repertoire tailored toward the style of the class. Obviously, they will learn how to apply all of this to the instrument, and there are specific stylistic techniques that will be addressed in each class as well. Also, the core class students meet each evening and rehearse music which they perform on stage at the end of the week during their student concert.

Q. What's the make up of the typical NGW Class?  How do you balance the different skills and interests?

James: The great thing about NGW is that you can have a 45 yr old lawyer sitting next to a 14yr old middle school student in the same class. They'll both have the same gleam in their eye when they learn something new, and they'll both have the same love for music. (Though their tastes may vary.) They'll also be at roughly the same level of ability.

Before each week starts at NGW the students are evaluated by their teachers and placed into their appropriate class levels. This ensures that each student is assigned the class level where they'll benefit the most from the NGW experience. This also ensures that the instructors are teaching to roughly the same level of students. The students pick which style of classes they'd like to take depending on their interests.

Q. How much of the session is hands on versus more traditional "class room" style learning?

James: This really depends on the teacher. In my classes, I like to give short lectures followed by immediate hands on application of the lecture material.  By the end of the week, the students have learned a ton of great stuff, and they know how to apply it on the instrument.

Q. What sort of preparation do you recommend for someone coming to NGW for the first time?

James: I would tell them to look forward to thoroughly enjoying an experience that will change their life. (Oh, and be prepared to take lot of notes!)

The National Guitar Workshop summer program starts June 27 in McLean Virginia with additional sessions in Los Angeles California, Chicago Illinois, Austin Texas and at the main campus in Purchase New York, where James Hogan will be teaching.

• James Hogan:  Official Site, Bio, MySpace, True Diversity, CD Baby 
• NGW: Main site, Community, Faculty, Guest Artists, Curriculum
• GuitarVibe: Rock Guitar Camp, Interview with Angus Clark 

Angus Clark: Rock & Roll and the Importance of Quality Footwear

Angus Clark may not be as well known as some of the super shredders out there, but he's built a career with his powerful and expressive style of rock guitar.  From his early days playing in local bands to breaking out with Kitaro and his eight year holiday tour with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Clark has always had lot going on.  He's got a new instrumental album "Your Last Battlefield" available on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon and will be teaching a workshop at the National Guitar Workshop (NGW) June 27 in McLean, Virginia.

Angus took some time out of his schedule to give us a rundown of how he got started in music, the importance of quality footwear on stage and other good advice for aspiring musicians.

Q. What first got you interested in playing guitar?

Angus: My parents got me a nylon string guitar at some point in fourth or fifth grade, and I think all I was listening to then was the Monkees, 'cause of the TV show, and the Beatles, 'cause the only two rock records my parents had were Sgt. Pepper's and Revolver. They also had the Stones' Beggar's Banquet, but I was more of a Beatles kid. But I couldn't wrap my head around the whole "practicing thing", so the guitar went in the closet until Pink Floyd's "The Wall" came out when I was in eighth grade. That record is really what did it. The guitar came out of the closet, got a new teacher, and then got a couple more records, namely "London Calling" by the Clash, and "Vol.4" by Black Sabbath. Then I was totally hooked, and my guitar teacher actually recommended I get an electric, which was like the most awesome thing a teacher ever said to me. By the time I really got into it, Randy Rhoads was the guy, and then Yngwie, so it got to be really important to practice, practice, practice. I think I started my first band something like three years later in high school, and at that point it was all about it being a cool way to impress girls.

Q. You played guitar at a pretty young age. Did it come naturally to you or were there things that you struggled with?

Angus: I was brought up in a musical household. My mom is a singer, my dad was a lawyer but he also played the cello, and my brother was a very serious violinist all the way through college. And I went to a grammar school that gave students a stipend for singing in the school choir, so I did that starting in fourth grade. So there was always music around. By the time I found a passion for rock and the guitar in particular, I think I was lucky to get with a good teacher. He put me through the Mel Bay modern method, which is still the book I prefer to teach from. He also had me do a ton of music reading and all these classical studies, like the Carcassi and the Sor stuff. I struggled most with trying to pick things up by ear. That was always the hardest part. I am still not 100% confident about my ears, although I think by now I'm doing alright.

Besides that I think I spent a good deal of time working on picking and hand synchronization. I'm left handed, but I play righty. This made me concerned about how accurate my picking was, so I spent a good amount of time on it, and have actually changed my picking style a couple of times over the years.

By the time I got to college it was all about Yngwie and I was at school in LA and Racer X were playing weekly at the Troubadour and the Country Club, so it was just nothing but chops. It was the heyday of Shrapnel records. There were certain things that I had an affinity for technique-wise, and I started to get a sense of what I was good at. But I didn't think I had chops that really went beyond the guys that were at school with me.

Q. You've managed to carve out a career in a pretty tough genre. How did you manage to stand out compared to your peers?

Angus: I think I'm cross-genre actually, cause I did spend five years playing New Age music, and now I play symphonic Rock and Hard Rock/Metal. The stuff that pushed my career along always came from me putting myself "out there" in some way. You have to play gigs, stay open to whatever comes your way, and represent yourself well at all times, cause you never know who is gonna be there. And then when an opportunity comes up, go for it as hard as you can. I was back in NY after college and playing with a couple of different bands when I found out a local band (Naked Sun) that had a deal was auditioning guitarists. I learned the tunes for that audition front to back, solos and everything, showed up with boots on and made it my business to have that gig. Never wear sneakers to an audition. Always have some trendy shoes.

Naked Sun lost their deal, but Kitaro's management saw me play with them in LA at the Whiskey, which was basically empty. So in that case, was it worth buying a van and trekking across the country with four guys who were basically at each other's throats? Well, yeah, if you consider that I got the Kitaro gig out of it, and I've got the invaluable experience of touring in a van that could break down at any moment (and did). It's called "paying your dues". So this is now '94 and grunge ruled everything and there wasn't much play for a guy with my skill set and preference in music. So there again I made it my business to get that Kitaro gig. I learned the stuff on his records and sent them a tape of me playing on it. Next thing I know they are flying me to Colorado to play on his record, and then they offer me the tour. You can't wear shoes in Kitaro's house so it was all about having socks with no holes in them.

I've heard it said that sooner or later everybody is looking for a gig. These tours that hire sidemen only go out for a certain amount of time, and then you're cut loose. It's all or nothing. So when Kitaro started touring less and less, I had to keep pushing outwards to find other work. That's when I got the call for this band Drill, which was on A&M. The call came through a guy that I met before I was even in Naked Sun. I met him through a studio where I did a demo tape for a band I had called Stray Light Run, which is actually a terrible name for a band, and it makes me laugh cause there's a new band with that same name. It's taken from a William Gibson novel, you can look it up. So the $1,000 I spent on the SLR demo back in '91 finally paid off in '96 in the form of the Drill gig. Which wound up being about five months of touring on the large club circuit. The best thing about it was the people I met, the bass player in Drill was JD, who is now in the Black Label Society --small world. I got the Drill gig the same way I got the other ones, I learned the material back to front, and I wore quality footwear to the audition. I think I lost the gig because I was slow to figure out that they really wanted me to cut my hair. That's a cautionary tale, you gotta read between the lines sometimes.

Kitaro went back out a couple more times and then there was a spell where I was just doing band stuff in New York. Just doing stuff to keep busy really. You have to stay in the game in some way or another. Then I get the call from the TSO. That came through Marty Friedman, who I originally met through teaching at the NGW back in '92, but then I really got to know him when I was on the Kitaro gig. Marty worked with Kitaro on the album "Scenes". TSO had called him, he wasn't available, but he gave them my number. So I learned the material back to front and went down to the audition wearing quality footwear. Here the lesson would be, wear cool shoes, just don't stare at them while you're playing. That audition was me and a bunch of other guys, some of whom can shred me under a table, but I got it cause I'm actually a performer, I look up at the audience and smile. I stay open. The call back was just me and Paul O'Neill, where the onus was on my ability to take direction. It all came down to how I played this one acoustic song, which is just a simple chord pattern, but you have to be sensitive to the singer. So, by the time I was in that room, I was already a guy that had toured the world on massive stages, had the chops to kill the gig, and enough experience working with people to know when to just shut up and listen and give the artist what they want. That's what I did, and here I am.

I remember reading an interview with the woman who is part of The Matrix, the team that wrote "Complicated" for Avril, and she said they'd been at it for 10 years before that song broke, and that in her experience that is a good bench mark. If you can stay "in it" for 10 years, something's gonna give. I've been working this whole time, but nothing else had the profile of what the TSO gig has now become. I just kept at it and made sure that when the gig was worth getting, I got it. I get emails from guys asking me how they can get a gig like TSO. I guess the short answer is get in a van with your Prog-metal band that just got dropped and go to LA and play to no people at the Whiskey. Then stick at it for 10 years and something good will happen. Just remember to wear cool shoes.

Q. You've taken song writing workshops and now you're actually teaching at the NGW. What do you get out of this kind of work as compared to touring or recording?

Angus: Songwriting is a totally separate craft, and it's something I wanted to take the time to get a handle on. It's important to get some training in it so you can be constructive when working with a band or someone that you are producing. If you don't have control of the formal elements of songwriting, the conversations can be taken too personally, like "why don't you like my song?", as opposed to just seeing a song as a thing that you can work on and fiddle with in order to make it better and stronger. So you're more on the wavelength of "changing this chord to major will improve the overall prosity of the song", or "starting this phrase on the and of two will improve the scantion of the line". Like that.

Writing is incredibly fulfilling, because once you write a song, you never know where it's gonna go. I wrote these songs with the TSO's violinist, Anna, and the next thing I know, she's playing them on stage with Jethro Tull, one of my idols!! So again, you just have to put yourself and your art out there, and then good things happen.

As far as teaching at the NGW, I'm doing a week in Virginia. I used to work for them way back and got a lot out of it, so at this point it's more recreational for me. Plus Alex Skolnick from the TSO East band will be there same time as me, so it'll be a good hang.

Q. What should someone thinking of attending one of your NGW sessions do to get the most out of the workshop. Is there some preparation they should do in advance?

Angus: Just bring your guitar and a good attitude and be ready play, cause I'm gonna make you play!! It's not a competition, it's a workshop. That's how I treat it. I facilitate the students learning from each other, and then I shred for their enjoyment. Oh, and you can wear whatever kind of shoes you want to class, but bring some quality footwear for the stage, cause there's no sandals on stage in Rock and Roll.

Q. What advice do you have for any 40-year old guitar wannabe's to help improve their playing even though they may not have professional ambitions?

Angus: Put on a record you haven't learned how to play yet, and learn it. Then find some friends and have a jam and do a gig. Then you're not a wannabe, you're a musician. You won't make any money, but that's not the point! It's better to make it interactive. Get out there, and do it with people and for people.

For those interested in learning more, head over to Angus Clark's web site where you can hear songs from his new album "Your Last Battlefield."  If you're looking for a week of immersive guitar instruction, NGW has a summer program that runs in McLean Virginia, Los Angeles California, Chicago Illinois, Austin Texas and Purchase New York.  Programs start June 27 in McLean and continue through mid-August.  And dont' forget: bring new boots!

• Angus Clark: Official Site, MySpace, CD Baby, iTunes, Wikipedia
• NGW: Main site, Community, Faculty, Guest Artists, Curriculum
• Amazon: Grace Period, Your Last Battlefield
• Premier Guitar: Interview with Angus Clark
• GuitarVibe: Rock Guitar Camp

Six Pack Interview with Jim Babjak

 

I managed to catch up with Jim Babjak of The Smithereens backstage before a gig at La Zona Rosa in Austin as part of the SXSW conference.  Babjak, and in fact, everyone in The Smithereens, are about the nicest musicians you can meet.  Despite getting nearly chased out of our interview room by some of the staff, we talked about today's music, influences on The Smithereens, how he gets his sound and some of the memorable gigs over the years.  If there's one observation you can make about Babjak, this is a guy who loves his job.  And watch for a Smithereens' take on Tommy coming soon.

Q. Do you listen to any of the new bands out there?

Jim: I listen to the radio.  I was watching Saturday Night Live the other day.  I saw Wilco.  They’re good. I have their albums.  Someone gave me Soundtrack to their Lives.  I really liked that.  Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. People usually turn me on to new music. I wouldn’t say I’m in a bubble.  My kids are 19, 17 and 13.  Some of the stuff my kids listens to I can’t stand. I don’t know what it is.  It’s just noise.

Q. Do you think that’s any different from your parents listening to your music?

Jim: I remember when I was young. My dad came into my room and I had Sticky Fingers on. My dad said he liked it.  I’m like, what?  I thought that was pretty cool.  My dad didn’t like the Beatles or new music.  He was almost the same age as John Lennon.  It was really strange.  But I guess he was from the old school.  My oldest son raids my CD collection to get what he calls classic rock.  My younger kids love The Who.

Q. The Beatles and the Byrds are often cited as big influences on The Smithereens.  What else was an infulence on you?

Jim: Those tags were put on us.  The Beatles were the first band that I was exposed to where I said yeah, I want to play guitar.  Like thousands of other people. But when I actually started playing and heard the Who for the first time I was just amazed at the sound he was getting out of the guitar. 

There were certain moments that influenced me.  I had this weird album from Monterey Pop.  It had Otis Redding on one side and Jimi Hendrix on the other.  It had this silver cover.  I think bought it for $.99.  Hendrix did "Like a Rolling Stone."  And the way he opened the song, bam, hitting the E string.  He hit it so hard.  That to me made me want to play like that.  It seemed like it was sexy, passionate.  It wasn’t like anything I heard before.  This guy’s going all out.  That’s when I really started to play.

Another group called The Move, which never really made it in the states.  I liked some of their stuff. They had a song "Sunshine Help Me" it was a live song from the Marquee club.  It had this long extended solo in it. He was playing these leads as if he’s playing a sitar.  Riding it.  I started experimenting with that.  Kind of like the Taxman solo.  Those sounds appealed to me and moved me.  Those are the things that initially influenced me.

As far as bands… it was all the bands, British invasion, stuff, yeah.  I also liked the Beach Boys. Dennis turned me on to that.  But when disco came around I really rejected it in a big way.  That’s when I went back and started listening to old Elvis records, Buddy Holly records, Chuck Berry.  I really got into the 50’s rock and roll stuff.  That gave me a base.

And then what was really amazing, was around around 1976, I went to CBGBs and I saw a band called Television. And we saw The Ramones, and The Dictators. We saw them many times. Also groups that you didn’t hear of afterwards, like The Shirts, The Planets. I saw the Talking Heads at CBGBs with three people in the audience. It was a good time. I even went out and bought Television’s single "Little Johnny Jewel." 5 bucks back then. That was a lot of money.

What happened to me then, it made me realize that I could actually do this.  Because up to that point the dream was so far away.  We’d see the Who at Madison Square Garden or the Kinks, seeing all these bands in bigger venues.  I saw Frampton on the tour when he recorded the live album, it was great.  We went to all these concerts.  But it was larger than life.  What happened at CBGB’s was we saw bands just getting on stage and playing and it made it real.  It made me realize we could actually do this.  Because we saw them up close.  And to me the mystery was gone.  It was right in front of me.  I thought, yeah, I could do this.

Q. What did you think of the Ramones?

Jim: Wow. I’m trying to put myself back in to that time. Because now it seems normal.  But it was out of this world.  It really was.

We toured with The Ramones for three weeks back in ’86. That was great.  We were very respectful that it was their show, their audience. So we did our set very quickly.  But after a while people really liked what we were doing.  Joey was a really nice guy and he liked our music.  He’d joke with us that we were getting too good, we might be off the tour.  One night we were out Holiday Inn bar in New York.  It was last call and Joey ordered twenty budweisers for the five of us.  He was like that.

Q. What in your view makes a classic Smithereens sound?

Jim: I don’t know if I do anything consciously.  I remember years ago I would never plan a solo that I was going do on the record.  I would always just wing it.  For a long time I thought I was being lazy.  But I think subconsciously I just wanted to keep it fresh and see what would happen.

Then as we got on to a major label they wanted to hear demos.  So the first album, we just went in and did it.  Which is great.  That’s the way I love doing it.  I remember "Time and Time again" on the first record.  I was standing right next to Dennis.  We didn’t have any isolation booths.  We didn’t do our tracks separately.  I played it standing right next to him.  This is a guy I’ve been playing with since 1971, we were teenagers when we got started.  And the song was going to be a fade.  So, I thought alright, I’ll just screw round with him and jam a little bit at the end.  It was just one take and it came out so good, that our producer Don Dixon said we’re keeping it.  Theres no way I would be able to duplicate it back then.  Later on we’d have to do demos and I’d do these great solos on demos and I could never reproduce them.  It would take a lot of work if the vibe wasn’t there.

Q. You've been using a Telecaster for quite a while now. 

Jim: That’s my guitar of choice for live shows since 1994.  Because it’s a workhorse, it’s the perfect guitar.  I can take it on the road and beat the crap out of it.  And really play the damn thing and it won’t go out of tune if I stretch the strings.  I love that guitar.  It's a '52 reissue and I can get some good sounds out it.  I can just turn it down a bit and get a nicer tone.  Or I can crank it up.

In the early days I was using a Rickenbacker.  I borrowed a Les Paul for Behind the Wall of Sleep for the recording. I didn’t own one at the time and I wanted it to sound tougher.  But I had a tough sound out of the Rickenbacker too, with Marshall combination.  I don’t use any effects. I use the 800 Series Marshall 100 watt, that's what I’ve always had. I tried using effects around 1988.  Our roadies made me do it.  I hated it.  It didn’t sound like me.  To get a true sound, without effects, I figured that was good enough for me. All those effects were great for Hendrix, but I never had a desire to use them.  Maybe it’s just more stuff that can go wrong.  And you travel you want to minimize that. Also, deep down, I always felt when I saw bands that used use a lot of effects I thought it was to cover up their lack of ability.

Q. You’re coming on thirty years now. How has the music industry changed?

Jim: I don’t know.  I haven’t been thinking about it.  Because everything you read is just negative.  Record companies are consolidating, going out of business.  People are stealing music off the internet.  Kids today they don’t understand that it costs money to make these things and make your living from it.  Everything seems so negative. You’ve got Paul McCartney selling albums in Starbucks. Everything seems screwed up.  To me playing live is the best.  They can’t take that away from you. I said that back when we first got signed.  The record industry can do anything they want to us, drop us, whatever.  But we’ll still be around.  As long as we’re healthy and alive we’ll always keep playing.

Q. Any advice for younger bands?

Jim: The only advice I would give is be true to yourself and don’t try to sound like someone else.  I know its easy to say, find your own style.  It can happen.  When I first started, I thought I was copying Pete Townsend, or the Beatles, but after a while you find your own place.  I don’t know how or when it happened, but it does happen.

Q. What are you most proud of in your career?

Jim: That’s a tough one.  Most people would say a specific guitar solo or something. For me it’s our longevity.  What am I proud of?  Geez.  I’m proud that I didn’t become a lame parody of myself.  I feel like I’m always getting better.  And I’m always enthusiastic.  People say to me ‘How do you play the same songs every night?’ But I change it up for myself. If the audience is great, I’ll play better. I’ll improvise better.  I definitely feed off the audience.

Q. Any particular gigs that stand out?

There were so many.  At one point I was going to try to compile a list of all the shows we’d done.  I remember when Joey Ramone died they’d done over 2,000 gigs.  I know we’ve surpassed that.  But I don’t have the time to put this stuff together.

Saturday Night Live was a pretty good high even though it wasn’t our audience.  It was really friggin’ cool.  And it was really live.  That was what was cool about that show. It was really going out live across the country.  We did the big festivals Glastonbury, Reading. Those were pretty cool. We did have some good gigs.  Whenever we toured Spain we always had a great audience.

To me a memorable gig isn’t necessarily a great show. I remember Dennis falling through the stage. We were doing an encore and I was playing drums. Our shows had a lot of mayhem. Dennis was jumping up and down and he fell right through the stage.  I think that was in Richmond Virginia.  That kind of stuff to me is funny.

We played in Iceland at this opera house.  We sold out two nights in a row.  That was pretty cool going to Iceland.  Bands don’t go there.  They treated us like the Beatles. They were interviewing us. They did a TV special.  The opening act was the SugarCubes, their very first gig.  The guitar player was so excited he somehow fell into the orchestra pit and broke his arm.

But sometimes it’s just the people that you meet in the pubs, or walking around Belgium or wherever you are. I remember those things sometimes more than the actual shows.

That's me hanging with the band backstage at South By Southwest. Thanks for indulging me guys!  And don't forget last year's Live in Concert and watch for the band's punked-out version of The Who's classic Tommy coming May 9.

The Smithereens: Web Site, Jim Babjak, News, Gigs, Wikipedia

Amazon: Smithereens 11, Best of, Live in Concert, Tommy

GuitarVibe: Smithereens Austin, Smithereens SF

Video, Photos: YouTube, PicasaWeb

Six Pack with Doug Marks of Metal Method

 

I'm pleased to present an interview with Doug Marks, the man who has taught millions how to play rock guitar with his unique Metal Method DVD Course.  Doug was a working musician in the Los Angeles metal band Hawk and brought rock guitar instruction out of the stone age along with his combination of practical techniques, inpsiraappealing riffs and big hair.  

 Q. How did you get started with Metal Method?

Doug: I was giving private guitar lessons in Denver, Colorado. My ex-wife and I decided to move to Southern California. Before leaving my fifty students behind I chose to sell them copies of my tab. I believe that I made about $800 which helped us get to California. After I was in California I put together some additional information and sold it to my students back in Denver. Before long I decided to write an entire course and advertise it in guitar and fan magazines. I sold two vintage Fender Strats and used the money to purchase my first magazine ads. The course was successful from the beginning and has remained so for the past twenty-six years.

Q. The course has gone through several major evolutions, from the original cassettes, to VHS and now to DVD. What's changed and what's stayed the same over the years?

Doug: It sure is easier to teach when your students can actually see your performance. So, moving from audio to video was a huge improvement. The DVD has been another major leap forward along with video editing software that allows me to edit my programs personally.

DVDs offer a higher quality picture than VHS tapes and are menu driven so my students can find the exact information they need quickly. Students can also instantly review material. We also store the booklets and play-along animated tab on the DVDs which can be downloaded to a personal computer. So, the biggest improvement to my guitar lessons is the technology that we’re able to access today.

 

Q. Often people assume you need to be a "natural" to play guitar. Was that your experience? How did you learn guitar?

Doug: My experience was quite the opposite. I started playing guitar before tab became popular and before the Internet and the wealth of information that it provides. I also lived in a small town so it was difficult finding an instructor. I struggled for years before I was even an intermediate player. Learning guitar was difficult for me so I understand my student’s struggles better than if I had been a "natural" player. If someone has "natural" ability, it’s difficult for them to explain the process to others.

Over the years I’ve decided that a "natural" player is simply someone that has a natural curiosity about guitar and they’re motivated by the process of satisfying that curiosity. They love to play so they play more often and with more enthusiasm than someone that approaches guitar with a different mindset, "I know that I have to practice scales today even though I don’t enjoy playing scales."

Q. How has the internet changed the music business and what kind of impact has it had on your own company?

Doug: The Internet has given many artists exposure that otherwise would have never received any attention. I guess the downside is, most of those artists wouldn’t have received attention for a pretty good reason and the attention that they’re receiving is very small.

Do to copyright infringement (illegal downloads) less people pay for music than in the past so record companies are less likely to invest in new bands and finance expensive recording situations. My guess is, without the Internet there would be more high quality recordings than there are today because the market would support that.

Overall, the Internet has made my company more efficient. People order online, we download their order and process it. That’s a lot easier than the mail order business we used to run and the 24 hour answering service we had to pay for. The Internet provides a lot of free exposure which is great. On the other hand there’s a lot of free information on the Internet that we’re competing with. When I first started Metal Method there were less than half a dozen companies competing in this business. Now there are probably thousands. Competition is good but there’s a lot of crap out there and it’s difficult for people to know which way to turn.

Some people don’t want to pay for lessons so they endlessly search the Internet for information. The problem is, they end up with big holes in there knowledge because they’re not studying a comprehensive course that takes them from A to Z. Using the alphabet analogy, they’re missing a lot of the letters and they have no idea which ones. Experienced players are often surprised to study my Stage One lesson, for example, and find that they learn a few things from the basic lessons. So, free lessons can be pretty expensive if you’re not making the progress you expect.

Q. It seems like there's a real sense of community among Metal Method students. How did the online forums come about?

Doug: You’re right, we have a great online community on the Metal Method Forum. We have several dedicated moderators that keep the process running smoothly. I appreciate their efforts because the forum couldn’t exist without them. It would be too big a headache for me to oversee.

I’ve had a forum on Metal Method’s website almost the entire time that we’ve had an Internet presence. I believe that our first forum was in 1997. I’m a technology geek so I usually have an awareness of new technology. The forum is a natural extension of the website because it helps me interact with students. Plus, they create content which is necessary for a website to remain interesting and relative.

Q. What do you think of some of the computer software that's out there today for creating drum tracks, recording etc? Do you think those are useful tools for newcomers?

Doug: I love that stuff. I learned how to operate a midi sequencer in the early eighties, shortly after starting Metal Method. Even a beginner should learn how to do basic recording and to create drum tracks. You must record yourself often to make consistent, reliable progress. Digital recordings allows you to evaluate your skill more efficiently than trying to critically listen to your playing in real time. You can also keep a record of your progress in a folder on your computer.

Q. What are you most proud of with Metal Method?

Doug: I’m most proud when I read a forum post or an email message describing the positive impact that Metal Method has had on many of my student’s lives. It’s especially rewarding when someone writes telling me that they studied my course twenty-five years ago and it guided them into either a rewarding career or a life long hobby or for some it would be more accurate to call it an addiction. I never get tired of hearing success stories. It’s funny, many of them start off, "I know you probably get tired of hearing this…" Never!

Q. What sort of music do you listen to? Any albums in your collection that might be a surprise to classic rock fans?

Doug: I don’t listen to too much classic rock but I do have a few bands and artists that I occasionally go back to like Neil Young and Robin Trower. The Wallflowers aren’t Classic Rock but they have that sound. I do listen to them. Most of the stuff on my MP3 player is more modern new metal like Disturbed, Audioslave, Chris Cornell, P.O.D., Evanescence, and Staind. I was recently listening to Sheryl Crow’s "Wild Flower" album. Would that be surprising?

Q. I wouldn't have guessed.  So what's coming next? Not a Sheryl Crow DVD.

Doug: December 1, 2008, Speed Lives 2 will be available. Michael Angelo Batio will be teaching his masterpiece "Hands Without Shadows". That’s pretty exciting.

Aside from that I have several things that I’m working on but I’m not fully committed to any single project. I’m setting up a permanent video studio so I can do several short video clips. I’m planning to make them available online first and as I collect several, release them on DVD.

I haven’t been writing original music lately and I want to get back to that. That’s pretty consuming. To give that project the attention it deserves would give me very little time for other projects. So, stay tuned!

Ok, it was more than six questions, but it was all interesting, except maybe the piece about Sheryl Crow.  But I'm not judging.  I have a few guilty pleasures in my CD collection too.  You can learn more about the  Metal Method DVD Course by going to Doug's site www.metalmethod.com and signing up for his newsletter or visiting the forums.

• Metal Method: Main site, Complete Basic Course, Metal Riffology,Speed Kills, Forum
• GuitarVibe: Guitar Lesson Scams, Guitar Mastery, More Time To Play Guitar

Six Pack with Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy

   

Despite a year of non-stop touring with Chicago pop-punk sensation Fall Out Boy, Joe Trohman still managed to work with Washburn to create a new signature model guitar, the Joe Trohman Washburn Idol. Joe took some time while in Moscow performing a private gig to fill in GuitarVibe readers on the process.

Q: Fall Out Boy has come a long way in the last couple of years. Did you think one day you'd have your own signature guitar?

Joe: Having a signature guitar is something that few guitarists get a chance to make in a lifetime. Even some of the greats.  Five or six years ago I didn’t think making my own guitar would ever be in the cards. I remember years ago just being concerned with maybe one day getting a free guitar, so in case I smashed one I would have a back-up.

Q: How did you get involved with Washburn?

Joe: At the time I was playing various guitars, mostly ones I had paid for myself --Les Pauls at first, then Les Paul Jrs., and then Telecasters. Dave Karon from Washburn came to me, interested in signing me on and making guitars together. I couldn’t say no. I knew Washburn guitars were awesome and would be perfect for what I do.

Q: What was your goal with this guitar? Is there a particular sound or style you're trying to focus on?

Joe: Well my first goal was to make something bare bones: no locking tuners, no active pick-ups, no self-tuning systems, no frills, just something that could get the job done for almost anyone at any skill level. I have always had the mindset of, "Ok, no broken or missing strings, the input jack works, the pick-ups work, it’s good to go". I’ve grown since those times, but I still always do things guerilla style. I needed it to have a slightly wide neck, something that felt nice in the palm of my hand, and a lighter body for the amount of spazzing I do on stage. I alternate between a thick and warm distortion and a half distorted clean sound.  I A/B a Bogner Uberschall and a Orange Rock-o-Verb 30, so I need to make sure that I would not compromise the tone by playing a thinner body than I was used to, but it worked. I also wanted to be playing the same guitar people would see in stores. I think that’s a really cool aspect for kids out there.

Q: How did you decide on the various hardware components?  How would you compare the WB pickups to classic Seymour Duncans?

Joe: I had told them that I wanted solid hardware that wouldn’t need replacing, and to set it up with lower action off the bat. I wanted it very standard. I did however want to make sure my pick-ups had similarities to the Duncan Distortions, for that warm rock tone. I basically pushed to keep it simplistic without selling out the quality.

Q: Most tone controls on electric guitars are pretty useless. The VCC is a different approach. How do you use it in your music?

Joe: I agree on that first part. I used to just keep the tone cranked up all the time. Now when I A/B from my Bogner to my Orange, I actually use the tone control to achieve the sound I want.

I thought the VCC controls were an amazing way to get some use from the tone knobs. With the VCC I can get a traditional humbucker tone for heavier parts (through my Bogner), and then still get a single coil tone for half distorted parts and cleaner tones (through my Orange). It’s truly amazing.  It’s made my concentrate on a knob I never even thought about using. How’s that for a sexual innuendo?

Q: No Buzz Feiten tuning system?

Joe: I hate tuning systems. The Buzz Feiten system is great, but I hate relying on anything accept back up guitars and a trusty tech. I’m not bending enough notes to go out all the time. When we play a song or two where I have been bending a lot of notes, I just switch out guitars. Plus Grover tuners do their job real well.

I play my custom Idols, and that’s basically it. Right now the A/B with the two amp heads and the VCC on my guitars covers the sound I want to achieve live.  But who knows.  In the new record could be that I add some more tones. But my focus is keep it live, no frills.

You can find out more about the forthcoming Joe Trohman Washburn Idol go to www.empireoftherepublic.com.  The guitar is available for pre-order for $419.  Check out the links below for more information on Fall Out Boy and their music.

• Washburn:  Main site, Joe Trohman Washburn Idol, Trohman Plays Washburn
• Fall Out Boy: Main Site, Music, News, Blog, Forums
• Amazon: Infinity on High, From Under the Cork Tree

Paul Stanley's Preacher from Washburn

There's a good interview in the latest issue of GuitarWorld magazine featuring Paul Stanley of KISS talking about his latest guitar, the Preacher series from Washburn.  Stanley helped provide input into the design of the Preacher and he comments on the classic elements that make a good rock guitar. 

"Too many guitars are either poorly deisgned or just goofy looking.  They're different for the sake of being different, but they don't stand up in terms of design...

"For me, a great pickup means you can hear each string when you strum a chord.  I never liked pickups that just put out this blaring, white noise distortion.  All the guitar players I love, when they hit a chord, you heard each string.  So I prefer either a real vintage pickup or one that's just a little souped-up.  But when you get into superdistortion, super-duper-distortion and super-unbelievable distorion pickups, I'm not interested.  They're not musical pickups.  They serve a certain kind of music well, but they don't suit what I do..."

The high-end PS9200 model guitar features a mahogany body, Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, set neck with ebony fretboard, Grover tuners and gold hardware.  Coming in at just under 4 grand, it's an expensive guitar, but it looks absolutely stunning and is available in black or white. Other models in the series, including the PS7000 and PS7200 are a bit more modest in their specs, but still feature the mahogany body, Grover tuners, but use Egnator pickups and come in at a more affordable $1249.  Still not cheap compared to the average Strat or Les Paul.

Stanley used the PS9200 guitar on his latest solo album "Live to Win" and on tour in 2006 and 2007.  It's a good album and if you like late stage KISS with an updated sound, you'll feel right at home with it.

Unfortunately, the GuitarWorld article is not yet available online and Mr Stanley keeps blowing me off every time I try to get a confirmed interview schedule.  Ok, so I admit, I'm jealous that GuitarWorld has more pull than I do.  You can't fault me for tryin!

• Washburn: Paul Stanley Series Guitars, Paul Stanley Press Release
• Official Sites: Paul Stanley, KISS

Slash on WSJ

Slash, lead guitarist from Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, is out promoting a new memoir, aptly titled "Slash".  Oddly enough, Slash gets an interview and lists the rock albums that most influenced him in the grand the bastion of corporate reporting: the Wall Street Journal.  I'm sure interviewer Bob Hughes, who also interviews corporate stiffs, is a headbanger from way back. 

But if you do like Slash, check out the newest Velvet Revolver release Libertad. There's plenty to like.  It combines the best of G N' R and Stone Temple Pilots with a modern sound. 

What's next... The Sex Pistols on Leno?  Oh yeah, that was two weeks ago.

• WSJ: Slash's Hit List, Slash Interview
• Amazon: Slash, Libertad

Six Pack with Marcus Ryle of Line 6

Marcus Ryle, Senior Vice President of Research and Development, co-founded Line 6 more than ten years ago along with partner Michel Doidic.  Marcus is responsible for all product development and research initiatives at the company, including the POD modeling system, ToneCore effects pedals, Variax modeling guitars and the Vetta and Spider series of amplifiers.  According to MI SalesTrak Line 6 has become the second largest amplifier supplier after Fender and a recognized innovator in guitar sound. 

Marcus is also a classicly trained pianist and has worked as a professional musician recording with the likes of Chicago, Lee Ritenour and Chaka Khan.  Continuing with our "Six Pack" interviews, Marcus took some time out of his weekend schedule to give www.guitarvibe.com readers a behind the scenes look into developing new products at Line 6 and some of the challenges of combining modern modeling technology with classic tube amplification. 

Q: You've got a background both as a professional session musician and as an engineer. How do you draw on those elements in your role at Line 6?

Marcus: For me, they’re directly connected. I’ve always been drawn to music and technology, and the purpose of technology for me has always been to serve music. At Line 6, there are lots of people with a similar point of view, so there’s lots of great collaborative inspiration.

Q: How do new products get created at Line 6? Are you purposefully looking to disrupt competitors in existing markets? Or is it based on speaking with customers and dealers about what they want?

Marcus: The source of new product ideas can come from anyone in the company, or from anywhere outside. We talk to musicians about what they would like to achieve, what impedes their creativity, as opposed to asking what products they want. We then brainstorm about how we can best meet these needs. Disruption becomes a natural byproduct of the process if musicians embrace our solutions.

Q: You've been working with Bogner Amplification on a new Spider Valve amp. What's it been like to combine digital modeling with tube-based amplification?

Marcus: Working with Reinhold Bogner has been a lot of fun, as well as educational and inspirational. Reinhold has a tremendous knowledge of tube amplification, but more importantly, he has incredible ears. We share an inherent quest for tone, without regard to what technology it takes to get there. It has been exciting to combine the “best of both worlds” of modeling and tubes in the creation of the Spider Valve family.

Now that the product has been announced, some folks have been asking the obvious question “why”? Many people have gotten the impression that Line 6 was “anti-tube”, but a simpler way to describe us is “pro-tone”. Modeling has evolved tremendously since we started, and we are quite proud of the fact that the tonal capabilities of our products have ended up in the hands of some of the best guitarists in the world, and on countless best-selling records.

Equally important to us is providing guitarists with choices on how that tone gets delivered. In the recording environment, the entire signal path can be captured with modeling – from the guitar body & pickups, stomp boxes, preamp, tone stack, power amp, speakers, microphone, and the environment it is recorded in. The “delivery” of the tone in the studio is via studio monitors or headphones. Performing live, many guitarists like the tone delivery to be through a PA system, monitoring through wedges, stage fills, or in-ear monitors. Others want their tone delivered right through the power amp and speakers in their guitar amp.

For the last forty years, the two choices for power amplification in a guitar amp have been tubes or solid state. When we first introduced modeling amps, we took all of the advantages of solid state amplification and optimized it for the best tonal delivery possible. But the feel and responsiveness of tube amplification is an option we also wanted to provide. Thanks to Reinhold’s collaboration, we can now deliver great tone through your choice of solid state or tubes, while also being able to deliver the best direct tone possible.

Q: Guitarists are notoriously conservative. With Line 6's use of modeling, it's sometimes considered too radical by those who want vintage sound from vintage gear and seem reluctant to try anything new since the 1960s. Do you think this is changing with younger players who have grown up digital?

Marcus: It’s human nature to be reluctant to change behavior. Younger people are often more open to new technology because they haven’t spent decades repeating one particular behavior. But there’s nothing wrong with someone not wanting to try something new. If a guitarist is content with their tone, there’s no need to change it. But more and more people of any age are discovering that modeling provides the best and easiest path to a wide range of great tone, and ultimately that benefit draws people to try something new.

Q: What was the reaction at Line 6 when Fender announced the VG Strat? It felt like they were sending a shot over the bow with their marketing messages about not requiring special cables or a users manual.

Marcus: What’s that quote about the sincerest form of flattery? Seriously, it’s not clear to me that their marketing message was a shot over our bow – Variax does not require any special cables (it can run on batteries, just like the VG Strat), and since it only has one extra knob compared to other electric guitars (to select models), I don’t think it requires a user manual either. But unlike the VG Strat, Variax can also be powered through a standard stereo ¼” cable, or from a PODxt Live.

And unlike the VG Strat, Variax can be optionally connected to a computer and let you create your own guitar model by moving pickups, changing bodies, etc., and create any alternate tuning you want. Maybe Fender thinks this is complicated? Or maybe they weren’t talking about us at all. But either way, we just look at Variax as providing more options (if you want them), and ease of use at the same time.

Q: A lot of the recent innovation has been around amps and effects, with new versions of the POD etc. When can we expect to see something new in the Variax line up?

Marcus: Well, of course we can’t talk about potential future products. But I can say that we are always exploring new ways to provide a wide range of tone for musicians. The only thing for sure is that there will be more products from Line 6, but you’ll just have to wait and see.

Argh!  Ok, I tried to get some hints on future Variax models!  And although Marcus denies it, maybe there are some "unannounced top secret products" in the photo at the top of this posting.  The Line 6 Spider Valve is expected to be available in October.  More information is available on line at Line 6.

• Line 6: Spider Valve, Pod, Variax, Artists, News, Company History

Six Pack with Greg Kihn

In the Bay Area of San Francisco Greg Kihn is equally famous as an 80's rock star (Jeopardy, The Break Up Song) and as a DJ on classic rock station KFOX where he's led the #1 rated morning show  for more than ten years.  As if that's not enough, Greg has also put on a series of "Kihncerts" around the bay area attracting bands such as The Who, Boston, Eddie Money, Pat Travers, George Thorogood, Foghat and others along side his own Greg Kihn Band (GKB).   On Saturday September 22nd, KFOX will host the "Summer Sendoff" concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre featuring Greg Kihn Band, The Doobie Brothers, Steve Miller Band and more.  Tickets start at under $20 which is a great deal. 

Q: You've played a lot of gigs and shared the stage with a lot of bands. Do you still get excited about playing big venue concerts like Shoreline?

Greg: I haven't been nervous since 1967, but I still get a major kick walking out in front of a big audience. The Shoreline is extra special because of all the great music that has been played there.

Q: I saw several of the Kihncerts and was totally blown away with the show you did with The Who at Shoreline in 2004. I think that was one of their only US shows that year. How did you manage to get them on board?

Greg: Well, I still owe the Who money from 1978 from when I recorded at their studio Rampart in London in Battersea Park. Maybe Pete figured he could collect. Actually I go way back with the Who and they are one of my favorite bands of all time. It's a great honor to open for them.

Q: What should fans expect from GKB this time around at the Summer Sendoff?

Greg: I always try to come up with new material every year. This year I'm working up some of our older songs from the GKB catalogue. People always seem to request them.

Q: What's it like having your son Ry in the band? He's such a awesome guitar player.

Greg: I am so proud of him. I'd like to point out that we've had many great guitarists in the GKB and Ry is the best of them all. He can play any style. He's even got a college degree in Jazz Guitar! Look out for Ry's solo CD sometime soon!

Q: As a DJ who has been the most interesting musician for you to interview? Do you get nervous interviewing someone like Paul McCartney or Maria Holly?

Greg: I love talking to people and I always try to make it conversational. I try to not ask the standard questions. I never get nervous. Ever.

Q: I've read and enjoyed your books (Horror Show, Big Rock Beat, Mojo Hand). Can we expect any more rock 'n' roll fiction any time soon? How about a tell-all about life as a rock star?

Greg: You read my mind. I just finished my latest novel DEAD AIR and I am going to write my memoirs next. A collection of short stories based on my years being a musician.

I couldn't find any good live footage of Greg Kihn Band, so instead here's a link to Weird Al Yankovic's parody "I lost on Jeopardy."  Whatch for Greg Kihn driving the convertible in the last shot. 

• KFOX: Main, Summer Sendoff, Morning Show
• Greg Kihn: Official site, Calendar, Music, Books, Syndicated Show
• News: SF Chronicle, Examiner, Yahoo
• Amazon: Kihnsolidation, Big Rock Beat, Mojo Hand

Six Pack with Phil Neal of Lapstick

A few months back, I took a look at the Lapstick, which I called the ultimate travel guitar.  In Amsterdam, I spent several jet-lagged hours speaking with Phil Neal (above), the mad Dutch designer (by way of Canada) behind the Lapstick.  We talked about his background, his inspiration and what drove him to build an electric guitar that packs so much sound into  20 inches and weighing in at just over a pound.  After much delay, here is my "six pack" of interview questions with Phil.

If you're looking for a guitar that will challenge your playing and get you more practice hours while on the road, check out the Lapstick.  It's not for everyone, but it's a definitely a one of-a-kind electric guitar from a one-of-a-kind designer.  Phil has also created a number of custom modifications for customers including a Lapstick-style bass, humbucker-equipped Lapsticks and so on.

Q: How did you get started with the Lapstick?

Phil: When I turned pro, I had less time to practice.  It's the old cliche.  The pros never have time to practice and can't afford the best gear, either.  You're so busy on the phone getting gigs and travelling.  And if you don't work on technique, it rusts on you.  The guitar is a bitch of an instrument!  You need to practice all the time, two, three hours a day. 

Back in 1992, I was travelling to Spain a lot and I had a lot of downtime getting to and from gigs.  There was nothing in the market to do what I wanted.  So I took the elements I liked from a Telecaster and cut away everything I didn't need.  There's lots of wasted space on a standard electric guitar. 

The first version had a conventional headstock, but the machine heads got knocked out of tune all the time.  It was an octave higher and not a lot of fun to play.  So then I eliminated the headstock.  That got me another four more frets to work with.

I've continued to refine it so that there's no wasted space.  Sometimes I have to give a milimeter here or there, but I'm tough on myself.   I've toyed with the idea of adding a couple of extra inches.  But if you go to full scale, you can't play in a car!  I measured the space and you have just half a meter to work with in a car seat.  In some sense, I failed since the Lapstick is actually 51 centimeters long.

Q: How do you think the Lapstick compares to other travel guitars?

Phil: I approached things from a different point of view.  If I'm arrogant, I would say that the Lapstick is the only travel guitar.  It's not just a portable guitar.  I wanted something I could actually play on a train, in a plane, in the backseat of a car. The dutch trains are quite compact and I didn't want to be bumping into the passenger next to me!

I also wanted something that would make me a better player. When you're in the waiting lounge for a flight, you can strap on headphones and start playing.  With the Lapstick I improved my playing style.  I started venturing into the higher frets.  I did a few gigs after playing the Lapstick and the guys were like "Phil, you were on fire tonight!  What happened?"   And it's because the Lapstick made me more confident and precise in my playing.

Q: Tell me about the hardware you chose.

Phil: The hardware is custom made from a firm in Germany and it's top of the line.  It has an EMG Select humbucker pickup.  A single coil would give you too much interference. It has a tiny pre-amp housed in the back.  Everyone told me you couldn't get a pre-amp into a guitar. But I made it work. It's got built-in clean, distortion and overdrive settings and runs on a standard 9V battery for around 60 hours.  So you can just plug in a pair of headphones directly. And it's got a regular 1/8 inch jack for plugging into a standard amp which requires no battery power.

The Select is a very quiet pickup, it's perfect for this type of guitar.  It's also used on the Steinberger.  I'm a great fan of Ned Steinberger, Steve Klein.  I met Steve Klein and I can't praise him enough.  I played one of his acoustics. It was an unbelievable instrument.  Steinberger's also great if you want something that's full scale but still somewhat portable.

Q: What music most interests you these days? 

Phil: My great love is blues and R&B.  I play some jazz. I listen to a lot of Miles Davis. I love classical music.  You can play Bach on a Lapstick.  No one said it would be easy.  It's work.  But when you go back to a full scale guitar, then it's easy.  Things you fight for and struggle with on the Lapstick then become much easier on a regular guitar.

I have a band is called Phil James and the Flames and we do a few gigs a month. When I was in bands, I got tired of having guys not show up to gigs, so I figured I may as well be in charge.  My son has been to a few gigs and that's a lot of fun for both of us.

Q. How did you start selling the Lapstick?

Initially I sold through a few shops, like Andy's on Denmark Street in London.  I had worked there as a guitar tech in the late 70's and 80s.  That was a crazy time.  Andy's was a who's who of the guitar industry.  I remember one time Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols came in and sold his Fender Twin reverb amp.  But then their manager came in later and wanted it back!  But selling through retail is a tough business, even for a shop like Andy's.  (Note: Andy's has since closed.)

Mostly now sales are online over the web. It's amazing that you can build a business like this on the Internet.  The first Lapstick I sold online went to a guy in Moscow.  It was on September 7, my birthday, which I took as a good omen.  He had a lot of faith to send the money just reading about it on the Internet!  But he's a crazy guy.  He tuned it to E, which I thought couldn't be done.  Most people tune it to A, some to G.  You could put a set of 9 strings on it and tune it to B if you wanted.  The tension on the strings has to feel right. 

Nowadays, most of the Lapsticks ship to the US, but I have a surprising number of customers from the UK. 

Q: Who is a typical Lapstick customer? 

Phil: I thought originally the Lapstick would appeal to pro musicians who travel a lot, since that's where I was coming from.  That's about half of the sales.  The other half is from inventive musicians who use it on stage.  I'm not sure I would use it for a live gig.  With the Lapstick, there's nothing to hide behind!  You're really exposed on stage!  The other class of users are beginners.  It's good for kids.  It teaches you to be more precise.  Some folks use it and don't want to go back to a regular guitar.

The Lapstick is like having a kid.  It starts with a night of passion and it takes on a life of its own.  I strarted making two or three and now have built over a hundred.  As a builder, you never know what people will do with an instrument.  I see people out gigging with it, which is something I would probably never do.  But that's the cool thing about it.  It's a little different at first, but everyone who has bought one has gotten used to it and become a better player.  People tell me they have a lot of fun with it.  So to me the project has been a success.

You can find more information about the Lapstick at www.lapstick.com.  There's also a new online forums and videos on YouTube that give you a feel for what it's like to play the Lapstick.  Also, look for new announcements from Phil later this year.

• Lapstick: Home, Specs, Press,  Details, FAQ, Forums
• YouTube: Summertime, Live at Syndicaat