La Cucaracha goes Rock and Roll

Thankyou to Søren ( Where were you when I had a week to kill in Amsterdam in 2007 after my gigs at the Paradiso ? All I could find was Chinese Dobros and sad mandolins ) for these pictures from his Alladin's Cave of a shop - Palm Guitars.

An early, Framez branded Wandrè with a beautiful hand painted Cucuracha scurrying under the bridge and a Carmelo Catania 'Rock and Roll' both leaning on the same Amsterdam wall ...

It's Only Rock & Roll

Don't worry, I still get inspired by the feel of a well turned telecaster neck or the afternoon sunlight filtering though the pickguard of a 1930's Gibson ... but when there are creations like this on the loose in the world I just have to pay attention.

Centuries of very european classical symmetry can go take a flying f-hole - here's 'Rock And Roll' from the always adventurous stabilimento of Carmelo Catania ( Sicily circa 1960 ? )

Thanks again to Cok Van Vuuren for the snaps.

AP

Wandre Selene X 3

Simply spectacular.

I love it when guitar collectors also happen to be fine photographers.

A study of 3 of Antonio Pioli's wonderful Wandres, courtesy of Cok van Vuuren in the Netherlands.

He can play too ...

Industrial Archaeology Part 1

The unique circular factory designed by guitarmaker & artist Antonio 'Wandre' Pioli as it looks today in Cavriago, Italy. ( photo courtesy of Gabriele Longoni )

I love the radiating beams and cast-concrete details.

Does anyone out there have pictures of it in it's prime ?

... and here's Jimmy's Nascar Bar & Grill at 500 South Raymond Ave, Fullerton California.

... once home to Fender Electric Instruments during their most exciting era.

I'm not sure where I'm heading with this post ... it's nostalgia I suppose, combined with my fascination for that point where art meets industry and for a short time they overlap to make some kind of history.

I'd add a picture of Harvester World Headquarters but the Hills Hoist is blocking the view from the chook-shed.

I love the big, traditional American factories like the old Guild works in New Jersey or the Nazareth home of Martin but there's something appealing about those wooden benches ( maple ? alder ? pine ? ) and ashtrays out the side of the Leo's prosaic sheds baking in the California sun or Wandre's futurist vision of a circle of workers creating unique instruments in a unique building.

Cheers, AP

Instrument

Here's someone who obviously likes to get up close with musical instruments as much as I do ...

This amazing new book arrived in the post box this week ... INSTRUMENT by Pat Graham

With a foreword by Johnny Marr, this matt-finish, hardcover coffee table book is all about the interaction between the musician and the instrument, the player and the played.

There's Ian Mackaye's old yeller SG in all it's epoxy glory.

It's fun to read the commentaries from the musos, some pretending not to know what they've got there in their hands or being very blase about the whole process of choosing, keeping and playing a fine instrument. Others obviously into the devilish details as much as I am.

There's a familiar tone that crops up in these interviews that reminds me of Pete Townshend, when interviewed about his SG specials - he referred to them as 'those red guitars that Gibson makes, the thin ones'

I know it, I've heard it myself when talking gear with players who obviously don't want to look like they care more about the guitar than the songs. And ... I guess I've done it myself - 'Ahh that old thing ..."

...although when one of the guitar-anti-heroes of my youth, Colin Newman from Wire says that he knows nothing about guitars except maybe 'don't fiddle with the whammy bar or it'll go out of tune' I've gotta believe him.

Fun,

Cheers, AP