“…the obnoxious stink of a too loud electric guitar… now that’s my idea of a good time.”
Frank Zappa
If you really want to make ridiculous, obnoxious, weird and strange sounds then your first stop is an electric guitar – your next stop is an amp and some crazy effects chained together.
If you really want to take a journey to the end of the line then Fred Frith might just be your man. Just don’t expect to come back feeling anywhere near normal!
Somehow or another Fred sounds as if he’s playing underwater, in zero gravity, or dissembling his instrument inside a piano of sublime gargantuan dimensions with Mark Z. Danielewski as his conductor!!
If you are really keen on pushing the envelope then some of Fred Frith’s ideas might just float your boat!
Fred has managed to forge a career using an approach to guitars and playing that remains quite clearly so far left of centre it is almost inside out. Welcome to the avant garde world of guitar but, like Jazz, if you have to ask…you’ll never understand!
Fred must be doing something right or wrong even – try playing the second and third video clips ABOVE simultaneously – they sound great together. Here is a link to some of Fred’s work – the seminal album guitar solos which contains absolutely nothing of the sort – is worth a listen because it is, in fact, surprisingly listenable and if you don’t like it your tropical fish probably will.
