New McGuinn interview

[Folkie]

Don't worry, Roger's still jangling!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SEzMVbj ... re=related

[wmthor]

Any of you who follow the "Folk Den" have probably also noticed the absence of the Ric 12's in the mix of guitars lately.

It's my opinion that most of the Folk Den songs do not lend themselves to an electric instrument.

[jimk]

It's my opinion that most of the Folk Den songs do not lend themselves to an electric instrument.

Possibly. But I'd never say never. It's just a guitar, after all.
JimK

[Folkie]

Sometimes the electric 12-string overdubs really do complement the folk songs: take, for example, "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad" or "500 Miles."

[Scastles]

It's my opinion that most of the Folk Den songs do not lend themselves to an electric instrument.

Possibly. But I'd never say never. It's just a guitar, after all.
JimK

I have to agree, Jim. You never know. I think we all have periods of preference of what instrument we want to use. Roger is likely no different. But, he has been using the Martin almost exclusively of late. Maybe it's just the ease of using it. The last time I saw him was the same year he first got the HD-7, and it was all he used in his concert. We talked briefly after that show and he felt the Martin gave him everything he needed to duplicate many of the old Byrds tunes. I certainly wasn't disappointed in the show, but I guess being a Rick enthusiast I wanted to see the 370.
BTW, for those who enjoy the Folk Den recordings, one of my friends engineered the song 'Arctic Sea' when Roger decided on the spot to record it in Anchorage while there to do a show.

[Folkie]

When I saw Roger back in the mid 1990's he played his 370/12 for the entire show. When I saw him two and a half years ago with John Sebastian he played four songs ("My Back Pages," "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Feel a Whole Lot Better," and "Turn! Turn! Turn!") on the 370/12; the rest he played mostly on his Martin 7-string and occasionally his Martin 12-string. I remember expecting to hear more of the electric 12, but I was in no way disappointed. His acoustic readings of "Eight Miles High" and "The Bells of Rhymney" were, I think, the best versions I've heard him do. And I had never visited the Folk Den (let alone this website), so most of the acoustic songs (with the exception of "St. James Infirmary") were totally new to me.

I took my first lessons at a local folk music shop that has long since closed. The guys there were purists and my teacher was a Byrds fanatic. I remember lighting up when I heard him play "Chestnut Mare" for the first time. So I've been into folk music much longer than any other style, and I really applaud Roger for having the guts and the integrity to return to his roots. The whole purpose of the Folk Den is to popularize traditional folk music, which was exactly what the Byrds were trying to do. The music deserves a larger audience and Roger is spreading the word.