Post by Mojo on May 5, 2012 22:24:06 GMT -5
... just aired here in Maine.
A little background.
I have a friend called Pete Dubuc who is a wonderful songwriter. His band, www.GuntherBrown.com, is a band for which I once served as lead guitar player, mostly because I love Pete's tunes.
Pete was slated to go back to the studio to record a new album with his band, but his mother passed away unexpectedly. He wrote a song for her, then went to the studio and recorded the album under his name instead.
When asked to play on TV for a local show, he agreed and asked me to come play electric guitar on the tracks in question. I agreed to do it because 1. I trust Pete, 2. I love his songs and 3. it was a bucket list item - to play on TV - that I hadn't achieved yet.
I was quite intimidated by the process, so I figured I should bring gear that would make me feel confident. I selected a Thorn Jr 90 and a Swart AST amp. No effect. I figured that if I couldn't get a good tone from that combo, I didn't deserve to play the guitar in the first place!
Long story short, my goal was to let the songs breathe and not overplay. Also, this was Pete's day - not mine. I didn't want to take over the songs or detract from their inherent beauty by smearing guitar licks all over them.
The show just aired - I hadn't seen any footage since we shot it - and I am so moved that my buddy asked me to come play with him. Especially considering the circumstances and how special those songs are to him, following his mother's death. I'm very emotional right now, but also really honored and happy to have played with Pete on these tunes.
I could have played better, I could have... I don't care. The moment was real, organic, heart-felt and, to me at least, beautiful.
I will be forever grateful that my buddy gave me this opportunity to not only be on TV with him, but more importantly to share this experience and these songs with him.
You gotta love the power of music.
As an aside, all proceeds from the sale of the record and the CD release party are going straight to fight cancer. He's not making a penny from either.
A little background.
I have a friend called Pete Dubuc who is a wonderful songwriter. His band, www.GuntherBrown.com, is a band for which I once served as lead guitar player, mostly because I love Pete's tunes.
Pete was slated to go back to the studio to record a new album with his band, but his mother passed away unexpectedly. He wrote a song for her, then went to the studio and recorded the album under his name instead.
When asked to play on TV for a local show, he agreed and asked me to come play electric guitar on the tracks in question. I agreed to do it because 1. I trust Pete, 2. I love his songs and 3. it was a bucket list item - to play on TV - that I hadn't achieved yet.
I was quite intimidated by the process, so I figured I should bring gear that would make me feel confident. I selected a Thorn Jr 90 and a Swart AST amp. No effect. I figured that if I couldn't get a good tone from that combo, I didn't deserve to play the guitar in the first place!
Long story short, my goal was to let the songs breathe and not overplay. Also, this was Pete's day - not mine. I didn't want to take over the songs or detract from their inherent beauty by smearing guitar licks all over them.
The show just aired - I hadn't seen any footage since we shot it - and I am so moved that my buddy asked me to come play with him. Especially considering the circumstances and how special those songs are to him, following his mother's death. I'm very emotional right now, but also really honored and happy to have played with Pete on these tunes.
I could have played better, I could have... I don't care. The moment was real, organic, heart-felt and, to me at least, beautiful.
I will be forever grateful that my buddy gave me this opportunity to not only be on TV with him, but more importantly to share this experience and these songs with him.
You gotta love the power of music.
As an aside, all proceeds from the sale of the record and the CD release party are going straight to fight cancer. He's not making a penny from either.