Guitarists, looping, sneak Spice Girls reference!

["Michael P. Hughes, Ph.D." <pycraft@elec.gla.ac.uk>]

Me:
>>> It's sad to say, but I really can't see a lot of these shipping in the 
>UK.
>>> There hasn't been any innovation in UK guitar (OK, at least not much)
since
>>> Andy Summers arrived in the early 80s.  People will pay for gear in
Britain
>>> - just not much that's been invented less than 30 years ago.  You don't
>>> need an EDP to play Oasis/Blur/etc/etc/etc.....

Kim:
>you know, it just baffles me how looping gets so associated with guitar.
>(at least in some circles...)  The sound going into the loop can be
>anything, where do people get the idea that its just a guitar effect?
>mystery.....

As I say, I tend to listen to gtr-music, and associate the gtr with
looping, because I'm a guitarist and that's the "mindset" I'm in.  I used
to listen to a lot more synth stuff before I took up ye olde plank.  And UK
"mainsteam" _is_ a lot more gtr-centric - I've found far more fellow
guitarists in my travels than fellow synthists (yes, I had a Casio VZ1 for
about 5 years).  I do try to keep up with hte scene - if reading Sound on
Sound counts as such - but sadly I will always belong to some strings on 
wood.

I do listen to a lot of music form c1500-1600, but still think of the lute
as a "guitar"... I have learnt some of that stuff in loop format btw.  It's
ideal.

However, my wife is trying to persuade me to sell my Blade (owned 10 years
- my baby!) and buy a Stick - "less competition".....

>I think this is why I stopped listening to guitar oriented music.
>Everything I hear, no matter what the style and who the player, leaves me
>with a feeling of "haven't I heard this already?"

I'd say the new stuff is trailing off, but there are always players who
inspire me - both Bill Frizell and David Torn (Yay dave!) are doing _new_
stuff that still has atmosphere and melody (ah, whither melody?).  Some
"old dinos" do produce great stuff - eg Fripp's (can I say that?  :) League
of Crafty's (hands up, participants!).  Show of hands is one of my most
prized CD's, and it's all on acoustics!!!

And finally, a big word to the guys on this list - hearing Matthias' music,
or California Andre, (and others!  ond on other instruments too!) shows me
just how much more there is to do on guitar.  Bravo!!

>even older than my 28 years,

Surely "younger?"  Been there, done that?  The music for Generation Next?
:)  

Michael

PS An idea - innovation on the guitar usually follow as a reaction to the
unpopularity of the instrument - eg. the early 80's, when we were advised
to give up out strings and take to keys.  At hte moment the guitar is in
resurgence and everyone sounds like the Stones/Beatles/Kinks/Beach Boys.
Perhaps with so much simple stuff going on, experimenters (BF, DT, Charle
Hunter, Phil Degruy) get drowned out.....

PPS Please forgive mis-spellings.  I have a cold.  ;)