I
read somewhere that you learned the mouth flugel from your grandpa,
when you were a kid. At what age did you start to play
the guitar and were you "classically" trained?
I
HAD A GUITAR AROUND AT AGE 3, I STARTED TO LEARN CHORDS WHEN
I WAS 13, I COULD ONLY WISH TO BE CLASSICALLY TRAINED AND YES,
I DID LEARN THE MOUTH FLUGEL FROM MY GRANDFATHER |
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What
musicians do you admire that are still playing today?
ANI
DIFRANCO, LEO KOTTKE, CHARLIE HUNTER, VICTOR WOOTEN, BELA FLECK,
SCI, MARTIN SEXTON, etc |
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What
musicians have influenced you the most?
MICHAEL HEDGES, LEO KEOTTKE, VICTOR
WOOTEN, ANI DIFRANCO, BOBBY MCFERRIN, JOE CRAVEN, CHARLIE
HUNTER....
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Where
did you get the idea to loop sounds and instruments?
VICTOR WOOTEN
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Who is
your biggest influence in the way you play?
MICHAEL HEDGES
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Who do
you prefer as an influence James Marshall Hendrix Jerry or?
JERRY
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I love
your ingenious ingenuity with such things like the Children's
toy the "One Man Jam" this fall. Where do you get the
idea for things such as that?
ACTUALLY,
A DUDE NAMED MAX FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA GAVE THAT TO ME
AND FORCED ME TO PLAY IT, I'M GLAD HE DID
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Where
do the ideas for some of your songs come from.
WIFE, ROAD, DOGS, LIFE, RANDOMNESS....
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Who is
your greatest inspiration on the guitar, you have such an
unique and awesome style?
MICHAEL HEDGES
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How did
you first think to loop yourself? Did you have an inspiration
to do so?
YES,
VICTOR WOOTEN
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How do
you conceive of a composition. That is, is it something you
do consciously and put pen to paper or does it "bubble-up"
from your soul ?
OCCASIONALLY
THE MUSIC WILL COME FIRST WHILE DOODLING ON THE GUITAR,
OTHER TIMES THE LYRICS COME OUT OF NOWHERE, LIKE BAM, WOOP
THERE IT IS!
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Obviously the members of the Keller List
are impressed by your playing. You've played with some terrific
musicians. Who has impressed you the most?
CHARLIE
HUNTER
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What
aspects (if any) did you take from the Grateful Dead experience
or shows and try to incorporate into your own performances?
TWO SETS OF MUSIC, COVER SONGS,
IMPROVISING....
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I enjoy
your off the wall covers such as Michael Franti and Spearhead's
"Stay Human". Where do you get the idea for covers like
this?
IT
HAS TO BE A SONG THAT I REALLY LOVE AND GETS TRAPPED IN MY
HEAD AND IS EASY TO LEARN
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How did
you learn to play bluegrass guitar, like i said, im trying
to learn?
JUST BY LISTENING AND WATCHING OTHERS
PLAY
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What
genre of music do you feel has been your biggest influence?
HOUSE/LOUNGE/ELECTRONICA
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With
all of your looping, beatboxing and dance song covers I oftened
joked that you were a wannabe raver/DJ. After you started
playing freaker I became even more suspicious. Have you ever
been to a "rave" and do you have any respect for electronica
as a music form?
YES,
ITS A LARGE INFLUENCE ON ME, PULSING RAVE BEAT SITUATIONS
ARE CONSTANTLY PLAYING OUT IN MY BRAIN
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What
gave you the inspiration (thought or motivation) to have so
many things going on at once, the whole phrase sampler idea,
ya know?
HOURS OF PLAYING SOLO AND WANTING TO
ENTERTAIN MYSELF AND WANTING TO MAKE PEOPLE DANCE WITHOUT
HAVING TO PAY A DRUMMER
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This
whole drum loop in your head, how'd you start? (like just
kept recording yourself on a four track over and over again)
NO, ITS AN INNER RHYTHM THAT JUST COMES
OUT ALL DAY LONG, WHEN I'M DRIVING, WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ALL THE TIME. I AM CONTROLLED
BY IT..... I DON'T HAVE A FOUR TRACK....
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