The Green Behemoth!
This crazy hollowbody Tennessee 12 String Bass is something else. It weighs in at almost 14 pounds (I guessed 22, but the bass is only a few inches shorter than me!). This thing is ginormous! And it comes with a coffin case! Our good friend JC dropped this off for consignment, and it’s in the store -Never seen anything like it, so thought I’d slap it up here on the blog. We’ll have the rest of his consignment goodies up in a few days, including a ’73 tele. Sweet stuff.
One of my favorite frontmen, Lux Interior of The Cramps, passed away Wed. from a heart ailment. Here’s a shot from their great show many moons ago at the Granada in Lawrence. And here’s a kinda scratchy youtube clip of one of my faves – Goo Goo Muck – check that microphone technique. Lots more great clips on youtube – check ‘em out. RIP Lux.
Lux Interior at the Granada...1990s I think.
Just passing through the repair shop yesterday, I spied on the entry table a lonely, small banjo head with markings on the inside.
Inside of Vega Banjolin head
It came from a pre-1930s Vega banjolin. The illustrations seem to be from the 20s, and the illustrator left his name, Louis Sloat. Very cool. Continue Reading →
Always on my Top 5 albums of all-time, is the Stooges “Funhouse” – this album, one of the true originals that fostered punk, was made in 1970. 1970. Talk about ahead of their time. It still sounds innovative, and the guitarist fueling it, Ron Asheton, just passed away, of a probable heart attack. I remember being so inspired by the album I ran out and bought a used Wah pedal, which I goofed around with for 20 minutes before deciding I was certainly no Ron Asheton and no pedal was going to make me so. It was a dangerous, ridiculous pedal in the wrong hands (notably, mine). Here’s the Yahoo story about Asheton that includes some video. R.I.P. Ron.
This past summer we started carrying one of my absolute favorite magazines…The Fretboard Journal. While I’d encourage any music fan to get a subscription to this truly great mag, we do have them for sale at Mass Street Music. It’s a quarterly publication that features compelling interviews, absolutely stunning photography and reviews of things you’ll want to buy immediately like the new, ultra-cool Jonathan Kellerman book on vintage guitars, “With Strings Attached”. The link above to their site doesn’t have the new issue material profiled yet, but I scanned the cover so you can see what I’m all hyped up about.
New issue of The Fretboard Journal - Luthiers! The Stooges! More!
Here’s why I love this magazine: The Winter 2008 issue has Bill Frisell interviewing Jim Hall, a profile of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, info on the Stooges’ James Williamson and his guitars (!), luthier Wayne Henderson and oh so much more. This is serious fun for anyone into acoustic music, instruments, photography and great writing.
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