Talking Guitar

February 1, 2017

Guitar players have so often been the driving force in a broad spectrum of pop music over the last 60 years. Throughout this fine selection of interviews, Obrecht (Rollin' and Tumblin': The Postwar Blues Guitarists) demonstrates a penchant for performing background research and asking insightful questions that merit interesting, detailed responses. Some of the most entertaining discussions, however, seemed to transpire by simply being in the right place at the right time. This is certainly the case in his serendipitous encounter with Eddie Van Halen, an unplanned backstage tete-a-tete at a 1978 rock concert, and one of the earliest published interviews with the now-famous showman. Obrecht is a music aficionado, not just a journalist looking for a scoop, and his passion for the subject is palpable, whether inquiring about cultural influences, exploring song structures, or delving into the minutiae of vintage equipment. For those who prefer to listen, a compact disc of rare conversations is also included. VERDICT An absorbing collection of conversations with guitarists from a wide swath of the musical map, these chronicles will appeal to a broad readership, not only to those who strum.--Dan McClure, Seattle, WA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
For a roughly 20-year period, from the late 1970s to the late 1990s, Obrecht, an editor for Guitar Player magazine, interviewed some of the most influential popular musicians of the twentieth century, including Ry Cooder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Neil Young, Eddie Van Halen, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Garcia, Joe Satriani, and Gregg Allman. Those interviews are collected here, in a book that explores the importance of the guitar not just to the evolution of modern music, but also to the people who play the instrument. The interviewees talk about such diverse matters as the difficulties experienced by early black musicians to be heard; an artist's obligation to his audience (Jerry Garcia says a musician owes his audience everything ); and the importance of heart, not just technique, to making good music. The interviews are arranged in historical sequence: Nick Lucas, who made revolutionary music in the 1920s, comes first, and Ben Harper, the master of many instruments, who first broke out in the 1990s, comes last. For music fans, especially those with an affection for the guitar, it's essential reading. An audio CD accompanies the book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)