28 Jan 2025

January 2025 – 10 Things I Love and Hate about Vintage Guitars

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

HERALDING A HEARTY “HELLO” to y’all for the first time in 2025. Welcome one and all this fresh, shiny New Year, albeit nearly a month old now. Personally, I dislike January. It is cold, dark, wet and definitely inclement. In addition, due to the preceding festive season, January is a month of self‑imposed financial austerity. Almost unbelievably, this year (2025) represents a quarter of the way into the first century of the second millennium already. Where does time go and, more importantly for each of us, uniquely, is where did our time go? One thing is for sure, once it’s gone, it’s gone and it can never be recycled for any purpose other than memory and, perhaps, reminiscence. As one gets older and nearer to the long rest of inevitable mortality, time becomes disproportionately more precious and ephemeral.

Now, ‘they’ say that those who can’t do, teach, those who can’t teach, teach teachers and those who can’t teach teachers write about the things they can’t do or teach. So here I am writing about stuff that I don’t really feel qualified to discuss. Again. Some readers will know way more about vintage guitars than I ever will. Wait… hold on a sec… that’s never stopped me. Oh, what the heck, let’s do this.

This month, I’d like to get back to the subject close to my heart, vintage guitars. It’s been a while because I’ve been writing about other things. This month, while I’m still trying (and not getting far) to work on ‘The Distortion Diaries’, I was thinking about what I like about vintage guitars and what I don’t like about them. One might think that my experience might be entirely positive. However, the reality is a great deal more pragmatic.

The free‑ranging thought processes led me to this month’s article, ‘Ten Things…’ In previous articles, I have attempted to understand the appeal of vintage guitars compared to modern instruments and other old stuff. However, this was inherently a predisposed approach, using positive reinforcement to justify a lifelong preoccupation. Time then, I thought, to take a more contemplative, critical and non‑prejudicial approach by questioning what I love about vintage guitars and the polar opposite of what I hate about vintage guitars.

For info, the majority of the quotes this month are from William Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’ (c.1590‑1594) and a romantic comedy film loosely based on the play, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ (1999). This is intentional and fitting.

“You can’t just buy me a guitar every time you mess up, you know” – Kat from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

Understanding universal balance

Before we start, please bear with me while I take a bit of an existential ‘helicopter view’, then we’ll get to the point. Like most things in the universe (at least our universe if you believe in multiverses), there exists a natural balance that, overall, maintains a steady state of equilibrium over time while also allowing for chaotic fluctuations.

Once again, I’m looking to the east for cultural inspiration. In ancient Chinese philosophy, the concept regarding opposite but complementary, interconnected and self‑perpetuating cycle is known as yin and yang. The opposing forces of yin and yang interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the parts and the parts are integral to the whole. The concept is represented by the Taijitu (the familiar diagram of the ‘supreme ultimate’, c.3^rd Century BCE) with black representing yin (the female/passive/negative) and white representing yang (the male/active/positive). The contrasting dots in the Taijitu represent the one co‑existing within the other. Yin and yang are co‑dependent – they cannot exist in isolation, only in perpetual, infinite duality (called a unity of opposites). With yin & yang, the duality exists between the opposing cosmological forces of order and chaos. In human socio‑political terms, the duality is signified by the tension between order and disorder, good and evil, etc. The concept of universal balance applies equally to the past, the present, and the future of existence. Put simply, opposites exist for a reason. Right, that’s the mind‑bending bit over. Deep breath time.

“You’re 18, you don’t know what you want. And you won’t know what you want ’til you’re 45, and even if you get it, you’ll be too old to use it” – Walter from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

Applying universal balance

So… balance is important. The fundamental and elemental ‘rules of engagement’ represented by yin and yang are applicable to every aspect of “life, the universe and everything” (NB. A reference from ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ (1979) by author Douglas Adams).

Thus, when it comes to vintage guitars (and, by extension, equally to vintage basses, effects, amps, etc.), there is a universal balance that provides for the existence of these bits of wood, plastic and metal, and how we feel about them. Accepting the principle of equal and opposing absolutes; light and dark, good and bad, black and white, truth and lies, men and women (at least in my day), concepts of heaven and hell, N and S magnetic poles, etc., let’s start with the positives before we move onto the negatives.

Please remember that this is my, albeit biased, personal opinion under the guise of establishing objective fact. Readers will undoubtedly think differently, so please regard these ‘10 things…’ as the author’s own perspective – nothing more, nothing less. Above everything else, though, this perfunctory examination is for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised.

I will, however, attempt to curtail my typical tendency to alliteration, my personal propensity for hyperbole, my fun‑filled metaphor mixing and other intentional grammatical sins.

“Better once than never, for never too late” – William Shakespeare from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

10 Things…

For once, I am not going to go into great depths and will limit each point for brevity. I trust that the implied message behind a few words (for me) is sufficient to convey what I struggle to express. Right, without further ado, let’s get into the action.

10 Things… I Love About Vintage Guitars:

The Heritage and the History – Vintage guitars are the epitome of heritage and they chart the sights and sounds of music over many decades. Many guitars are associated with artists and musical genres that embody and reflect social culture of their time. They play a fundamental and integral part of music history. These aren’t just ‘antiques’ to be stuck on a dusty shelf, they can (and should) actually still be used to make music. My playing skills are inadequate but that doesn’t matter. Holding and playing vintage instruments imbues an intangible, almost mystical appreciation of a zeitgeist stored within the materials. They are vintage because of the long life they have lived, not just the number of years since manufacture. It is, however, all too easy to slip into a deceptively romanticised view of the past.
The Ownership – Fundamentally, people like to own stuff and, for me, that means vintage guitars. Once we start accumulating stuff, there are deep‑seated psychological reasons why we develop a compulsion to collect more stuff. There is no space here to cover that, so you’ll have to take my word for it (for now – I feel another article topic coming). Watching guitars on stages, TV and, yes, even viewing them in museums is one thing but the thrill of having them literally to hand and being able to pick up a vintage guitar and to play it is massive part of the ownership experience. Simply owning and playing some of these old instruments is a pleasurable exercise. Once acquired, I don’t feel inclined to move any of them on; they become part of my life. Protracted ownership is one of the key reasons I’m not a dealer.
The Uniqueness – Back in the day, guitars were largely manufactured by hand and it is unlikely to find two that were identical even back at the factory. On top of that, add in all the things that have happened to them over many years and they bear the marks of time, giving them their mojo and making each and every one of them even more unique and genuinely so. No fake aging here. There is something uniquely satisfying about knowing that the guitar in your hand is unlike any other on the planet, not because it’s been messed with but because it has lived a life of music making over the decades.
The Authenticity – Vintage guitars are the real thing. Not reissues, not New Old Stock (NOS), not relics. They show in every way that they’ve had a life of playing and making music. They don’t just look the part, they are the genuine archetypes on which many modern guitars are styled. I must admit that I prefer vintage guitars that are all‑original if possible, even though this isn’t always practical. I am divided on the topic of refinishes. Generally speaking, original is best – once a refinish has been undertaken, the original can never be reinstated. I do not advocate modifying a vintage instrument unless it can easily be put back to original.
The Variety – Particularly but not exclusively in the 1950s, there was an explosion of design creativity as far as American (and other) electric guitars are concerned. This brought us the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision bass, Les Paul, ES‑335, Explorer, Flying V, etc. etc. This means that, although the number of vintage guitars for a specific period is finite, there remains a great deal of diversity, even though there were no such things as ‘mod shops’ or custom shops at the time. In particular, I tend to like the unusual guitars that many others detest. My choice. Their loss.
The Look – I can sit and look at vintage guitars for ages. Wabi sabi is the Japanese concept that something can be perfect because of its imperfections. Whether it’s the patina, the light reflections, the bumps and nicks, the lacquer fading, finish crazing, the genuine wear and tear mean that there is always something that draws the eye over and over again. In my view, the best guitars are well‑used instruments and far more interesting that pristine museum‑grade examples. Where others might see ugliness, I see loveliness in droves.
The Feel – Looks are one thing, feel is another. Most vintage guitars are well played in, although some are worn out. The materials age naturally over time, giving them a tactile feel that is far from the generic newness of mass produced modern guitars. Modern machine manufacturing is very different from the somewhat haphazard and idiosyncratic construction methods of the past. Many modern manufacturers try (and fail) to mimic the physical effects of extended age and use in new instruments. One can almost feel the honest history of each instrument every time it is picked up and played.
The Tone – After the previous two points, one cannot ignore the tone. Many modern guitar designers spend inordinate amounts of time trying to replicate the tones of original instruments. Tone woods are unique and age uniquely. Pickups for instance were often made out of what was available at the time and, while it is possible to emulate the materials, the passage of time seems to exert a permanent change in the physical structure which not only makes each one unique (see above) but makes them impossible to replicate in every way. Modern technology and techniques can only get so far. There are also plenty of under‑the‑radar vintage guitars that can provide a wide range of tones beyond the ‘classic’ sounds of the icons.
The Mythology and the Truth – The absence of genuine documentation leads to much interpretation and opinion. Even the most fastidious research can only uncover some of the truth. The rest is, and will probably likely always will be, unknown. The scant facts result in a truth vacuum within which stories have been created and promulgated, with varying degrees of truth. The fact that only some things can be verified, means a wide variety of opinions persevere. In the absence of documentation, who really knows what these instruments have been through in their lifetime? Using one’s imagination imbues them with intangible mystery that may or may not be deserved. Generally speaking, the more pristine the example, the less storied its history.
The Privilege of Stewardship – Ownership is one thing (see above). However, many vintage guitars not only predate their owners but also will probably outlast them, possibly many times over. This means that ‘owners’ are essentially only temporary and are transitional guardians of important historical artefacts. It is good to be part of their story, perhaps being documented for only the first time in their long life. While I’m here, I am trying hard to do my bit for prolonging posterity, even if I won’t be there to enjoy it once my time is up.

“No profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en. In brief, sir, study what you most affect.” – William Shakespeare from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

10 Things… I Hate About Vintage Guitars:

The Economics of Collectors vs. Enthusiasts – Regular readers will know that I abhor the whole ‘vintage guitar collector’ world and its elitism, asset accumulation, profiteering based on return on investment and flaunted status symbols of wealth. Most ‘golden era’ vintage guitars (c.1950‑1965) from the major American brands are now so far out of the reach of enthusiasts that many will never get to appreciate the charms of these icons. A case could be made that collectors help to preserve heritage but only if they can make a profit along the way. I can’t abide, let alone change, the arrogant avarice and scornful snobbery associated with vintage guitar ‘collecting’ but at least I can attempt to share my ardent enthusiasm. I recognise that dealers have to make a profit but some take the price of ‘exclusivity’ to extremes. This particular gripe is not about vintage guitars per se but directed at the leeches that avidly feed off them. It is even worse when those pariahs can’t even play them while at the same time denying others the joy.
Provenance and Celebrity Ownership – What distinguishes a standard guitar from the same model owned by a famous musician. Normally nothing really, other than the artist association. A guitar that would otherwise cost just a few thousand pounds/dollars can be escalated to stratospheric, often seven figure sums. Owning a celebrity guitar wouldn’t make me sound like them (why would I want to?) and it doesn’t make me play any better (sadly). I am interested in the instruments, not the artists. While it is good to have some genuine insight to a guitar’s history, I will leave the quest for insanely costly instruments with documented provenance to others. If I mention that auction house, Christie’s of London sold part of the late, great Jeff Beck’s guitar collection on 22 January 2025, raising over £8.7m ($10.7m) in the process, you’ll possibly kinda see where I’m coming from.
The Maintenance (Inc. Parts & Accessories) – Keeping vintage guitars is not straightforward; they require ongoing care and attention. If vintage guitars are used (as they should be), wear and tear ensues. Taking care of vintage guitars often exceeds the skills of amateur meddling and benefit from (expensive) professional skills. Finding a luthier who really knows what they are doing and can be trusted is not an easy task. Sourcing genuine vintage parts is becoming harder and more costly meaning that it is a challenge to keep them vintage correct AND usable. Worn out and badly treated vintage guitars are a sad sight and some, in all honesty, are just not worth conserving. Refinishes devalue an otherwise great instrument. Refrets are, however, sometimes necessary. Neck breaks unfortunately determine eternal ‘player’ status. The prices of vintage guitar cases on their own can also be quite daunting, not to mention case candy, sales tags, manuals and sales documents, normally discarded many decades ago.
The Environment – Vintage guitars are more sensitive to environmental conditions than new ones – temperature, humidity, UV light, etc. Different materials respond differently over time. The ideal environment for vintage guitars often differs from what people experience in day‑to‑day living areas. Most vintage guitars, in my view, should not be locked away in secure environmental storage, meaning that there has to be compromise for us ordinary enthusiast owners. Managing the environment in a normal home without climate control is therefore not ideal but, at least in my case, good enough (just). Thankfully, most electric guitars are less susceptible to changes in environment than acoustics, although archtops and semi‑acoustics can prove problematic. Prevailing wisdom is that guitars should be kept in their cases at a temperature of 21‑24˚ (70‑75˚) and a relative humidity (RH) of 40‑50%. The most important factor here, though, is ‘stability’, avoiding extremes and rapid fluctuations.
The Playing Experience – Part of the mythology is that vintage guitar playing is some transcendent spiritual experience that cannot be matched by mere mortals with ordinary instruments. The reality is, however, much more mundane. However, no matter what period vintage guitars were originally manufactured, some are great, many are OK and some are dogs. The consistency and accuracy of manufacturing back in the day means that many are not always the easiest or most pleasant to play. Sometimes, however, the challenge may also inspire different approaches to playing. Bottom line, the truth is that a guitar of a certain edge doesn’t guarantee blissful nirvana, not by a long way. Be prepared for fret buzzing, high action, scratchy pots, stiff or loose tuners, inaccurate intonation, ineffective truss rods (if any), etc.
The (Lack of) Documentation – Even today, accurate information isn’t always easy to come by but with vintage guitars, it is often almost impossible to get to the bottom of things. From serial numbers, to manufacturing/shipping numbers, to seemingly contradictory features and specifications, identifying and dating vintage instruments can be a nightmare, despite best efforts and extensive research. Even George Gruhn’s illustrious ‘bible’ has plenty of errors and omissions. The best approach is to undertake diligent research and, if possible, find corroborating information from someone who may know more. Sometimes, one just has to use one’s experience and take a punt on an undocumented instrument.
The Noise of the Opinionated Ignorant – The usual example of this is the vociferous and damning condemnation of CBS‑era Fenders and Norlin‑era Gibsons, et al. Such broad‑spectrum denigration simply isn’t justified. These disparaging views are sustained by many people who don’t really know and understand what they are talking about – they just spout out the derivative, clichéd rhetoric of the lazy and uninformed. While there may be no smoke without fire, it is plain wrong to assume that sweeping generalisations apply to every instrument. Don’t believe everything you read; make up your own mind, based on real experience. Extrapolating the point further, the noise of self‑appointed, erratically opinionated commentators over time can create a broad perception that is not necessarily true but, if restated sufficiently strongly, people will believe it anyway (the so‑called illusory truth effect). Such automatic assumptions need to be challenged and re‑evaluated. I strongly advocate an open mind and critical questioning of blind dogma. The symptom may be exacerbated by selective positive reinforcement, i.e. someone agreeing with similar views while dismissing opposing views. File under guitar snobbery, hogwash and boloney.
Fakes and Copies – Where there is money involved, often lots of it, there are unscrupulous companies and individuals wanting to exploit innocent victims for financial gain. There have long been fakes of classic guitars pervading the vintage market and some of them are hard to identify and root out, let alone the possibility of bringing the perpetrators to justice. A lesser ‘crime’ is companies imitating classic guitars and selling them in large numbers. I can understand some people wanting the look without the cost but it is not a thing to be proud of and it often isn’t good for the industry. The most infamous cases were in the 1970s with the lawsuit‑era guitars where flagrant copies by Ibanez (and others) were almost identical to the originals. Then there was the Gibson vs. PRS battle in the early 2000s over the single cutaway Les Paul outline. Now, cheap Chinese knock offs are flooding western markets with an adverse impact on genuine models and are, politically, impossible to litigate against. There really is no need to counterfeit the classics – do something original and improve the breed with integrity.
The Preserve or Conserve Dilemma – Should museum grade vintage guitars be locked up in vaults or in glass cabinets so they can be ‘preserved in aspic’ or should vintage guitars be used for what they were intended to be used for, making music? A case can be made for protecting a very few historically significant items but not all by any means. In my view, playing vintage instruments is good for them, even if it means that they experience greater wear and tear in the process. An old guitar that hasn’t been used for some time sounds dull and lifeless. Playing a stored vintage guitar can bring it back to life. My generally pragmatic stance here is to conserve but not to preserve. One should never feel afraid to touch, pick up or play a vintage guitar.
The Responsibility of Stewardship – While temporary stewardship of vintage guitars is a privilege (see above), it also carries a great deal of responsibility so that they can be passed on for the benefit of future generations of players and enthusiasts (and, begrudgingly, collectors) in a condition that befits their previous ownership. It is up to current ‘owners’ that the legacy can continue untainted into the future. Those that don’t take the responsibility seriously probably shouldn’t own a vintage guitar. For instance, my advice is not to mess with an original vintage instrument unless unavoidable. Far too many guitars have been modified in the past – often when they were near new – and can’t easily be restored to original. Things like tuners, nuts, frets, pickups, bridges, scratchplates, electrics, knobs and strap buttons should be kept original if at all possible. Some mods may be ‘tolerable’, for instance where changes can be 100% reversible without any damage, as long as the original parts are kept with the instrument. Routing out a guitar body to accommodate inappropriate pickups, for instance, may be considered a travesty.

“If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself” – a ‘law of propaganda’ attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels (1897‑1945), used as evidence to substantiate ‘the illusory truth effect’.

I have tried, objectively, to explain why I am addicted to allure of vintage guitars. So… If it isn’t about money and it isn’t about vanity and it isn’t about my playing ability, just what is it about? That’s the subjective, intangible bit that I still find hard to articulate.

Regarding the subject matter, I suspect that my passion for these objects doesn’t come across particularly well. That is my prosaic inadequacy for which I apologise.

In conclusion… if my idle observations carry any substance, there is some semblance of universal balance after all and the equilibrium is sustained. The same principles apply to just about anything you might care to think about.

“Don’t let anyone, ever, make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want” – Patrick from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

10 Images which you may love or hate

Below are 10 CRAVE Guitars images for you to feast your eyes upon and, perhaps, crave (sic!). NB. None of which are to be found on the web site (until now).

Final thoughts about 10 Things…

When I started accumulating (rather than collecting) guitars in the mid‑late 1970s there wasn’t really a broadly accepted awareness of electric guitars let alone basses, effects and amps being ‘vintage’ (a word that is hard to define in this context). The original CRAVE Guitars are the 1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard, the 1977 Fender Stratocaster, the 1977 Fender Precision fretless bass and the 1978 Music Man Stingray Bass – I still have all four of them. They may be considered vintage now but back in the day, they were just guitars. Only the Music Man Stingray was acquired new, the others were simply second hand. How things have changed in the intervening 40‑50 years. Now I feel old… sorry, vintage!

If you haven’t gathered already, I love genuine, original vintage guitars. I know that they aren’t essential to civilisation’s survival but they do represent a peaceful diversion from the meanness of the modern world. Exploring the ‘Ten Things I Love/Hate’ leads inexorably onto insatiable cravings (sic!) and obsessional pursuits. For many, this is more widely known as G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). For many vintage guitar enthusiasts there is an additional layer of addiction and passion that has real world consequences (e.g. funds, space, etc.).

“You don’t always have to be who they want you to be, you know” – Kat from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

Not everything about vintage guitar ownership is hunky dory. There is a zen-like steady balance to ownership, which is kinda the point I’m getting at, in rather a circuitous route. There are times of excruciating sufferance and moments of ecstatic exuberance. The latter more or less cancel out the former and, thus, the status quo is maintained. There is a karmic tension that many won’t understand, some will seek to fulfil, and fewer likely to tolerate. Vintage guitar ownership requires a particular type of person and a certain degree of patience that is not for everyone. Thankfully so, as there are simply not enough of these things to go around.

Economics is a social science that studies how we allocate scarce resources for production, distribution, and consumption. In this instance, the consumption component is fundamentally about the laws of supply and demand. The inversely proportional interdependence between quantity and price is something about which many vintage guitar buffs are all too well aware. As quantity reduces, prices increase. It rarely (other than in recessionary times) goes the other way in the finite world of vintage guitar market (and why an over‑abundance of new guitars keep retail prices low).

“You’re looking at this from entirely the wrong perspective. We’re making a statement” – Kat from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

Some things about vintage guitars are intangible and subjective, so much so that it is difficult to articulate effectively. Can some of the attributes associated with vintage guitars, including many of the statements above be measured or explained definitively? The ageing of electronic parts for instance. Scientifically, it is not easy to say why one vintage pickup hits the sweet spot while another fails to sound right. Does the type and quality of the tone wood make a real difference to the feel and tone of vintage instruments? How much is real and how much is simply suspicious snake oil? One thing is for sure, vintage guitars have something that new guitars don’t. Identifying with any sort of certainty what that ‘something’ is will engage people in debate, probably forever, and that just adds further mystique and mythology surrounding vintage instruments.

“I burn, I pine, I perish” – William Shakespeare from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

Some may accuse CRAVE Guitars of actually being a symptomatic example of the abominable ‘collectorati’, a secretive society of which I am so consistently critical. That is probably a ‘fair cop’ to some extent and it is an insinuation that I must bear and justify as a necessary compromise. However, as a not‑for‑profit entity, CRAVE Guitars is certainly not in it for money and I do my best to share the heritage with anyone who wants to look in, so not secretive. They are played, although each one doesn’t get as much playing time as I would like. In addition, I do not try to preserve them, they are too important to waste away in a sterile stasis.

“… But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all” – Kat from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

One thing you might ask at this juncture is (how) do I rank guitars in the ‘collection’? Well, the easy answer is that I don’t. There are undoubtedly ones that I prefer playing to others, some that I prefer to look at to others, and some that sound better than others. However, in overall terms each one has its place and is valued in different, if not directly comparable, ways. However, I cannot rule out the fact that the thorny subject of favouritism may come back under the spotlight at some point.

Where all the CRAVE Guitars’ guitars, basses, effects, amps and accessories will eventually end up, who on Earth knows? In the meantime, I’ll just continue as a curatorial custodian of valued vintage paraphernalia to the best of my (limited) ability.

One wonders what future generations will make of things if/when they look back to the 2020s and, maybe, come across this article. Even in another 40‑50 years, I am certain that perspectives will be very different again. I will also wager that many of the much maligned guitars that I personally like will be much in demand attracting inflated premium prices. Unfortunately and sadly, I won’t be around to proclaim ever so smugly, “I told you so”. Shame.

“If she and I be pleased, what’s that to you?” – William Shakespeare from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’

Given the subject matter of this month’s article, there is only one album that I think fits the bill (in a slightly tangential fashion).

Leonard Cohen – Songs Of Love And Hate (1971). This impressive recording was Leonard Cohen’s 3^rd studio album, released in March 1971 on the Columbia record label. The album was recorded during a difficult period in Cohen’s life, suffering from depression, making it a very personal and emotionally intense album for the late, great Canadian singer/songwriter. As a whole, it is an extraordinary recording, famous for evocative tales including, ‘Avalanche’, ‘Last Year’s Man’, ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ and ‘Joan Of Arc’. Despite Cohen believing ‘Songs Of Love And Hate’ was a failed experiment, it endures as one of his finest achievements. Many commentators assert this album as proof of Cohen’s pessimistic ‘downer’ reputation but that misses the point, as it can be a powerfully cathartic listening experience. Only 8 tracks on the original release, coming in at under 45 minutes, it was not only a commercially successful album but also it represents a priceless memoir in the annals of musical history. A fine legacy from a fine artist. Thank you Mr. Cohen (1934‑2016, 82).

The relevance, once again, is that love and hate are interdependent polar opposites that exemplify the importance of, and need for, universal balance – the yin and yang referred to at the top of this article. If we do not understand hate, we cannot appreciate the value of love. If we do not wholeheartedly embrace love, hate will overcome and overwhelm us. Profound existentialism that provides for the equilibrium of life and humanity in the cosmos.

“Who needs affection when I have blind hatred?” – Patrick from the film, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’

BELIEVE IN MUSIC!

Tailpiece

So, 2025 is now well underway. Thank you for taking precious time out of your life to spend it here with me. I am pleased that CRAVE Guitars is back to talking about vintage guitars within a wider context. The change of scene for a few months was healthy and the subject matter fascinating but vintage guitars still rule. I hope you were able to get some interest and/or pleasure from it. The length of articles is beginning to creep up again, requiring more time to be spent on researching and writing articles than focusing on ‘The Distortion Diaries’. Note to self: Stop it! Now!

I know it’s not my place but in a world of escalating aggression and conflict, the only sensible bit of guidance I can give is for y’all to just chill the heck out (apologies for the split infinitive). Be kind to yourself and others.

Next month, ceteris paribus, we’ll be taking another oblique view about the world of vintage guitars. In the meantime, may you maintain your universal balance and find harmony and contentment therein.

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “We don’t make love. Love makes us”

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31 Oct 2024

October 2024 – CRAVE Guitars Writing: An Introspective Inquiry

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: Introduction, News, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

YO GOOD PEOPLES. Welcome once more to the virtual hamlet of non sequitur‑ville, population c.1. You may have noticed my annoying application of asinine alliteration, idiotic idioms and my tendency toward meandering narrative prose (duh!), so perhaps it’s some sort of disorder worth looking into. As hinted at previously, CRAVE Guitars is deliberately changing things around a bit this month. Nothing like a bit of variety, eh? You may well be grateful of a short(er) article after several recent rather lengthy and convoluted tomes, so I’m content to oblige on this particular occasion.

At the time of publication, autumn is wending its inexorable passage towards winter, so here’s a snippet of classical pertinent poetry to get you in the mood for some further flowery philology.

“There is a harmony in autumn,
and a lustre in its sky,
which through the summer is not heard or seen,
as if it could not be,
as if it had not been!”
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792‑1822)

Is it just me or do most sensible people wish for a world free from bellicose brutality? If only sensible people ran the world. If only the message would get through to said belligerent barbarians seemingly devoid of any form of reasonable moral compass. War = Bad. Peace = Good. Simple. The relevance, use and impact of words and their ability to generate positive change will become clear… eventually… I promise.

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world” – John Keating (1927‑)

This time around, I thought I would spend a few moments of superficial but personal self‑analysis, something that I normally feel very uncomfortable about. Perhaps that’s the stereotypical reserved Brit syndrome, I don’t know. I rarely discuss myself, especially in the first person, so this is a very unusual post. While I might refer to this topic somewhat flippantly and to some extent facetiously, it turns out that, perhaps, the author presents somewhat of an enigma and a conundrum.

This exploratory examination is also probably something that will be of little interest to many readers so, if you want to quit at this point, that’s absolutely fine. Thanks for looking in. However, as this change of approach will impact on CRAVE Guitars business‑as‑usual output for a (hopefully short) while, it probably warrants a bit of explanation. If the idiom that ‘those who can’t write, write about writing’ holds water, well, here is all the evidence required for condemnation. Sadly few images this month, only thousands of words.

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write” – Martin Luther (1483‑1546)

What I write

This article is something like the 84^th since I started CRAVE Guitars’ online presence back in 2014 (more on that next month). Apart from the extended ‘hiatus’ (2020‑2023), articles have been published at the rate of one a month. I don’t actively engage with any other form of writing other than to keep a personal daily journal and the unavoidable daily communications.

As a professional bureaucrat for over three decades, I wrote a great deal of business documents, briefings, academic learning materials, strategic and business plans, project and performance management reports, speeches, presentations, etc. etc. All very ‘real’ and original in their own way; nothing particularly enjoyable or satisfying though. My frustration with organisational writing is that it was all ephemeral and didn’t make any noticeable difference to humanity, at least not directly. Looking back, there was no legacy of lasting change and nothing to show for all the hard work that went into it. Nothing ‘me’. The discipline, though, did teach me how to write but only in a structured, formal way. I would hate to think all those years of ‘training’ were for nought.

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do” – Thomas Jefferson (1743‑1846)

For nearly the past decade, I’ve been writing about my near‑lifelong craving (sic!) for vintage guitars. Why? I love ‘em. Plain and simple. To me, they are an ‘amour-fou’ (an obsessive passion). Writing about vintage gear has (generally) been rewarding. It started with features on my own vintage guitars before branching out into features on brands, amps, effects and, latterly, bass guitars.

Over time, writing also extended to blog articles and that broadened out even further to include many other related topics – to a greater or lesser extent. Now, I’m writing about writing about vintage guitars et al. The next stage, as we’ll see later, I’ll be writing about writing about writing, all of which is getting just a bit circular, a bit like the mythical Ouroboros (NB. an ancient Egyptian and Greek symbol depicting a serpent consuming its own tail).

I will return to the topic of vintage guitars in due course; I’m just taking a pause from the risk of getting stuck in a barrel or dredging a rut (as well as mixing metaphors for fun, another annoying trait – apologies). I need to come up with another, different obtuse angle… or even a cute angle (lol) on vintage guitars, hopefully something not done by others.

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480 400BCE)

Article writing about vintage guitars is one thing and it supports the CRAVE Guitars ‘brand’. However, I would like to do something different. Something non‑factual, something light and frivolously engaging, something that bestows some lingering fascination and perhaps something to stimulate debate. The value of the arts lies in its ability to provoke an emotional reaction, rather than simply to represent reality in some way. Discuss…

“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality” – Edgar Allan Poe (1809‑1849)

I could write about many subjects other than vintage guitars and music. I have several other keen interests, although none quite as all‑consuming. However, generally speaking, writing about other disconnected things on this platform would divert focus away from vintage guitars and music.

Language is an interesting area of study. In many ways, language is like music, to be played and crafted into something ostensibly magical. Like music, language can be composed either well into a thing of beauty, or badly into a reprehensible ugly mess. I am fascinated by words and the way in which we can construct the vernacular in novel (sic!) ways. This might explain why I use a broad vocabulary in a discursive, arguably prolix, way. Why use one common word when several obscure ones will do (sorry, Mr. Jefferson)? Languorous language is rejected and embellished English rules Britannia, at least this tiny corner of it. One is not attempting to be ‘too clever by half’ (NB. A ‘Britishism’ used in, ‘The Interpreter’ (1958) by George J. Whyte‑Melville). Honest guv’nor. At least my particular portion of precisely practised poetic prose is entirely first hand. No plagiarism and no AI here.

“All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

Latterly, I have been hampered by issues of copyright over images. For instance, I would really like to take a look at guitars as they have appeared in the visual arts throughout history (fine art, popular culture, film, etc.). However, to do that really requires images of the artworks to support the narrative. Without images, such an article (or series of articles more likely) would be utterly pointless. As a non‑profit entity, I cannot publish images without permissions and royalties, thereby rendering the entire concept moot, null and void before it even gets off the ground. Sigh.

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way” – Ray Bradbury (1920‑2012)

Why I write

A more difficult question requires a moment of introspection. I sometimes wonder what motivates people, me included, to write. Thus far, a good enough answer eludes me. One thing might be that I just feel compelled to write (not convinced). Another might be a wish to leave some sort of tangible record (if not possible to do so in other ways). Yet another may be that I simply enjoy the writing process (again, not convinced), regardless of whether anyone actually takes much notice. I have tried to estimate the audience and it is likely to be no more than a handful in total. In the end, it seems I can’t not do it (excuse the double negative).

An issue with writing for a virtual platform is that it could be wiped out entirely in an instant, never to be recovered, even if anyone wanted to resurrect it. Recently a malicious incident at my Internet Service Provider caused a near‑catastrophe; fortunately, everything was recovered after a few difficult days. Alternatively, once I end my tenure on this planet, CRAVE Guitars’ documents will disappear overnight. Forever. So much for a lasting legacy, eh?

So… if the absolute readership level is so trifling, the only possible conclusion I can reach is that article writing seems to be an immense amount of hard work and effort for such a small audience. Does that actually matter? Which brings me back to thorny question of why I bother. Perhaps the change of direction for a while might help to aid such contemplation. Perhaps it may be time to review my ‘return on investment’ and divert some effort from feature and article writing into another personal pet project, just for a while. The slowdown in acquiring vintage guitar gear also points in that direction.

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are” – W. Somerset Maugham (1874‑1965)

Is it just that I’m just a bad writer? I hope not and I trust someone would have the courage to tell me if the content was genuinely awful, either in subject matter or narrative style. It seems, though, that I need to have some sort of restless creative outlet, something to relieve the intense pressure cooker raging in my chaotic cranium.

All in all, not a very deep analysis so far. There must (must there? Really?) be some other reason why I feel the urge to put fingertip to keypad and compose unfocused prosaic narrative for other folks to consume. Just a thought? How does one go about measuring competence in a subjective field such as writing?

Which brings us onto my idiosyncratic writing process. Pretentious? Undoubtedly. Profound? Perhaps, occasionally. Original? Is anything original these days? Entertaining? I would like to think so. Pointless? I hope not. I attempt to carve and mould my own distinctive style, rather than copy the approach taken by those far better at it than I will ever be. My unusual technique has developed into something weirdly eccentric and eccentrically verbose. I know that. I can’t help it. An eclectic style can certainly be divisive. Readers will probably either love it or hate it – no middle ground. I cannot, however, be apologetic for the facts. Sorry folks.

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing” – Benjamin Franklin (1706‑1790)

Why I do not allow comments

Apologies for hobby‑horsing for a moment. Time for a little biased judgemental opinion. You may have noticed that CRAVE Guitars’ does not allow comments on blog articles. Like most dudes with a massive superego and crippling self‑doubt, I am inherently super‑sensitive and have an innate fear of criticism and rejection.

I invest a considerable amount of time and effort in researching and writing monthly articles, probably 7‑10 full working days per article. So much so, that I am not prepared to submit my efforts to ridicule by acerbic trolls who put absolutely zero time, effort and intellect into being confrontational for no other reason than they can. I am willing to forgo the occasional positive comment in order to evade many negative ones. I welcome constructive criticism but I will not lay myself open to ignorance, reactionary contempt and derision.

Anti-social media has sadly become a vitriolic battle ground for the disgruntled to promulgate their abhorrent brand of ‘free speech’ (Musk et al take note). In the ‘free’ world, it may be a right to express one’s opinion but true rights carry significant moral responsibility in order to balance out deviant extremes. Freedom is not about being able to do and say whatever one wants with impunity. ‘Free speech’ is not a poorly conceived unilateral entitlement, it carries with it weighty conscience and considerable consequence. Hard fought for freedoms are a privilege within tolerant societies and should be cherished and nurtured, not abused on a whim.

“Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480 400BCE)

Don’t get me wrong, I am a staunch anti‑censorship advocate but, let’s be honest here, that isn’t what these self‑appointed critical pseudo‑moralists are all about. These self‑styled evangelists want selective liberties that support their prejudiced dogmas and insist on selective suppression of anything that does not accord with such partisan doctrines.

A quick soapbox aside… I have a similar anathema to the PC minority brigade wanting to re‑write established literature to remove or alter what they feel is inappropriate. I would go as far as to suggest that it is a wrongdoing against history and a precipitous thin end of the wedge. If we condone the censorship of authentic literature once, where will it end? If we don’t take a stand, one can envisage the repeated re‑writing of literature over time until it bears little resemblance to the original. Literature, for good or bad, should be respected intact and we can learn from the cultural context it provides.

The eradication of swathes of authentic heritage on the whim of a few just because they ‘don’t like it’ (however intellectually argued) is unconscionable to anyone with any common sense. Exactly who decides how selective censorship is used? Who decides the revisionist version of history on behalf of humanity? Who decides what previous generations’ art is culturally acceptable or not? Who decides what future generations are permitted to read/see/hear? Discuss…

I do not shy away from genuine, healthy debate (whether ‘intellectual’ or not) but I abhor confrontation, especially pointless assaults based on indoctrination or proselytization. It is even worse for disagreements on petty principle to be played out visibly in the public domain. I’ll leave all that contemptuous cacophony of cruelty to self‑opinionated ‘influencers’ and ‘celebrities’ and their trite, trivial tantrums.

Neither do I wish to commit far too much of my life wasting time and effort on people who have no special interest in the subject matter. If someone really wants to get in touch, they can – the e‑mail address is at the bottom of every page on the web site. All I ask for in any communication is authenticity, integrity, dignity and respect. Everything else will be summarily blocked and deleted.

People, eh? Not a fan. ‘Nuff said. (NB. A colloquial idiom and contraction of ‘enough said’, implying the end of discussion, first documented in 1778 by playwright Henry Brooke)

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple” – Jack Kerouac (1922‑1969)

Deep Thinking

Apologies folks, we’re going on a quick diversion for a trifling titbit of cognitive psychology. That’s the discipline which helps us to understand how humans obtain, process, store and use information. It is about perception, memory, language, attention, creativity, intuition and reasoning. Don’t panic! It will make sense. The idea of deep thinking is not new, Greek philosopher Socrates (c.470‑399BCE) suggested that we reflect on and question the world around us.

Having tried many times over many years, it seems that I am totally incapable of diving deeply into my own internally‑focused thought processes to resolve who I really am, what I really need and why I am the way I am. I simply cannot ‘find’ myself, using common parlance. My inner psyche remains concealed from me. Yet, I seem to have little difficulty contemplating universal unknowns, suggesting an external focus. Perhaps, I thought, it was worth investigating what’s going on.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun” – Albert Einstein (1885-1955)

The author’s dipolar struggle may explain a lot while also raising many questions. It appears, for want of an emotive label, to make me a ‘conflicted soul’. This is not a medical or psychotherapeutic prognosis, simply an entirely amateur observation. However, it triggered some shallow yearning for insight. For the list‑o‑philes out there, this is one of only two this month. Enjoy.

Twelve traits of deep thinking people include:

Introverted – Reserved and quiet. A loner who doesn’t seek social interaction and actively avoids contact with people. Reclusive
Observant – Say less, observe more. Pausing before reaching a conclusion. Not easily swayed by popular opinion
Quirkily humorous – Silly, juvenile, witty, comical and often self‑deprecating, often misunderstood
Avid reader – Thirsty for knowledge with an innate need to learn more and expand understanding
Forgetful – Overlook trivial social obligations and daily chores, as these things don’t much matter. Easily distracted. Tendency to overthink. Hard to relax
Intensely curious – Highly inquisitive. Never bored. Question assumptions. Interested in BIG issues. Passionate for learning and knowledge. Embracing of ambiguity and complexity
Forward planner – take time to think about the future and where to fit in (or not). Strategic and not detail oriented
Problem solver – Analyse patterns, identify potential obstacles, build innovative approaches and develop potential practical solutions
Socially awkward – Dislike many culturally accepted norms, roles and expected behaviours on a daily basis. Meaningful conversations matter, not small talk
Fiercely independent – Highly self‑reliant, content with solitude as a conscious choice. Doesn’t seek contact with, or dependence on, others
Creative – Artistic, imaginative, inventive, original, resourceful. Interested in the new and different (NB. ‘new’ implies ‘different’ by default)
Empathic – Emotionally sensitive. Compassionate and understanding, able to see both sides of a situation. Open minded

I check at least 13 out of the 12! So, does that make me a deep thinker? I genuinely don’t think so. What I do know, though, and this the point, I don’t think like other people. I never have. What does this actually mean in the real world? How long have you got? It also might explain why I don’t know what to do when (if!) I ever grow up. I fear that I will (have to) grow up one day. It may account for my aberrant behaviour, delusional thought processes and deviant misanthropic attitude. I said this was going to be short, so the answers to these querulous questions are possibly best left for another time and place. If at all. Ever. Don’t hold your breath.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its reason for existing” Albert Einstein (1885-1955)

Ambitions and aspirations

I am long past being driven, self‑seeking and ambitious. That was my decades‑long professional life working for ‘the man’, thankfully now behind me. Now, it is (largely) up to me what I do. My post‑employment lifestyle doesn’t accord with ruthless go‑getting, not that I ever had a game‑playing ‘killer instinct’ anyway. The rat race (NB. The term rat race dates back at least to 1783, used to describe a literal race between rats, now used as a metaphor for a pointless and relentless, competitive struggle) is now for others to endure. I still have lofty aspirations. Probably deluded ones but aspirations nevertheless. Doing something that matters is a key stimulus.

The one thing that I would like to achieve is to be a better human bean. Failing that, I would like to play guitar better and learn the language of music. Failing that, I would like to write better. It seems important to me to have my work valued and appreciated – for some sort of external validation (not very Zen). In addition, for some reason I really cannot glean, I yearn to leave some form of lasting legacy behind; a simple mark on the universe rather than the total obscurity of being just one anonymous, invisible momentary placeholder in the 8+ billion transient souls on this infernal rock of ours. Basically, I do not want to be forgotten – as if I’d never existed.

“Fiction is an improvement of life” – Charles Bukowski (1920‑1994)

That’s it in a nutshell. That’s not too much to ask is it? Probably. So what? A knotty question that leads me neatly onto…

This is IT – The Distortion Diaries

If, by this point, you are wondering where all this is going, it is now time for the ‘BIG REVEAL’. I have hinted that I would be changing my approach for a (hopefully) short period of time and that there was a genuine reason for doing so. Now is time to divulge my poorly premeditated plan. The result is… ‘The Distortion Diaries’.

Last year (2023), I wrote a first draft of a fiction novel. As already mentioned, I wanted to do something different. Something imaginative and original, not factual and not opinionated. I intended to undertake a first edit earlier in 2024 and to expand the content considerably during the summer and be going through a second, harsh edit around now. Unfortunately, other unavoidable activities and my diligent approach towards research and writing CRAVE Guitars articles has prevented me from sticking to the plan. With everything else going on, something had to give. Capacity is finite and there simply wasn’t enough of it to dedicate to a novel as well. Such a venture requires better than that.

So… the aim is to make a bit of space and time to do some of the focused work on the novel. Writing fiction is quite different from articles and presents a new discipline. It isn’t something that can be picked up and put down on a whim. It takes lengthy periods of comprehensive concentration. If the novel is ever going to reach fruition, it implies a bubble of space and time in which to do it.

“Description begins in the writer’s imagination but should finish in the reader’s” – Stephen King (1947‑)

When I started writing ‘The Distortion Diaries’, I intended it to be a fictional part‑biography of a wannabe musician. However, very early on, I realised two key things. The first key factor was that the subject matter on its own could not avoid cliché – it would be utterly predictable and therefore probably exceedingly dull. The second key factor was that such a story would be very short unless there was a significant amount of irrelevant, boring filler (to be avoided!). So the shape and style morphed into something completely and utterly different. Once I’d had the epiphany, everything fell into place. Like the CRAVE Guitars name, the title, ‘The Distortion Diaries’ has multiple meanings.

‘The Distortion Diaries’ could now be described as a rom-sex-com-music-bio-mystery-drama-thriller-fantasy about man’s eternally favourite tripartite – sex, drugs and rock & roll (not necessarily in that order). Oh, and the meaning of life (42, according to author Douglas Adams), as well as a coming of middle‑age saga. That is a very broad ‘genre’ mash‑up. It could potentially prove to be a disastrous mess, even with careful handling.

‘The Distortion Diaries’ will carry a strong ‘Parental Advisory’ warning, for two reasons. One is that parents should probably not read it. Another is that it is extremely explicit. The latter is something that authors try to suggest rather than be overt. Why? I find political correct avoidance of fundamental human motivations and behaviours exasperating and represent a centuries‑long unwritten rule just begging to be broken, whether people like it or not. Nobody forces someone to read something, it is an entirely discretionary activity. If you don’t like it, go and read something you do like. Your choice.

“Words can be like X‑rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced” – Aldous Huxley (1894‑1963)

‘The Distortion Diaries’ is very different from your average high street and supermarket pop novel. Neither is it ‘pulp fiction’ (NB. Popular grimy and lurid genre novels printed on cheap paper, called ‘pulp’, dating from the early 20^th Century). This ‘epic’ work is written intended for universal consumption and represents an uncompromising condensation of mainstream mundanity, intense sexuality and serendipitous happenstance. The Distortion Diaries is a colourful tale about the monochrome lives of plain ordinary people with a controversially unorthodox denouement. Let’s not get carried away, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ or ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’, this is not. Sorry ‘bout that.

“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story” – Frank Herbert (1920‑1986)

The story eschews traditional three‑act structure and attempts to avoid bland ‘creative writing’ clichés. Neither does it fall into the beatnik‑style stream of consciousness one‑act structure. It does, however, attempt to tell a straightforward story while also trying (hopefully) to subvert expectations. The only formulaic concession is its adherence to a well‑trodden linear, episodic diary‑type structure (the hint is in the title folks!).

Who is my writing inspired by? No‑one in particular. Just good writing in whatever form. Who is my writing like? I would never be so vain as to venture comparison. Who is The Distortion Diaries written for? Everyone (adult) and no‑one. I guess I wrote it for myself. Why should anyone read it? Difficult one. Perhaps someone seeking a temporary, idle distraction from the hard realities of birth, life and death. What do I like to read? A very diverse range of fictional works with few particular commonalities. Moving on…

“Words have a magical power. They can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair” – Sigmund Freud (1856‑1939)

The novel’s synopsis is a crucial summary that tests from the outset whether there is anything worthwhile to the concept. The following outline is intentionally vague and ambiguous. If too much is given away in a ‘teaser trailer’, it won’t hold any surprises later on.

“The Distortion Diaries.

Terry plays in a band. He doesn’t have a Girlfriend. He hasn’t had a Girlfriend for some time. Terry has a dreary job in IT. He lives alone with his feline overlord. One day, Terry decides to document his wretched existence in a journal. Rather than the journal reflecting and recording Terry’s dreary life, the journal begins to change it. A Lot. Is Terry’s life pre‑determined by fate or is his destiny in his own hands? Only his journal knows.

Based on a false story”

Intrigued? I hope so. Even I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out, even in rough first draft form. No profound insights into existential enquiries on this occasion. Let’s be clear, this is not serious literature; it is purely for entertainment purposes. Light and fluffy it certainly ain’t though.

“What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure” – Samuel Johnson (1709‑1784)

Mock‑up cover artwork has already been designed, although I feel it’s a bit premature to publish at this juncture, as it may change drastically. Sorry folks. Hopefully, I’ll drop that if/when there is a future update.

I guess it could have been called, ‘The Karma Chronicles’ but I prefer the chosen title. Just to set the record straight, it is NOT in any way autobiographical. The fact that I play guitar (badly) and I am owned by a cat is neither here nor there. As a ‘writer’, I do occasionally steal the ‘good stuff’ from my own repertoire, so there may well be the odd choice phrase from CRAVE Guitars’ articles appearing in the script.

At some point, I will have to produce a more detailed ‘pitch’ that summarises the content but that will come once the task of expanding the narrative, fleshing out the characters and editing the full novel for coherence has been completed. I think the ‘pitch’ is important, as it provides an important reality check during the process. If the ‘pitch’ doesn’t work, the whole thing won’t work. Simple as that. I hope to finish writing and editing the novel in 2025. No pressure then.

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story” – Terry Pratchett (1948‑2015)

Ideally, I would like to go against the norm (nothing new there!) and self‑publish this little vanity project of mine. I have absolutely no idea how to go about self‑publishing or even if it possible, let alone feasible. Then there are the not‑inconsequential issues of distribution and sales. That, though comes much later. Currently, there is nothing to deliver and peddle. So, first things first.

The trick, if there is one, is to find a way to build an identity that cuts through and stands out from the thousands of other works churned out every day, week, month and year. CRAVE Guitars hasn’t succeeded yet (sadly), so it is clear that there is absolutely no chance of a breakthrough by simply existing these days. If anyone has any bright ideas or can help bring this assignment to fruition, please let me know.

Readers may have noticed over the last decade that I do not seek fame and fortune. I keep my private persona very much out of the limelight and I try to remain intentionally anonymous. For this reason, ‘The Distortion Diaries’ (if it ever enters the public domain) will appear under a nom de plume (the pseudonym has already been decided, to be revealed at a later date). I shall endeavour to remain an enigma hiding behind the keyboard’s shadow.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed” – Ernest Hemingway (1899‑1961)

I did contemplate publishing ‘The Distortion Diaries’ in serialised form on the website. I decided against it for three main reasons. The first is that a purely fictional tale doesn’t really ‘fit’ with the CRAVE Guitars ‘brand’ – basically it has nothing to do with vintage guitars. Even if the novel’s protagonist is a guitarist, the stretch is too far to make sense. The second is that it is, as mentioned above, extremely explicit, which isn’t what I want CRAVE Guitars to be known for. The third is that the duration of a serialisation would side‑line all other subject matter for a couple of years, which I am not really prepared to do. However, if it is ever published, I am sure that I won’t be able to resist promoting it here.

If, as forecast by my overly well‑telegraphed lack of confidence and low self‑esteem, I don’t get anywhere with writing and publishing it as a novel, I may decide to abridge it and publish sanitised excerpts on the web site. It would not be an ideal outcome but possibly better than it being lost in the infinite void of forgotten and cancelled dreams, like the noblest endeavours of so many other wannabe authors.

“Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish” – Hermann Hesse (1877‑1962)

20 Questions

What follows is a mock ‘interview’ with the author of ‘The Distortion Diaries’

Will ‘The Distortion Diaries’ ever be published? Probably not but I hope so.
Will it be an international best seller? Definitely not.
Awards worthy? Not a hope in hell – and I’ve been there.
Required academic reading? Hah‑ha! You’re kidding, right?
Will it be worth a punt? Our protagonist insists on that being the case.
Is it sordid and seedy? Yup, for sure, for sure. Full of sleaze and exploitation.
Unhinged? Not even close. Bad things do happen but so do good things.
Is it edgy? It depends on the reader’s perspective. I try to manipulate ideas, as well as to challenge assumptions and undermine preconceptions.
Is it controversial? Hopefully it will generate credible debate. And criticism. Lots of criticism.
Will it offend people? It is not intentional but, inevitably, someone will always find something to complain about.
It sounds divisive? Like Marmite. Lots and lots of Marmite.
What’s all this about ‘distortion’? It has multiple meanings. You’ll have to read it to find out.
Is it a feel good or feel bad story? It doesn’t matter, as long as you feel something.
Isn’t it just the same old tortured muso type, struggling in a tired pop music industry cliché, overcoming the odds? I haven’t read every genre saga but I don’t believe that it is overly derivative. Nothing is truly original these days.
Will readers learn anything about the human condition? If they are open‑minded, possibly. The male experience is woefully under‑represented in contemporary fictional literature. This may help to address the imbalance.
What message is it trying to convey? Whatever the reader wants to deduce.
Will there be other stories or sequels? Who knows? I don’t. I have some ideas for a cunning spin‑off though.
If you had to use just one word to sum up the story, what would it be? Compelling.
How will people be able to read it? To be determined. It’s too early to say.
Who would you like to direct a movie of the story? Irrelevant. It’s never going to happen.

I personally do not seek social recognition or even the prospect of it. However, I would like to think that the product of my creativity might one day be admired. That would be a bonus rather than a rationale. Simply a desire to stimulate thoughts through my work and the knowledge that such thinking exists, albeit ephemerally. My satisfaction and reward comes in the execution of the process to the best of my ability (good or bad). I may write the story that no-one will ever read. However writing it is my achievement and my only necessary reward. Any success would constitute welcome deferred gratification. Very Zen.

Final thoughts on the power of words

I started off by saying that words have the power to generate positive change. Well… CRAVE Guitars’ features and blog articles haven’t really achieved that, have they? So, will The Distortion Diaries change the world? Sadly, it won’t. However, in the meantime, it might generate some harmless satisfaction and gentle fulfilment as a diversion from our otherwise mundane existences.

Closing the loop started at the top of this article… Should I attempt to change the world? Yes, absolutely. We all should do our bit to promote a better civilisation, society, communities, families and ourselves. We should not accept anything other than peace. We are, after all, partly responsible, even accountable, for how things are today, tomorrow and all the days thereafter. Future generations will scrutinise what we did to our planet and species.

“So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell: ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!’” – Howard Beale (character in the film, ‘Network’ (1976), played by Peter Finch).

Together, if the collective will is there, a united movement for a better world can achieve greatness. Easily said, hard to accomplish. It is way too easy to abrogate our moral and ethical duties, and look to others for blame, redemption and salvation. The lame “it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it” argument is simply not good enough.

“I didn’t do it, nobody saw me do it, you can’t prove anything” – Bart Simpson

Great words, carefully chosen can help to bring about great things. There are not enough vocal advocates for good. There are fewer vocal advocates who have the means for good. There are even fewer vocal advocates with the will and the means for good.

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480 400BCE)

Poorly chosen words can do a great deal of harm, as can carefully chosen words of bad people. Most of the rhetoric we hear from those in positions of power today is largely negative and critical. Propaganda obscures the truth such that we no longer know what truth is. War has never brought peace, only cataclysmic carnage. Only diplomacy through sincere words can stop war and deliver lasting reconciliation.

“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480 400BCE)

You may say that such a simplistic stance is all a bit of ‘pie in the sky’ (NB. a phrase coined by itinerant immigrant labourer Joe Hill in 1911 to describe unrealistic goals), and an outmoded hippie pipe dream (NB. a 19^th Century phrase referring to the dreams experienced by opium pipe smokers). You may say that such hope is just delusional romanticism and impossible wishful thinking? Guilty as charged. One has to have hope in a better humanity, otherwise we are all doomed. Time to change, then.

“I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480 400BCE)

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month‘

As I’m changing things around a bit, there is no relevant reason for this month’s selection. So… what was the first ever album you bought for yourself, with your own money? Well, the simple answer to that question for me was…

Pink Floyd – Meddle (1971). ‘Meddle’ was the 6^th studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd. It was released in November 1971 on the Harvest record label in the UK. The first side of the album comprises 5 tracks including the opener, ‘One of These Days’, while the second side is a single, epic 20 minute track, ‘Echoes’. The cover art is a strange photo of a submerged ear, designed by Storm Thorgerson at Hipgnosis, the trendy design studio of the time. Hipgnosis was famous for creating other Pink Floyd album covers, as well as artwork for other famous rock bands of the time, such as Led Zeppelin, Genesis and Yes. To me, ‘Meddle’ marks a watershed between early Floyd and later Floyd, as well as a personal transition from pop music to serious ‘real’ music. A coming‑of‑age LP in you like.

Why was this album my first? DJ John Peel played the album in its entirety on release on his late night show on Radio One in the UK. I hadn’t heard anything like it before and it ‘blew my mind’ (man!). I guess most people have that ‘one’ album that changed their life. ‘Meddle’ was that one for me. I just had to own a copy. It still stands the test of time today.

“Music is the universal language of mankind” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807‑1882)

Tailpiece

Well, there you have it. That turned out longer than I’d anticipated and took more time than I had allowed for. I haven’t made much time or space for writing fiction so far. Sigh. Note to self… be more succinct, pithy, brief, concise, epigrammatic, etc. Second note to self… use less tautology.

So, a new perspective and a new side venture for CRAVE Guitars. Not a core CRAVE Guitars activity but a definite spin‑off. ‘They’ say there is nothing like a bit of variety, so a change in style and content for a few articles can’t be a bad thing in my opinion. Right? Remember, you heard about, ‘The Distortion Diaries’ here first. Write on.

You may have noticed that I regularly splatter the odd quote throughout CRAVE Guitars articles. These aren’t just random asides for no reason; they are relevant to the exposition and, hopefully, add some essential colour to an otherwise monochrome pallet of words. This month, the selection of quotes is particularly pertinent and, I hope, a little thought‑provoking. If only my meagre, mediocre mind could articulate such inspiring ideas in so few words.

To quote actor Patrick McGoohan’s character, No. 6 in ‘The Prisoner’ (1967‑1968) TV series, “Be seeing you”.

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “I would rather be an anonymous genius than a well‑known idiot”

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30 Apr 2020

April 2020 – The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts – Part XIII

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations | 0

April 2020 – The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts – Part XIII

Introduction

For anyone out there still surviving the appalling ‘coronapocalypse’ that is undermining and unravelling civilisation around us as we speak, it’s good that you are hanging in there and hope you’re staying healthy and safe. Take a moment and spare a thought for the many who aren’t as lucky and those that have succumbed to the deadly virus. While the general response to the pandemic shows the best characteristics in most people, it also starkly reveals the sheer idiocy and irresponsibility of a not‑insignificant proportion of the population. Shame.

Thank you again for taking the time to visit CRAVE Guitars for the latest instalment of this epic series. Given the horrifying circumstances out there, your presence here is welcomed and very much appreciated. I only hope that it can provide some idle distraction from more serious issues facing us all.

It seems that this is this is a tale that just keeps on telling. I never thought it would reach these proportions when I started out on it, just over a year ago now! I trust this 13^th part of the series is not unlucky. If you suffer from triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) or even primonumerophobia (the fear of prime numbers), it may be advisable to think of this as part 12a or, to be trendy, 12+.

As has become traditional, if you would like to (re)visit any or all of the first 12 parts (and 370 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):

The Story of Modern Music Part XIII

In the last article, I presented an array of quotes about music uttered by a diverse range of non‑musicians. This time, guess what? Yep, perhaps somewhat predictably, we’re looking at quotes about music by musicians or, to be strictly more accurate, music professionals. While this is clearly a heavily skewed sample of the population expressing themselves on the wonder (or otherwise) of music, their vocabulary is revealing about what it means to them and others. As you can imagine, musicians have quite a lot to say about their passion, hence the sheer panoply of relevant observations on all things musical. There are also a couple of sneaky lyrics thrown in just for good measure.

For this article, I have omitted quotes explicitly about the guitar as a musical instrument; these were, I felt, adequately covered in the equivalent part of the companion series, ‘November 2018 – A Potted History of the Guitar: Epilogue’.

Simply because of my obsession with the world’s most popular instrument, the quotes tend to be biased towards those with some sort of connection to the guitar, although not exclusively so. I make no apology for this, it’s just the way it has turned out. Some of the quotes are very well known and may well be familiar, while others are somewhat more obscure but still worth extolling. If nothing else, I hope they inspire you to think about mankind’s unique affiliation with music a little differently.

Like last month, the quotes are in alphabetical order of the person, rather than their quote or any sort of chronological order. After much deliberation and messing around with different formats, I finally decided to lay these quotes out in a table. This is, perhaps, the most accessible and economical way of presentation, even though it means repeating the person being quoted in many instances. I apologise if that is not the best way for you to read the content.

Quotes about music by musicians

Right… let’s go. Enjoy.

Music drives you. It wakes you up, it gets you pumping and, at the end of the day, the correct tune will chill you down	‘Dimebag’ Darrell Abbot (1966-2004)
Music is something that should speak for itself, straight from the heart. It took me a long time to understand that	Damon Albarn (1968-)
Music to me is the air that I breathe, it’s the blood that pumps through my veins that keeps me alive	Billie Joe Armstrong (1972-)
If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know	Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Music is life itself. What would this world be without good music? No matter what kind it is	Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there is no more music left in them	Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
When I was a little boy, I told my dad, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a musician.’ My dad said: ‘You can’t do both, Son’	Chet Atkins (1924-2001)
The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers	Roy Ayers (1940-)
Don’t cry for me, for I go where music is born	Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
I think it’s good if a song has more than one meaning. Maybe that kind of song can reach far more people	Syd Barrett (1946-2006)

I would rather write 10,000 notes than a single letter of the alphabet	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music comes to me more readily than words	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is like a dream. One that I cannot hear	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable	Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it	Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable	Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before	Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
I grew up thinking art was pictures until I got into music and found I was an artist and didn’t paint	Chuck Berry (1926-2017)
Music is an important part of our culture and record stores play a vital part in keeping the power of music alive	Chuck Berry (1926-2017)
If you play music for no other reason than actually just because you love it, the skills just kinda creep up on you	Nuno Bettencourt (1966-)
Music can change the world because it can change people	Bono (1960-)
Music fills in for words a lot of the time when people don’t know what to say, and I think music can be more eloquent than words	Bono (1960-)
I had to resign myself, many years ago, that I’m not too articulate when it comes to explaining how I feel about things. But my music does it for me, it really does	David Bowie (1947-2016)
I wanted to prove the sustaining power of music	David Bowie (1947-2016)
My theory is this; I’m not a political songwriter. I’m an honest songwriter	Billy Bragg (1957-)
It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony	Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
I guess all songs is folk songs. I never heard no horse sing them	Big Bill Broonzy (1893-1958)
I only got a seventh-grade education, but I have a doctorate in funk, and I like to put that to good use	James Brown (1933-2006)
I don’t really need to be remembered. I hope the music’s remembered	Jeff Buckley (1966-1997)

Punk was defined by an attitude rather than a musical style	David Byrne (1952-)
We don’t make music, it makes us	David Byrne (1952-)
With music, you often don’t have to translate it. It just affects you, and you don’t know why	David Byrne (1952-)
You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends	David Byrne (1952-)
Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart	Pablo Casals (1876-1973)
Of emotions, of love, of breakup, of love and hate and death and dying, mama, apple pie, and the whole thing. It covers a lot of territory, country music does	Johnny Cash (1932-2003)

I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me – like food or water	Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music is about the only thing left that people don’t fight over	Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music to me is like breathing. I don’t get tired of breathing. I don’t get tired of music!	Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music is powerful. As people listen to it, they can be affected. They respond	Ray Charles (1930-2004)
The important thing is to feel your music, really feel it and believe it	Ray Charles (1930-2004)
Music became a healer for me. And I learned to listen with all my being. I found that it could wipe away all the emotions of fear and confusion relating to my family	Eric Clapton (1945-)
Music will always find its way to us, with or without business, politics, religion, or any other bullshit attached. Music survives everything	Eric Clapton (1945-)
The point is, technology has empowered so many musicians, you know?	Stanley Clarke (1951-)
If it’s illegal to rock and roll, throw my ass in jail!	Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
I have one message for young musicians around the world: Stay true to your heart, believe in yourself, and work hard	Joe Cocker (1944-2014)
I want to read… poems filled with terror and music that changes laws and lives	Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
If I knew where the good songs came from, I’d go there more often	Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Music is the emotional life of most people	Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Nobody leaves this place without singing the blues	Albert Collins (1932-1993)
Simple music is the hardest music to play and blues is simple music	Albert Collins (1932-1993)
Musicians understand each other through means other than speaking	Ry Cooder (1947-)
To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable	Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
There’s a lot of integrity with musicians; you really still aspire to grow, and be great, to be the best version of yourself you can be	Sheryl Crow (1962-)
Every song is like a painting	Dick Dale (1937-2019)
I don’t play pyrotechnic scales. I play about frustration, patience, anger. Music is an extension of my soul	Dick Dale (1937-2019)
If songs were lines in a conversation, the situation would be fine	Nick Drake (1948-1974)
This land is your land and this land is my land, sure, but the world is run by those that never listen to music anyway	Bob Dylan (1941-)
I have a curiosity that compels me to find ways to make music that are fresh and new	The Edge (1961-)
Music is such a great communicator. It breaks down linguistic barriers, cultural barriers, it basically reaches out. That’s when rock n’ roll succeeds, and that’s what virtuosity is all about	The Edge (1961-)
You see, rock and roll isn’t a career or hobby – it’s a life force. It’s something very essential	The Edge (1961-)
My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require	Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
I merely took the energy it takes to pour and wrote some blues	Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
I need drama in my life to keep making music	Eminem (1972-)
If people take anything from my music, it should be motivation to know that anything is possible as long as you keep working at it and don’t back down	Eminem (1972-)
Aggressive music can only shock you once. Afterwards, its impact declines. It’s inevitable	Brian Eno (1948-)
I’m a painter in sound	Brian Eno (1948-)
I’m fascinated by musicians who don’t completely understand their territory; that’s when you do your best work	Brian Eno (1948-)
You should play with real musicians; the best music comes from real people interacting with each other	John Fogerty (1945-)
It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I’ve done my job	Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)
Finding a good band is like finding a good wife. You got to keep trying till you find the right one	Ace Frehley (1951-)
That’s what Kiss is all about – not just music, but entertainment, y’know? We’re there to take you away from your problems, and rock and roll all night and party every day for those two hours you’re at the concert	Ace Frehley (1951-)
I enjoy being able to express myself and the band is the perfect way of doing that	Keith Flint (1969-2019)
Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence	Robert Fripp (1946-)
Hardly a day goes by without me sticking on a Muddy Waters record	Rory Gallagher (1948-1995)
Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise	George Gershwin (1898-1937)
A song without music is a lot like H2 without the O	Ira Gershwin (1896-1983)
Until you learn to play what you want to hear, you’re barking up the wrong tree	Billy Gibbons (1949-)
Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments	Benny Goodman (1909-1986)
Never lose faith in real rock and roll music. Never lose faith in that. You might have to look a little harder, but it’s always going to be there	Dave Grohl (1969-)
Anyone who used more than three chords is just showing off	Woody Guthrie (1912-1967)
I’ve never missed a gig yet. Music makes people happy, and that’s why I go on doing it – I like to see everybody smile	Buddy Guy (1936-)
Listen to the lyrics – we’re singing about everyday life: rich people trying to keep money, poor people trying to get it, and everyone having trouble with their husband or wife!	Buddy Guy (1936-)
Music is the tool to express life – and all that makes a difference	Herbie Hancock (1940-)
I do know the effect that music still has on me – I’m completely vulnerable to it. I’m seduced by it	Debbie Harry (1945-)

Music is a safe kind of high	Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
Music is my religion	Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
My goal is to be one with the music. I just dedicate my whole life to this art	Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
We plan for our sound to go inside the soul of a person… and see if they can awaken some kind of thing in their minds	Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all	Billie Holiday (1915-1959)
Music is the only thing I’ve ever known that doesn’t have any rules at all	Josh Homme (1973-)
Great music seems to come from a lot of angst, and that angst is from great musicians getting together with intense chemistry. When that chemistry isn’t there, people tend not to write great music	Peter Hook (1956-)

I don’t like no fancy chords. Just the boogie. The drive. The feeling. A lot of people play fancy but they don’t have no style. It’s a deep feeling-you just can’t stop listening to that sad blues sound. My sound	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
It’s never hard to sing the blues. Everyone in the world has the blues	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
No matter what you got, the blues is there	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
Poor people have the blues because they’re poor and hungry. Rich people can’t sleep at night because they’re trying to hold on to their money and everything they have	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
The blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
When I die, they’ll bury the blues with me. But the blues will never die	John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
I had the one thing you need to be a blues singer, I was born with the blues	Lightnin’ Hopkins (1912-1982)
Ain’t but one kind of blues and that consists of a male and female that’s in love	Son House (1902-1988)
The blues is not a plaything like some people think they are	Son House (1902-1988)
I don’t think punk ever really dies, because punk rock attitude can never die	Billy Idol (1955-)
Rock isn’t art, it’s the way ordinary people talk	Billy Idol (1955-)
Ladies and gentleman, I’ve suffered for my music, now it’s your turn	Neil Innes (1944-)
To have someone to relate to and hopefully enjoy the music and get a positive message out of it, to make the best music that we possibly could, those were the goals	Janet Jackson (1966-)
I believe that through music we can help heal the world	Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
I believe we should encourage children to sing and play instruments from an early age	Mick Jagger (1943-)
You start out playing rock ‘n’ roll so you can have sex and do drugs, but you end up doing drugs so you can still play rock ‘n’ roll and have sex	Mick Jagger (1943-)
My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I like to think I did that	Etta James (1938-2012)
I grew up in a world that told girls they couldn’t play rock ‘n’ roll	Joan Jett (1958-)
If nothing else, music lets you know that you’re not alone	Joan Jett (1958-)
Music is healing. It’s a really powerful thing, not to be taken lightly	Joan Jett (1958-)
I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music	Billy Joel (1949-)
Musicians want to be the loud voice for so many quiet hearts	Billy Joel (1949-)
Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours	Elton John (1947-)
I been studyin’ the rain and I’m ‘on drive my blues away	Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
Some people tell me that the worried blues ain’t bad. Worst old feelin’ I most ever had	Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
The blues is a low down achin’ chill	Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
If you think you’re too old to rock ‘n’ roll then you are	Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister (1945-2015)
And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die	BB King (1925-2015)
Notes are expensive… spend them wisely	BB King (1925-2015)
I think no matter what kind of music you play, there will be moments when you feel like it’s all been done before	Kerry King (1964-)
Music is my life, it is a reflection of what I go through	Lenny Kravitz (1964-)
And I think for me, any great art is art which communicates human emotion	Greg Lake (1947-2016)
The bottom line is that musicians love to make music and always will	Jennifer Lopez (1969-)
If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it	John Lennon (1940-1980)
Songwriting is like… being possessed. You try to go to sleep but the song won’t let you	John Lennon (1940-1980)
Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion – very powerful emotions. That’s what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and – people identify with that	Annie Lennox (1954-)
Nothing pleases me more than to go into a room and come out with a piece of music	Paul McCartney (1942-)
I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T-shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that	Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010)
The popularity of punk rock was, in effect, due to the fact that it made ugliness beautiful	Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010)
Music is born out of the inner sounds within a soul	John McLaughlin (1942-)
Actors always want to be musicians, and musicians want to be actors	Marilyn Manson (1969-)
Music is the strongest form of magic	Marilyn Manson (1969-)
My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die	Bob Marley (1945-1981)
My music will go on forever. Maybe it’s a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever	Bob Marley (1945-1981)
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain	Bob Marley (1945-1981)
I’m just a musical prostitute, my dear	Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
Life is too short to listen to bad music	Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
What I look for in musicians is a sense of infinity	Pat Metheny (1954-)
All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians	Thelonious Monk (1917-1982)
A musician’s or artist’s responsibility is a simple one, and that is, through your music to tell the truth	Tom Morello (1964-)
Music inflames temperament	Jim Morrison (1943-1971)
Music is the magic carpet that carries poetry	Jim Morrison (1943-1971)
Music is spiritual. The music business is not	Van Morrison (1945-)
You can’t stay the same. If you’re a musician and a singer, you have to change, that’s the way it works	Van Morrison (1945-)
Three chords and the truth – that’s what a country song is	Willie Nelson (1933-)
If it’s too loud, you’re too old	Ted Nugent (1948-)
If I ever really felt depressed, I would just start putting on all my old records that I played as a kid, because the whole thing that really lifted me then still lifted me then, still lifted me during those other times	Jimmy Page (1944-)
I’m all about inspiring young musicians to get out there and express themselves through music	Orianthi Panagaris (1985-)
Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play	Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn	Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art	Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
You can’t go to the store and buy a good ear and rhythm	Les Paul (1915-2009)
If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them	Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)
I don’t know, my music has always just come from where the wind blew me. Like where I’m at during a particular moment in time	Tom Petty (1950-2017)
Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There’s not some trick involved with it. It’s pure and it’s real. It moves, it heals, it communicates and does all these incredible things	Tom Petty (1950-2017)
I don’t know how much more expressive you can get than being a rock and roll singer	Robert Plant (1948-)
Music is for every single person that walks the planet	Robert Plant (1948-)
I like music that’s more offensive. I like it to sound like nails on a blackboard, get me wild	Iggy Pop (1947-)
Music is life, and life is not a business	Iggy Pop (1947-)
‘Punk rock’ is a word used by dilettantes and heartless manipulators about music that takes up the energies, the bodies, the hearts, the souls, the time and the minds of young men who give everything they have to it	Iggy Pop (1947-)
Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it	Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

I’m always happy. I’m never sad. I never slow down. I’m constantly occupied with music	Prince (1958-2016)
Music is music, ultimately. If it makes you feel good, cool	Prince (1958-2016)
The hardest thing with musicians is getting them not to play	Prince (1958-2016)
The key to longevity is to learn every aspect of music that you can	Prince (1958-2016)
I am flattered to have been the woman to have opened the door for female rockers to be accepted into the mainly male industry	Suzi Quatro (1950-)
Rock n’ roll! It’s the music of puberty	Suzi Quatro (1950-)
Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music	Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
I never saw music in terms of men and women or black and white. There was just cool and uncool	Bonnie Raitt (1949-)
The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes	Bonnie Raitt (1949-)
All punk is is attitude. That’s what makes it. The attitude	Joey Ramone (1951-2001)
Rock ‘n’ roll is very special to me. It’s my lifeblood	Joey Ramone (1951-2001)
The only love affair I have ever had was with music	Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re singing in, they still know good music when they hear it	Lou Rawls (1933-2006)
Music should come crashing out of your speakers and grab you, and the lyrics should challenge whatever preconceived notions that listener has	Lou Reed (1942-2013)
My God is rock ‘n’ roll	Lou Reed (1942-2013)
My music, I hope, takes 100% of your concentration. I know how to do that	Trent Reznor (1965-)

If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music	Keith Richards (1943-)
Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones	Keith Richards (1943-)
Music is a necessity. After food, air, water and warmth, music is the next necessity of life	Keith Richards (1943-)
Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards	Keith Richards (1943-)
To make a rock ‘n’ roll record, technology is the least important thing	Keith Richards (1943-)
I’ve always said music should make you laugh, make you cry or make you think. If it doesn’t do one those things, then you’re wasting everybody’s time	Kenny Rogers (1938-)
Texas is a hotbed of insanely good bands and musicians	Henry Rollins (1961-)
The musician is perhaps the most modest of animals, but he is also the proudest	Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Anyone who loves music can never be quite unhappy	Franz Schubert (1797-1827)
There is no such thing as happy music	Franz Schubert (1797-1827)
When you play, never mind who listens to you	Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Songs won’t save the planet, but neither will books or speeches	Pete Seeger (1919-2014)
The music that I have learned and want to give is like worshipping God. It’s absolutely like a prayer	Ravi Shankar (1920-2012)
Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die	Paul Simon (1941-)
Music is feeling. You can try to verbalize it. It really just hits you or it doesn’t	Gene Simmons (1949-)
Artists, musicians, scientists – if you have any kind of visionary aptitude, it’s often something that you don’t have a choice in. You have to do it	Patti Smith (1946-)

I don’t think I’ll ever write a song that’ll ever move me as much as ‘Faith’, that’ll change my life as much as that song did, or encapsulates a period of my life as well as that one does	Robert Smith (1959-)
I do a job I really, really love and I kind of have fun with. People think you can’t be grown up unless you’re moaning about your job	Robert Smith (1959-)
I had no desire to be famous; I just wanted to make the greatest music ever made. I didn’t want anyone to know who I was	Robert Smith (1959-)
I honestly don’t class myself as a songwriter. I’ve got ‘musician’ written on my passport. That’s even funnier	Robert Smith (1959-)
I lose myself in music because I can’t be bothered explaining what I feel to anyone else around me	Robert Smith (1959-)
The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with	Bruce Springsteen (1949-)
Half the battle is selling music, not singing it. It’s the image, not what you sing	Rod Stewart (1945-)
If you play music with passion and love and honesty, then it will nourish your soul, heal your wounds and make your life worth living. Music is its own reward	Sting (1951-)
A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence	Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977)
I haven’t understood a bar of music in my life, but I have felt it	Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
My music is best understood by children and animals	Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end	Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
People have told me songs I’ve written have changed their life. That`s remarkable. That keeps your faith	Joe Strummer (1952-2002)
Punk rock isn’t something you grow out of. Punk rock is an attitude, and the essence of that attitude is ‘give us some truth’	Joe Strummer (1952-2002)
I believe 100 percent in the power and importance of music	James Taylor (1948-)
I never wanted to get rich or be a star. I’m an old bastard but I’m still playing! That’s the point	Bernie Tormé (1952-2019)
Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens	Maria von Trapp (1905-1987)
Music – what a powerful instrument, what a mighty weapon!	Maria von Trapp (1905-1987)
Music is a great natural high and a great natural escape	Shania Twain (1965-)
I’m always pursuing knowledge; I’m a seeker of spiritual equilibrium – and music is a big part of that	Steve Vai (1960-)
Music really is a way to reach out and hold on to each other in a healthy way	Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990)

I don’t know if any genuine, meaningful change could ever result from a song. It’s kind of like throwing peanuts at a gorilla	Tom Waits (1949-)
I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things	Tom Waits (1949-)
Songs really are like a form of time travel because they really have moved forward in a bubble. Everyone who’s connected with it, the studio’s gone, the musicians are gone, and the only thing that’s left is this recording which was only about a three-minute period maybe 70 years ago	Tom Waits (1949-)
The universe is making music all the time	Tom Waits (1949-)
I been in the blues all my life. I’m still delivering ‘cause I got a long memory	Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
My blues are so simple but so few people can play it right	Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll	Muddy Waters (1913-1983)
Being a musician is a noble profession	Paul Weller (1958-)
Music is very spiritual, it has the power to bring people together	Edgar Winter (1946-)
I think the blues will always be around. It just takes one person to make people aware of the blues	Johnny Winter (1944-2014)

I couldn’t do no yodelin’, so I turned to howlin’. And it’s done me just fine	Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
I don’t play anything but the blues, but now I could never make no money on nothin’ but the blues. That’s why I wasn’t interested in nothin’ else	Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
I just play blues for fun	Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
When you ain’t got no money, you got the blues	Howlin’ Wolf (1910-1976)
Music, at its essence, is what gives us memories. And the longer a song has existed in our lives, the more memories we have of it	Stevie Wonder (1950-)
Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand	Stevie Wonder (1950-)
The musical soundscape is an endless road	Zakk Wylde (1967-)
I am probably the last of a generation to be able to gain an education in country music by osmosis, by sitting in a ’64 Ford banging the buttons on the radio	Dwight Yoakam (1956-)
I think the most important thing about music is the sense of escape	Thom Yorke (1968-)
Rock and roll is here to stay	Neil Young (1945-)
There’s an edge to real rock ‘n’ roll. It’s all that matters	Neil Young (1945-)
I don’t understand this phrase ‘I’ve paid my dues’. We didn’t have any money and lived on peanut butter and jelly, and I loved it. I don’t regret any of it. We never expected to make it this far, but we worked hard to get here	Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977)
If prisons, freight trains, swamps, and gators don’t get ya to write songs, man, y’ain’t got no business writin’ songs	Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977)

A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Most people wouldn’t know music if it came up and bit them on the ass	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Music is always a commentary on society	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we’d all love one another	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
You can’t always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream	Frank Zappa (1940-1993)

Tailpiece

Well, the above represents a veritable roll call of music royalty covering multiple centuries. As you might have expected, these maxims from musicians about music are often passionate, heartfelt and powerful, almost beyond words. The historical male dominance of the industry is clear and look forward to more female music professionals being credited for their insightful observations in the future.

There is, as mentioned last month, a certain irony in using plain words to articulate the meaning of music but that is just the medium I’m using. I would encourage you to listen to the source material for many of the elements covered in this series so far. There is a lifetime of ever‑growing musical exploration to be had out there.

CRAVE Guitars posts a ‘quote of the day’, both about music and more generally about ‘life, the universe and everything’ (Douglas Adams) every day on Twitter and Facebook. The previous article and this one have allowed me to draw from that broader research and to focus resources on the collective wisdom of this particular theme.

Having now done two consecutive articles on quotations, you are probably all quoted out by now, so be reassured that there won’t be any more for a while (except my traditional personal observation at the end of every article). As far as I can tell, this is the penultimate article in this long series, which means that, all being well, we should culminate the next month, as scheduled. As a bit of bait, I will leave you to ponder what else might be espoused in the way of a conclusion. Any guesses?

Despite the global shutdown of society, I’m sticking to what I know and love doing, which is to continue my mission to share with anyone who may be interested some selfishly selected stuff about ‘Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric’ Guitars. Weirdly, I am actually very comfortable in splendid seclusion and I would be quite happy to continue a relatively hermetic lifestyle whatever comes to pass. In the meantime, above all, please look after yourselves and take care – stay home, stay safe. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “True wealth is appreciating what you have now and neither grieving for what you might have had nor for what you may wish to have”

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31 Mar 2020

March 2020 – The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts – Part XII

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations | 0

Introduction

Before we get going, I can’t help but comment on the current crisis. We live in truly remarkable times. It seems unimaginable how rapidly and fundamentally the COVID‑19 pandemic has negatively impacted on our global society. Just one month ago, the coronavirus outbreak didn’t even register as a ‘thing’ in the last article. How quickly things change. Is the current madness possibly some Promethean portent? One can contemplate conspiracy theories until the cows come home; ultimately, it matters not whether it is intentional biological terrorism, divine intervention or arbitrary happenstance, the consequences of today’s events will undoubtedly resonate through our species’ future history (if there is any!).

With the very real threat of the ‘coronapocalypse’ doing its best to destabilise our fragile civilisation, thank you for bothering to pop in here and take a look at the latest in this series of articles. The cruel irony of documenting mankind’s musical history up to 2020 is not lost on me. If society, as far we know it, ends c.2020, this evidential record may, after all, tell the full story of man’s last days of making music on this Earth. One can only hope that there may be some surviving souls left to learn and convey the salutary tale of our artistic legacy to upcoming generations.

Anyhoo, as an idle distraction from looking into the abyss (paraphrasing German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche), we really should stick to the knitting (referencing American business author Tom Peters) – apologies for merrily mixing my metaphors. You may have thought that after 11 lengthy articles, several hundred documented global events and around 1,700 discrete music facts that we’d be done by now and we could simply move on to another topic altogether. Not quite. To me, the narrative remains a touch inchoate and there are a few things that I felt needed to be added in order to give more life to the sterile specifics.

Before we move onto the next morsel on the menu, it’s time for that regular monthly recap. If you would like to (re)visit the first eleven parts (and 370 years) of the story, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):

The Story of Modern Music Part XII – Epilogue #1

So far this series of articles has chronicled more than three‑and‑a‑half centuries of musical evolution through a multitude of factual snippets. However, the trouble with facts is that they are just that, facts. There is little subjectivity associated with them. If nothing else, music is important to us because of the way express ourselves and how it makes us feel. Music may evoke strong memories or trigger deep emotional responses and will surely be different for every individual. What I want to convey in this article is how profoundly and vitally important music is to us mere Homo sapiens (which, paradoxically, is Latin for ‘wise man’, coined by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1758).

If you recall my previous 9‑part series on the ‘History of the Guitar’, that particular chronology covered several millennia, so it is clear that people have been making and listening to music for many centuries and, consequently, people have also been thinking, talking and debating music’s contribution to civilisation for a similar period. In many ways, the ‘History of the Guitar’ and the ‘Story of Modern Music’ make for good companion pieces and can be correlated and cross‑referenced.

Musicians are understandably a biased sample of the population. They are embedded in their craft to the point that, for many artists, life is an adjunct to music, rather than vice versa. What I want to explore with this article is the attachment that so many non‑musicians from hugely diverse backgrounds have to music in all its manifestations. While it is certainly possible for me to pontificate on such matters (as I’m sure you are well aware that I’m prone to do), it is better that the insights herein come from recognised commentators on the human condition and who have at one time or another over several hundreds of years made statements about music. Their vocabulary is far more eloquent and succinct than mine you’ll be pleased to hear. The source of these insightful anecdotes is a rag‑tag grouping of people with some historical stature, so as to bring some further credibility to the feelings we all may have about the subject matter.

The aim is hopefully to provide a completely different perspective on music in its infinite diversity, as well as be entertaining along the way. Is it just me or is there is some intrinsic irony in using only words to describe music without any melody or harmony involved?

The other advantage of this (first) epilogue is that it is significantly shorter than any others in the series so far. I haven’t tried to go for quantity here, rather I have endeavoured to document some quality observations. You may well recognise a few of these words of wisdom. Similarly, there will undoubtedly be many that I have omitted or missed, so feel free to fill in any gaps with your own favourites.

80‑ish essential quotes about music by non-musicians

The following quotes are in alphabetical order of the person, rather than any attempt to document the sayings in date order, as with the previous articles. I hope these fascinating and varied idioms carry you off to a different place, albeit temporarily.

Beethoven tells you what it’s like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it’s like to be human. Bach tells you what it’s like to be the universe – Douglas Adams (1952‑2001)

Where words fail, music speaks – Hans Christian Andersen (1805‑1875)

Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up – Hans Christian Andersen (1805‑1875)

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness – Maya Angelou (1928‑2014)

Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances – Maya Angelou (1928‑2014)

The most exciting rhythms seem unexpected and complex, the most beautiful melodies simple and inevitable – W.H. Auden (1907‑1973)

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life – Berthold Auerbach (1812‑1882)

Without music, life would be a blank to me – Jane Austen (1775‑1817)

Music is the voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows – Napoleon Bonaparte (1769‑1821)

A lot of music is mathematics. It’s balance – Mel Brooks (1926‑)

There is no truer truth obtainable by man than comes of music – Robert Browning (1812‑1889)

Who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once – Robert Browning (1812‑1889)

To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it’s about, but the music the words make – Truman Capote (1924‑1984)

Music is well said to be the speech of angels – Thomas Carlyle (1795‑1881)

Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist ― G.K. Chesterton (1874‑1936)

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song – anonymous Chinese proverb

Music is the soundtrack of your life – Dick Clark (1929‑2012)

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without – Confucius (551‑479 BCE)

If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the quality of its music will furnish the answer – Confucius (551‑479 BCE)

Extraordinary how potent cheap music is – Noël Coward (1899‑1973)

We are the music makers, and we are the dreamer of dreams – Roald Dahl (1916‑1990)

If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week – Charles Darwin (1809‑1882)

Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can’t – Johnny Depp (1963‑)

Most people die with their music still locked up inside them – Benjamin Disraeli (1804‑1881)

If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music… I cannot tell if I would have done any creative work of importance in music, but I do know that I get most joy in life out of my violin – Albert Einstein (1879‑1955)

It is always fatal to have music or poetry interrupted – George Eliot (1819‑1880)

Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music – George Eliot (1819‑1880)

You are the music while the music lasts – T.S. Eliot (1888‑1965)

Music causes us to think eloquently – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‑1882)

Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife ― Kahlil Gibran (1883‑1931)

Where words leave off, music begins – Heinrich Heine (1797‑1856)

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent – Victor Hugo (1802‑1885)

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music – Aldous Huxley (1894‑1963)

Music expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words – Robert G. Ingersoll (1833‑1899)

I need music. It’s like my heartbeat, so to speak. It keeps me going no matter what’s going on – bad games, press, whatever! – LeBron James (1984‑)

The only truth is music – Jack Kerouac (1922‑1969)

You couldn’t not like someone who liked the guitar – Stephen King (1947‑)

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe – Laozi (6^th Century BCE)

It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf – Walter Lippmann (1889‑1974)

Music is the universal language of mankind – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807‑1882)

The great tragedy of the average man is that he goes to his grave with his music still in him – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807‑1882)

Music is the art of the prophets and the gift of God – Martin Luther (1483‑1546)

My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary – Martin Luther (1483‑1546)

Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world – Martin Luther (1483‑1546)

Music and silence combine strongly because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music – Marcel Marceau (1923‑2007)

A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself – Abraham Maslow (1908‑1970)

I try to apply colours like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music – Joan Miró (1893‑1983)

I painted the picture, and in the colours the rhythm of the music quivers. I painted the colours I saw – Edvard Munch (1863‑1944)

Music brings a warm glow to my vision, thawing mind and muscle from their endless wintering – Haruki Murakami (1949‑)

And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be insane, by those who could not hear the music – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

In music the passions enjoy themselves – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

Without music, life would be a mistake – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

If you want to make beautiful music, you must play the black and the white notes together – Richard Nixon (1913‑1994)

Music is a whole oasis in my head. The creation process is so personal and fulfilling – River Phoenix (1970‑1993)

Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Musical innovation is full of danger to the State, for when modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the State always change with them – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Love is friendship set to music – Jackson Pollock (1912‑1956)

There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres – Pythagoras (c.570‑495BCE)

Music is a very big participant in everything I do, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed – Zoe Saldana (1978‑)

I would say that music in our schools should be a must. When all other things pass away, music and art are still the things that are remembered. Music is one of the things, like the ability to laugh, that has kept mankind going for thousands of years. Music keeps us sane – Charles M. Schulz (1922‑2000)

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats – Albert Schweitzer (1875‑1965)

If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die – William Shakespeare (1564‑1616)

The earth has music for those who listen – William Shakespeare (1564‑1616)

The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus. Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music – William Shakespeare (1564‑1616)

Hell is full of musical amateurs: music is the brandy of the damned – George Bernard Shaw (1856‑1950)

Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory – Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792‑1822)

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought – Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792‑1822)

How is it that music can, without words, evoke our laughter, our fears, our highest aspirations? – Jane Swan (1925‑2010)

Doctors can heal the body, but it is music that lifts the spirit – Mother Teresa (1910‑1997)

When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest of times, and to the latest – Henry David Thoreau (1817‑1862)

Music is the shorthand of emotion – Leo Tolstoy (1828‑1910)

No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious & charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful – Kurt Vonnegut (1922‑2007)

Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician – Kurt Vonnegut (1922‑2007)

Music is the art which is most high to tears and memory – Oscar Wilde (1854‑1900)

Music makes one feel so romantic – at least it always gets on one’s nerves – which is the same thing nowadays – Oscar Wilde (1854‑1900)

Music enriches people’s lives in the same way paintings and literature do. Everybody deserves that – Victoria Wood (1953‑2016)

Music is an element that should be part and parcel of every child’s life via the education system – Victoria Wood (1953‑2016)

I listened, motionless and still; And, as I mounted up the hill, The music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more – William Wordsworth (1770‑1850)

Tailpiece

That was, I believe, quite an interesting yet valuable diversion. Hopefully, you can now understand the rationale for seeking perceptions that are far more articulate than the absurd utterings of a heretical hierophant like me. One more quote that I like, which I cannot attribute to anyone in particular but which seems relevant and appropriate to current tragic events is, “Sometimes music is the only thing that takes your mind off everything else”.

What next, I hear someone say? As American amateur anthropologist Robert Ripley might say, “believe it or not”, there is a bit more ground to cover yet so my labours require a little more perseverance. Having come this far, though, I hope you’ll stick with it until the very end, which is now in plain sight.

With the artifice of our flimsy and ephemeral culture unravelling before our very eyes, please take care, stay safe, be healthy, look after yourselves and extract solace from some of the great musical milestones covered in these particular periodical parlances (sorry, I can’t help the allure of pretentious alliteration). Perhaps, if there is a sliver of something positive to take from being so close to the wretched mortal precipice, it is to ‘take nothing for granted’ and ‘make the most of every moment’. Clichés perhaps but also truisms for our tragic times. Surely, to do otherwise is eschewing sanity.

It will probably be no surprise that I relish presiding in splendid self‑imposed isolation and seclusion. This conscious choice is less to do with any prevailing contagion but more to do with being a curmudgeonly reclusive misanthrope. As I am sure you are well aware, I can’t resist the addictive magnetism of cool vintage guitars, effects and amps so, in between these inane cogitations and avoiding the prevalent plague, you probably know where I’ll be and what I’ll be doing. I hope I’m still here for ensuing articles. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “The science of the universe is the rule book by which our music is created. The mystery of the brain is the filter by which our music is felt as emotion”

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