MEDIA
Preview
BY ChRIS KIES, ChRIS BURGESS And MIChAEL ROSS
Books
Gibson’s Fabulous
Flat-Top Guitars—
An Illustrated History & Guide
By Eldon Whitford, David Vinopal and Dan Erlewine
Pretty much since
their inception in 1926
in Kalamazoo, MI,
Gibson acoustics have
been a badge of pride
for the company. To
celebrate these highly
sought-after acoustics,
authors Dan Erlewine,
Eldon Whitford and
David Vinopal collaborated on this 220-page
book showcasing the cherished flat-tops and
chronicling their history and use by all kinds
of pickers. From the L- 5 and the J-200 to the
various Starburst models, these acoustics are
analyzed and spec’s out in Gibson’s Fabulous
Flat-Top Guitars. Erlewine, Whitford and
Vinopal live and breathe Gibson flat-tops, as
you can tell from their exhaustive facts, specs
and backstories. In addition, they weave a narrative of the company’s trail from Kalamazoo
to Nashville and finally to Bozeman, MT, that
encapsulates the company’s logistical transitions and ownership changes.
While Bozeman, MT, is known by many for
its mountains—Big Sky Ski Resort and the
Museum of the Rockies—acoustic guitar
enthusiasts have known the small northwestern
city as the home to Gibson’s flat-top factory
since 1989. And in the last third of the book,
Erlewine, Whitford and Vinopal help acquaint
us with new Gibson acoustics—from descriptive details on wood choice, bracing techniques
and overall building philosophy—as well as
the small, talented crew that makes them.
Illustrated with over 200 black-and-white photos, plus two 16-page color inserts, this book
provides an enjoyable look at the evolution of
Gibson flat-tops, from their humble beginnings
to custom shop one-offs. It also includes numerous reference charts showing which styles were
produced where and when, as well as detailed
serial-number info, basic repair instructions and
historical trivia. —CK
List $29.99
backbeatbooks.com
Videos
Pretenders: Live in London
A completely live
recording with no
overdubs, the Live
in London DVD
was filmed at O2
Shepherd’s Bush
Empire in London,
in July 2009, during
a European leg of
the Pretenders tour
in support of 2008’s pioneering Break up the
Concrete. Fans of the reinvigorated and thrilling sound of the band’s latest incarnation will
get plenty of what they’re hankering for, since
if anything, the live versions of its songs are
even more raw and reduced to the essentials.
From the punk-inflected rockabilly of “Boots of
Chinese Plastic” and “Don’t Cut Your Hair” that
open the show like a shot across the bow, to
the country/roots-rock tint of “Love’s a Mystery”
and “The Nothing Maker” and the bluesy barrelhouse strut of “Rosalee” and “Don’t Lose
Faith in Me,” the group’s performance is tight
and sparing and unselfishly serves the superb
songwriting. Long-time followers of the band
will find much to like as well, with a long list of
Pretenders classics also being subjected to the
stripped-down treatment—from the pop hits
like “Back On The Chain Gang” “Don’t Get
Me Wrong” “Middle Of The Road” to the early
fan faves “Kid,” “Talk Of The Town,” “Brass In
Pocket” and the spastic time-signature eccentric-ties of “Tattooed Love Boys.”
The new Pretenders lineup—featuring guitarist James Walbourne, bassist Nick Wilkinson
and pedal steel player Eric Heywood alongside
original Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers
and the real doyenne of rock chicks, Chrissie
Hynde—is stunningly good and a delight to
watch. Throughout the show, they deliver their
tightly interlocking performances with a mixture
of triumphal exhuberance and grinning amusement. It’s fun to watch a band have this much
fun. Hynde herself is in top form, projecting all
of her intensity and mesmerizing stage presence into the music. With a minimum of stage
banter, she holds court in the rather intimate
venue and makes the 100-minute set seem to
pass like the blink of an eye. If you’re a fan of
the Pretenders, this is a must-have, but if you
simply relish the savor of a no-bullshit presentation from a group of accomplished musicians,
this will in no way dissapoint. —CB
List $19.99
e1entertainment.com
Johnny A.
—One November Night
Guitarists with a
distinctive sound
are as rare as
natural beauty in
Hollywood. Since
going strictly
instrumental,
Johnny A. has
quickly joined the
rarified ranks of
players like Jeff
Beck, Bill Frisell,
and Carlos Santana, as far as being recognizable from the first note. He has created a
unique voice through a mix of idiosyncratic
arrangements, running his Marshall heads
direct, and ultimately designing his own guitar (with the Custom Shop crew at Gibson).
A number of those guitars are displayed and
played on the DVD One November Night,
along with the passionate but controlled
picking of this former Peter Wolf sideman.
Bassist Jesse Bastos and drummer Chris Farr
demonstrate how a well-rehearsed, supportive rhythm section adds much to the show.
And a show it is; despite being welded to
his stool, and the absence of computerized lighting or smoke effects, A. demonstrates that superb playing, great tone, and
thoughtful pacing are enough to keep an
audience’s interest. Sure it is his hometown
crowd, but the intimate club performance
leaps off the screen, putting you right in the
front row at Boston’s Scullers Jazz Club.
The package features a DVD and a CD. All but
one of the DVD’s tunes—a version of “Walk
Away Renee” played in the great outdoors—is
offered on the CD. Four of the tunes on the
CD are replaced on the DVD by short interview
segments largely devoted to general biographical information rather than gear or performance
talk. Still, players will not be disappointed; the
sound is excellent and the camera angles amply
reveal both left hand and right hand techniques
providing an unexpected Johnny A. lesson.
Even more unusual than a distinctive sound,
is an instrumental guitarist whose appeal
extends beyond other guitarists. Johnny A.’s
magic crosses over because, like Frisell, he
doesn’t just play guitar—he plays music. —MR
List $29.99
johnnya.com
