INVISIBLE Every rnontlr vye test a. rnusicia.n vyith a * BTLLY JENKTNS * series of records which they corrrrnent otr BOX a.nd rrrark out of five : vtrith no prior ,uKE knowledge of what they,re aborrt to trear-

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART I don't know who it is. "Dali's Car" from Trout Mask Replica It's Jatl Fair. (Reprise). ri7ho's that? An American-primitiue proto-pank rocker, uery Seconds out, round 1. mtrch rupected an tbe prepnt guitar underground, That was a track from Troat Mask Repli:a by people like Sonic Youtb. Did yot like it? Captain Beefheart. I recently played this rJTell the medium was well performed, and I album to a prominent English saxophonist, liked the use of quick stereo panning. Yeah, who will have to remain nameless but who I enjoyed it, so even though I've only heard leans towards ECM-ish type music, and I was this brief snatch, I'll be very kind and give it shocked and disturbed to realise that he had five because it suceeds, it's an interesting never heard any Beefheart. My producer, diversion. But I won't play Beatles runes as a Tony Messenger, is a great fan of Captain matter of principle because they're well-off Beefheart and he's done some disgraceful enough as it is and because rhey were very things mixing Beefheart cuts with Prince clever in stealing their influences from other drum tracks, and I very much admire the people and calling it their own. So for me to effect he creates. There's something raw, hear a Beatles tune and like the arrangemenr exciting, naive and stimulating about Cap- is rare, I'11 give it five. tain Beefheart. Every copy ofthis album that Yoa're on the ropes here MrJenkim - thal weren't I've ever heard is scratched which is great no Beatles tune. because it means they've been played a lot, \i7asn't ir "Money"? and it adds to the music. Five out of five. No, it's "l Got You". lt's aJama Brown song. How long have we had? You're joking. Oh shit, sorry, and I'm Brrry the JrNrrNs is Groucho }ne tninate, 20 secondr. running out of time. \Well the reason I got Marx of modern music funny, talented and Shit. Er . - confused is because that track takes a James anarchic. Developing an original, highly This albwt u,as prodaud b! Frank Zappa. ls be Brown groove over which I musically super- theatrical guitar style rhat he terms "spazz", an influnce/ impose "Money, That's \What I Vant" be- he has recorded more than 20 albums over I was very much interested in Zappa when I cause of the connection between The Beatles the last 15 years, many of them made with was younger because of his skill as an arran- hard sell andJames Brown's hard groove, and his occasional, all-star Brirish big band, the ger and u,rirer. I also enjoyed his guitar because Voice of God Collective. rejects Jenkins playing and his conceptual ideas - he's very That's three minues. Tbe be//'s gone. ideology, categorisation, commercialism and much an all-round musician. Although I Ah, come on ref . the over-reliance on technology, and de- gave up on Zappa at the titties-and-beer scribes his musical philosophy as Don't be phase Er, although I've enjoyed CHARLIE CHRTSTIAN frigbtened, I do not mean t0 hilrt lllt. Now 16, Beefheart, I haven't continued ro lisren to his "Solo Flight" from Classic for the last decade he has been the curator records. It's cruel to say, but Bee{heart is a Jazz Guitar (his phrase: "Rigsby") (Sequel). the of Greenwich's little like lJ Cale in that he sets up a musical r$[ood \Wharf recording studios complex. situation in one album and the next five are lorewarncd This month he is touring with Steve Noble all the same. LikewiseJohnny "Guitar" rJ7at- I you rhar guitarists are nor my speciality: I play the instrument and Roberro Bellatalla in The Shakedown son who has three tracks on each side at the and listen to guitarists, Club and promoting the First Aural Art same tempo on every album. Maybe but I also listen to saxophonisrs, trumpeters and pianists. Exbibition, recorded highlights from the last Beefheart isn't quite that bad, so I ask It seems to be co-led with the clarinet which would ten years - selecred by a panel of 18. Lasr mysel{, {Fiw seconds.) (Spoken very fast) why suggesr Good- man meets Christian, year he released three cassettes entitled Bzg I haven't continued to listen to him, but rhe but I don't think it's Christian. Figbts which contain recordings of l2 three- truth is I've been too busy playing. I think it's an American record- minute guitar and percussion exchanges in ing, but I don't know, you'll have to tell me. the form ofboxing matches. In keeping with You were rigbt first titne. FAIR Yeah, , this concept, Billy Jenkins was tested under JAD I don't really know his style I "I Got You" and "Deadmen \Walk" from the stricest \7BOi\)7BA/IBF/rWI/MU con- thought also it might have been Gene Kru- Great Expectation (Bad ditions: three minutes (max) per track to Alchemy). pa. I went and bought a Christian record in answer; more than three wrong and he was the same way I went and bought a Pink either Kahondo out of the comperirion. It's Style or The Flying Floyd record - because everyone had one in Lizards or Christian Marclay. their collection, no orher reason. At the risk Billy Jenkins \rvas tested Not bad, it's certain/y in that arena. ofcoping out, I would give it five again. It's \i7ell, \Wood \Wharf, by Philip Watson they don't rehearse ar so on the button because it's well played, it's a

42:WIRF BillyJenkins

workman-like, professional session. RITCHIE BLACKMORE It's bun said tbat the history of modern jazz "Burn" from Deep Purple Liue In London guitar begins utith Cbarlie Christian. Do ltou (Harvest). agree? But what about Eddie Lang - he was playing [Laughing] That's Deep Purple. [A long electric guitar at the end of the 30s as well. discussion ensues in which Jenkins (correctly) It's nebulous isn't it. It's like discussing who names the band members and discusses their invented lazz - was it Buddy Bolden, the individual merits.l You see, I like heavy Original Dixieland Jazz band or Jelly Roll metal because it's a wonderful, adolescent Morton? pantomime - unashamedly so. And heavy You still haae a few seconds left for a final quote. metal's good for the badge industry. Let's not I must listen to more Charlie Christian. forger that the rolc of the musit ian in society is to provide employment for journalists and photographers. FRED FRITH I can't irnagine u,hat lou mean. Anyu,a1, yotr're a "The North" from Guitar Solos 2 (Caro- Dup Parple line). fan? I'm a fan. They were starting to go on the wane in this period, the golden period had It's British. There's a little bit of rhythm in passed, this is the purpie patch of Deep it which would suggest an element of rock- Purple, So it's four-and-a-half. ism. And because of the instrumentation, I would say Henry Cow. STEVE ALBINI I'11 stick my neck out, grow my hair long, Vell, it was actually Fred Frith solo, althougb "Nutty About Lemurs" from Guitaror- playing and suggest it's Pat Metheny. on this track he s actaally two guitars /fuff (Glitterhouse Records). simultaneously. Certainly is. Yeah, could tell it was him because of the It just made me think "space-age hippy". I I I've not heard this before. Possibly Eugene spoons on the guitar. thought that we'd eventually get to the Chadbourne, but the right hand isn't fast Frith once said, "I like narginality, I embrace golden sound ofthe toilet roll coming offthe it enough for it to be him. I have no idea. nmphtely." ls that rlmething yoa identify uirh? guitar, the impurity of sound put through It's a gaitarist called Steue Albini. He's front Yes, I suppose I do. If you look at minority several effects pedals which just leaves me 50 Chicago; ased to play in a rock band called Big sports, like croquet, bowls or darts, then yards away emotionally. Very nice I like it Black. - there's always a lot of good in them which is when I'm not in the same room. $7ell, again, I liked the full use ofstereo - I shared with the public at large. But Below the belt! Do think it has anything not it didn't know people still did that these days. lau seems the longer you go on, the only way you going it. l:n't it beaatiful melodially? It's nice to have a healthy bout of panning. for can obtain a living is by working among No, all I hear is an American imagined But I don't know about this. When would I those who like what you do which is a little beauty. It's too prissy; it's a prime example of - play it? I get enough cacophony as it is in the disappointing. So I will continue ro upser rhe musical macram6, and ihat use is macram6 studio - if you stand in the right spot, you purists that demand the most left of the left to society other than for people to say, "that's can hear three bands rehearsing at the same non-sensical musical literacy the type of a nice macram6 you have hanging on your - time. That's far more interesting and chancey people who have nervous breakdowns and wall?" One out of five. than what I heard here. Emotionally, it sort You can giue it a negatiae mark if you like. like horrible music . of held me, but only superficially. The Break! I'm going to ltaae ta interupt you there Mr No, I wouldn't do that. The gentleman is tonality of it is just like somebody going to keep the moaing on. Henry Cou, obviousiy sincere in his pursuit of a musical Jenkins fight nin-yin-yin-yin-ya, nin-yin-yin . . there's a uere considered something of a political rock band. picture, but it's not one I can relate to, it's bit of rudeness there that I don't really want Do you think politics has a in music? nor part of my life. A few years ago in The llace to hear. lWhat would I listen to it for? went to see a concert once which lVire, Manfted Eicher himself said, "I'm Well, I Technique? There's nothing there. It makes featured different political rock bands, but disappointed where is the opposition?" I me think "so what?" - felt they were a touch too "hessian". It was And I thought if I had enough capital I Twenty saonds. Marks? waffle well-meaning, intellectual waf- would be that opposition because it would be iuSt - I'lt give it two-and-a-half because it's half fle. They're happy deliberating ofcourse, nice to confront him so the picture would it, way rhefe. but they wouldn't die for it. But I liked this become whole. There's a lot of music like - it had form, it worked. So, it comes out this coming out of Britain at the moment level with the others: five. And I too use PAT METHENY and to me it appears that many of the spoons on my guitar - we're all East Enders "Minuano (Six Eight)" from Still Ltfe participants are stuck artistically midway at heartl (Talking) (Geffen). hetween floors at Boots.

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,osE FELTCTANO man with the disability of having no sight, seen him maybe once a year on average. Nick "Light My Fire" from Best ofJose Feliciano but one is almost jealous of his aural percep- Page, the guitarist onthe Matorudy At Night (Kaz). tion. He don't half make some good music. alb,um, introduced me to Chadbourne and he And like you he doa standan* in his own way. played me this track called "Country and That's Jose Feliciano; "Light My Fire". I Yes, I shall be borrowing this from you, if I LSD" or something, and it was in the same know this record inside out because I have may Mr $7atson, for my new performance key, and had the same structute and intent, just got hold of a single of this with "Califor- project: "Torch Songs of a Napalm Deliv- as m1 piece called "Country and lJ7estern". nia Dreaming" on the other side, and I've ery". I will very much look forward to And then I found out he was covering the just played it and played it. [He gets out his hearing this. same standards I was covering "In A 'Vhat - acoustic guitar and plays the tune.J I iust would ya liAe to say in the last 10 Sentimental Mood" and "Night and Day". love the feel of this, and his sound, and the seconds ? It's quite intriguing that two people should vocals. You get that thing in your heart. It I would like to think that Jose is still active have very similar ideas but never touch. It's a sounds daft, but it's actually to do with the and rhat hc is a happy man. nice balance between disconstruction and vibrations around your middle body, it's the construction, so therefore I would give him pitch, the feel, his delivery. I'11 give this 10 20 out of 5. out of 5. Is he still active? That's a knock-out utinner in the laJt roultd, I don't hnow - I think so. EUGENE CHADBOURNE Haue yu eaer met him? I have a soft spot for Jose Feliciano in the "I'm The Only Hell Ma Mama Ever No- IThen there are close comparisons with same way I do for Sacha Distel and Andr6 Raised" frcm Therdll Be No Tears Tonight someone, perhaps it's best not to. But he's Previn. It's their ability to crossover, to (Fundamental). bought out a vast amount of cassettes and change career, but still do both very profi- tapes so maybe we should do a cultural ciently. The serious music critics dismiss Eugene Chadbourne. [He plays along, exchange. him as light entertainment, but this is a mimicking Chadbourne's fast right-hand Hy's an incredibly fast player isn't he. success because he has crossed over bringing style.l I saw him perform locally only a few Yes, he has a good right-hand technique, it's in emotions which are only normally accessi- weeks ago - the third time I've seen him this a very quick vibrato [he demonstrates on his ble to a minority. And it's the intrigue of a year - and I think in the last 10 years I've guitarl. Maybe it's just a nervous thing. I

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