Ok, so...three rock musician walk into a barn...
What? You've never heard that joke? Yeah, me neither. It just sorta came to me yesterday while I was watching It Might Get Loud. This film, a documentary of sorts featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White, is a must see for the rock fan. Heck, you can even hate Led Zeppelin, U2, and The White Stripes, and still get something out of the movie. Seriously.
The film provides individual histories of each guitarist, told in a non-linear fashion. Eventually, the three stars meet in a summit of sorts, with the discussions and righteous guitar playing taking place in a temporary sound state set up in a barn. The documentary portions don't really provide much in the way of new information, but I'm sure that that wasn't the point. Yes, I'm familiar with the history of U2, but that doesn't the diminish the fun of seeing The Edge mess around with his insane effects setup. It was also entertaining to see Page revisit Headley Grange, where Led Zeppelin IV was recorded. And watching Jack White make some blasphemous noise out of a hastily-constructed single-string "guitar thing"? Not just for guitar geeks such as myself.
It was fascinating to see areas of commonality illuminated between these guitarists, since they come from three different generations. It's tempting to try and pin each man's sound and career arc to their early interests. That does work to a certain extent — Page's folk leanings can be seen as directly related to skiffle — but that's not the whole story. The big intersection, one that is really more general, is that they all love music. Sure, this seems like something of a platitude, but it's the truth: a truth that can seem surprising if we tend to take a more cynical outlook on stardom.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
As much as I don't particularly care for there respective bands or their style of playing, it doesn't surprise me that these guys love music. I think, as a musician, that if you ever stopped loving music that's when you should call it quits.
2 - Mark Saleski
Page said something like near the end of the movie. something about putting off the day when he had nothing new to say on his instrument for as long as possible.
3 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Yea... I would never wanna face that day either. Personally, I feel these guys could have used this time to work on a project together instead of doing a documentary. Working on music with new connections / minds(?) helps ward off that day he's speaking of. Plus, if they really fuse their ideas together without worrying about selling albums, I bet the outcome would be pretty interesting.
4 - Mark Saleski
that would have been interesting, especially if the inner workings of it had been filmed.
but then it makes me remember the question, how many supergroups have actually done anything good?
5 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Well, I guess it's how you approach the idea and what you actually consider a "supergroup" or if those musicians have an ego. I always like hearing how my "favorite" musicians would sound jamming together AND if they are really in it to culminate their styles,so, with that criteria in mind, I dug:
Attention Deficit (Michael Manring,Alex Skolnick & Tim Alexander)
Oysterhead (Les Claypool,Trey Anastasio,Stewart Copeland)
Tomahawk (Mike Patton, Duane Denison, John Stanier, Kevin Rutmanis)
Fantomas,Transatlantic, At War With Self, Gordian Knot... But, I'm a "Project" Fanboi:)
6 - Mark Saleski
yeah, now that i think of it, there have been other combinations of musicians that have done stuff that i've liked, including the Los Lobos side project Latin Playboys.
i really liked both Oysterhead and Tomahawk.
7 - zingzing
electronic (bernard sumner, johnny marr... and sometimes pet shop boys) had a stunningly good first album.
khanate (blind idiot god, sun o))) and OLD guys) did some unique stuff.
also, you can possibly consider broken social scene... (too many to name). their second and third albums are ridiculously good.
8 - zingzing
and plastic ono band (clapton, beatles, yes, manfred mann, etc, etc.) are just about the best group ever.
9 - zingzing
pob also featured yoko ono, phil spector and keith moon (although i have never run across anything with moon on it... the internet insists it's true).
10 - Mark Saleski
good points zing. well, except for Electronic....since i hate both New Order and The Smiths.
11 - zingzing
tut tut. the s/t electronic sounds much more like new order. the combined melodic powers of SUM-MARR!!!! is undeniable. it really is a fantastic album. so cheesy, yet so good.
12 - Josh Hathaway
Wow... I'm going to disagree with Saleski on something- like that's never happened. I agree with Zing that the first Electronic CD was pretty special. "Forbidden City" is one of the best songs ever. It slays me every time and I don't know why.
Now to the part where Mark and I agree: bravo to the gents in the film. I'd not realized it was out on DVD. I'm going to buy the shit out of this. Let's also raise our glass to the Greek CD, which was stunningly good- better than I thought it would be.
13 - zingzing
forbidden city is on the second one, just to make it clear. the second one is alright. i used to hate it, but it's growing on me. the third also has some great stuff. but the first... probably in my top 3 albums, and i'd have to label it my favorite if i was being honest. it's not the best album ever, but i just love it so much.
14 - Mark Saleski
sorry zing, my ear parts cringe at the very idea of anything from Smiths, New Order, Joy Division...bleah.
p.s. just saw something on twitter (from Crawdaddy) indicating that Mr. Page is hoping to have new material out later this year.
15 - Josh Hathaway
Zing is correct. "City" is on the 2nd CD, not the self-titled first. I like that CD but especially that song.
16 - zingzing
"sorry zing, my ear parts cringe at the very idea of anything from Smiths, New Order, Joy Division...bleah."
blasphemer! you shall burn. know it now. also know that you should get to your ear doctor.
17 - El Bicho
"Very cool to see a real guitar hero playing air guitar to his own hero."
either on the commentary or an extra a producer adds it was the first time she's seen someone air guitar and playing it correctly.
Also, it was great to see that the same eagerness watching Jimmy play was mutual. He and the Edge were so excited to learn what the hell Jack was doing on Seven Nation Army, I think.
"Personally, I feel these guys could have used this time to work on a project together instead of doing a documentary."
Yeah, and if they had married my uncle they'd be my aunt. They were approached and agreed to take time from what they were doing to participate in interviews before meeting each other. How exactly was this project supposed to originate exactly?
"my ear parts cringe at the very idea of anything from Smiths, New Order, Joy Division...bleah."
Heh. That help explains why you don't like The National who I am hearing at 'Roo as I type
18 - Jordan Richardson
khanate (blind idiot god, sun o))) and OLD guys) did some unique stuff.
Sooooo good.
19 - Christopher Rose
I can understand Mark not liking Joy Division or New Order, though he probably will in another 10 or 20 years, but am surprised that he doesn't like the Smiths either.
20 - Mark Saleski
Heh. That help explains why you don't like The National who I am hearing at 'Roo as I type
exactly. if i want to hear lurch sing over indie rock i'll mash up Interpol with some old adams family soundtracks.
21 - Mark Saleski
it's all in the vocals christopher. Morrisey goes in my bucket of disagreeable voices. bleah.
22 - Christopher Rose
I just think the Smiths were weak and old fashioned myself. Their best song for me was "Hand In Glove" and even then Sandie Shaw did it better.
Is there any music from Manchester that you do like?
23 - zingzing
jordan, somehow i didn't figure you for a khanate type. actually, i don't figure i'd figure anyone as a khanate type, but hell, i don't think anyone is. they're just so strange. inflicting it on another person is one of the greatest joys i know.
chris, joy division and new order are so different. sometimes, joy division makes me cringe a bit. too dark for their own good, but they're so often beautiful. new order is one of the greatest bands ever. such convoluted structures, such technical experimentation, such ridiculous lyrics (none of it makes sense, except now and again, he'll come up with a little couplet that's totally great. he's so charming). new order was in the right place at the right time and did the right thing with it. that they were also so good at pop was the blessing that took them from great to gods. (and the album art... oi.)
moz has a voice that's easy to love or hate. that's true. but to deny johnny marr's awesome guitars (so many layers, so much jangle) is just wrong-headed and foolish. look past the vocals, mark, and you'll see one of the great 80s bands. how marr made the music for the s/t debut right out the gate, i'll never know. so many interlocking patterns... how he was able to work them out before getting into a studio is just ridiculous. he is a musical genius.
24 - Christopher Rose
Not quite sure why you are explaining to me that JD & NO are so different, zingzing.
I worked with Factory and Factory Benelux for a while and I love pretty much everything by New Order apart from the most recent stuff, which is pretty lazy contract filler standard.
As to Joy Division, I used to love "Closer" the most, but for the last 20 years or so I have much more love for "Unknown Pleasures", which is pretty close to perfect.
I love almost everything by them with the exception of "Love Will Tear Us Apart", which I think is dire.
As to the Smiths, I don't dislike Morrissey's voice, I just find the group dull and had to bite my tongue on the subject whilst working for Rough Trade.
As to Johnny Marr, I find him as bafflingly over-rated and dull as post-Jam Paul Weller.
If I wanted to listen to jangly guitars - and I often do - I'd rather listen to bands like the brilliant Orange Juice and the other Postcard bands like Josef K or early Aztec Camera, all of whom do it far more beautifully, or even someone like the late, great Alex Chilton, all of whom I also had the good luck to work with.
25 - Mark Saleski
can't look past the vocals zing. i've never been able to do that.