Les Paul Interview: In His Own Words
Born the grandson of immigrants in 1915, Lester William Polfuss exhibited an inborn Germanic talent for analytical thinking at a precociously early age.
Born the grandson of immigrants in 1915, Lester William Polfuss exhibited an inborn Germanic talent for analytical thinking at a precociously early age.
Guitar International was recently invited to take a tour of luthier Dan Koentopp’s Chicago workshop. We spent the afternoon checking out Dan’s tools, several guitars he had in the works and hearing about his journey as an up and coming custom-guitar builder.
Over the course of its forty-year history, Rush has emerged from it’s beginnings as a rock band to becoming an institution of rock culture. They’re one of the few bands that have not only survived for over four decades, but have done so with the same line-up of band members. That feat is a true anomaly in the turbulent and ego-driven world of rock music. With over thirty-million records sold worldwide, award-winning videos and legions of hardcore fans, perhaps the most impressive thing about the band’s career is the manner in which they have navigated their own course. While other bands worried about mainstream success, Rush focused on mastering their instruments and musicality to make the best records possible.
There are few guitarists alive today that are more accomplished or easily recognizable as Lee Ritenour. With a resume that reads like every budding guitarists wildest dream, Ritenour has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in music during his fifty years as a guitarist. After beginning his professional career at the age of sixteen,
The music business has changed dramatically over the past few years. While music is still an international language, the world has become a smaller place, and unfortunately record sales have declined in scope as well. Though sales are down, the rapid pace of technological advancements and the rise of independent artists has caused a tremendous global demand for new music.
When one thinks of Stewart Copeland, iconic drummer for The Police and, more recently, Oysterhead, guitar is not the first instrument that comes to mind.
Australian guitar aficianado, Tommy Emmanuel, must be one of the hardest working and most likable musicians on the planet. His touring schedule of over 300 concerts a year, strikes awe in many of his fellow musicians and his infectious personality brightens up even the most dismal of days.
According to Agustin Barrios features eight pieces performed by internationally recognized guitarist, and Paraguayan born, Berta Rojas.
One of the newest luthiers on the block is Mollenhauer Guitars based out of California’s high desert. With a focus on producing high-quality, low cost guitars, the guys at Mollenhauer are quickly making a name for themselves among players and collectors alike.
From the early days in 1969, Ian Grandy worked with the band Rush and did what needed to be done to help keep things running smooth, until his departure in 1983. As the road crew grew, he settled into his role as front-of-house sound engineer, finally transitioning to the role of security chief shortly before leaving the organization.
