I’m on the left working on the finish on Crosby’s 12 string while master luthier Frank Fuller works on the right.
Birth of
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Birth of the12
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teXtbyriCKturner
PhotoGraPhybyGarysoMberG
IN THE FALL OF 1970, these pictures were taken by Gary Somberg for a class at the University of San Francisco, where
he was studying guitarmaking. He happened to come to my Alembic basement shop on Judah St. in San Francisco on a particularly auspicious day: in these photos are instruments that went to David Crosby, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, Jack Casady of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, and Lowell “Banana” Levinger of the Youngbloods, as well as my “Pretzel Guitar,” which went on display at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York last Fall and the either Stauffer or LaCote guitar that inspired my Model 1. These pictures encapsulate the very birth of Alembic as an instrument-building company and represent my early work in full breadth.
I should mention a postscript on Crosby’s 12-string electric: At one point in about 1972, he brought the guitar back for some fine-tuning. We had it upstairs in what was our PA warehouse and recording gear room where we had a mixing studio setup for our Ampex 16 track machine. Some guys broke into the place, the burglar alarm system having been mistakenly turned off by ADT, and they made off with Crosby’s 12-string. One of the hardest things I ever had to do in
my lutherie career was to call David and tell him the guitar was gone. Sure, it was insured, but it was also totally unique, and David had bonded strongly with that instrument and was planning on recording with it and had sessions booked at Wally Heider’s (now the Hyde St. Studios) in San Francisco.
A few days after the theft, I got a call from Bill Stapleton, one of the owners of a small San Francisco music store, Bananas at Large (now much larger and in Marin) saying, “Rick, I think we have something of yours.” I went over, and sure as hell, it was the Crosby 12-string. Three kids had brought it in trying to sell it; they put it on the counter, and Bill saw the “Alembic” logo inlaid in the peghead, grabbed the guitar and said, “I don’t think this is yours and I’m going to make a couple of phone calls.” The kids hightailed it out of the place, Bill called me and I picked up the guitar in perfect condition. Rather than call Crosby, I took the guitar down to the studio that evening and set it up on a stand in the main room, framed perfectly by the control room window and lit so it just glowed. David came in and I maintained a glum look until he turned and saw his guitar. I think his comment was something typically Crosby, “Turner, you asshole!”
Gary Somberg's previously unpublished photographs from Alembic’s earliest days.
That’s me playing David Crosby’s 12-string for the first time. It’s got a Gibson Crest thin hollow body in Brazilian rosewood with a solid Brazilian rosewood neck made by luthier guru Mario Matello. I finished it off by making the welded sculptural bronze tailpiece, doing the Alembic peghead inlay and making the true stereo humbucker pickups. My Alembic partner Ron Wickersham made a custom stereo/mono all discrete preamp. I inlaid LED postion markers in the fingerboard binding. After 40 years, everything still works, including the LEDs, and David swears it’s the best sounding electric 12 in the world.
I’m pulling away a very early — 1968 — double longhorn bass, a close duplicate to the one I made for Jesse Colin Young that burned up in the 1995 Vision Mountain fire in Inverness, California. Right behind it is Alembic 001, Jack Casady’s bass, next to that is a rebuild on a Guild Blues Bird for Lowell “Banana” Levinger, behind that is my old 1820s tilt neck LaCote or Stauffer, behind the classical guitar to my right is a Guild bass in progress for Phil Lesh. The Bigsby equipped 335 may be Bob Weir’s.
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This is my 1969 “Pretzel Guitar” about to get a new neck pickup. This was the first “neck through” instrument I made and featured handmade welded, soldered and machined brass parts, a mahogany and walnut laminated neck, abalone inlays cut from shells that I slabbed on a diamond saw, and handwound pickups. My son Ethan now owns the guitar, and it was featured in a major exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
Me on the left, Ron Wickersham on the right discussing the details of electronics layout for a bass for Phil Lesh. Crosby’s 12-string is on the bench.
36 the fretboard journal
Stringing up Crosby’s 12 for the first time. Note the empty electronics hole, to be later used for a light dimmer knob for the side dot LEDs. I learned how to make the welded bronze tailpiece working for a Marin County jeweler, Anne Dick, ex-wife of science fiction writer Phillip K. Dick.
I’m buffing out the French polish finish on the face of Crosby’s 12-string. The body and neck finish were done in some sort of “Danish oil” formula; I don’t remember the brand.
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I’m drilling yet another hole in the face plate for a Phil Lesh bass, a Guild Starfire conversion later known as Big Brown. Note the quad stacked pot for quad master volume! We were known for wretched excess in controls for Phil and Jack’s basses!
The Lesh bass. Where the hell are we going to put everything? That had, at that point, some of my early trapezoidal pickups. I cut the ceramic magnets myself on a diamond saw, hand wound the coils and cast them in a two-part catalyzed urethane. Ron did the electronics, which included preamps, complex switchable filters and quadraphonic speaker selection for the quad pickup (not yet installed).
On the phone, probably Crosby wondering when the hell his guitar is going to be done.
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David Crosby reflects on history and harmonies
PhotoGraPhyanDteXtbyJasonVerlinDe
galE
DAVID CROSBY IS NO DIFFERENT from a lot of us. He
sports a Cheshire cat grin the minute he talks about guitars. He
proudly explains how the Beatles changed his life and his love for
music of all sorts, from folk to Steely Dan to the Fleet Foxes.
But of course, Crosby is no ordinary musician. Over his long career, he
went from being an acoustic folkie to honing his electric chops with the Byrds
to steering back to acoustics (with the electric sometimes thrown in) in various
Crosby, Stills & Nash incarnations. He released the pivotal If I Could Only
Remember My Name in 1971, the star-studded release that still sounds fresh to
modern ears. And, obviously, he lived a hard life filled with drama, drugs and
even a prison term.
Upon seeing him relaxing at his beautiful Southern California home, it’s
hard to imagine the wild life that David Crosby once lived, not so long ago.
His residence has to be in one of the country’s most peaceful places — Santa
Barbara wine country. His home is quiet, warm and filled with mementos of
a fascinating life, guitars he’s picked up along the way and — of course — his
loving family.
On the day I interviewed Crosby, we talked for hours about the early folk
scene he was a part of, shot some photos, filmed a video for fretboardjournal.
com (a quick take on Joni Mitchell’s “For Free”) and then talked some more
about guitars, music and life. Despite the roller coaster ride his body has been
on, his voice is, quite simply, spine tingling. I asked him how it’s held up all
these years. All he could say was, “I just don’t know, but believe me,
I’m grateful.”
force
44 the fretboard journal
fretboard JourNal:whatkindofbackground,musically,didyougrowupwith?
david crosby:Myparentsplayedalotofclassicalmusicinthehouse;iprobablyheardthebrandenburgconcertos,youknow,289times,bythetimeiwas6.buttheveryfirst10-inch33lPs,wehadseveralofthose,andtheyweretheweavers,JoshwhiteandasouthafricancouplecalledMarais&Miranda.andsoonthereafter,Peteseegeronhisown.andsoonthereafter,odetta.theywerefolkmusic.that’swhatmymombought.sothat’swhatiwasraisedon.
thenmybrotherturnedmeonto’50sjazz.ineverwentthroughtheelvisperiod.MybrotherturnedmeontotoGerryMulligan,Chetbaker,Davebrubeck,thatkindofthing.therewasoneradioactthatpunchedthrough,whichwastheeverlybrothers.
everlybrotherswereahugeinfluence—huge—theyjustrangmybell.ilovedtheirstuff.itwasjusttoogoddamngood.ilovedharmony,rightfromtheget-go.
fJ: becauseofthoseeverlybrothersrecords?dc:largely.ilovedit.andthataffectedhowi
heardfolkmusic,whenistartedhearingfolkmusicandgroups,evenonesascornyasthelimeliters.ilikedtheharmoniesthattheywoulddo.andPeter,Paul&Maryweregood:theyweren’tcorny,theyweregood.andthenyoustarthearingthewordsthatpeopleweredelivering.
fJ:iknowyoumadeyourwaytoGreenwichVillageandhookedupwithfredneil.what
influencedidhehaveonyou?dc:firstplace,hehadaverydeepvoice,very
beautifulone.second,hewouldwritesongs…goodsongs.
fJ:wasfredneilsomeoneyouwereawareofbeforeyoumovedouttoGreenwichVillage?
dc:igottonewyork.iwasafolksinger,playinginlittlecoffeehouses.andiranintothreepeople:fredneil,VinceMartinandawomannamedlisaKindrid.theywereallsinginginthesamecoffeehouses.andbobGibson,areallygood12-stringplayer.
freddyjusthadmoreontheballthananybodyelse;hecouldreallysingandhewasaverysoulfulcat.andhewasmesmerizing:hewasextremelygood.allofuskidsthatwerewantingtobefolksingersweretakenbyhim.idon’tthinkthatanybodythatiknewthathadheardhimwasn’tvery,verystronglyinfluencedbyhim.andthenhewentdowntofloridawhereVincewasfrom.theymadeonerecordtogether,thetwoofthem,andtheybothwentbackdowntoflorida.igotamessagefromeitherfredorfromlisa—ithinkitwasfred—saying,“hey,there’sworkdownhere.therearecoffeehouses.ifyoucomedownhere,youcouldeat.”
andthiswas,youknow,verytoughtimesearlyon.wewereplayingbaskethouses,whichwereplaceswhereyoupassthebasketafterwards.soitooktwocardboardboxesandmyVega12-stringandiwentdowntofloridaandstartedsingingdownthere,andbecameveryclosefriendswith
Previous spread:DavidCrosbyperformingonhisalembic-
modified,12-stringelectric(seepage30formoreonthisguitar’shistory)inMilan,italy.thisguitar
startedoutasaGibsonCrestbody,whichCrosbysomehow
procured,unfinished,fromGibson’splant.itwasthensent
toMarioMartello,whoputasolidbrazilianrosewoodneck
onit,withanebonyfingerboard.thenitwenttorickturnerandalembic.“imadethetailpieceandthestereopickups(three
coursesleft,threecoursesright—truestereo),didthe
alembicinlayinthepeghead,addedtheleDstothesideofthefingerboard(donein1970
andtheystillwork!)andronwickershammadethestereopreamp,”turnerremembers.
“wesetupanamazingamprigwithanalembicf2-bpreamp,aMcintosh2300powerampandsomealembiccabinets.”
Photo:buzzPerson
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Opposite: thoughitstartedoutlifeasatypicalsix-stringMartinD-18,intheearly-1960sCrosbyconvertedthisguitarintoa12-string.anew12-fret,12-stringneckwasinstalledviaJonlundberg’sshopinthebayareaandthebridgewasmovedloweronthebody.anoversizedpickguardcoversuptheoldbridgepinholes.it’sheldupfordecades.“idon’ttuneituptopitch,”Crosbysaysoftheguitar’slongevity.“that’sthetrick.youjustdon’tputitthroughthekindofstrainthatyouputanup-to-pitchguitar.”
Crosby,stills,nash&youngattherhodeislandauditoriuminProvidence,rhodeisland,onMay20,1970.Grahamnashisplayinganearly1960sepiphoneft-79texanthatwasoriginallysunburstbutwasrefinishedinblack.heusedthatguitarintheholliesandintheearlydaysofCrosby,stills,nash&young.stillsisplayinghisGretschwhitefalcon.Photo:robertCorwin/Photo-arts
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aguynamedbobbyingram,whowasandstillisamusiciandownthere,agoodone.webothlearnedagreatdealfromhangingoutwithfreddy.
freddywoulddothingstoyourhead.wewouldbeinanelevatorinnewyorkinanold,crapped-outbuildinginnewyork,andhewouldturnoffthelight.hewouldsay,“listen.themusic’severywhere.”andyou’dheartang, tang, tang, ding, ding, ding.we’dgetstonedandwe’dbesittingnexttoabamboothicket,andhe’dsay,“listen,that’smusic.”itwasabamboothicketinthewind,butitwasbeautiful.hewasaprettyamazingguy.
fJ:howmucholderthanyouwashe?dc:iwasmaybe20,andhewasprobably50.
hehadaverystronginfluenceonme,probablystrongerthanGibson,strongerthanmostpeopleatthattime.andwheniwasinnewyork,ihadrunintoDylan.hewasastronginfluence.
uptillthattime,theonlypeoplewhohadeverevenmadearecordinfolkmusicwerePeter,Paul&Mary.
soiwentovertoGerde’sfolkCityandi’dlistentoDylan.ithought,“well,fuck,icansingbetterthanthat.”thenistartedlisteningtohimatworkandithought,“oh,shit.”thenihadtostartrethinkingwhatiwasgoingtobeabletowrite.
buttheymademefallinlovewithacousticguitarsandtheymademefallinlovewithsinging…allofthoseguysdid.himandbaez.assoonasiranintobaez,i,ofcourse,likeeverybodyelse,fellinlovewithher.shewasagoodpicker.shestillis.
andihavebeeninlovewithacousticguitarseversincethen.Mybrothergavememyfirstone,idon’tevenknowwhatitwas,itwassomekindofnylon-strungthing.ilearnede-minortoa-majorandsatthereplaying“followtheDrinkingGourd.”
fJ:youandtravisedmonsonofbud&travisplayedtogether,right?
dc:Playedtogether,no.iusedtositandwatchtravis.endlessly.therewasaclubinhollywoodcalledtheunicorn.itwasjustadiveandhewouldplaythere.itwasa“coffeehouse.”iwouldjustsitthereandhawkhischangesand
trytofigureoutwhathewasdoing.hewasmoreaccessiblethanmostoftherestoftheguys.hewouldshowyou,hewasfriendly.andgavememyfirstjoint.ilearnedabunchfromhim.
fJ:whatwasthatfirst12-stringyouheard?dc:bobGibson’s.freddyhadone,too.fJ:youjustknewyouwantedone,
immediately?dc:yeah.imean,listentothedamnthing.
it’slikeapiano.thisone[holdinghisoriginalD-18thathehadconvertedtoa12-string]inparticular.ithinkthisisprobablythebestacousticonei’veeverheard.itriedtocopyitanumberoftimes.santaCruzmademeacopyofit.MartinmademeaDavidCrosbymodel12-stringthat’sa12-fretlikethis.
isentMartinthisguitar,andtheysaid,“somebodyveryamateurishlyshavedthebracesinhere.thatwouldn’thavebeenyou,wouldit?”andisaid,“uh,yeah.”
fJ:youdid?dc:yeah.ishavedthebracesalittlebitwitha
Cokebottleandsomesandpaper.fJ:whenwasthat?dc:thatwaswhenifirstgotit.whenibought
it,iwasinChicago.irodeabusouttotheonlystoreinChicagothathadaD-18,whichwasallicouldaffordfromMartin.igotitandiwantedittobeloud.andeventhoughthiswaslate’50sorearly’60s,youcanmake’emlouder.theywerebuilding’emlighterthenthantheydonow.
nowthey’rebuildingthemtotryandlast50years.whichisadmirableontheirpart,ontheonehand,andyet,ontheotherhand,thoseguitarsdon’tringanywherenear.whentheymadetheDavidCrosbyD-18,isaid,“builditlight.”isaid,“Donotbuildittothekindofspecsyouhavebeenbuilding,whereyouexpectaguitartolast50years.”andsothoseDavidCrosbyD-18sringlikeabell,becausethey’rebuiltlighterandbracedlighter.
fJ:howlongwasitasix-stringbeforeitgotconverted?
dc:severalyears.iwasplayingitwhenwe
Crosby’sguitarvaultincludesanolson,afewMcalisters,many
Martinsandslewof12-strings,includinga12-stringconverted
GibsonroysmeckradioDeluxe(toprow,fourthfromtheleft)
thatwasagiftfromJacksonbrowne(seepage59).Crosby
hassomegoodfriends:theolsonwiththeflorentine
cutawayandcustominlay(left)wasagiftfromafan.
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“I shaved the braces a little bit with a Coke bottle and some sandpaper.
”
50 the fretboard journal
startedthebyrds.Dylanofferedmeagrandforitonetime.stephen[stills]offeredmeanoldbentleyforit.andthisisbackwhen$1,000was$1,000.alotofpeoplehavewantedit,becauseit’sareallygood-sounding12-string.
fJ:atonepoint,youjoinedlesbaxter’sballaders,right?
dc:iwasinthereandsowasmybrother.hewasplayingbass,andmyselfandbobingram,andanotherguynamedMikeClough,anditwasreallyprettypathetic.itwasanimitationChristyMinstrels,ifyoucanimaginesuchathing.that’sreallyprettyfardowntheline.
fJ:straightoutofA Mighty Wind?dc:well,weneededmoney.weweretrying
tolive.weneededtohavesomemoneyforfood.andtheydressedusupinlittlepeggedpants—blackpants—andlittleredbellboyjackets.itwaspathetic.butweweregood,wecouldsing.wewereontour,inbaltimore,whenKennedygotshot.
ihatedbeingdresseduplikeamonkey.theyweretryingtomakeusbealoungeact.andthatwasahorrorshowforus,becausewewerefolkiesandwewantedtobelikebobDylan.welistenedtoPeteseegerandwoodyGuthrieandtheweavers.that’swherewecamefrom.andthathadnothingtodowithbellboyjackets.
Joshwhiteandodettahadgivenusourstandardthatwewerereachingfor.that’swhatweweretryingtodo.wewantedtobeasgoodasthosepeople.
fJ:whenyoureturnedtoCalifornia,youweredoingthatwholeashGroveandtroubadourcircuit.wereyouasoloact?whatwereyousinging?
dc:somereallycornballstuff,like“theyCallthewindMariah.”andtheoccasionalgoodsong,areallyoddhodge-podgeofstuff.
thenistartedwritingmyown.notanygood,butistartedwritingmyownsongs.andyou’dgetupatthehootnightatthetroubadour.asmuchasanythingelse,weweretryingtoattracttheattentionofgirls.
fJ:thiswasyousolo?dc:yeah.iworkedforawhilewithmy
brother.onceihadestablishedmyselfdowninflorida,itoldmybrother,“Comeondown,”andhewouldplaybasswithmeandsingharmony.andthatwasfunforawhile.wewoundupinomahasomeplaceandwekindofsplitup.andtheniwenttoChicagofromthere.
Chicagowaswhereiencounteredthebeatles.thatprettymuchchangedeverything.
fJ:whatwasitaboutthem?dc:itchangedmyoutlookonwhatiwanted
toplay.you’vegottoremember,therewasabigsynthesisgoingonthere;uptothatpoint,now,rock’n’rollhadbeenprettymuchfourchords—almostentirely,asamatteroffact.thatwasthestandardthingthatcameoutofthebrillbuilding,butitallhadabackbeat.well,hereweretheseguysfromengland,theywereplayingfolkmusicchanges,muchmorecomplexchordchanges—muchbettermusically,butwiththatbackbeat.thatwasamixingoftwostreamsthatcreatedanewthing.
anditwasirresistible.iwentfromChicagotol.a.iwalkedintothetroubadourandtherewasrogerMcGuinnandGeneClarksingingthatkindofstuff.itwasGeneClarkwhodidn’tknowanyoftherulesatall;hejuststartedwritingwhateversoundedlikethebeatles.
androger’soneofthemajortalentsofourtimes.hewasamoreadvancedmusician;he’dcomeoutofChicago’soldtownschooloffolkMusic.andhereallyknewhowtoplay,inparticulara12-string.hestartedplayingthoseGeneClarksongsandthatjustpulledmelikeamagnet.soistartedsittingaroundwiththebandandsingingharmony.andthatworked,thatwasfun.
fJ:whendidyoureallyrampupyoursongwriting?
dc:whentherewasavenueforit:whenthebyrdsstartedtoactuallybeaband;whenwegotChrishillmantocomeandplaybassforus.hewasamandolinplayerinalittlebluegrassgroup.buthewasfascinatedbythemusicandhelearnedhowtoplaybasstobeinthebyrds.hehadneverplayedbassbefore.
CrosbystilluseshisMartin12-stringallofthetime;itwas
alsotheguitarthathissignaturemodelMartin12-stringwas
basedupon.sincetherearenoextrabridgepinholestocover
uponmodernversions,thecompanyobviouslydecidednottousetheoversizedpickguard.
oftheoriginalguitar,Crosbysays,“Dylanofferedmea
grandforitonetime.stephenofferedmeanoldbentleyforit.
andthisisbackwhen$1,000was$1,000.alotofpeoplehave
wantedit,becauseit’sareallygood-sounding12-string.”
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MichaelClarkehadneverplayedtrapdrumsbeforeinhislife;heplayedacongadrum.hewassomebodythatimethitchhikinginbigsur.isaid,“Comeondowntol.a.,man.youlookright.youshouldbeinaband.”
fJ:thatwasallittook,thelook?dc:yeah.andhelearnedhow.andnoneof
uswereverygood,exceptroger.rogerwasreallygood.hecouldreallyactuallyplay.thenitturnedouthehadthisothertalent,whichwastobeabletoarrange—totranslate—fromafolkidiomintothisearlyrock’n’rollstuffthatthebyrdsdid.hecouldarrangethesongsothatitwouldchangeit;hetook“Mr.tambourineMan”andmadearecordoutofit—madeitcompletelydifferentthanhowbobwroteit,hugelydifferentfromthedemothatweheard,whichwasbobandramblin’Jackelliottjustoutoftheirminds.
fJ:whatwasthedemolike?thetwoofthemalternatinglines?
dc:no,bobwassingingthesonganddoingsomethingthathestilllovestodo,whichistosingthesongandgetsomebodyelsetosingalongwhodoesn’tknowthesong.anditwasprettyterrible,butyoucouldhearthesongifyoulistenedtobob.
fJ:howdidyouendupreleasingthatbeforeDylandid?
dc:iintroducedthoseguystoarecordproducerwhowasaroundhollywoodatthetimenamedJimDickson.Jimknewenoughpeopletogetusintoajazzrecordingstudiodownonthirdstreet[worldPacificstudios].hewouldgetusinthereaftertheyfinishedtheirsessionsfortheday.sosomenightswestartedat11:00,andsomenightswestartedat7:30,andsomenightswestartedat1:00,butwewouldgetinthereanditwasaplacetoplay.hecouldalsorecordus.
thetrickaboutthatwasthatwehadtolistentoitback,andthatwasbrutal.
fJ:that’llgetyourharmoniesinline!dc:yeah,itwasbrutal.itshort-circuitedthe
garagebandphaseofthebyrdsbyyears,because
Crosbywithhis1927Martin00-45.“it’saslightasafeather,”Crosbysaysaboutthisguitar.
54 the fretboard journal
They made me fall in love with acoustic guitars and they made me fall in love with singing… all of those guys did.
“”
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ifyou’rejustplayinginagarageband,youthinkyousoundterrific.there’snobodytheretotellyouthatyoudon’t.yourgirlfriendsays,“wow,thatwasreallycool,man.”andthere’snobodytheretosay,“yeah,itwasreallycool,exceptitwasallcompletelyoutoftune,andyouturnedtheonearoundtothebackbeat,andthat’snottherootofthatchord,and…”wewereconfrontedwiththatrightafterwehadjustplayedit.
fJ:Didthestudioownerseverknowthatthiswasgoingonatnight?Didtheycare?
dc:iassumetheydid,andidon’tthinktheygaveashit.aslongaswelockedtheplaceupwhenweleft.
itstarted,afterawhile,tosoundbetter,andthenDicksonknewtheguywhowasmanagingbob.bobcame,listenedto“Mr.tambourineMan,”andsaid,“oh,man.”youcouldseeitclickinhishead:heknewrightthenwhathewasgoingtodo.heknewwhatwasgoingtohappen.hewentoutandfoundthebandandstartedplayingelectricmusic,becauseheknewatthatmomentthathisstuffcouldbeplayedthatway.andhelikedit.
iwishicouldtakecreditforit—icouldtakecreditforsomeoftheharmonies—butthecreditgoestoMcGuinn.hereallysawhowtodoit,andwewentoutandboughttheexactsameaxesthatthebeatleshad.ihadaGretschtennesseanandMcGuinnhadarickenbacker12-string.theonlydifferencewasweusedafenderbass…better.
fJ:wherewasguitarshoppinginthosedaysinlosangeles?
dc:wallich’sMusicCity,rightatthecornerofsunsetandVine.istillhaveaGibson335thatiboughtatwallich’sMusicCitybrandnew.
iwentthroughtwoGretsches.ihadaGretschtennesseanthatistartedoffwith.youwouldhavediedlaughingifyoucouldhaveseenmeinfrontofamirror…ihadnoideahowtoplayanelectricguitar.Didn’tknowhowtoholdit,howshortshouldthestrapbe.itwashystericallyfunny,nowthatithinkback.
iwasdoingreallysillythingslikethat.iwouldplayelectricguitarwhilewearingthiscape.
fJ:whenyoumovedawayfromtheGretsch,wereyoujustseekingadifferenttone?
dc:istartedoutwiththattennesseanbecausethat’swhatGeorge[harrison]wasplaying.andthenisawaCountryGentleman.ithoughtthatlookedsocool.andihadtohaveaCountryGentleman.iplayedthatforquiteawhile.
thethingthatGretscheshavegotisthatifyourollthevolumeallthewayonandthencontrolthevolumeduringthesetfromtheamp,there’sacertaincrunchthatthey’vegotonthebottomthat’sreallywonderful.soididthatforalongtime,butthenisawthat335hangingonthewallatwallich’sMusicCityandithought,gee,that’saprettyfancy-lookingguitar.iconfesstobeingsomewhattakenwithguitars.
fJ:Guitars,planesandboats,right?dc:well,particularlyguitarsandboats.
Guitarsandboatshaveremarkablesimilarities.they’rebothmadeoutofwood.they’rebothundertensionfromwire.they’rebothevolvedshapes,notinventedshapes.they’rebothexquisitelybeautiful.theybothfaintlyresemblewomen.andtheybothtranscendthestateintheuniverseofathing,normally,becausetheydosomething.athing,anobjectthatyoumake,hasaninnatevaluebuiltintoit,dependingonwhatitwasmadetodo.afencepostdoesn’thavealotofinnatevalue.butaguitar,aguitarcantakeoveryourwholelife.itcanmakepeoplecry.itcanmakepeoplelaugh.itcanmakepeoplefeelelevated.it’sathingthat—anditgoeswaybeyondthingness.andasailboatdoesthat,too.
fJ:you’vereallyembracedmodernguitarmakerslikeroyMcalisterandKevinryan.Doyouhavethesameappreciationformodernsailboats?
dc:no.Modernsailboatsaremadeoffiberglass.andfiberglasssucks!
fJ:you’reknownforplayinginalternatetunings.whendidthatcomeabout?
dc:thealternativetuningsthing…howthathappensisyou’resittingtherewitharegularguitarandyouplayaDchord.butthateisonthebottom,right?andthatisalwaysinyourway.and
formersantaCruzGuitarCompanyemployeeroyMcalisterbuiltthisConcert-sizedguitarforCrosbyin1998.theGermansprucetopsportssomegorgeousbearclawfiguring.“hebecameoneofmyfavoriteguitarmakers,”Crosbysaysofthenow-Pacificnorthwest-basedbuilder.
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theaisnottheroot,soyou’rereallylimitedtothat,untilsomebodyshowsyouthatyoucantakethatbottomedowntoD,andthenallofasuddenyougotthatgreat-soundingchord.well,that’sthebeginningofalong,slipperyslope.
istartedmessingaroundwithtuningssomewheretowardstheendofthebyrds.andifyousittherelongenough,youeventuallystartplayingstuffthatdoesn’tcomeoutofregulartunings.
fJ:areyouwritingyourlyricslikepoetryfirst,andthenwritingthemusicforthem?ordoesitgobothways?
dc:ithinkwith“Guinevere,”ithinkithappenedprettymuchthesametime.
fJ:sowas“Guinevere”abyproductofyoustumblinguponthetuningandthenitjustcomingout?that’samazing.
dc::yeah,well,yearslater,oneoftheguysintheGratefulDeadpoundedthisformeandsaid,“youknowwhatyou’redoing?”hesaid,“two,three,five,six,seven—one,two,three,five,six,seven—two,three,five,six,seven.”andithought,“uh-oh,really?”
nobodyownsanyof’em:theyaren’tmine,they’re—Joni’saren’tJoni’s.anybodycantuneaguitarinanywaytheywantandyoumakeupnewchords.ProbablythegreatestpersonatdoingthatofallwasMichaelhedges.althoughi’dsayJoniwasn’tfarbehind.Joniwasfaraheadofme.
fJ:so,there’sarumorabouttheendofyourstintinthebyrds…didithaveanythingtodowithyoutryingtogetthemtoplay“triad”?
dc:idon’tknowhowmuchthathadtodowithitatall,truthfully.ithinkatthetimewewereyoungguyswhohadbeenbuttingheadswitheachother.iwasgrowingveryfast.iwantedabiggerpieceofthepie.iwaswritinggoodsongs.inthoseoriginalgroups,youwereexpectedtostayintherole—therhythmguitarplayerorharmonysinger—andstaythere.andthatdidn’tworkreallywellforChris,either.hewassupposedtobethebassplayer—theyoung-looking,reallynicebassplayer.hewasn’tsupposedtosingandplayandwrite
songsandstuff.andallofthesuddenherecomesChris,andhe’sarealtalent,andhecanwriteandhecanplayandhecansing.andifyou’veheardhimwithherbPedersen,youknowdamnwellhecanreallysingandreallywriteandreallyplay.
well,wedidn’tfitintotherolesanymore.weallhadegosandwehadotherpeoplestirringthepotfromoutside—badmanagersandstuff.and,youknow,iwascertainlynotaneasycasetogetalongwith.andtheythrewmeoutofthebandandsaidtheywoulddobetterwithoutme,whichdidn’tworkoutforthem,becauseaboutsixmonthslater,wehadCrosby,stills&nashatno.1.
fJ:wasthatreallytheamountoftimebetweengroups?
dc:Prettymuch.Maybeayear.itcertainlywasn’tlongerthanayear.and,sincethen,youknow,ihavegonebacktorogermanytimes.nowChrisandiarefriends.
fJ:so,withCs&n,wastheprocesssimilartothebyrds?Goingintoastudiotoworkontunesandlisteningbackthewholetime?
dc:Completelydifferentprocess.you’vegottoremember,bythetimewe’dgottoCs&n,we’dalreadydonethebyrds,theholliesandthebuffalospringfield.weknew.wewerenowveteransandweknewhowtomakearecord.weknewquitewellhowtomakearecord;wehadalreadymadehitrecords.nashhadmademorethanstephenandiputtogether,butweallknewhowandwehadsongs.wecouldsingyoutheentirefirstalbum,thecouchalbum,anytime,anywhere…justsitdownandsingittoyou,thewholerecord.
wewantedtobeonapplerecords,sowewenttolondonforawhile.andfinally,oneday,wegotGeorgeandPeterashertocomeover,andwesangthemtherecord.andtheysaid,“wellthat’snice.that’snice.it’sverygood.”weleftandwegotaphonecallalittlebitlatersaying,“idon’tthinkit’squitewhatwewant.”andiamwillingtobetthattheyregrettedthatdecisionmorethananyotheronetheymade.i’mfriendswithPeternow.istillhaven’taskedhim.butithinktheyprobablyregrettedthat,becausewewentbackandahmet
therussianCossackhatislonggone,but,yes,Crosbystill
ownsthesuedefringevestthatwasastapleofhismore
rebelliousdays.
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Come on down. I’m going to be there every night. It’s where I go. It’s what I do.
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ertegunwastotallythrilledwithit,veryeagertoputitout.andintheyearoftheguitarplayer,wheneverybodyelsewasClaptonandhendrix,wejustcameoutandkilledit.
fJ:thechemistrybetweenthethreeofyoumusthavetakenalittlebitoftimeforittojell,orwasitjustnaturalfromtheget-go?
dc:ihaddugsteven’splayingandsingingwhenhewasinspringfield.ithought,“Geez,thatkidisreallytalented.”hehadareallygreatsenseoftimeandalotofego,butitwaskindofjustifiable.hereallycoulddoit.whenspringfieldcameapart,heandiwerehangingouttogethersingingsongsandgoofingoff.Casselliotwasadearfriend.she’stheonewhointroducedmetoGraham.sheputhiminmypathandibroughthimtostephen.wewereatJoniMitchell’shouse,whomihadbeengoingwithandhadbroughtoutandproducedherfirstrecord.andthenshestartedgoingwithGraham,whichireallydidn’tblameherfor.Grahamwascertainlythemostpolishedoneofthebunch!
stephenandihadjustmethimandwesangoneofstephen’ssongstohim.hesaid,“wouldyoudothatagain?”andwesaid,“sure.”andwediditagain.itwas“intheMorningwhenyourise.”hesaid,“onemoretime.”andstillsandisaid,“whyshouldwesingitthreetimes?”andhesaid,“Please.Justforme.singitthreetimes.”andthethirdtimewesangit,heputtheharmonyonthetopandbothofuslookedateachotherandwent,“oh,shit!”andthatwasprettymuchthat.
theonlythingwewantedtodowasgetintoarecordingstudioanddothat,becauseweallhadsongs.ihadwritten“Guinevere”bythattime.nashhad“Marrakeshexpress”andanothersongcalled“rightbetweentheeyes”—goodsongs—and“ladyoftheisland,”stuffthatreallydidn’tfitthehollies.he’doutgrownthehollies.andstillswasintheprocessofwriting“Judyblueeyes”andhad“helplesslyhoping”and“intheMorningwhenyourise,”andthingslikethat.itwasjustasnaturalasathingcouldbe.wegotsomemoneyfromahmetandwentintothestudioandmadethatrecord.it
didn’teventakelong.fJ:wereyouplayingmuchonthatfirstrecord
ormostlysinging?dc:iplayedonthethingsthaticould
play.nobodyelsebutmecouldhaveplayed“Guinevere.”andiplayedon“longtimeGone”and“woodenships”—theotherthingsthatiwrote.
fJ:whatinstrumentdidyouuseforallthose?dc:D-45s,aD-18,D-28sandthatMartin
12-string.fJ:yoursolorecord,If I Could Only Remember
My Name,wasgroundbreaking.ifthatwasreleasedlastweekitwouldbeplayedoncollegeradiostationsalongsideindierockbands.
dc:ithinkitwasalittletoofaraheadofitstime.youprobablydon’tknowthis,butRolling Stone,whentheyreviewedit,theysaiditwas“mediocre.”that’sthewordtheyused.andithinkit’s’causetheydidn’tunderstanditandbecauseitwasn’tlikeanythingelsethathadcomeout.butstill,tothisday,alotofpeoplelikeit.
fJ:Doyoulikeit?dc:iloveit.fJ:andtherearealltheseadditionalclips
floatingaroundontheinternetofthePlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.
dc:that’ssomething[Jeffersonairplane’sPaul]Kantnercameupwith.here’showitactuallyhappened.thereneverreallywasaPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.whathappenedwasinthemiddleofusmakingDeja Vuinsanfrancisco,thegirlthatiwasinlovewithgotkilledinacarwreck,anditprettymuchdestroyedme.ididnothaveanywhereneartheequipmenttodealwiththat.
ihadnoexperience,nothing,didn’tknowhowtocopewiththatatall.soididtwothings,onegood,onebad.thegoodthingwasikeptgoingtothestudiobecauseitwastheonlyplaceifeltsafe.it’stheonlyplaceiknewwhattodowithmyself.andtheotherthingisistarteddoingalotofharddrugs,whichwasverybad,and,asyouknow,nearlydestroyedme.butatthatpoint,thestudio
Close-upofCrosby’sGibsonroysmeck12-stringconversion.
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Chicago was where I encountered the Beatles. That pretty much changed everything.
“”
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thingwasstillworkingreallywell.soimadeIf I Could Only Remember My Name.indoingso,ijusttoldmyfriends,“Comeondown.i’mgoingtobethereeverynight.it’swhereigo.it’swhatido.”ihadthemoneytojustkeeptheroom.
Deja Vuwassellingfasterthantheycouldprintit.someofthoseguys[atthesession]weretrulymyfriends:nashstillistrulymyfriend.and[Jerry]Garciausedtocomealmosteverynight.andwewouldfoolaround.Phillesh.JackCassidycamealot.JormaKaukonencamealot.thesewereallguysthati’dbeenfriendswithforalongtime—Kantner,Grace[slick]—thesewereallgoodfriendsandgoodpeopleandtheyknewthatiwaslonelyandtheyknewalsothatiwasslightlynutsatthetime,andtheywouldcomeandwewouldplaymusic.ihadsongs.i’donlyusedtwoorthreeofmysongsonDeja Vu,soihadalot.iwouldsitdownwithwhoeverdidshowup—mostoftenJerry—andstartplayingasong.
Musicwashoneytofliestohim.ifyoustartedplayingmusic,hewantedtoplay.andwehadtwo-tracktaperunningconstantlytheentirenight.andtheminutethatsomethingstartedtohappen,the24-trackwouldstarttoroll—ormaybeitwas12-trackbackthen.idon’tknow.itwasrolling.andtheniwouldstartlayeringharmoniesontoit,andthatwasalotoffunandi’mgoodatitandijusthadablastwithit.i’dsingalotofnonparallelthings.anditwoundupbeingreallyadelight.nowthereareacouplemomentsintherethataretranscendent.i’dobviouslylistenedtotoomuchbach.butthethingattheend—“i’dsweartherewassomebodyhere”—ireallydon’tknowwhatyoucallthat.it’scertainlynotsomethinganybodyelsehaseverdone.
andit’sjustmefoolingaroundwiththatechochamber.“whataretheirnames”…thatonewasajam.
fJ:Giventhatitwaslikethatandthatyouhadthetaperollingallthetime,howdidyouknowwhentostop?howdidyouknowwhenthealbumwasdone?
dc:ididn’t.andthat’swhentheP.e.r.r.o.
partcamein,becausewewerecontinuingtofoolaroundwith“theMountainsong”andtherewereanumberofotherpiecesofmusicthatwewerehopingtodevelopintosomething.andit’snotlikeJerrydidn’thavealotofmusic,too.butoncewehadthatalbum,onceitstartedtotakeform,thenifinallyjustcheckedoutoftheroom,andthatwastheendofthat.butinthemeantime,therewerealotoftapesthatwereattemptsatthisandattemptsatthatandalmostsofthisandalmostsofthat.PaulwasgettingunhappywithJeffersonairplane,sohestartedcallingitPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.andithinkhehopedthatthereactuallywouldbeaPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.butitlivedinhismind.andonceihadthatrecordputtogether,ihadjustputitout.thenthenextthingthatididwasstartworkingwithnashonthefirstofnowmanyCrosby&nashalbums.
fJ:theyearthatthesoloalbumcameout,Four Way Streetcameouttoo,right?itwasacrazyyear.wasthatright?
dc:Four Way Streetwasahairlater.roughlyaroundthesame…ididn’thavealottodowithFour Way Street.ijustsangsomestuffonitandletthemputittogether.
fJ:youandnashgosofarback.Doyouguystalkeveryday?
dc:Mostly.he’sagoodmanandhe’ssortofarenaissanceman.he’saguywhocameoutofoneofthetoughest,grittiestindustrialcitiesinallofnortherneurope,Manchester,whosaidtohimself,“youknow,idon’tknowaboutanyoneelse,butiamnotgoingtowindupworkinginthatfactory.that’snotit.i’mgoingtoplaymywayoutofhere.”andhedid.nowlookatwhathe’smadeofhimself.he’saworld-classauthorityonphotographyandart.heknowsmoreabouttheearlystagesofphotographythanalmostanyoneiknow.hebrokeintodigitalprintingofphotographysoearlyandsofarandsodeeplythathisprinterisnowinthesmithsonian.thisisaguywhoseriouslyaffectedhowyoumakephotographs.andhe’sagoodhumanbeing.
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fJ:andyou’reabouttogotoeuropetogether?dc:Goingtoeuropewithnash.big,bigfun.
ofallthedifferententities—Csn&y,Cs&n,Crosbynash—ithinkCrosbynashisprobablythemostfun.
welookatthingsverysimilarly.andhe’sagenerousman.hegivestothemusicprettywholeheartedlyandhe’snotcompetitive.there’stwokindsofwaystoapproachmusicandoneistogivetoitandtryandcreatesomethingwherethewholeisgreaterthanthesumofitsparts…wheremagichappens.andtheotheristotrytoimpressandalsoparticularlyaggrandizeyourself.andnashisthefirstguy.he’sajoy.
fJ:Doyoutalktoneilyoungmuch?dc:italktoneilfairlyoftenactually.icallhim
upandtalktohim.wegobackandforthabout,“well,youshouldn’thavedonethis,”or,“youshouldn’thavedonethat.”allofusdo.thefourofusdo.there’sneverbeenatimewhensomeofushaven’tbeenhappyaboutsomeoneelse’schoiceaboutonethingoranother.
fJ:andyoustilltalktostillsregularly?dc:allthetime.ilikestephen.i’vegottotell
you,twonightsagoatthebeacon[theaterinnewyork],stillswasjustterrific.everythingyoucouldaskofhim,hedelivered.hewasreallygood.
fJ:whodoyoutalkaboutguitarswiththemost?
dc:italkguitarswithJackson[browne].italkguitarsalotwithayoungguitarplayernamedMarcuseaton.he’saguitarnutandanincredibleplayer.italkguitarswithJames[taylor].italkguitarswithalotofpeople,truthfully.
nash,ofcourse,wasmuchsmarterthaniwasaboutbuyingguitars.iboughtguitarsthatsoundgreat.iwouldhearaguitarandthink,“ohmyGod,thatthingsoundslikeabell,”andbuyit.nashwouldgooutand,well,lastnightonstagehewasplayingDuaneallman’sguitar!
fJ:hetookthecollectabilityintoaccount?dc:yeah,he’sgotJohnnyCash’sguitar,he’s
gotDuane’sguitar.he’sgotguitars,withacapitalG.
fJ:iseethatyouownguitarsbyluthiersroyMcalister,JamesolsonandKevinryan.arethereanyotherbuildersyouadmire?
dc:Martin.whenitallcomesbackdowntoit,youhavetogobacktoMartinandlookatthemandsaywhataphenomenontheyare.becausetothisday,Martinguitarswillbuildyou,canbuildyouanddoesbuildyou,everyday,aguitarthatyoujustcan’tbelieve.
admittedly,itcomesoffanassemblyline.buttheguysonthatassemblylinearethebestguysintheworld.thereareonlyahandfulofguyswhocanequalthem.
fJ:whatguitarareyoumostbummedyousold?
dc:a1939herringbonethatihadthatitradedfordrugs.i’llregretthattherestofmylife.
fJ:Doyouknowwhereitendedup?dc:no.thesethingshappen,man.youmake
mistakesinlife.
Music was honey to flies to him. If you started playng music, he wanted to play.
“”