Love Her Madly
THE PANDEMIC MAY have killed off live performances and slowed the release of major new albums to a trickle, but it’s been a blast exploring some of the greatest recordings of the past 50 years these last several months. The 1970s were a veritable feast of amazing music across the genres of rock, blues, soul and jazz, and we’ve had a good time revisiting classic albums and songs with the artists who created them, including Jimmy Page, Steve Howe, Carlos Santana, George Benson and Martin Barre.
This issue brings us not one but two such treats, both from Guitar Player alumnus James Rotondi. First up, James speaks with Robby Krieger — as well as drummer John Densmore and producer Bruce Botnick — about the making of L.A. Woman, the Doors’ pioneering 1971 blues-rock excursion and final album with Jim Morrison. James’ knowledge of the group is thorough, and his insights into the music — from the performances to the underlying chords and modes employed — are revealing, making it possible to appreciate this classic album in entirely new ways.
But his intimacy with the music and band history really pays off when it comes to his conversations with the players. He coaxes new revelations from the virtuosic Mr. Krieger, and engages Densmore and Botnick in ways that demonstrate how the band as a whole — including their two guest artists, guitarist Marc Benno and bassist Jerry Scheff — worked as one to create this timeless music. James also speaks in depth with Benno about his career, and I encourage everyone to take the time to get to know this fine guitarist and his work.
Next up, Roto returns with three great stories about Peter Frampton, starting with his new album, Frampton Forgets the Words. James, who has been playing guitar for Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley’s touring lineup, has a deep knowledge of Peter’s work, and that informs their conversations about everything from phrasing to tone to soloing. He also speaks with Peter’s longtime Nashvillebased guitar tech, Darren Hurst, for insights into the expansive rig the guitarist employed for 2019’s Finale: The Farewell Tour.
But for me, the most tantalizing part of the story is their conversation about Humble Pie’s 1971 live masterpiece:
Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore. The album was, for many of us, an introduction to not only Frampton and the band but also its tremendously talented singer and guitarist Steve Marriott. Their talk is refreshing and revealing, and it’s guaranteed to make you spin that brilliant live record once again.
In addition to these celebrations of rock history, we asked Richard Bienstock to speak with 10 inspired blues guitarists currently keeping the genre alive and well. As much as we’ve enjoyed catching up with the artists and music of our past,
Guitar Player is dedicated to celebrating the guitarists of today, and it’s refreshing to have received letters from many of you these past months suggesting new players for us to cover, and even turning us on to a few we weren’t familiar with.
I hope you enjoy this latest issue of
Guitar Player, and I look forward to the time, with any luck soon, when we can all once again enjoy music in a live setting and celebrate it as we should — together.