You’re A Guitar Star
Jim Carroll
New York composer Glenn Branca nees 100 guitarists for his forthcoming show in Dublin’s Docklands. Well, 80 guitarists and 20 bass guitarists to be exact. The bass guitar is the one with four strings, in case you’re wondering.
Anyway
This performance will take place in Grand Canal Square in Dublin’s Docklands on Sunday 15th July as part of the Analog music festival.
Selected guitarists and bass players will be asked to attend two rehearsals on 13th and 14th July, from 11am to 9pm, as well as a soundcheck on the day of the concert. Food and drinks will be supplied at all rehearsals and the performance. All musicians will be required to read standard staff notation.
I have a feeling that this “standard staff notation” may be the Achilles Heel for many would-be mini-Brancas.
Those wishing to participate should email glenn@glennbranca.com or go to the Analog site.
If people like Glenn Branca were shoved down our throats more often then perhaps we would be able to read notation fairly easily and openly…
However, we are constantly dealt blow after blow of pitiful musicians like Pete Doherty who can just about turn up for their own show let alone learn how to play their instrument properly…
Tenner says he’ll reach the 100 mark but only 20% will be able to read music…
I meant the comment as a throwaway jibe but it turns out now that not many of the guitarists who initially signed up for the project could actually read music to begin with.
Apparently he has received enough applicants which will exceed the 100 mark by some margin…
However, it is unlikely many will know how to read the music…
I’m guessing the people who applied read as far down as “100 guitarists needed” but failed to continue reading the small print which obviously stated “must know how to read standard notion.”
I wonder if google.ie has been bombarded by “Glenn Branca tabs” requests in the past week.
Everyone who’s signed on so far is a reader. We’ve got near 60 now and I think in the next week or two we’ll have the 100.
Although it is true that there have been 100′s of responses and most can’t or don’t want to do it. It does require some effort but I think worthwhile and satisfying in the end. At least that’s the way it’s gone in past. And thanks for the plug.